Essay on Exercise Addiction

The first time I realized I wanted to specialize in medicine was when my father took me to the fire station when I was around the age of fourteen. He began to show me images of different cases and trauma scenes they had participated in. Since then, I have constantly asked my dad questions about different calls and scenarios about patients he has rescued. By having a father in the medical field and continuing to take science and medical courses throughout high school, I began to learn more about medicine throughout the years. Deciding to partake in these courses further advanced my understanding in medicine. These courses helped it become clear to me that the medical field is something I continuously

Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease. To better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a disease; I will identify several types of addictions, and the problems associated with them. I will examine reasons why certain people are more susceptible for developing an addiction. Also, I will determine why many addicts deny their problems and many recovery methods addicts use to fight their illness. Researching these issues, will help aid my claim that addiction is a disease.

Whether you love it or absolutely hate it with all your might, we can all agree that if you’re going to the gym, the trip should be as beneficial as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re working out to get rid of the extra weight or working out for mental stability – since we all want to free our minds from the day-to-day stress we go through.

Addiction is everywhere, from celebrity tabloids, to television, and possibly to a family member or close friend. There is alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling addiction; the effects of such are devastating. For example, the following excerpt is from the harrowing Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir by James Salant:

It is a well-kenned fact that exercise is very propitious to the body’s overall health. Exercise has been shown to enhance the circulation of blood throughout the body, relinquish solicitousness, boost self-esteem, and ultimately is utilized as a treatment for noetic illnesses.

Addiction begins in the brain, more specifically with how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. Feelings of pleasure originate from the cerebral cortex, more specifically with a cluster of nerve cells called the nucleus accumbens. It's here where a powerful neurotransmitter called dopamine is released, resulting in the pleasurable "high" feeling associated with substance use. Once this release is triggered, another part of the brain called the hippocampus creates a memory of how intense the pleasure was and how it occurred. Another area called the amygdala develops a conditioned response in order to increase the likelihood of this pleasure occurring again. These reactions make addiction more complex, as they not only deal with the pleasure center of the brain, but also the areas of memory and learning.

All types of addictions should be looked at from a philosophical and psychological point of view. Those in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and philosophy often compare their views to show the similarities of addictions whether they be substance induced or behavioral. “Behavioral science experts believe that all entities capable of stimulating a person can be addictive; and whenever a habit changes into an obligation, it can be considered as addiction” (Alaghemandan et al 290). Some addictions can affect people physically. Caffeine and nicotine provide prime examples. The body’s physical state becomes dependent on its effects and causes withdrawal symptoms without use. One of the main differences in behavioral and substance addictions is that behavioral addictions have no apparent physiological or physical withdrawal symptoms. It is not the physical body that is addicted, but the feeling that one gets mentally. The physical body is only affected by the

In the article “Why Exercise Works Magic” the authors stress the usefulness of exercise. This article discusses all the ways in which working out can benefit the body and the mind. Not only does the article give examples of why exercise is important, but it also talks about how our body reacts to exercise. A lot of the information discussed in the article is information that people may already be aware of, and a lot of it is new information that someone may find very useful. Overall the article really focuses on why working out is worth the time spent, the sweat, and possibly tears.

Some Symptoms and Signs of Excessive Exercise are continuing to exercise when injured or sick, avoiding social functions to exercise, and firmly adhering to an obsessive and regimented exercise regime. Treatment for Exercise Addiction. Which are refraining from exercise for a period of time to regain a balance lifestyle and identity underlying issues, counseling from qualified treatment professionals on developing healthier coping skills and tools to lead a more balanced life, and training from an exercise physiologist or a specialist when resuming exercise, to assist in determining healthy workout schedule, appropriate duration of exercise and more.

When a mother brings her young son along with her to a methadone clinic for her daily dose, each nurse and staff members looks upon the little boy with worry. Is this child in risk of falling into the same patterns simply because his mother will find it difficult to teach him differently? Or, is he predisposed to drug dependence due to his own DNA? While drug dependency has not yet been reduced to a few "undesirable" genes in the human genome, most, if not all, scientists will agree that the risk of drug dependence is largely heritable. Why does drug dependency depend on genetics, and are there environmental factors as well?

When the addict participates in the activities, the brain creates chemicals that intoxicates the subject and creates dependence (medicinenet). This type of intoxication may be similar to a drug addict’s dependence on the chemicals in their drugs, the only difference being a chemical created in the brain. Drug addicts are also more likely to develop another addiction, including sex addiction.

The benefits of physical exercise in humans far outweighs the harmful effects associated with exercise. A prescription of physical activity has been known to delay the onset or prevention of many chronic diseases. An improvement in heart function, lower blood pressure and improve functional capacity is noticed after just a few weeks of exercising. Physical activity will also result in an increase of lean muscle mass, promote weight maintenance, increased flexibility, and a generally stronger more fit individual. Conversely, exercise when preformed strenuously or obsessively can counteract such positive effects, bringing up some issues like oxidative stresses, injuries, and

When one exercises and eats good foods then they also physically feel great. The fact that one has just spent an hour on the treadmill and a salad was for dinner makes a person feel as if they are really accomplishing something. If people would realize what a great feeling a person gets from working out and eating healthy foods then everyone would be doing it. It is a lifestyle that people should adopt and live by. It should also make one feel good that they are doing something to better themselves. All of us have areas that we can improve on. By improving our physical imperfections it makes us feel great.

The articles by Erikson et al., Gatz, Korol et al., and Draganski et al. explore the concept of increased physical activity and/or mental activity having effects on the cognitive function and development or deterioration of the brain as we age. Although I agree that physical exercise is critical in increasing cognitive function because of the health benefits it provides, as well as the increased blood flow and circulation throughout the body, I ultimately believe that a healthy brain is not achieved solely by physical exercise or mental exercise, but both. I think there is a link between physical and mental exercise, and that the combination of these two activities creates higher cognitive functioning of the mind as well as the body. The mind and body come together and meet to make an overall healthy individual.

Adding exercises into one’s daily routines can change their whole lifestyle. Many people look at exercise as being something just for people who want to lose weight or to become muscle bound, but there are a great deal of benefits that can be received from exercising regularly. Of course gaining muscle and losing fat are the two most popular reasons that usually attract people to the gym, but they make up a small part of the potential benefits that can be achieved with exercise. There are several ways in which I have benefited in my life from exercising regularly, besides just making me bigger and stronger. It has made me become more organized, helped me make better decisions, and motivated me to take on new challenges in life.