Endorphins are a type of opiate, so is it possible to become addicted to the endorphin release and develop symptoms similar to other opiate addicts? I recently connected endorphins with the "feel good" feeling you get after working out/sex/running/head rubs etc. and it seems perfectly logical that one can get addicted to this naturally made substance. Anyone ever have endorphin addiction problems? This would probably be a great thesis for a med student's essay http://cyberpsychos.netonecom.net/jsailing/actual/heroin.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin
Yeah definatley. You ever wonder why there are so many compulsive joggers/bikers/hikers, etc. Endorphins man. That's why athletes get so pumped over sports ands competition. To me, it's a hell of alot easier and better high to clear a few rails then to sprint a couple kilometers.
yea actually my brother is studying right now in med school and i asked him the same thing, crazy huh? anyway ill try to get a resource, but so far its like...since its naturally made in your body you dont really ever build up a tolerance for endorphins, its just a chemical cause and effect. so you would never need an running "fix" to get you through your day. granted, some people who exercise regularly feel like theyre depressed etc from missing a workout, but thats just because the workout and subsequent afterglow never happened like theyre used to, not becuase they need endorphins. but ill be back with literature. edit: i cant fucking find the internet article, if my brother comes down from W Va ill have the actual book to tell yall.
There was a very interesting show on I believe hbo called "You don't know *bleep*" It basicly was professionals discussing the human mind, emotion and spirituality to the backdrop of trippy visuals and an interesting story line about a deaf woman. Now to the point that actually applies. One of the professionals speaking on this show theorized that our bodies can become physicly addicted to not only endorphines, but that we can actually become addicted to specific emotions and the chemical reactions there-in . That is why it is very important to "try" and control your emotions, it is possible supposidly to condition ones body to be addicted to....say....Hate. This person will then subconsously feel a need to Hate, even if the results are negetive, it is very interesting to think about the possabilities, but yeah just wanted to put that out there.
its possible....some people can be come physically addicted to the endorphins in chocolate about controlling emotions....It would end up better for everyone if we were ruled by logic and not our emotions, but you know what makes us Vulcans.
I saw "you dont know bleep" to, great show. ever wonder why sad people are always sad, angrey people are always angry, and some people are always happy? its because they are addicted to those emotions. remember, all those emotions are chemicals just like endorphines, and you can easily become addicted to any of them.
i completely agree with you, but that kind of conditiong of the body to a certain mindset or physiological occurence is still not addiction.
that's weird how you can't build up a tolerance to endorphins but at the same time you can become addicted
I dunno scooby, I might have to respectfully disagree with it not being addiction. Studies have shown that certain people who have endorphine "addiction" will produce endorphines at at a far higher rate and more often under less trying circumstances than those with regular neurochemistry. That means that when thier body gets the cravings, they subconciously do whatever they can to get the chemical out there....but I am not sure on any of this, just some interesting infpormation. (Oh a quick note, sex addiction is often casued by the chemical addiciton and not the physical aspects of sex ie. sexy boobs and ass are my addicition, as apposed to the act of orgasm which produces the chemicals.