Essays
GETTING STONED NATURALLY
Essays
Apr 10, 2006, 09:34

By: Andrew Stanley
Kiatou.ca Wilderness Therapy
Blue Sea, Quebec Canada
819-463-0152

Why are runners and athletes notoriously obsessed and addicted to their sport? It is because of that euphoric feeling they experience during and after exercise. Commonly known as the runner's high, it is applicable to all types of sports.

Back in the 1970's, researchers began examining why drugs like heroin and cocaine had such a strong effect on the body. They found that rather than the body producing new natural hormones, the synthetic drugs were triggering specific reactions and feelings in the brain. Exercise triggers the same hormones and stimulants as produced by drugs, but with one significant difference, exercise affects your life in a positive way.

Working out creates a feeling of euphoria, which is why frequent exercise is recommend for people dealing with depression. Like synthetic drugs (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, crystal meth), more endorphins are pumped through your blood stream and into the endorphin receptors in the brain. Once these 'happy hormones' penetrate the brain, your mood changes similar to being "high" and you feel upbeat and friendly. As the endorphins begin pumping into your brain during exercise, another stimulant shown to penetrate your brain is PEA. Found in crystal meth and cocaine, PEA is a stimulant that creates a sense of self-confidence and makes you feel euphoric and invincible.

Consider the amount of time and work it takes you to get high. First, you need transportation - a way to get your drugs. Next, you wait around for a while until the "guy" finally arrives, then you pay with money you earned, or more likely, money you stole. Once you get the drugs, then you need a place to get "high," preferably somewhere where you will not be caught. The final risk occurs when you come home after supposedly going to the movies or playing video games, because now you have to worry about your parents finding out where you really were. Once you establish this pattern, it consumes your life and virtually bankrupts your life, leaving you no future. What I failed to mention before, is that the people you trust will no longer trust you. This leaves your life filled with those fake friends who like your money, but have no concern for the risks you take with not only the law, but also your own life.

Now, let's look at the implications of getting high the natural way. You get into shape, which in turn creates a better body image, more muscle and provides a better outlook on life. Once you start working out everyday, you find that your sense of happiness not only occurs after the run, but the high continues to increase for another couple of hours. This "high" puts you into a very positive space and your energy levels are similar to those of when you were a kid. It's that effective. This dedication to a sport will help you to develop a sense of discipline that not only helps during workouts, but in all areas of your life. Working out provides you with a sense of accomplishment, and you get "stoned" naturally without the "come down" of doing drugs. When comparing these two choices of getting "high," the natural way is the obvious choice because it triggers the same endorphins and PEA's as synthetic drugs. The natural high offers a healthy and positive way to make big changes in your life.