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Does anybody else get a natural high from vigorous exercise?

Higherfocus420

Higherfocus420

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Apr 25, 2020
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When I exercise vigorously say from intense swimming sessions or a combination of weights and running I find afterwards all day I have a natural high where I feel amazing like I'm on drugs my vision gets brighter I have loads of energy I feel relaxed I'm really confident have no anxiety am in a good mood feel more intelligent like my brain is firing properly can anyone else relate
 
Absolutely! Especially from running. After about 2 miles I get a noticeable runners high, and then when I get home I have a very noticeable drop in anxiety for several hours.

Sometimes I love to run a few miles and then come home and take a nap, it's very relaxing almost like a mild benzo effect.

Aerobic exercise immediately and significantly boosts serotonin production in the brain as well as endorphins. I notice it will dilate my pupils!
 
Negentropic said:
Absolutely! Especially from running. After about 2 miles I get a noticeable runners high, and then when I get home I have a very noticeable drop in anxiety for several hours.

Sometimes I love to run a few miles and then come home and take a nap, it's very relaxing almost like a mild benzo effect.

Aerobic exercise immediately and significantly boosts serotonin production in the brain as well as endorphins. I notice it will dilate my pupils!
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Honestly, the further I get into stable recovery. The more and more I appreciate exercise and movement. I meditate everyday. I’ve made swimming part of my daily routine. Keeps me sane.
 
Not anymore. I think buprenorphine's antagonist properties block endogenous opioids which leads to reward blocking & an anhedonic state of being. Other opioids don't do this. It's no wonder why it's the "state sponsered go-to opioid" rather than just letting people use the opioid of their choice.


I use to love exercise when I was on other opioids. Fuck buprenorphine though.
 
Interesting abstract.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can the chronic administration of the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone block dopaminergic activity causing anti-reward and relapse potential? - PubMed

Opiate addiction is associated with many adverse health and social harms, fatal overdose, infectious disease transmission, elevated health care costs, public disorder, and crime. Although community-based addiction treatment programs continue to reduce the harms of opiate addiction with narcotic...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I'm betting chronic bupe usage does lead to blocking dopamine release from natural activities.
 
i sure dont at this juncture, just feel like passing out due to activity besides back breaking work. my pitbull puppy is an ace ball and frisbee retriever, but she likes to play keep away too, she is going to be the death of me.......maybe savior
 
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Mostly just feel better long-term from it. Sorting out posture and stuff by adjusting to a biologically normal physical stress level instead of sedentary life. I can feel the mental benefits you describe but i think they emerged over time along with the overall kinetic-mental-spiritual anti-depressant effects of getting my shit together rather than a distinct drug-like high after each session. But i must say life these days can seem like a dream or a trip compared to previous depressed states, overall.

I can feel the beneficial effects rapidly and then evolving - but no real "high", rather a cycle of tension and relaxation. Like i have to be mindful of every movement during muscle soreness but the relaxation and sleep also get deepened. There is also a (slight, manageable) dysphoric component during the acute recovery phase for me. Not surprising from just having broken down big chunks of the body by maximum effort.

If i was a big user of opioids, benzos and empathogens i could imagine myself associating these body feelings more with being high on drugs or not high on drugs. Those drugs tend to remind me a lot of certain fleeting mood related sober states, as much as i've dabbled in them. I guess stimulants could fit that bill too, especially meth or crack (and whatever cathinones and whatnot). Maybe the same is also true for my preferred drug classes, from another perspective.
 
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DeathIndustrial88 said:
Not anymore. I think buprenorphine's antagonist properties block endogenous opioids which leads to reward blocking & an anhedonic state of being. Other opioids don't do this. It's no wonder why it's the "state sponsered go-to opioid" rather than just letting people use the opioid of their choice.


I use to love exercise when I was on other opioids. Fuck buprenorphine though.
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I totally agree with this. I've been on suboxone daily for 10 years now. I've really became more aware of this lately. I am not ok with it. I know exactly how you feel. I would like to read the book The Anhedonic Adaptation if I can get my hands on a copy. But I wanted to share with you a link that I've found helpful just recently.....

www.verywellmind.com

Defining the Hedonic Treadmill

Hedonic adaptation or “the hedonic treadmill” are terms that define how people generally return to the same level of happiness despite their circumstances.
www.verywellmind.com www.verywellmind.com
 
100% yes, I always have. I get addicted to the endorphin high whenever I'm on a fitness kick or whenever I'm training for an event. I LOVE IT. The endorphin release is one of the main reasons I exercise at all.
 
Kellsee said:
I totally agree with this. I've been on suboxone daily for 10 years now. I've really became more aware of this lately. I am not ok with it. I know exactly how you feel. I would like to read the book The Anhedonic Adaptation if I can get my hands on a copy. But I wanted to share with you a link that I've found helpful just recently.....

www.verywellmind.com

Defining the Hedonic Treadmill

Hedonic adaptation or “the hedonic treadmill” are terms that define how people generally return to the same level of happiness despite their circumstances.
www.verywellmind.com www.verywellmind.com
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Wow, that means a lot to me that some can relate! 10 fucking years is a long time!
I bet you have a lot of insight on long term bupe. I'd definitely love to hear your experience.

I feel like my depression was incredibly relieved in the beginning on buprenorphine, but now a days it's worse. I don't know if I should blame the bupenorphine or not.
But I feel like I deal with more pain, pain sensitivity, anhedonia & less "excitement" (for a lack of a better term) in my life. Like I'm dulled down on an antipsyche med or something instead of an opioid.

Don't get me wrong, I love opioids & have found them the best tools in combating my depression issues, but the way bupe is designed to only activate receptors slightly while also having antagonistic properties AND a ceiling effect sounds like a horrible time in the long run. Basically trapped on a drug that makes you feel like crap if you take it or if you don't take it. lol With heroin & certain other opioids, you don't really run into this same problem. Sure you get tolerant to those too but your blood levels drop so much quicker that even when I had a tolerance, just dosing would bring back all the antidepressant effects I needed.

I'm very curious about this book, thank you @Kellsee . Appreciate it.
I'd definitely love to hear more about how your experience on long term bupe has played out.

Has it fucked with your stomach at all too?

I'm going on about 5 years on it, maybe longer. At times I feel like my intestines don't even work anymore & I'm constantly tired & bored of everything around me.
I was much happier & productive on HEROIN & other opioids like tramadol (which I also took long term & it felt much cleaner & better than bupe at times) than I am on this super long acting half-assed shit that is blocking even my natural endorphins & dopamine, most likely.

I don't know why the US won't allow people to use other opioids for maintenance instead of just methadone or bupe. Or why it's so difficult to get on methadone & have to visit a clinic daily or you're fucked, yet a normal doctor can hand out as much fentanyl to any one else they want with no daily visits.
 
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Until the last week I have had the "runners high" after all my cardio routines for a lot of years. But after my last binge of drink and coke a week ago I'm not getting it - its gone this week. My anxiety and stress levels are too high!! For it to make a difference - yes I feel better but not the usual high!
 
dinadore said:
This is how I besiege sports for such feelings. Usually the most effective is running
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Yes!! <3
On the subject, a few hours ago my older brother just completed a 24-hour ultra marathon. What a fucking legend.

lennyd79 said:
Until the last week I have had the "runners high" after all my cardio routines for a lot of years. But after my last binge of drink and coke a week ago I'm not getting it - its gone this week. My anxiety and stress levels are too high!! For it to make a difference - yes I feel better but not the usual high!
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It should return. In fact by now it should've already returned. How are you feeling now?? <3
 
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