CHAPTER 1 Brain and Psychological Problems Neurologists used to believe that movement affected only the primitive areas of the brain, and that the more evolved areas--such the prefrontal cortex--were reserved for "higher" functioning: social interaction, planning, and emotional intelligence. Turns out that the areas of the brain affected by movement are interlaced throughout the whole organ. Said one neurologist I know, "There''s hardly a cell in your brain that isn''t profoundly affected by movement." That means that you can directly affect your emotional centers by taking a run. You can literally light up your brain''s decision-making circuitry with a trip to the weight room. More and more, it''s clear that exercise is a remarkably potent "way in" that helps us avoid, improve, and sometimes even solve psychological problems--from stress to sleep problems, from fatigue to addiction. Exercise and movement of all kinds grow and organize the brain in a very powerful and direct way that we''re only starting to understand. So get moving--and start feeling better.

THE PROBLEM: Addiction THE SYMPTOMS: You''re drawn to some type of mood-altering behavior or substance, and you keep giving in to it, despite negative consequences. Symptoms include preoccupation with your drug or behavior of choice, a lack of control over it, and continued use despite adverse consequences. Another big sign: denial that a problem exists. If it feels good now, feels awful later, and you can''t stop yourself from doing it, chances are it''s an addiction. WHAT''S GOING ON: Addictions come in many forms, some of which can cause physiological dependency, others of which are, more accurately, intense forms of compulsive behavior. In the case of physiological dependency, the body begins to rely on the substance to function properly and needs more and more of it to achieve the original, euphoric feeling (this is called tolerance). When the substance is removed, withdrawal symptoms occur, and the person needs to go through a period of detoxification in order to relearn how to function without it. Common withdrawal symptoms include acute cravings for your drug of choice, headaches, cold sweats, anxiety, tremors, irritability, nausea, and hallucinations.

Smoking, drugs, alcohol, and some medications can lead to this type of dependency. Other behaviors, including gambling, playing video games, watching and obsessing over sports, and using pornography can be addictive to varying degrees, as can some types of behavior that are usually considered beneficial--including calorie-restricted dieting, sex, and even exercise. And a newer addiction: social media. Some people really do need their "Facebook fix." Depending on the person and the substance, an addiction can take hold overnight or over many years. Why do addictions happen? People typically have a genetic predisposition to addictive behavior--if your parents are addictive types, you are more likely to be as well. But addiction has an environmental component, too, as you can''t become addicted to something you''ve never experienced (which is why the first one''s always free). At some point, the addictive substance or behavior gets hard-wired to a biochemical process in the brain, which creates an illusion of euphoria, relaxation, and happiness when you experience your drug or behavior of choice, and an increasing desire for and preoccupation with the drug.

The behaviors around obtaining the drug, and hiding your use of it, may further add to the allure of the addictive substance. YOUR EXERCISE Rx Exercise can help combat virtually any addiction (except exercise addiction, naturally). Says one 2011 study published in Current Neuropharmacology, "Exercise leads to an increase in the synthesis and release of dopamine, stimulates neuroplasticity and promotes feelings of wellbeing. Moreover, exercise and drugs of abuse activate overlapping neural systems." Researchers have theorized that this might explain why regular exercise helps to prevent addiction from taking hold--and can play a role in curing it as well. In many studies, exercise has been shown to have a pacifying effect on addictive behavior. It blunts the urge to take drugs, gamble, and smoke, for example. A review of studies published in 2012 looked at the effect of exercise in people who were trying to quit smoking.

Several of the studies reviewed showed "significantly" higher abstinence rates for the groups that exercised versus those that didn''t. In this study, two groups of rats were exposed to amphetamines: one group of normal rats, another group that had a fully ingrained exercise habit. The exercising rats showed no preference for amphetamines, whereas the nonexercisers couldn''t get enough of them. Overall, this may explain why, statistically, exercisers are much less likely than inactive people to become addicts. When to Call a Doctor This can be problematic. Most addicts will never call a doctor or even ask for help with their problem. They believe they can handle it. Or they don''t want to face it.

Even with family interventions, an addict won''t pursue real change until he or she is ready. And "ready" can be a long way off and include some horrifying consequences for the addict and those close to him or her. If you know an addict, seek professional guidance for them (and for yourself on how to handle the problem), and try to help as best you can. If you''re an addict, deep down you probably know it. Even if you can''t imagine a life without your addiction of choice, that better life is out there. There is no shame in admitting you need help--and the professional help out there is very real and very effective if you commit to it. Another study, however, conducted by the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2012, offers a different and perhaps somewhat qualified perspective of the value of exercise in overcoming addiction. Two groups of mice--one habituated to exercise, the other not--were exposed, and became addicted to, liquid cocaine.

The formerly sedentary mice were then also habituated to exercise. When the cocaine was taken away from both groups, the mice that had only taken up exercise after exposure to cocaine were able to break their addiction much more easily than those who had the exercise habit in place before exposure. In some cases, the poor previously exercise-addicted mice continued to crave cocaine for the rest of their lives. So does this mean that we shouldn''t begin an exercise program unless and until we have an addiction to overcome? Or that exercising regularly will make you more susceptible to addiction? It''s hard to say: Mice aren''t people, after all, and it was just one experiment. The big-picture lesson, say the researchers, may be that exercise primes the brain to learn, and adopt, new behaviors--regardless of whether those behaviors are self-destructive or beneficial. (This seems to be true at any age, by the way). WHEN EXERCISE IS THE ADDICTION Yes, it''s possible. You can be addicted to exercise (the very definition of "too much of a good thing").

It stands to reason: Exercise can induce physiological pleasure responses the same way a drug can. Motor activity stimulates the release of dopamine, a naturally occurring narcotic in the brain that is also stimulated by many addictive substances and behaviors, including cocaine and methamphetamine. Natural endorphins, enkephalins, and endocannabinoids (opium- and marijuana-like substances also manufactured in the brain) also get in on the act. There are signals for exercise addiction in both mind and body. In the mind: Does it dominate your life? Will you be seriously derailed for the day if you don''t exercise? In the body: chronic overuse injuries. All these are signs that you''re exercising in unhealthy ways and should talk to your doctor about it. In my own case, I''m probably a borderline exercise addict. I need it every day and I recommend it every day for my patients.

I watch myself carefully. I''ll ask myself, "If I''m going to give up a workout, why? Am I going to miss a dinner I should go to, or an important meeting, or a special occasion?" I''m pretty good about this, but not perfect. And that''s the overall point of this entire section: Recognizing your own addictive tendencies--stepping back and seeing your own behavior--is a huge part of recognizing a potential problem. For you and me, that may mean that if you''re trying to adopt or break a habit--be it eating less sugar, smoking fewer cigarettes, or shaking an Internet jones--you might want to begin or make a change in your exercise program at the same time: Start jogging or cycling or switch from rock climbing to martial arts, for example. The fresh neurons that your new or unfamiliar exercise program stimulates may make it easier to adopt the new behavior you''re trying to master. To recap: . Exercise helps prevent addiction from taking hold. Exercise can help overcome addictive behaviors once they have taken hold.

If struggling to overcome an addiction (or adopt a new behavior in general), you may benefit from making a change in your exercise program at the same time. THE PROBLEM: Anxiety THE SYMPTOMS: You''re worried, concerned, and fearful, generally about some threatening event in the future over which you feel you have little control. You may feel nauseated, shaky, experience blurred or tunnel vision, a racing heart, fatigue, the frequent need to go to the bathroom, panic attack.