CityOfAngels

Endorphins are released in my body all the time. I have sex and masturbate a lot (I usually have 2-4 orgasms per day), I exercise a lot (at least 5 hours of basketball per week, mostly 10-15 hours), and when I'm at work, I'm exposed to the sun all day (archaeology). I eat spicy foods (my favorite pizza topping is Jalapenos), and I have back problems and fractured knees, which means I'm always experiencing some sort of pain. Recently I've been getting a lot of massages from this new girl I've been seeing, and I tend to massage myself on the scalp and my feet whenever necessary. From my weak understanding of endorphins, all of these activities release endorphins into my system.

Here are my questions:
1) How can this affect me (both positively and/or negatively)?
2) How normal are these activities compared to the average person?
3) Am I releasing too many endorphins into my system?
4) Can too many endorphins have an adverse affect on my mood?

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated!

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Rodney

In my experience and in the experience of those around me, this is not a problem, except in one way: I do know runners who must run every day for the "high" caused by the endorphins. If they miss many days, they get cranky. And so they tend to run through pain, so that minor problems -- minor stress fractures, things like that -- become big ones. Because they just won't stop. My neighbor's like that. She had a cast on for a month, and had to stop running for three months, because she just wouldn't give herself time enough to heal. We're talking about a 40-odd year-old woman running at least, every day.

I would argue that somebody with a bad back and bad knees maybe should _not_ be playing basketball for 5-15 hours a week, and that this may be exascerbating the pain. So: are you doing it because you feel good and relaxed afterwards? Are you doing it for the endorphins? If so, you might be causing yourself long-term pain for short-term rewards.

As for hot food, back rubs, sex: I had a bad back for 20 years, and I had a lot of all that during that time. Didn't have any adverse effects that I know of. Didn't cure the back pain, either, except maybe short term.

raeanna74

Rodney seems to sound right to me. Endorphins are normal for the body. If you don't have enough you get depressed. If you are causing yourself harm indirectly by engaging in activites that trigger endorphins then it's a problem. I drink coffee daily. It does release some endorphins as well as other hormones. Right now I'm trying to kick coffee because I'm drinking more and more each day to keep from getting headaches and feeling tired. So - I'm the BAD example of getting that endorphin high.

As for the bad back and knees - could you try another less stressful sport? Or at least wrap your knees to protect them while you play?

I believe the sun exposure releases dopamine as well. So long as you aren't getting sunburns and you use proper protection there's no harm in the sun exposure.

Your body is constantly releasing hormones and chemicals in reponse to things you do. Even laughing releases some of those feel good chemicals. So enjoy those good hormones in your body.

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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

stevie667

It is very rare to have enough enorphins released into your system to actually have a problem. To do this you'd most likely have to be taking some sort of psycoactive substance which opens dump valves of your mood enhancing drugs (seratonin, dopamine and endorphin among others) into your brain, giving you a nice high.

Generally, they're nothing to worry about, having to do something constantly to get the rush from endorphins (or adrenaline) could indicate not only a dependance on endorphins, but an underlying psycological problem as well (such as addiction e.t.c).

Your body will naturally regulate itself, so just enjoy it, because they free, and damned fun!

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hannukah harry

sounds more like your problem is that you're addicted to caffiene. i could be wrong, but i don't think caffiene causes an endorphine release, or if it does, nearly enough to be addicting. But caffiene itself is addictive, and I know from how much I drink, and when I try to kick it, just how awful the headaches can be and just how tired and sluggish not having it can make you. It's the withdrawl. blech.

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raeanna74

Yes I agree it's probably not just the endorphines. I should have said that differently. It's a combination of a lot of things. Check out the link I posted. It tells all the different ways caffiene affects you - endorphines being one of them.

__________________
"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.