How to replace it with a healthy one? – Stay Fit Gym – It’s your lifestyle

Dependencies can take many forms: drugs, alcohol, smoke, sugar or gambling. However, the way they seem to differ from person to person, being influenced by social, family and environmental factors. We often don’t even realize when we develop an addiction. All we know is that, at a certain point, we feel the need to repeat a certain behavior to feel good, to get rid of stress or simply from habit.

What makes us vulnerable to addictions?

Dependence does not appear only because of a substance or activity. In fact, it is a complex mixture of biology, psychology and social influences. Our brain is programmed to seek pleasure just to avoid discomfort and everything that makes us feel good – whether it is a cake, a cigarette or a gambling – activates the reward system.

Dopamine, the neurotransmitter of pleasure, is released and the more we experience this feeling, the more the brain learns to ask for it again.

Basically, over time, the body wants to desire that «reward» increasingly often and the feeling of pleasure becomes a need. Here’s how addiction appears.

But why do some people become employees and others don’t? Factors such as:

• The emotional state – Anxiety, depression or lack of self -confidence can increase the risk.
• Family and childhood – An unstable environment, lack of condition or a parental style can influence the way we manage emotions and stress.
• entourage – Friends and social group influence behaviors, especially in adolescence.
• Stress and adaptation mechanisms – People who don’t know how to manage their stress are more likely to find refuge in unhealthy habits.

So how much does the social environment count?

People around us have a strong impact on the choices we make every day. If you are in an environment where health and balance are priority, it will be easier for you to adopt their habits. On the other hand, if your entourage promotes unhealthy habits, the temptation to follow the same path can be difficult to avoid.

The first influences come from childhood. If you grew up in an environment without emotional stability, you have been exposed to intense stress or you had toxic relationships, your brain learns to look for fast shelters in immediate pleasures. These shelters can become habits that are difficult to control later.

Stress also plays an important role. When it is constant and overwhelming, it affects the way you react. Instead of finding healthy solutions, you can look for unhealthy behaviors.

Therefore, dependence does not only concern the substance consumed or the activity practiced, but on how we feel, what stress management mechanisms we have and what alternatives we choose to improve our life.

How can you replace a healthy addiction?

Good news? Dependence is not a without exit road. With adequate support and alternatives, anyone can make a positive change.

One of the best alternatives is Sport. Why? Because the movement activates exactly the same circuits in the brain of addictions, but in a healthy way. By playing sports, the body releases endorphins, dopamine, serotonin and endocanabinoids naturally, improving mood and giving you a clear objective.

THE Remains in the gym formWe want to help you channel your energy into something beneficial. Through the campaign «Change one addiction to another – a good thing»We provide you with a platform that can be the first step towards a real change.

Enter dependebuna.stayfit.ro and completes the questionnaire created with the psychologist Dr. Vlad Burtaverde. In the end, you will discover the score of your addictions and you will receive personalized recommendations, a guide to nutrition and training, adapted to your needs.

In addition, you will be part of a community of people who give you unconditional support and motivation.

You don’t have to go through this change alone. Take the first step towards a more balanced life and create your new addiction sport greet! 💪

We are waiting for you to move, in any of the 52 residence gym centers in Romania, to achieve our goals. Together we make fitness a lifestyle!