Exercise & Fitness

Scientific studies prove the value of exercise for people who are in recovery from a dependence on alcohol and drugs. We share links to some of those studies here.

Dr Ivan Caberea, a Medical Officer with the Glasgow Drug Court team published a report that concluded that the mental and physical health of people recovering from substance addiction will improve with the introduction of physical exercise as part of a comprehensive healthier lifestyle. By engaging in a rewarding and easily accessible activity that takes place in a safe and healthy environment, patients can avoid the immediate cues that reinforce drug use and diminish cravings, thereby reducing their risk of relapse and promoting abstinence. You can read the report here.

A study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that participation in a 12-week stand-alone exercise program was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in alcohol consumption compared to usual care (phone counselling) by an alcohol treatment specialist. A link to the report is here.

A study in Mental Health & Physical Activity from October 2021 concluded that high-intensity aerobic exercise could be used to reduce cue-induced drug cravings of MA-dependent patients while also providing benefits in working memory. For patients with improved working memory, 12-week aerobic exercise can significantly reduce cue-induced drug craving, and the higher the exercise intensity, the greater the decrease in craving.

These results suggest that appropriate high-intensity exercise would be a positive tool to promote drug rehabilitation for patients without any physical or medical conditions, and the improvement of working memory is important for exercise-induced effects. You can read a summary of the report here.  

As part of the Your Choices Matter programme, you will be given access to a fitness model that is tailored to your current fitness levels. We will work with qualified local fitness professionals to deliver this aspect of the programme.