RISE Blog | Natural & Artificial Highs

By: Jorgann Holgersen and Sofia Miller, Peer Educators
December 10th, 2020

Alright, alright, alright... Let's talk about getting high! After all, who doesn't like feeling happy?

Some benefits of being high are feeling carefree, relaxed, confident, and euphoric. Feeling high is great, but the way one chooses to achieve these pleasurable feelings can be a matter of life or death. When one thinks of getting high, the connotation is often artificial highs from substances like cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol. However, there are healthier and safer options that will achieve that same - or an even better - high.

Natural highs can boost your health, have positive long-term effects, are less expensive, and are safer than artificial highs. Activities like working out, meditating, being in nature, listening or making music, having sex, and falling in love are just a few of the ways someone can get high... but naturally.

Artificial highs are fast-acting, expensive, highly addictive, and dangerous. When drugs enter the body, they interfere with the way one's brain works, and abnormal messages are sent throughout the body from the brain. After long term drug use, the body begins to depend on higher doses of the drug because tolerance has been built. A high tolerance means it is more difficult to reach the desired high, possibly leading to addiction. Someone may feel like they can only be happy, friendly, or confident through a particular drug, and natural highs become harder to achieve. Someone can become dependent on a drug and can no longer find joy in the "real" world, leading to addiction and overdoses.

Depressants & Stimulants

Depressants

Depressants are often referred to as "downers". Some short-term physical effects of depressants can include drowsiness, slow brain function, confusion, poor concentration, and lowered blood pressure (1). After significant use of a drug, it may become harder to achieve the same high as the body builds up a tolerance. Some long-term physical effects include depression, sleep issues, increased high blood pressure, diabetes, and addiction.

Stimulants

Drugs with an opposite effect of depressant drugs are stimulants or "uppers". Short-term effects of stimulants can include "intense feelings of happiness, increased energy, improved attention, increased heart rate and blood pressure, tremors, and agitation" (2). Long term physical effects can include "extreme weight loss, gastrointestinal problems, muscle deterioration, chronic exhaustion, cardiovascular damage, cerebral hemorrhage, stroke or seizure" (2). Psychological effects can include hallucinations, depression, anxiety, and paranoia.

When someone has a high tolerance for a drug, they can quickly become addicted, trying to chase that same level of high. Without their drug of choice, someone may feel nauseous, weak, anxious, angry, and hallucinate. The rapid change between ups and downs can have tragic effects – like overdosing (1).

Natural highs

Ways to feel naturally high include exercise, meditation, being in nature, connecting with others through volunteering or being in love, and laughter. These options are safe, cheap, and have long-lasting positive effects!

Exercise

Exercising can include running 10 miles, going on a walk, working out with a group, or even dancing! There is no right or wrong way to exercise if you take care of yourself during it.

When someone works out, it stimulates the brain's release of endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, which work together to provide positive feelings and stress relief (3). Endorphins tend to act as natural pain killers by binding to opioid receptors in your brain; these chemicals block pain signals and produce a euphoric state. Adrenaline, otherwise known as epinephrine, is released in times of stress, but when released in response to exercise, it is combined with endorphins and dopamine which results in a natural "runner's high." Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts on the brain's reward system and results in feelings of pleasure when activated. Serotonin travels through the bloodstream and works like a hormone in the body and helps regulate mood, happiness, learning, and many other physiological processes (4).

Meditation

Meditation is another way to feel peaceful and happy; it is like exercise for your brain and heart. Meditating for even five minutes a day can have remarkable effects on a person like serenity, joy, and relaxation. It has been found that meditation can reduce stress hormones and increase dopamine and melatonin. Melatonin can make positive impacts on the body by helping regulate sleep and produce feelings of contentment and calmness. (5)

Being in Nature

Spending time in nature is a beautiful way to take a break from the business of one's life that can often leave someone feeling drained. Being in nature allows you to have space and take time for yourself.

Connecting with Others

Volunteering is a fantastic way to feel connected to others and make a positive difference in your community. Serving others can release endorphins that make people feel fulfilled.

Being in love is a beautiful way to feel naturally high. Valuing, nurturing, and being grateful for the relationships in our life is deeply rewarding. It brings people together and makes us feel safe, appreciated, and cared for. In any relationship, we can find comfort and happiness, which leads to feelings of calmness and giddiness.

Having sex releases stimulants like adrenaline noradrenaline (6). The brain's pleasure centers are active and trigger positive feelings. Oxytocin plays a massive role in intimacy and is nicknamed "the cuddle hormone" due to its action on receptors in the brain. Oxytocin is released during cuddling, acts of intimacy, and even childbirth. This chemical is vital in increasing bonds in relationships between partners and between parents and their children. Having safe, consensual sex is also a healthy option to achieve feelings of intense happiness.

Laughter

Finally, remember laughter is (truly) the best medicine! Telling jokes, thinking back on fond memories, playing games, or doing any activity that makes one laugh is guaranteed to leave you feeling high on happiness.

These examples can have positive effects on our bodies and minds. Your body may feel stronger, healthier, and the high will last longer than an artificial high.

In conclusion

It is perfectly normal to desire love, happiness, and fulfillment. Finding joy, building relationships, and caring for yourself and others are what make life beautiful. Artificial highs like drug use may alleviate pain or pressure for a moment, but remember that addiction, overdose, depression, and anxiety are just a few of the ways that your mind and body can be hurt by drug use. On the other hand, natural highs release the same endorphins that artificial highs do and achieve a more fulfilling and longer-lasting high.

If you or a friend struggles with addiction, depression, or anxiety, please do not hesitate to reach out. You are loved, appreciated, worthy, and needed.

On campus resources

Center for Collegiate Recovery Communities│806.742.2891

Student Counseling Center│806.742.3674│SWC 201

Raider Restart (BASICS)│806.742.2110│raiderrestart@ttu.edu

Raider Assistance Program│806.743.2848│Student Health

TTU Crisis Helpline | 806.742.5555

Off campus resources

DB Education│806.793.4522│jangelique99@hotmail.com

Stages of Recovery│806.412.4721│Lubbock Addiction Services

Aspire Recovery│806.589.5911│Lubbock Aspire

The Ranch at Dove Tree│866.572.6062│Calls taken 24/7A New Day: Tobacco Cessation│806.725.0359

 

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