Healing Through Natural Highs

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Freshly back from a whirlwind trip to Thailand with a group of boys from their program, today's guests on The Woodbury Report included Sam Dahlin, co-owner and Clinical Director of Crossroads Academy, and Derek Bowles, co-owner and Program Director. Crossroads Academy is a residential therapeutic boarding school for young men. Joining host Lon Woodbury, Sam and Derek talked about the differences and similarities between getting high and natural highs.

"Abusing drugs is so popular with kids because it feels good," they explained. "There is an acceptance within the group you are hanging out with, the highs take away the anxiety or depression that kids often feel, and the illegal use of drugs brings on a whole risk and rush element in itself. With natural highs, the feelings are similar, yet different, the feeling of physical accomplishment you get when you do sports and activities, in music, writing, the arts, and even work, can give you a sense of accomplishment when you put your all into your passions."

The benefits of extreme sports, which are very popular with kids, can actually be measured through science. The flow experience (also known as in the zone) is the brain releasing chemicals that enhance your body. In the last 15-16 years, there have been both a huge growth in trends of extreme sports participation and in human performance, unlike any other time in history. The flow stage is an increase in creativity due to the increase in participation and it is what the brain really wants more of. It is within this highly induced stage of the body producing endorphins and dopamine's that the body can heal itself.

"Teens like the extreme sports because of the process. There has to be risk in what they are doing, just as there was risk in their drug and alcohol use. The novelty in extreme sports is attractive to kids. This is something new, something that sparks their interest, something that they can do independently. They can see the progression and the personal gains that they make in pushing themselves to do better. The sport they choose also tends to be beyond their skill level so that they can progressively get good at it."

Parents, you can help your kids create this experience in numerous ways. Start them off early and encourage them to try different things to help them find their passions. Spend quality time with your kids by doing activities together. By doing so, you maintain and engage your relationships with them. Get them to accomplish the sport. By doing this, their confidence increases, which plays out throughout their lives, and they gain confidence in other areas of their lives as well.

As Sam and Derek both agreed, "We need to create safe places for kids to do these risk seeking sports. As parents we need to work harder for our kids. Extreme sports are an enriching substitute for drug use and chemical highs with lasting benefits."

To contact our guests:

Sam Dahlin, PhD, LMFT
Owner/Clinical Director of Crossroads Academy
801-334-5055
samdahlin@yahoo.com
www.crossroadsrtc.com

Derek Bowles, MS, LCSW
Co-Owner/ Program Director of Crossroads Academy
801-334-5055
Bowles.derek@gmail.com
www.crossroadsrtc.com
801-334-5055

Listen to the full interview here: Executive Functioning in Emerging Adults
Also available in Podcast

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