Addiction, Substance Use, and Surfing

Scholar and Poet Thad Ziolkowski’s writes “…the most addictive sport can help us understand addiction and recovery.”

Ziolkowski’s book On a Wave references surfing as the activity that can offer this insight based on Thad’s life experience.

The Rush of Addiction vs. Riding a Wave

Addiction is a medical disease that’s both treatable and recurrent. It includes complicated interactions between brain circuits, the individual’s life experience, the environment, and genetics. An individual with an addiction to alcohol or other drugs may exhibit behavior they have no control over, regardless of the consequences that may result from their actions. However, with treatment, individuals with substance use disorder can live a life of sobriety.

Thad Ziolkowski’s book discusses the motivations behind why humans use drugs to cause harm to themselves and offers some solutions that may help them to stop. He also explores some similarities he noticed between addiction and surfing:

• Getting street drugs can be thrilling and unpredictable, and so can surfing.
• Getting high/surfing is “feeling yourself as pure desire.”
• The personal nature of surfing compares to the privacy required by an individual addicted to substances.

Unlike drug use, however, surfing is a healthy activity, provided the individual has mastered their craft or is surfing alongside more experienced surfers who may be there to help in an emergency.

In addition, physical activity—especially outdoors—can have a profoundly positive impact on people in recovery.

If you’re struggling with addiction, there are resources available to help you achieve long-term sobriety. You don’t have to struggle with an addiction on your own. Getting help will open a door to the support that you need to live your life successfully in recovery.

At American Addiction Centers (AAC), a nationwide leader in addiction treatment, we provide inpatient and outpatient treatment in a supportive environment under the care of a compassionate team and licensed medical professionals. If you’re struggling with a substance use disorder or an alcohol use disorder, please reach out for help.Please reach out to a compassionate admissions navigator at to get the help that you need today. You can also verify your insurance online using the confidential tool below.