My Legal Drug

For the last few nights, I have been fiercely craving chocolate. Last night I ate a few of Sam's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but still was far from satisfied. I was so obsessed with getting chocolate last night that for a moment I considered leaving the house in the middle of the brand new episode of NCIS to go to the convenient store and buy a few bars. And that was crazy because I HAVE to get my weekly dose of McGee and Abby. But Mom had some M&M's hidden in her purse, so I was ok. I love my Mommy.

But I have to wonder, is this addiction good or bad? Well obviously, it's not good for you physically. That pack of M&M's contained like 240 calories, which will show up on my hips in the next few days, I'm sure. Although, I can counter that with my morning walks. (But my thighs, hips, and backside are sore from walking for the first time in three weeks, so Imma have to delay that a couple days.) And then there's the side effects that show up on my face. Too much chocolate can make little unwanted blemishes appear, but my makeup can cover up some of that.

On the other hand, chocolate does something awesome in the nerves. It releases endorphins, which are sort of like the brain's natural happy drug. I even wrote a paper about this in psychology. And got an A. Here's part of it...

I absolutely love chocolate. This sweet substance always calms me down in stressful times, and makes me feel happy when I’m far from alright. But why does chocolate do this to me? It has this affect in people because it activates the release of endorphins.

Endorphins, also called endogenous opioids, are neurotransmitters that act in a way similar to morphine, a strong pain reliever. Although they play a role in processes of motor coordination, learning and memory, gastrointestinal function, the control of seizures, and the hormonal regulation of the reproductive system, endorphins are most often recognized for their central role in modulation of pain. The affects of endorphins are obvious when the body is under stress, and then they reduce the effects of pain. As inhibitory neurotransmitters, endorphins are released from nerve cells to influence cells that have opioid receptors, thus dulling the activity of those cells.

So chocolate is my morphine, my legal drug. While my body may not like it, my mind most certainly does. It's not just a myth that chocolate makes a girl happy, it's a scientific fact. I also believe that chocolate is the reason that mankind has survived for so long, because without it, many women would have been overcome with anger and murdered their hubbies. And now that I've blogged about chocolate, I need to go to the convenient store and buy some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And maybe a bar of Dove chocolate. Or a Twix...