Why Surfing is So Addictive

Waking up at dawn, I throw on a soggy and smelly wetsuit. Then I drive down to the beach and check the waves, building myself up to get into the cold water.

At 18 years old, I move from one surf mecca, San Clemente, California to another, Santa Cruz.

Later in life, I find myself living in Los Angeles and surfing with huge crowds in front of oil refineries and on the beachside of highways.

Even my university studies (Political and Environmental Science) are influenced by my need to protect ocean environments. To keep surfing them, obviously.

My name is Carly, and I am addicted to surfing

My addiction has manifested in different ways throughout the years, and different periods of my life.

Today I find myself living in Costa Rica. Unsurprisingly my remote-work schedule is catered to fit nicely within the framework of my surf needs — surfing at dawn and sunset to avoid the sun.

For many people surfing is simply a means to an end. The “end”? Having a healthier lifestyle, doing enjoyable exercise, and experiencing the joy of the present moment and connection with nature.

Yet for some devoted surfers, surfing can become the end in and of itself. Our lives become the means to the end: surfing.

Some examples of how surfing can complicate your life:

• Spending money on fancy new boards and surf trips
• Missing your kids’ soccer games because a good swell arrived
• Planning your work schedule around tides, etc.

Yet without a doubt, most surfers will argue that surfing is one of the best things in their life.

So without further ado, let’s go into some of the reasons why surfing is so addictive in order for you to understand the sport (and if you’re already a surfer, yourself), better!

So what makes surfing so addicting?

There are actual chemical reactions that occur in the body when we surf that can make us feel oh, so good.

• Fear, adrenaline, and pleasure hormones flood our brain chemistry with feel-good chemicals everytime we catch a wave
• These feel-good chemicals (i.e.dopamine and serotonin) are addictive and are triggered just by thinking about the next time we’ll go surfing
• Our brains obsess consciously and subconsciously (via dreams) about getting our dopamine reward, and our thoughts become hyper focused on how to increase wave-time (checking out new beaches, buying new boards, monitoring surf forecasts)
• Our endorphins, adrenaline and serotonin spikes not only allow surfers to feel “chill” after they get their “fix” but keep us reliant on surfing as a way to provoke those good feelings over and over again

Surfing fulfills some of our basic human needs

According to Human Needs Psychology, there are six main emotional needs which drive our behavior, all of which can be fulfilled by surfing.

• Certainty: confidence that our surf skills will deliver a rush of feel-good chemicals every time we paddle out
• Uncertainty and variety: the ever-changing ocean conditions constantly providing new stimuli to our brains
• Significance: feeling unique and important as we task ourselves with the daunting challenge of paddling into a dangerous environment that makes most land-dwellers squeamish
• Connection and love: a feeling of community with other surfers
• Growth: watching your skills improve daily, monthly, yearly
• Contribution: working together with other surfers to track swells and tides in order to increase everyone’s chances of riding the best waves available; teaching loved ones how to surf to spread the “feel-goods”

Anatomy of an addictive surf session

I carry my surfboard across the sand and do a few stretches. The paddle out requires focused breathing and intensive cardiovascular effort, raising my heart rate.

My legs, core, lower and upper back are all engaged in order to lift my chest and paddle efficiently.

This banana-like position of a small backbend counteracts the hours of sitting in my office chair, hunched over a computer. Swimming-like paddle-strokes are cathartic for my shoulder and arm muscles which lay idle during work hours.

I’m in the ocean, floating along with a feeling of weightlessness, surrounded by clean water, which is full of mood enhancing negative ions.

It’s dawn and the sunlight is just starting to reach my position in the line-up (exposure to Vitamin D “the sunshine vitamin”, is crucial for health).

I catch my first wave and as I fall into the water I feel a rush of salt water cleansing my sinuses and supporting telomere growth (increases lifespan).

As I get back on my board I am faced with more breaking waves, prompting my mind to stay hyper-vigilant and start slowing my breathing by taking big deep inhales as I prepare to dive under the next wave.

This breath control helps to flood my body with rich oxygen straight from the source. I smile at the relief of making it back to the lineup (past the breaking waves) and some nearby friends applaud my efforts.

I feel connected to my body, the ocean, and the people around me.

The stress of having caught a wave and paddling back through the breaking waves has passed, and I feel a sublime calm wash over me as I look out into the distance.

Once my breathing is regular, and the adrenaline has subsided I start to notice a bump on the horizon… a wave coming my way, and I start paddling, getting in position to do it all over again.

The health benefits of a quick morning surf session are so numerous it’s no surprise surfers keep going back for more.

Scarcity mentality in surfing

Personally, when I think of my own surfing addiction, I can trace it to a “scarcity mentality.” This is a mindset that happens when you are obsessed with a lack of something — it could be time, money, or waves — and it emcompasses your thoughts.

Since surfers work so hard for such short rewards (20 minutes of paddling for five seconds of wave-riding), we start to feel there is a scarcity of waves.

We obsess over needing to surf before it goes “flat” (waves too small to ride). Or, god forbid, missing out on a day which your friends proclaim was “all-time” (better than average surf conditions).

Changing the way we think about surfing can help us to curb our addictions and keep surfing in a harmonious balance with our other responsibilities, and refrain from becoming full-blown surf addicts.

How to get rid of the scarcity mentality

• Focus on what you have: stay present with the waves of the day and let go of comparisons
• Surround yourself with people that have an abundance mindset: surf with friends that share waves
• Create win-win situations: good waves aren’t necessary to feel the health benefits of surfing, sometimes just “going for a paddle” can turn our mood around
• Incorporate gratitude into your daily surf session: some surfers like to pray when they enter the water, to give thanks for their health and the waves, whatever size and shape they may be
• Train your mind to recognize the possibilities: if the conditions are small, grab a bigger board, if the waves are too big, find a different beach; learn to adapt to any conditions that may present themselves

Using surfing as a force for good

Several studies have already shown surfing as a tool for coping with anxiety and depression, and even PTSD.

One study by the University of Iowa found after just 30 minutes of surfing, people reported improved mood and calmness.

As the old adage goes, “everything in moderation,” so how do we keep surfing as a positive influence in our lives, and not succumb completely to our addiction.

• Stay grateful towards the ocean for all she gives, and find ways to give back to local beaches or marine habitats
• Give thanks to your surfboard shaper, local surf shops, and local beach clean-up crew, lifeguards or national park guards
• Share the waves and spread the stoke with family members and loved ones
• Make a list of surf goals, and make sure you include “having fun” on that list
• Book a surf trip with a company that gives back to the community such as Bodhi Surf & Yoga