[music] [applause] So, what if I told you there was something you could do right now that would flood your body with feel-good hormones, that would reduce stress, that would instantly ly connect you with other people. Something that requires no equipment, costs nothing, and is probably something you've been doing since you were a child. I'm talking about singing with other people, even if and especially if you think you can't sing.Anybody here feel that way about themselves. Oh. Okay. Okay.Well, I am one of ...

Drug Use & Addiction - Germany's Ministry of Health indicates 12 million smokers, 16 million (1.6%) ecodependent people, 3 million people with problematic medication use, and 1 million young adults regularly consuming cannabis or illegal drugs [1] - Drug dependence begins when the desire to use drugs arises after the pleasant effects wear off, and this desire is satisfied more and more often [2] - Consumed drugs trick the brain into repeated drug use, leading to addiction [9] Endogenous Drugs & Their Effects - The body has receptors for consumed drugs, primarily located on the surface of nerve cells [2][3] - These receptors are designed to fit the body's own substances, endogenous drugs, which the body naturally produces and have drug-like effects [4] - Endogenous drugs can be stimulated by activities like exercise, singing, social bonding, or sexual activity [5] - Endogenous opioids are stimulated by sexual activity and physical exercise, acting as natural painkillers and mood enhancers [7] - Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, produces feelings of happiness and satisfaction, reinforcing behaviors important for survival [8] Oxytocin & Bonding - Oxytocin, also called the cuddle hormone, plays a major role in mammalian reproduction, strengthening labor during birth and enabling milk flow during lactation [10] - Oxytocin enhances the motivation to care for and bond with offspring by strongly activating the brain's reward system [12][13] - Oxytocin is essential for individual social recognition, enhancing social salience and enforcing the sensory detection of individual social cues [18][19] Activities & Endogenous Drug Release - Physical exercise, like running, boosts endogenous drug-like systems, with elevated levels of oxytocin and cortisol found after running [20][21] - Singing, whether alone or in a choir, has beneficial effects on mental and physical health, increasing oxytocin levels and reducing stress [24][25]