What is the difference between energy releasing reaction and energy absorbing action?

Beacuse when you release energy out of your body or somthing, somthing has to take in the energy so absorbing;

SO, it's like a chain reaction you release somthing els takes in, like humans breath oxygen plants breath our carbon dioxide and plants give us oxygen

So, it differs because when energy-realses somthing needs to take that energy in as in absorbing