Exercise addiction is a serious problem and it's important to address it to maintain your health and well-being
This material is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or psychotherapeutic advice. If you are experiencing an acute psychological condition or need professional support, please contact a doctor, psychologist, psychotherapist, or crisis service.
What is exercise addiction
This is an obsessive desire for excessive physical activity, which leads to physiological or psychological problems. For example, to an injury due to too frequent stress or a withdrawal syndrome characteristic of addictions.
Researchers distinguish two types of this condition:
- Primary – dependence on physical exercises without an eating disorder.
- Secondary – dependence on physical exercises, which accompanies an eating disorder. It often occurs when a person tries to control his weight.
Typically, the risk of developing exercise addiction is highest between the ages of 18 and 35. It is the same for everyone, although representatives of different sexes are prone to different types of addiction. Men - to the primary, and women - to the secondary. This is due to the fact that women are more prone to eating disorders.
How to detect exercise addiction
This addiction - just like the addiction to sex, the Internet and shopping - is not included in the list of mental disorders. So far, there is not enough data about them. However, based on established criteria for detecting addiction to psychoactive substances, scientists have created a scale of seven criteria. If a person answers at least three of them, it can be said that he is either already addicted to training or is in the risk zone.
Here are the criteria.
- addiction You increase the time or intensity of training, because in the previous regime you stopped feeling the desired effect - improvement in mood, cheerfulness.
- Withdrawal syndrome. When you cannot train for some reason, you experience negative symptoms: increased anxiety, irritability, bad mood. You feel that you need to exercise to remove them or delay their appearance.
- Inadvertence. You exercise more than you originally planned (longer, more often, more intensively). As a result, you are often late everywhere, miss important events or meetings.
- Loss of control. You continue to train despite the fact that you want to reduce the number of sessions. During the day, the most you think about is going to the gym. Even realizing that something has gone wrong, you cannot stop.
- Amount of time spent. You spend a lot of time training, even while traveling and travelling.
- Conflict with other matters. Time for family, communication, hobbies and rest is reduced. All this takes a back seat because it conflicts with training. What used to bring joy now seems like a hindrance.
- Continuity. You continue to train, even if you are aware of the presence of a physiological or psychological problem. For example, you exercise despite the pain and the doctor's recommendations to rest. You pride yourself on always sticking to your training routine.
Continuity is considered the main criterion. A person who is addicted to exercise will continue to exercise even with an injury or simply change the type of physical activity to experience less pain. An ordinary person who enjoys sports will give the body time to recover.
Another crucial indicator is cancellation syndrome. It's common to experience elevated mood and reduced anxiety during exercise. But an addicted person trains to avoid negative feelings. If training is impossible, severe anxiety, depression, and problems with cognitive functions (memory, concentration, decision-making) often occur.
What is the reason for addiction to training
Usually, the risk of developing an obsessive state is high in people who are prone to addiction in general. It is often replaced by other destructive habits, for example, addiction to alcohol or shopping. People start exercising a lot thinking it's a healthier alternative.
In addition, it can occur due to stress in life. For example, when a person moves to another city after school to study. Such stressful situations, when it seems that life is out of control, can lead to excessive training. This is an attempt to take the situation into one's hands.
Many people with an exercise addiction also show symptoms of an obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder. For them, training is an attempt to control their anxiety without resorting to alcohol and other bad habits.
Where is the line between a normal amount of training and addiction
It is important to evaluate not only the total time spent on training, but also the motivation behind it. For example, a person preparing for a triathlon can train for four, five or even six hours a day, but not be addicted. Because he can easily take a day off and rearrange his schedule due to personal circumstances or an injury.
When the desire to exercise becomes compulsive and starts to conflict with work and family responsibilities, it becomes an addiction. In the case of a full-fledged addiction, the desire to train becomes all-consuming, to the point that a person thinks only about it all day. In this case, people exercise several times a day, and their training will be longer and longer.
If the average person doesn't manage to work out during the day (due to unforeseen work or other circumstances), they won't skip dinner with loved ones to go to the gym. He will simply reschedule the class for the next day. An addict will refuse such a dinner in order not to miss a workout.
Recognizing exercise addiction and getting rid of it are important steps to maintaining physical and mental health
How to deal with exercise addiction
There is no single standard approach. In general, it is advised to consult a psychotherapist or psychologist in order to restructure your attitude towards sports. Specialists can offer cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well as work with a personal trainer, who will help bring the amount of training to a level that does not harm health. A psychologist will also help to deal with the reasons that initially pushed to excessive training.
- Recognizing the Signs of Addiction: The first thing you need to do is recognize that you may have an exercise addiction problem. Here are some signs to look out for: Constant need to exercise even if you are tired or injured.Feeling anxious or depressed if you miss a workout.Ignoring symptoms of overwork and fatigue.Social isolation due to the overwhelming amount of time spent exercising.
- Social isolation due to the overwhelming amount of time spent exercising.
- Seek help: Discuss your addiction problems with close friends, family, or a professional. Sometimes it's important to have outside support to fight addiction.
- Freedom from perfectionism: Often addiction to training is associated with the desire for the "perfect" body. Try to focus on your health and well-being, not on achieving unrealistic standards.
- Planning for rest: Rest and recovery are just as important as training. Schedule non-training days to allow your body and brain to recover.
- Variability in training: Consider mixing up the types of training to avoid monotony and monotony.
- Develop other interests: Take up other hobbies or activities that interest you. This will help balance your lifestyle and reduce focus on training.
- Consult a professional: If exercise addiction becomes a serious problem and interferes with your health and daily life, consult a professional such as a psychologist or psychotherapist for help.
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