Frequent Exercise: A Healthy Habit or a Dangerous Addiction?
It is well known that regular physical activity has numerous health benefits, but at what point does frequent exercise become harmful? Exercise addiction is a chronic behavioural disorder that can affect mental and physical health, as well as negatively impact work, relationships and quality of life.
What is it?
Based on the theoretical model of behavioural addictions, exercise addiction can be recognised with these several key components;
Salience - viewing exercise as the most valuable thing in life
Mood modification - using exercise to regulate emotions and as a coping strategy in dealing with unexpected events
Tolerance - increasing the amount of exercise in response to cravings
Withdrawal - the reduction of exercise producing difficulties in the performance of social activities
Relapse - the tendency to revert to earlier patterns of exercise
Several researchers have also added a lack of control, time spent exercising, a reduction in other activities and continuance of exercise despite injury or illness.
Who’s at risk?
Due to the nature of athletics and sports, athletes are at a higher risk of exercise addiction, compared to the general population. It’s reported that 42% of athletes suffer from this disorder, in comparison to 3% of the general population. The female triad 8 is a lesser-known eating disorder stemming from the pressure female athletes experience to hit certain goals or weights, despite the costs. This disorder is also accompanied by osteoporosis, abnormal menstruation and restrictive eating.
Individuals suffering from or with a history of substance abuse disorders are at a greater risk. Especially those with depression, ADHD and childhood trauma. The condition also occurs simultaneously with other mental health disorders, such as OCD, eating disorders and muscle or body dysmorphia.
How do I know if I’m addicted?
Signs and symptoms to look out for include;
Preoccupation with exercise
A strong urge to exercise
Difficulty in reducing or stopping exercise
Feelings of guilt and shame about not exercising
Feeling irritable or anxious in the absence of exercise
Dishonesty regarding the amount of exercise engaged in
Exercise addiction can be seriously harmful and can lead to injury and other chronic health conditions. Short-term effects include dizziness, headaches, fatigue, abnormal muscle soreness, irritability, dehydration and insomnia. Long-term effects often experienced are poor memory and focus, muscle atrophy, social isolation, loss of bone mass, weakening of bones, hormonal disturbances, irregular menstruation and infertility.
What is the treatment for exercise addiction?
Treatment is highly variable depending on the individual. If other disorders are occurring alongside exercise addiction, addressing the cause and treating those disorders is vital.
It is often not wise to suspend exercise completely, as many individuals with this disorder have little to no other coping mechanisms and the impact on mental health can be dramatic.
If this article has resonated with you and you wish to seek help, book a naturopathic appointment. Together, we can explore your concerns safely and confidentially to formulate a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
References
Chen W. J. (2016). Frequent exercise: A healthy habit or a behavioral addiction?. Chronic diseases and translational medicine, 2(4), 235–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdtm.2016.11.014
Colledge, F., Buchner, U., Schmidt, A., Wiesbeck, G., Lang, U., Pühse, U., Gerber, M., & Walter, M. (2022). Individuals at Risk of Exercise Addiction Have Higher Scores for Depression, ADHD, and Childhood Trauma. Frontiers in sports and active living, 3, 761844. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.761844
Freimuth, M., Moniz, S., & Kim, S. R. (2011). Clarifying exercise addiction: differential diagnosis, co-occurring disorders, and phases of addiction. International journal of environmental research and public health, 8(10), 4069–4081. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8104069
Nazem, T. G., & Ackerman, K. E. (2012). The female athlete triad. Sports health, 4(4), 302–311. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738112439685
Trott, M., Yang, L., Jackson, S. E., Firth, J., Gillvray, C., Stubbs, B., & Smith, L. (2020). Prevalence and Correlates of Exercise Addiction in the Presence vs. Absence of Indicated Eating Disorders. Frontiers in sports and active living, 2, 84. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.00084
