Exercise Addiction Is An Unhealthy Obsession

Is it possible to become addicted to physical exercise? Everything seems to indicate that the answer is yes. It occurs when exercise becomes the center of a person’s life. In addition, the sufferer loses control over other areas of his life due to the “need” to train to feel good. This is exercise dependent.

In these cases, people often use exercise as an “escape route” from other problems in their lives. This is because exercise makes them feel good. Therefore, they use exercise as a way to regulate themselves emotionally. Others may exercise physically due to the need for constant stimulation, feelings of insecurity or other causes.

Exercise addiction can lead to muscle dysmorphy. This is a psychological disorder that involves a distortion of the body image.

In this article, we find out what addiction training consists of and its main symptoms, causes and consequences.

Exercise addiction

Addiction to physical exercise is a so-called behavioral addiction. David González-Cutre, a researcher at the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Science at the University of Elche (Spain), explains that addiction to physical exercise is a relatively new phenomenon. For this reason, there is still a limited amount of data available on the subject.

As a result of this “new” disorder, injuries that burden primary care due to exercise dependence have increased, according to González. In addition, he points out that dependence on physical exercise can be either primary or secondary. It is primarily when exercise as such generates addiction. On the other hand, it is secondary when it originates from another condition (for example, an eating disorder).

This disorder is not currently included in the DSM-5 ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ). But a possible future inclusion is under evaluation.

Endorphin release

During exercise, humans release large amounts of endorphins. This makes them want to repeat the action because it generates feelings of well-being and satisfaction.

We should mention that the practice of sports is not bad. On the contrary, it is extremely healthy. But when people become addicted to it, it can cause discomfort and consequently prove to be harmful.

Symptoms of exercise addiction

When people become addicted to physical exercise, they exhibit a set of symptoms or behaviors. For example, they adopt a very specific lifestyle, which includes certain sports and exercise routines (and often they also follow diets). These routines are often an obsession and exaggerated. In addition, people feel bad if they do not stick to their “established plans”.

Furthermore, they can eat an unlimited amount of proteins and carbohydrates, especially in muscular dysmorphia. They can also take steroids. These are substances that stimulate musculoskeletal growth and the development of strong male characteristics.

However, there is a difference between exercise addiction and muscle dysmorphy. Exercise addiction is accompanied by an obsession with eating healthy or following diets to either increase or lose muscle mass. When it comes to muscle dysmorphy, the obsession is always to increase muscle mass.

Causes of exercise addiction

Why do people become addicted to exercise? There are various reasons:

• The need to “disconnect” from a particular problem. They see exercise as an escape route.
• The search for experiences to “hide” some other difficulty.
• An obsession with his physique.
• Uncertainty
• The need for constant stimulation. They achieve this through the endorphins that are released during exercise.

In relation to the last cause, we know that exercising stimulates the release of endorphins. These substances are related to processes of pleasure and satisfaction. But when a person exercises a lot, the body can begin to “get used” to these feelings. Therefore, in the long run, it leads to “having to” achieve them.

On the other hand, when endorphins are released, they produce a pain-relieving response. This relieves unpleasant feelings and improves well-being. This is why behaviors where endorphins are released are more likely to generate addiction. This is precisely the case with exercise addiction.

Other explanations: positive reinforcement and activation

Another explanatory hypothesis about addiction to physical exercise is that which has to do with the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. According to this hypothesis , people who exercise physically tend to increase its level to achieve full activation of this system.

Another possible explanation is related to the increase in temperature when you exercise. In this case, exercise generates a state of relaxation and a reduction of anxiety. Over time, people want to experience these feelings of well-being again. For this reason, it becomes a factor in maintaining the dependence on exercise.

Muscle dysmorphy

Exercise addiction can in some cases lead to muscle dysmorphy (also known as Adonis complex). This disorder is characterized by an unhealthy obsession with increasing muscle mass. In addition, the victims experience a distorted image of their bodies.

However, it is important to distinguish exercise dependence from muscle dysmorphy. Although they are often related, they are not exactly the same thing. In fact, muscle dysmorphy is a fairly common disorder among bodybuilders.

When to seek professional help?

People should seek professional help if exercise interferes with their daily lives. Or if they experience the feeling of not having control. For example, they may feel a great need to exercise in order to be healthy. If they do not exercise, they also feel extremely uncomfortable and their mood is negatively affected.

However, each individual must decide for themselves when and how to ask for help. The most important thing is to listen to what your body and mind are trying to tell.