Can any of you relate to this? I sure can, not sure if its a bad thing though - i think it would be far worse to be addicted to the couch and the tv.
Exercise Abuse
While exercise can have helpful effects related to mood, anxiety, and overall physical fitness level, it can also lead to problems for some individuals. When performed in excess, exercise can lead to health, relationship, or even financial problems for the individual. The concept of exercise abuse is discussed commonly in the fitness world, and is often misunderstood by the population at large. It should be noted that people can enjoy regular exercise and NOT be abusing exercise. Exercise abuse is a difficult concept for which to provide a concise definition. It has previously been known by other names such as “exercise addiction”, “exercise dependency syndrome”, and “activity anorexia”. It was first identified in runners who were experiencing a variety of physical and psychological difficulties that related to their running program, but can occur in other types of exercise. It is perhaps best defined through its symptoms, which include the following.
1. Excessive reliance on exercise, usually daily, as the primary means of coping. For the exercise abuser, exercise may be the only means of coping with stress. It often leads to a state in which the person is continually increasing the amount of exercise s/he performs, as a sort of “tolerance” to exercise builds. This may result in the individual beginning to make other daily activities and responsibilities secondary to exercise (i.e. work, family, and/or social obligations become secondary in importance).
2. Exercising even while injured. Since the exercise abuser exercises often and at a high intensity level, s/he is at high risk for injury. Despite being injured, such individuals often refuse to stop exercising even long enough to let injuries heal (even serious injuries such as broken bones). The potential reasons for this include exercise being the only means of coping, a fear of not staying “in shape” or gaining weight, or a fear of loss of identity as someone who is “into exercise”. Exercising while injured can result in injuries being made more serious.
3. Experience of withdrawal symptoms. First, it should be noted that it often takes an external event to get an exercise abuser to stop exercising (e.g. an injury that absolutely prevents exercise). When such an individual does stop, commonly reported symptoms are similar to those in substance abuse. These include altered sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, physical symptoms (muscle stiffness and soreness), and distorted self-image (i.e. thinking one looks “fat” or “small”). Symptoms such as these can have a rapid onset (i.e. within a few days).
Exercise Abuse
While exercise can have helpful effects related to mood, anxiety, and overall physical fitness level, it can also lead to problems for some individuals. When performed in excess, exercise can lead to health, relationship, or even financial problems for the individual. The concept of exercise abuse is discussed commonly in the fitness world, and is often misunderstood by the population at large. It should be noted that people can enjoy regular exercise and NOT be abusing exercise. Exercise abuse is a difficult concept for which to provide a concise definition. It has previously been known by other names such as “exercise addiction”, “exercise dependency syndrome”, and “activity anorexia”. It was first identified in runners who were experiencing a variety of physical and psychological difficulties that related to their running program, but can occur in other types of exercise. It is perhaps best defined through its symptoms, which include the following.
1. Excessive reliance on exercise, usually daily, as the primary means of coping. For the exercise abuser, exercise may be the only means of coping with stress. It often leads to a state in which the person is continually increasing the amount of exercise s/he performs, as a sort of “tolerance” to exercise builds. This may result in the individual beginning to make other daily activities and responsibilities secondary to exercise (i.e. work, family, and/or social obligations become secondary in importance).
2. Exercising even while injured. Since the exercise abuser exercises often and at a high intensity level, s/he is at high risk for injury. Despite being injured, such individuals often refuse to stop exercising even long enough to let injuries heal (even serious injuries such as broken bones). The potential reasons for this include exercise being the only means of coping, a fear of not staying “in shape” or gaining weight, or a fear of loss of identity as someone who is “into exercise”. Exercising while injured can result in injuries being made more serious.
3. Experience of withdrawal symptoms. First, it should be noted that it often takes an external event to get an exercise abuser to stop exercising (e.g. an injury that absolutely prevents exercise). When such an individual does stop, commonly reported symptoms are similar to those in substance abuse. These include altered sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, physical symptoms (muscle stiffness and soreness), and distorted self-image (i.e. thinking one looks “fat” or “small”). Symptoms such as these can have a rapid onset (i.e. within a few days).
