Exercise addiction is probably the most contradictory of all the addictions. Not only is exercise a widely promoted health behavior, it is an important part of recovery from another addiction, and an effective part of treatment for depression and other mental health problems. This is because exercise has many psychological benefits, as well as physical benefits. In fact, the positive effects of exercise, and particularly outdoor exercise are on a par with medications as a treatment for depression, which often co-occurs with or underlies addictions.
Yet, like everything else, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. And it is possible to develop an addiction to exercise, in much the same way you can develop an addiction to behaviors and substances widely known to be harmful, such as gambling and alcohol.
So how do you know whether you are engaged in a healthy lifestyle, or whether you have a problem? Well, the first step is to understand what an addiction is. Think about how you would feel if you were unable to exercise for a day, a week, or indefinitely. Would it bother you? Would it be a nice rest? Most importantly, would you find it hard to cope with life without daily exercise?
If you feel distressed at the thought of not being able to exercise every day, and at a loss for how you would manage your feelings and get through the day and night without exercising at some point, it may be time to seek help. Unfortunately, exercise addiction is not well recognised, so may not be as well-resourced as other addictions, such as alcohol and drugs. However, your family doctor should be able to advise you, and you may be able to access support through an addictions clinic. Psychologists are usually well-trained in helping people manage change in their lives, so finding a psychologist to support you may also be an option.
If you are exercising frequently, but are not really concerned about how it would feel if you couldn't exercise, you are probably not addicted, although it may be worth discussing how much exercise is healthy for you with your family doctor, or someone with expertise in exercise, such as a personal trainer or gym instructor. The amount and type of exercise that is healthy will depend on many factors, including your age, health, sex, and physical condition. If you find it hard to limit your exercise to what they advise, it may be time to seek help.
Great post, Elizabeth! There’s such a fine line between being an exercise fanatic and taking things too far into addiction. You’re right that some people may not recognize it’s a problem since exercise is something we want people to do (and, often, the more the better). Thanks for bringing this into the light.
I absolutely agree. Most people need more exercise, and should be encouraged to exercise daily.
Thank you for this post. I am an addict in recovery that before I came to a 12 step program, I had many years of non-use but no recovery during this time… for me I know about exercise as an addiction along with many other actions that have nothing to do with drugs… ones actions can become just as obsessive and compulsive as any drugs i could ever put into my body…
Good point, and one that has been recognized by some authors. Patrick Carnes, who wrote a lot on sex addiction, says that rather than categorizing the behavior, we should focus on what the behavior is doing for the person.
Many behaviors are used by addicts and non-addicts to alter the way they feel, including food, gambling, alcohol, and high-risk experiences.
When one behavior become depended on as THE way to control feelings, it becomes an addiction.
I think im addicted. I can’t even do my home work because i come home from school and go to the gym for 2 and a half hours. The days i can’t workout because i have to work I quickly workout for a half hour at home and the whole time im at work im down because i think i need to go to the gym. I spend over 200 a month on my membership and supplements and I can’t just quit buying them, I look better and I feel alot stronger. I love being noticed for my figure so I think if i stop I wont get comments anymore I like being the big guy so I strive to be bigger than what I am now. I’m 17 and have been working out for about a year and a half i workout 5 times a week and take supplements everyday. Is this normal for a teenager?, I cant even eat fast food EVER and rarely eat bad at home because i think im going to get “fat”.
Rick,
It is completely normal for teens to focus on their appearance, to want to be liked and accepted, and to develop an intense liking of certain activities.
The main two things to consider about whether you have an addiction to exercise are:
1. Whether you can cope without it. If you feel emotionally overwhelmed without your daily workout, you need to start to find new, more effective ways of dealing with the daily stress we all face.
2. Whether it is causing you problems. It sounds like you are having difficulty finding time for school work because you are working out so much. When other parts of life start to suffer as a result of addictive behavior, it’s time to get help.
Find out whether there is a school counselor who might be able to help you with getting your exercise down to a healthy habit, rather than something that dominates your life. They may not get that there is a problem right away, so make sure you tell them about the two points I’ve mentioned above.
If the school counselor doesn’t work out (no pun intended!), talk to your parents about it. They might be able to pay for you to see a counselor privately, or they might help you to manage your stress in healthy ways and focus a bit more on your school work.
Good luck!
I think i have a really bad problem. im 20 years old female and ive been working out since i was about 16 but it slowly kept increasing. I work out for about 2 hours every day mostley cardio some muscle training. If i dont work out i pretty much drive my self crazy. i feel so down and out of it. i beat my self up so hard the next day for not working out the day before. especially when im sick and completley undable to get out of bed i am in the worst mood becuase i cannot excersise. i was very over weight through high school. i think i might be afriad of gaining the weight back or im just insane. some one please offer me some advise. thanks.
also i forgot to mention i have not had fast food in over 3 years ive sliped in a chicken burrito from taco bell occasionaly but wow does that destroy me mentaliy. i prettymuch eat at home. i am not a crazy dieter. i just dont eat junk food at all. i drink water and tea. with sweet n low sugar. i honestly dont even like doing any daily activites before i have had my work out. its driving me nuts. my family thinks i need to be on “one of those obbsessive shows” but i dont know i wish excersise did not take over my life the way it has. it was something i use to really enjoy and now i cant cope with out it.
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I workout anywhere from 2-5 hours daily.
Today probably not because I can’t move. It’s bothering me, but I’ll just sleep all day and not eat anything.
I have problems with working because I don’t have enough time to workout, or sometimes the work is too physical and I get too tired after work to go. Physical work is not exercise in my opinion.
I quit my job to workout full time.
I was diagnosed with major depression. The pills and the exercise keep me sane. Or.. My definition of sane, anyway.