Melissa Murphy

Exercise addiction is a recognised disorder and can harm your mind and body. Melissa Murphy finds out why too much of a good thing is bad for you…

For many people, staying motivated to keep exercising is not easy, but for some people, exercise can turn into an addiction. You could argue that an exercise addiction is a good thing but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Exercise addiction can be extremely damaging, both physically and psychologically.

Studies show that one to three per cent of the population suffers from exercise addiction, yet little is known about its exact causes and symptoms.

Some experts believe over-exercising may result from low self-esteem, that it is a type of compulsive disorder. Another theory is that people become addicted to the hormones released by the brain during aerobic activity.

Exercise is known to create a natural high, due to the release of endorphins into the bloodstream. These hormones, which are similar to opiates like morphine and heroin, create a feeling of euphoria that in some cases, can be addictive.

Common withdrawal symptoms reported by exercise addicts include sleep problems, changes in appetite, mood disturbances and depression.

“For some people, exercise can become compulsive, to a degree which is as physically, psychologically and emotionally destructive as ingesting chemicals,” says David Nott, manager of the Addictions Treatment Programme at the Priory Hospital Marchwood. “The need to compulsively exercise can include avoidance, mood manipulation, a desire to control and as a general method of coping with life.”

Exercise addiction is a relatively new disorder, first termed by Dr. William Glasser in 1976 after his study of long-distance runners revealed most of them to be suffering from the addiction. Scientists are still fully trying to understand it. Psychiatrists define exercise addiction as a compulsive disorder similar to other afflictions, such as gambling, eating disorders and alcoholism.

It is also believed that exercise addiction is linked to the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. “Exercise addiction can sometimes be an eating disorder,” says Deanne Jade, the principal at the National Centre for Eating Disorders. “It is a bit like an obsessive-compulsive disorder because people start imagining all sorts of things will happen if they stop doing it.”

Women more at risk
Exercise addiction could well be on the increase, given that exercising and being fit is so widely promoted, and some experts believe that women are more at risk.

David Wasley, exercise psychologist at the University of Wales Institute, says exercise addiction is more common among women than men, as it is linked to how people perceive their body – and women tend to have a lower images of their bodies than men. Hardly surprising given the pressure to be thin while juggling a successful and healthy lifestyle. According to the Dove Real Beauty campaign, only two per cent of women are happy with their bodies.
However, David Wasley also points out that the “much larger problem is the 70-80 per cent of adults who do not exercise at an intensity to improve various health issues.” So if you’re working out a couple of times a week, relax - you have nothing to worry about.

The signs
 
When does a healthy pastime turn into an addiction? Experts believe there are a number of factors which point towards an unhealthy compulsion. Do you feel you have to exercise today no matter what? Do you feel guilty, depressed or irritable when you don’t exercise? Do you feel your job, studies or relationships get in the way of exercise? If so you could be demonstrating an unhealthy attitude towards your exercise. Other signs include missing work or social outings to exercise, exercising despite injuries, tiredness or illness and feeling that exercise is a compulsion, rather than fun.

Hiding your exercise habits is also a fairly common feature of the addiction. “The addict will progressively become devious, defensive and secretive in pursuing exercise opportunities,” says David Nott.

Getting your ‘fix’

Just like drug addicts, exercise addicts need more and more of a ‘fix’ to get satisfaction. Experts believe that burning more than 3500 calories every week can be harmful. A person weighing ten stone would need to do 10 half hour sessions of fast running to burn 3500 calories. If you’re exercising more than this then you’re probably overdoing it.

You also need to explore your reasons for exercising. Is your need to exercise controlling your life, do you miss out on other things to go to the gym?

An exercise addiction is often diagnosed by your relationship with exercise as much as the amount you undertake.

Why is too much is harmful

Moderate amounts of exercise strengthen the immune system, making us less prone to illness but too much exercise has the opposite effect. Compulsive exercise can cause a lot of painful injuries, including everything from stress fractures and damaged bones/joints to torn muscles, ligaments and tendons. Excessive exercise can also lead to periods stopping and osteoporosis.

An addicted person forgets about everything else in the world except for exercise. They could find their relationships are neglected and their work could be affected too, as they only care about their daily dose of exercise.

An addict usually finds many opportunities to exercise instead of spending time with friends. Their behaviour would change and it’s likely that friends and family would notice. An addicted person would tend to find excuses for continuous exercise and would start to hide the times he or she does physical activity.

Dr Szabo says: “There is a misconception that being addicted to exercise is healthy but this is certainly not the case. These people not only risk doing themselves serious harm physically, but are so obsessed with exercise that they will put it before their family, friends and career. It’s not just about the amount of time these people spend exercising, but how much they think about it. To them, exercise is the most important thing in the world.”

What causes addiction?

Scientists do not fully understand the condition or what causes it. “Nobody really knows what causes exercise addiction but individuals probably turn to exercise as a form of escapism from another problem,” says Professor Griffiths. “Once identified, it can only really be cured by a mental health professional.”

Some experts believe that certain people are susceptible to the release of feel-good chemicals. When we exercise, our brain releases mood altering endorphins, responsible for the post-workout high. Another chemical that causes psychological changes during exercise is serotonin. This chemical is responsible for mood elevations, anxiety and sleep control.

People who suffer from depression are often advised to exercise to improve their moods and energy levels. It’s possible for exercise to act as an anti-depressant for some people and those susceptible could end up hooked on the natural high.

Getting help

Like any addiction, the first step to getting help is recognising that a problem exists. Once a sufferer has realised they have a problem, they may need professional help to overcome it. Exercise addiction can be a complex disorder and addicts may not be able to tackle it alone.  “It can seem impossible to an addict to stop exercising without help,” says David Nott. “Chronic exercise addiction can be a severely debilitating condition meriting clinical intervention, even hospitalisation in some cases,” he explains.

In nine cases out of ten, exercise is a good thing. Most of us do not get enough exercise and this can cause many health problems. But it’s important to remember that balance and moderation is the key. Increasingly, there is pressure from the media to look good and to exercise more.

When we do exercise, it’s often beneficial to work a little bit beyond our comfort zone. However, we just need to remember that although exercise is good for us, too much activity too often isn’t always a good thing.

Exercise addiction test

Dr Attila Szabo, an international expert on exercise addiction, and Professor Mark Griffiths, an expert on addictive behaviour, have developed a simple test to identify problem exercisers before their obsession gets out of control. The six questions should be answered on a five point scale of (1) strongly disagree (2) disagree (3) uncertain (4) agree (5) strongly agree.

1. Exercise is the most important thing in my life.
2. Conflicts have arisen between me and my partner about the amount of exercise I do.
3. I use exercise as a way of changing my mood (e.g. to get a buzz/to escape).
4. Over time I have increased the amount of exercise I do in a day.
5. If I have to miss an exercise session I feel moody and irritable.
6. If I cut down the amount of exercise I do and then start again, I always end up exercising as often as I did before.

How did you score?

24 to 30: You are most at risk of an exercise addiction
13 to 23: You are potentially at risk.
0 to 12: You are unlikely to be at risk.

How to help a friend at risk
If you think your friend is at risk of exercise addiction then try talking to her about her exercise habits. Try explaining the damaging effects too much exercise causes and what an exercise addiction is. Does she have a personal problem? It could be helpful for her to talk about the problem if she’s using exercise as a way of dealing with it. She may not realise she has a problem with exercise and you could gently try to explain that she is overdoing it.

However, it’s important to remember that she needs to recognise that has problem before she can receive help.

Overcoming exercise addiction

In most cases exercise addiction requires professional help, but it’s possible to stop it from escalating out of control. Some important things to remember when exercising are:

• Concentrate on fitness rather than what you look like.
• Get a proper exercise plan together.
• Don’t overdo it - listen to your body, if it’s hurting or tired stop exercising.
• Try more stretching work, like pilates, to wean yourself off high impact exercise.
• Always take rest days.
• If you still feel exercise is ruling your life see your GP. They will be able to refer you for the right help.

Sources of help                 

National Centre for Eating Disorders, 0845 838 2040, www.eating-disorders.org.uk    
Priory Healthcare, www.prioryhealthcare.co.uk