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Exercise Dependence: Are You Addicted to Working Out?
Posted on Aug 3rd 2010 2:00PM by Kristen SeymourFiled Under: Fitness
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However, when the desire to exercise becomes a need, it can actually be a serious problem known as exercise dependence. But before you begin to worry about whether your 4 p.m. craving for that after=work run is an issue, let's take a look at what exercise dependence really is (and what it's not).
To learn more, we spoke to Heather Hausenblaas, an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Health and Human Performance who has been researching and publishing on exercise dependence since 1998, co-authoring numerous studies on the subject and creating a scale used by other researchers to examine symptoms of exercise dependence. Basically, she's an expert in the field, and she cleared things up for us.
What Is Exercise Dependence?
Exercise dependence means that exercise in and of itself is the main goal. According to Hausenblaas, signs of exercise dependence include:
- Exercising for longer and longer periods of time.
- Consistently thinking about exercise.
- Giving up work/family/social obligations to exercise.
- Ignoring injuries in order to exercise.
- Experiencing withdrawal effects when not able to exercise (e.g., increased anxiety, stress, depression).
As with other types of addiction, those suffering from exercise dependence require longer and more intense sessions to get the feeling they crave. That means that, rather than simply being motivated to go to the gym a few times a week for 45 minutes to an hour, these people need to exercise, sometimes multiple times a day. "There's no balance," said Hausenblaas. "Whenever someone is dependent on something it is always negative."
What It's Not
If you can't wait to hit the gym tonight because you overindulged at lunch or are trying to fit into a special dress this weekend, you aren't suffering from primary exercise dependence.
Individuals with eating disorders can have secondary exercise dependence; but in that case, the main goal is to burn calories and alter one's body size or shape, and the act of exercising is a means to an end. Therefore, they are not included in exercise dependence studies.
Also exempt from Hausenblaas' studies are athletes, because their motivation for intense, daily exercise is different -- it's based on the desire to be the best, win championships or, in the case of professional athletes, make money. Once again, exercise is a means to an end.
How Is It Recognized?
Unfortunately, there's not a clear line for regular folks like us to draw when it comes to differentiating between someone who's committed to consistent exercise and someone who's truly addicted. "Exercise dependence really falls along a continuum for sedentary to low active to active to high activity to exercise dependent," Hausenblaas told us.
If you suspect exercise dependence in yourself or a friend or family member, seek professional help in the form of a counselor or physician. If you're concerned about a friend or loved one's eating habits, read this AOL Health article about eating disorders.
