Introduction

When you exercise, your body secretes dopamine and endorphins. These are the same neurotransmitters that are produced when you take medicine.

When a fitness freak exercises, he feels rewarded and happy. The neurotransmitters disappear when he quits exercising.

The urge to be physically fit is frequently the beginning of exercise addiction. Anorexia nervosa or bulimia can cause an unhealthy obsession with exercise. Exercise addiction can also be caused by a body dysmorphic condition, commonly known as a body image disorder.

There are many rehabilitation centers that treat exercise addiction as a severe health issue, and Ascendant NY is one of them. Click Kristen Wiig Plastic Surgery to know more about them.

What Is Exercise Addiction?

An unhealthy fixation with physical fitness and exercise is known as exercise addiction. It’s frequently the outcome of eating problems and body image issues. Exercise addicts have many of the same characteristics as other addictions, such as obsessing about the habit of participating in the behavior while knowing it is harmful.

Certain substances are released into the neurological system as a result of exercise. These molecules provide a feeling of reward or pleasure. Exercise addiction might be a result of reliance on this pleasurable reaction.

Excessive weight loss and weight-related health problems could result from exercise addiction.

Risks

People who are under a lot of pressure to keep in shape are in danger of becoming addicted to exercise. Likewise, people who are overweight and embark on a drastic weight-loss program may also be vulnerable to exercise addiction.

According to recent statistics, 15% of exercise addicts are also hooked on cigarettes, alcohol, or illegal substances. Other addictions, such as sex or shopping, are thought to affect about a quarter of the population.

Former drug addicts and alcoholics may turn to exercise to fill the void left by their previous addictions. This is comparable to how a former smoker may develop a caffeine addiction after quitting cigarettes.

Work addiction, like most addictions, will worsen over time unless a person gets assistance. For example, if people exercise until they are physically and mentally exhausted, they may develop burnout.

This is a typical side effect of exercise addiction. Burnout can result in high levels of stress, strained relationships, and even drug usage, whereas exercise was supposed to promote the opposite.

Chronic stress, which can occur due to continual exercise, can also be harmful to one’s physical health.

Modifying one’s lifestyle, achieving a healthy balance in your exercise routine, and keeping stresses and triggers at bay could be some of the solutions to cure exercise addiction.

Why Should You Avoid Exercise Addiction?

People who have an exercise addiction often feel guilty when they don’t exercise. As a result, a recovering addict must establish a positive relationship with his fitness routine.

There are some health issues that accompany exercise addiction, such as:

1: Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental condition marked by obsessions induced by certain stimuli, as well as considerable discomfort if the compulsions are not kept up.

In terms of wanting exercise and significant anguish if denied exercise, compulsive exercise is similar to these obsessions and compulsions.

The ruminations of an exercise-addicted individual might be linked to the obsessions that precede compulsive activities.

On the other hand, addiction has been claimed to be distinct from OCD since it can lessen unpleasant affective states while also producing beneficial consequences.

2: Muscle Dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia is a kind of body dysmorphic disorder that is classified as part of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum.

Excessive muscle-building activities, such as weightlifting and the use of anabolic steroids, are associated with the syndrome, as are perceptions of inadequate muscularity.

Athletes with muscular dysmorphia frequently have a low body fat percentage but a high BMI and a disturbed eating pattern.

Even though men used to encounter these symptoms initially, women have also fallen victim to its traps. Since the western female body ideal seems to have changed nowadays, females are also experiencing muscle dysmorphia.

3: Mental Health Issues

Exercise addiction is more commonly encountered in athletes who have recurrent physiological ailments. Several research papers show the physical side effects of exercise addiction in long-distance runners.

Physical ailments such as pressure sores and stress fractures are common, but if these injuries are more severe, it results in lifetime depression and anxiety.

It’s possible that an addicted athlete who is unable to exercise due to injury can feel restlessness and irritability as a result of withdrawal symptoms. The addicted athlete is likely to continue exercising despite injury to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

FAQs

1: Why Should You Avoid Exercise?

Ans: If you are not physically fit or have any chronic injury, you should avoid exercise. Exercising for too long indicates body image issues or weight issues. If you have any of these, you must consult a therapist instead of putting your body through the unnecessary pressure of exercising.

2: How Can Exercise Become An Addiction?

Ans: Exercise releases certain neurotransmitters in your brain, such as endorphin and dopamine, which are related to the reward sector. People who develop this sense of achievement from exercising are often prone to take exercise as a means to escape reality and negative emotions, which soon turn into an addiction.

3: How Does Exercise Addiction Affect The Body?

Ans: Exercise addiction can increase your chances of having muscle injuries. Muscle soreness and ligament injuries are also common in people with exercise addiction. Too much exercise can also cause fractures and broken bones because the body may not remain capable enough to handle the weight it used to after a certain period.

Don’t Overdo It!

Exercise addiction is not something you undergo every now and then. It is one of the rarest forms of addiction because people who experience this addiction don’t realize they have a problem.

So, here comes the dilemma.

How much exercise is not too much?

Well, if you exercise for 30 minutes to an hour 5 days a week, that should be enough. But, if you are training for a tournament or lifting weights to support your weight loss journey, it is better to contact a professional and adhere to his instructions. Working with a professional trainer has a lot of advantages as they are able to create a workout routine specifically made for you. With the use of personal training tracking software, they will be able to monitor your fitness journey and workout progress. Doing so will help to keep you in check and make sure that you stick to the personalized workout routine designed solely for you.

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