EXERCISE ADDICTION

Exercise addiction may not necessarily sound like a bad thing to everyone. After all, numerous studies have demonstrated the physical and emotional health benefits of regular exercise it is essential to our well-being. Unlike other addictive behaviors, we are encouraged to exercise more. However, there is such a thing as exercise addiction and it can have harmful consequences. Several characteristics distinguish healthy regular exercise from exercise addiction.

•  Exercise addiction is Maladaptive: Instead of improving the person’s life it causes more problems. Exercise addiction can threaten health, causing injuries, physical damage due to inadequate rest, and in some instances (particularly when co-occurring with an eating disorder), malnutrition and other problems.
• It is Persistent: In this case, an exercise addict exercises too much and for too long without giving the body a chance to recover. We all overexert ourselves on occasion, and usually rest afterwards. But exercise addicts exercise for hours every day, regardless of fatigue or illness. As the individual’s principle way of coping with stress, they experience anxiety if they are unable to do so.