What Is Exercise Addiction?

When Does Exercise Addiction Occur?

Exercise addiction occurs when there is an overwhelming and unhealthy fixation with exercise and fitness. Unfortunately, people obsessed with exercise are not often deterred by injury or illness. Like other addictions, exercise addiction is characterized by compulsive behaviors and obsessions. The affected individual often has obsessive thoughts about fitness, body composition, and overly worries about what they’re eating in order to maintain their body.

It is also common to find people with exercise addiction neglect other aspects of their life, such as their marital or family relationships, social life, and other personal commitments.1

How is Exercise Addiction Diagnosed?

While there is no clear way to identify or assess exercise addiction, research suggests that some criteria are linked to general characteristics that exist in all addictive behaviors:

Warning Signs and Prevalence of Exercise Addiction 

Primary Exercise Addiction

Primary exercise addiction is a behavioral addiction that deals primarily with the fixation on working out. People with this type of addiction generally have no other mental condition affecting them.

Males are more likely to develop primary exercise addiction in response to endorphins. Exercise-induced endorphins allow the body to produce its high, and this endorphin rush is what makes working out and exercising so addictive. 

Secondary Exercise Addiction

Secondary exercise addiction occurs in conjunction with another mental condition. For example, it is prevalent among people suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Secondary exercise addiction is generally common in women and develops due to body image problems. When combined with obsessive exercises, the deficiency of nutrients from the coexisting eating disorder can result in injury and illness.3

Phase 1: Recreational Exercise

At first, a person may be motivated to exercise because they want to improve their health and fitness, or they may just generally enjoy it. Exercise is pleasurable and enhances a person's quality of life during this stage. As a result, they can maintain their exercise routine and would not experience any negative outcomes if they do not. 

Phase 2: At-Risk Exercise

This second stage sees the person at risk of developing an addiction to exercise. Therefore, they begin to increase the intensity and the frequency of their workout at this stage.

At this phase, the main motivation for exercising has shifted from enjoyment to exercise being a stress reliever. Individuals now see exercise as a means to change their appearances and improve their self-esteem. Exercise is primarily a way to cope with unpleasant feelings and experiences. 

Phase 3: Problematic Exercise

During the third phase, problems really begin to emerge. People begin to plan their daily lives around their increasingly strict workout regimen. If they are forced to exercise less due to an injury, they may experience mood swings and irritability. They may be forced to seek alternative forms of exercise to meet their needs.

Phase 4: Exercise Addiction

At this phase, a person's life centers around working out. As a result, they continue to increase the frequency and intensity of their workouts, disrupting other aspects of their life as well, including social and work occurrences.4

Effects of Exercise Addiction

Exercise addiction is generally linked to numerous physical and psychological side effects, including:

Although regular exercise strengthens bones and muscles, too much of it may heighten the risk of stress fractures and muscle injuries. Similarly, exercise addiction may also cause menstrual disturbances in women.

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