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Fitness Psych – Exercise Addict?
Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
Whether you exercise on your Total Gym at home, in a local health club or pound the pavement outside, admit it–you love it. Well, there’s love of exercise and then there’s too much love of exercise, the kind that appears to lead to compulsive behaviors.
Neurotransmitters and the brain’s reward system, including dopamine (or the “high” that drug addicts crave), play a critical role in the brain chemistry of those who appear to be “addicted to exercise.”
Is there really such as thing as “exercise addiction?”
Not formally, but it is a catchy phrase. Dr. William Glasser first used the term in 1976 when studying long-distance runners, and to date there is still no real agreement on whether people are genuinely “addicts” when it comes to exercise.
It’s been estimated that 1% to 8% of gym goers behave in ways regarding exercise that are similar to the way drug addicts act in relation to drugs, and some believe that 50% of those with clinical eating disorders are actually “dependent” on exercise as a way of dealing with feelings or emotions or to maintain self-esteem.
Signs of exercise addiction
Exercise addicts typically have low self-esteem and poor self- and/or body-image problems. Stress, anxiety, depression and/or anger can be the reason someone goes overboard on exercise. Here are some behavioral indicators of what some consider “exercise addiction:”
- Constant preoccupation with exercise throughout the day
- Never taking a day off even when injured or ill
- Feeling anxious and guilty if one misses an exercise session that “must” be made up
- Food choices based only on exercise, working out isolated from others
- Taking time off from work or school to exercise
- Lying about exercise
- Conflicts with friends and family arise due to the amount of exercise one does
- Using the amount of exercise one does as the basis for self-esteem that day
- Finding no pleasure in exercise but driven to do so anyway
- Never being satisfied with the exercise one has done
The thinking patterns of exercise “addicts” runs counter to healthy, rational thinking. For example, they believe, erroneously of course, “I either run an hour or it’s not worth it at all.” Or, “People who don’t exercise are fat.” Or, “I only feel good about myself when I exercise, so if I exercise I’ll never be depressed.”
These folks need a compassionate, judgment-free coach who won’t argue, embarrass or criticize, but will continually meet to move past their common resistance to discuss underlying issues. Some may require additional assistance from mental health and medical professionals, particularly when this behavior is related to an eating disorder, which is often the case.
Reasonable training with Total Gym
One of the most attractive aspects of exercising on a Total Gym is the integrated full-body workout one can get in a reasonable amount of time. Those with disordered or obligatory devotion to exercise will spend more than 2 hours per day, seven days per week exercising, far beyond what is considered “normal” or necessary. It takes over their lives.
For the rest of us who are healthy exercise and Total Gym “enthusiasts,” getting into healthy shape, maintaining fitness and creating positive emotional wellbeing can all be achieved with reasonable commitments to consistent full-body workouts as prescribed in the Total Gym DVDs, training programs and on-demand exercise videos that are available on TotalGym.com.
Follow Dr. Mantell on Twitter @FitnessPsych.
Michael R. Mantell earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of Pennsylvania after completing his M.S. degree in clinical psychology at the Hahnemann Medical College, where he wrote his thesis on the psychology of obesity. He has served as Chief Psychologist of Children’s Hospital and Health Center of San Diego, and created and led the nationally recognized Psychological Services and Employee Assistance/Wellness program for the San Diego Police Department. He is a member of the Sports Medicine Team at The Sporting Club in La Jolla, California, maintains a private clinical practice in La Mesa, California, and writes and speaks for the American Council on Exercise.
