Yes, Exercise Addiction Is A Real Thing

There’s no shortage of people who will tell you that you should be exercising more, that you should work on your relationship with physical fitness and that everything else in life will fall into place. It’s true, that getting regular physical activity will help you in several ways so long as you also maintain a healthy diet. From better sleep to better moods, people will tout the benefits of hitting the gym all day long, if you let them.

But, what you hear much less about is the other side of exercise. For nearly 3 percent of all people who use the gym regularly, they may become addicted to exercise. No, no, you should not be afraid of becoming addicted to exercise, but you should become educated on the matter. You could find yourself or someone you love showing signs or symptoms, a close friend, or even a fellow gym goer. When you’re knowledgeable, you can stand up and step in to be the person that could make a difference, if it comes down it.

What typically happens is that as people tend to enjoy exercise or enjoy seeing the results so much that they begin to compulsively exercise so they can see more results, maybe they want to lose more weight, gain more muscle, or just look or feel a certain way.

Sometimes, it can be brought on by stress or as a reaction to something going on in someone’s life that they begin to use exercise in an unhealthy way. It can spiral quickly or slowly over time and each person’s journey will be different.

If you’re noticing yourself or someone else begin to act in a compulsive way about their gym or exercise habits, reach out and offer to be there for them or reach out and get the help you need. It’s okay to admit that maybe you have a problem or that you’re not feeling your best or living in the best way you could be, it’s worth taking the next step and being brave!

Reference
Gibson, N. “Obscure Addictions That Are More Common Than You Think”. Ranker. (website). 2018