How to Deal with Exercise Addiction
Exercise addiction, also called as compulsive exercise, is the condition where a person is compelled or driven to exercise despite him or herself. It can be either because of low self-esteem, an eating disorder, or the addiction to the natural high that exercise brings.
Current statistics of exercise addiction
Most of the people susceptible to addiction to exercise are women and athletes usually in their teens. This is because of the social pressure placed on athletes, especially students, to excel and win games. For women, there is the pressure to be thin and slim.
Exercise addiction as a symptom of an eating disorder
As mentioned, compulsive exercise can be one of the symptoms of an eating disorder such as anorexia and bulimia. With the compulsion to be thin, over-exercising is done by people with eating disorders to keep body weight down and get the body image that they believe is acceptable to
society.
Dealing with exercise addiction
As with all addictions, one should seek the help of a professional to diagnose correctly the underlying disorder, whether it’s an eating disorder or an anxiety or depression disorder. One can consult a nutritionist, psychiatrist, or therapist to assess the situation. A doctor can also help in assessing any physical damage from exercising too much, and explain the risks of too much exercise, such as pulled muscles, ripped tendons, and knee trauma. Aside from the mental aspect, one should also consider the physical aspect.
Possible treatments for exercise addiction
Since the situation is caused by low self-esteem, the treatment includes mostly fixing one’s image of one’s body. Especially for people who over-exercise because of pressure to excel and be thin, a lot of affirmation is needed to help people suffering from this compulsion get a better image of themselves. It would be best to ease the pressure that they feel to remove the anxiety that causes the tendency to over-exercise, or look for safe sources of that “natural high “ due to the endorphin rush.
Getting help from family and friends
One should remember that there should be a good support system available for people suffering from exercise compulsion. If you think you have this condition, you should seek the help of family and friends. If you have a friend or family member with this condition, you should remember that what they need is more affirmation to help improve their self-esteem and be happy with their current self.
Photo Credit : mikebaird
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