exercise is good but beware of exercise addiction

It is often said that loving sports is a good thing. Not only does it exercise the body, but it also makes the mind and body happier. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, once said: 'Sunlight, air, water, and exercise are the sources of life and health.' Additionally, regular exercise can make you look younger and more attractive.

Therefore, it seems that exercise is like a profitable business with no losses, offering many benefits and perks. People who love sports are often labeled as lively and sunny.

But did you know? Sometimes excessive exercise can be a disease—exercise addiction or exercise compulsion.

What is exercise addiction?

Exercise addiction refers to a psychological and physiological dependence on a regular exercise lifestyle. It can be divided into positive and negative types. People with positive exercise addiction can control their exercise behavior, while those with negative exercise addiction are controlled by their exercise behavior, which is a type of obsessive-compulsive neurosis. Patients with exercise compulsion seem to be obsessed with exercise, subconsciously forcing themselves to exercise.

People with this condition regularly and frequently exercise. If they stop or cannot follow their planned exercise routine, they experience psychological and emotional discomfort, such as depression, anxiety, and restlessness. It can also lead to poor sleep quality and physical discomfort. In severe cases, they continue to exercise despite obvious pain or injury.

Exercise addicts often also have some degree of eating disorders, which is detrimental to both their physical and mental health.

For some people, exercise has become a compulsory task, with the amount, frequency, and duration of exercise exceeding their control. This places extreme importance on exercise, affecting their relationships with family, friends, and work.

They feel that work, study, and even socializing with friends take up their exercise time, so they skip classes or work to exercise.

However, avid sports enthusiasts need not worry too much about whether they have exercise addiction.

Experts say that most people who are passionate about sports do not have exercise addiction. If you are still concerned, you can check yourself against the following criteria:

1. The type of exercise is monotonous, and the exercise time is fixed. Missing a day makes you feel uncomfortable.

2. Exercise is prioritized above all other activities in life.

3. You continue to exercise even when injured.

4. If regular exercise is interrupted, you experience mood disturbances; these disturbances lessen or disappear once you resume exercise.

5. You prefer to exercise alone rather than with others and firmly believe that persistence in exercise will bring some improvement.

If you meet more than three of these criteria, you should be cautious...

The main characteristic of exercise compulsion is that no matter how tired the body is, the strong desire to exercise prevails, leading to being controlled by exercise. This is a compulsive tendency. It is recommended that patients with exercise compulsion seek early treatment, or if the condition is not severe, they can try self-adjustment to improve their situation.

1. In daily life, cultivate other hobbies, such as cooking, singing, dancing, shopping, or watching movies and TV.

2. Do not rely excessively on a single form of exercise; try other sports. Also, try to exercise with others.

3. Participate in gatherings or chat with friends and family more often.

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