Are You An Exercise ADDICT?

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It is not difficult to identify an addiction. The most common types of addiction are those of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, video games, porn and junk food. There are many others and all of them are easily identified mainly because they are considered negative and/or bad for health.

But to my surprise I recently came across yet another type of addiction - exercise addiction. This was sure a new addiction to me and I decided to find out more about it.

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Let me first give the Wikipedia definition of the exercise addiction below:

Exercise addiction is a state characterized by a compulsive engagement in any form of physical exercise, despite negative consequences. While regular exercise is generally a healthy activity, exercise addiction generally involves performing excessive amounts of exercise to the detriment of physical health, spending too much time exercising to the detriment of personal and professional life, and exercising regardless of physical injury.

Going to the Gym vs Exercise Addiction

Every gym goer thinks that he or she is doing the right thing by going for a workout. Indeed it is a good thing but not if you become an exercise addict. An exercise addict is addicted to endorphins and cannot do without them for a single day. He sets the most difficult goals for himself and decides that he has to meet them in order to feel good.

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Exercise is Good, Addiction is Not

To be be fair it has been proven that regular exercise helps to increase positiveness and reduces stress and anxiety. But what starts off as a daily exercise routine becomes an obsession with how the body looks and how much muscle is gained every week or month.

What is Exercise Addiction?

Exercise addicts workout more than once a day and gives it priority over other things, even work and family. A general introverted feeling comes in and the person feels grumpy and gets cut off from the outside world. With fewer friends and less socializing most of the exercise addict's time in the gym is spent on improving the figure and enhancing muscles. The person is never satisfied with the results he get sand keeps upping his goals, until his body cannot take it anymore.

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The problem is all the more acute since most people don't even recognize it as an addiction. They may think that equating an overt affinity to exercises to things like drug addiction or gambling is just plain dumb.

People Fail to See the Difference

In fact most of those who go to gyms regularly are heaped praise by their friends and colleagues who envy them for their diligence to workouts. After all obesity is supposed to have reached epidemic proportions and regular workouts prevent obesity. Gym memberships around the world are increasing with more people signing up to realize their dream of a sculpted body and chiseled muscles.

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You may not be able to distinguish exercise addicts from several others who may be gym goers with a good physique. All of them will look the same in their selfies and images on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Solution

The first thing to do for getting addicted from exercise is for the person to recognize that he has an addiction. Once the realization sets in that he is spending too much time and effort in exercising, the next step is to decide on a logical plan of action to reduce it.

For example, decide to workout only an hour every day and not reduce time from other important activities. Give work and family their due in terms of time and attention.

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Most importantly, curb the feeling of wanting to exercise many times in a day and understand that there is a limit to the amount of effort that can be expected from a human body.

Any addiction, once it is recognized as a detriment to happiness and a normal life, can be cured. Exercise addiction is also as harmful as any other form of addiction and hence needs to be acted upon.

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