Exercise expert explains: This is why exercise is addictive

Colledge says it’s not the number of workouts per week that matters, but the relationship with the sport. “People with exercise addiction over-exercise, getting sick or injured, even when they don’t have time.” Working out is no longer fun, it is a necessity that dominates daily life. This means that people addicted to sports often neglect their friends, family, and work. The expert says: “Unlike professional athletes, they do not renew and do not adapt the duration and intensity of training to their daily form.” In most cases, fitness addicts do not work towards a fitness goal, they just train right away.

“We hypothesize that some people respond particularly strongly to the feeling of happiness during or after training and become addicted to it,” says Colledge. What exactly happens in the brain is not yet fully clear. According to experts, researchers hypothesize that dopamine release plays an important role. As a rule, the feeling of happiness decreases over time because the body develops a tolerance for it. “But exercise addicts continue to exercise because they would feel guilty or bad otherwise.”

Yes, says the expert. “In a study we conducted, we managed to show that sports addiction has similarities with behavioral addictions such as gaming and online gaming addiction.” They are similar in the following points, among others:

• You always need more to feel good
• Personal life suffers from addiction
• Withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, or depression occur if you skip training or don’t play
• Those affected are aware that their behavior is no longer healthy, but they still cannot stop it

Researchers distinguish between primary and secondary sports addiction. In primary sports addiction, the focus is on sports activity. “Those affected often want to compensate with education or self-medication to get rid of negative feelings or thoughts,” says Colledge. A severe life event can also lead to primary addiction to sports. Secondary exercise addiction occurs along with the eating disorder. Goal: To lose as much weight as possible with the help of exercise. “For those affected, sport is a means to an end,” says the expert.

“So far, there is no evidence-based treatment because exercise addiction is not yet officially recognized as a mental disorder,” says Colledge. This is because exercise addiction is difficult to define and more research is needed to learn more about it. Secondary exercise addiction is sometimes treated in eating disorder clinics, experts say. Cognitive behavioral therapy is currently available for primary exercise addiction. “The goal of therapy is to find a healthy balance between training and daily life.”