Exercise Abuse

Have you gone too far?

Exercise is sometimes called a positive addiction. It can be instrumental in managing stress, reducing high blood pressure, preventing osteoporosis, lowering cholesterol, controlling weight and improving your mental outlook. But even a positive addiction can have a dark side.

JoAnn is a 25-year-old secretary who works out every day. A swimmer in high school and college, she now trains for triathlons. She swims for an hour each morning and tries to run three miles at lunch. But if she eats lunch instead of working out, she runs four miles before dinner and skips dessert as punishment. Her weekends are devoted to long-distance cycling.

For the last three months, JoAnn has been too tired to go out with her regular group of friends on Saturday night. Last week she overslept twice, not only missing her swim workout but also arriving late for work.

A nagging soreness has invaded her shoulders and left calf. Her swim workouts are slower, so she's doing more sprints to improve her times. She missed her period last month, but since she hasn't had time for a relationship, she isn't worried about being pregnant. Friends say she is tired and irritable. JoAnn thinks she wouldn't be so tired if only she worked harder to get in shape. if she just lost five more pounds, she'd be happy.

JoAnn is an exercise addict: She is not controlling her exercise; it is controlling her. She is suffering from burnout and may be headed for a serious injury or complicated eating/exercise disorder. Exercise is telling her when to get up, what to eat and how to schedule her time in short, it is running her life.

Pushing one's limits is part of improving in almost every sport or training program. The exercise addict, however, has trouble distinguishing between pushing her limits and overstepping them. She exercises out of a compulsion or sense of duty often without any pleasure. She uses exercise to avoid dealing with other problems, such as relationships, low self-esteem or an eating disorder.

Some psychologists believe that people with "addictive" personalities can become addicted to exercise rather than alcohol or drugs. Like other types of addicts, the exercise addict denies the problem. She continues to exercise despite injuries, a lack of social life or a disrupted work schedule.

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Table of Contents

Foreword: Billie Jean King

Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
Shape Magazine

General Health
Nutrition
Exercise
Common Medical Problems
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Emergency!
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Eating Disorders
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