Exercise Addiction

Attila Szabo; Mark D Griffiths; Zsolt Demetrovics

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4

Exercise Addiction

Attila Szabo
, Mark D Griffiths
, Zsolt Demetrovics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The addictive aspect of exercise behavior is well known. The issue is controversial, because exercise, unlike tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol, or gambling, is viewed as a healthy behavior. Therefore, it is not surprising that high levels of commitment to exercise were connotated as “positive addiction.” In fact, exercise addiction is a morbid pattern of uncontrolled exercise behavior resulting in harm to the affected individual. It is driven by strong urges and cravings for the behavior, which are also accompanied by severe withdrawal symptoms. Research into exercise addiction is based on self-reports yielding risk scores rather than diagnosis. The prevalence of exercise addiction is rare, ranging between 0.3% and 0.5% in the general population and 3.0% and 6.0% in the exercising population. There are several models for the morbidity, but many of them are incomplete. A more recent interactional model is presented to emphasize the subjective nature of the morbidity. It is stressed that a better understanding of the behavior may result from the inductive examination of idiographic clinical case studies rather than nomothetic research.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse
Subtitle of host publication	General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions
Editors	Victor R Preedy
Place of Publication	London, United Kingdom
Publisher	Academic Press
Pages	984-992
Number of pages	9
Volume	3
ISBN (Electronic)	978-0-12-800677-1
ISBN (Print)	978-0-12-800634-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4
Publication status	Published - 2016
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

Keywords

Behavioral addiction
Compulsive exercise
Exercise addiction
Exercise dependence
Habitual exercise
Obligatory exercise

Access to Document

10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

Szabo, A., Griffiths, M. D., & Demetrovics, Z. (2016). Exercise Addiction. In V. R. Preedy (Ed.), Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse: General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions (Vol. 3, pp. 984-992). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4

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Szabo, A, Griffiths, MD & Demetrovics, Z 2016, Exercise Addiction. in VR Preedy (ed.), Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse: General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions. vol. 3, Academic Press, London, United Kingdom, pp. 984-992. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4

Exercise Addiction. / Szabo, Attila; Griffiths, Mark D; Demetrovics, Zsolt.
Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse: General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions. ed. / Victor R Preedy. Vol. 3 London, United Kingdom: Academic Press, 2016. p. 984-992.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Exercise Addiction

AU - Szabo, Attila

AU - Griffiths, Mark D

AU - Demetrovics, Zsolt

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The addictive aspect of exercise behavior is well known. The issue is controversial, because exercise, unlike tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol, or gambling, is viewed as a healthy behavior. Therefore, it is not surprising that high levels of commitment to exercise were connotated as “positive addiction.” In fact, exercise addiction is a morbid pattern of uncontrolled exercise behavior resulting in harm to the affected individual. It is driven by strong urges and cravings for the behavior, which are also accompanied by severe withdrawal symptoms. Research into exercise addiction is based on self-reports yielding risk scores rather than diagnosis. The prevalence of exercise addiction is rare, ranging between 0.3% and 0.5% in the general population and 3.0% and 6.0% in the exercising population. There are several models for the morbidity, but many of them are incomplete. A more recent interactional model is presented to emphasize the subjective nature of the morbidity. It is stressed that a better understanding of the behavior may result from the inductive examination of idiographic clinical case studies rather than nomothetic research.

AB - The addictive aspect of exercise behavior is well known. The issue is controversial, because exercise, unlike tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol, or gambling, is viewed as a healthy behavior. Therefore, it is not surprising that high levels of commitment to exercise were connotated as “positive addiction.” In fact, exercise addiction is a morbid pattern of uncontrolled exercise behavior resulting in harm to the affected individual. It is driven by strong urges and cravings for the behavior, which are also accompanied by severe withdrawal symptoms. Research into exercise addiction is based on self-reports yielding risk scores rather than diagnosis. The prevalence of exercise addiction is rare, ranging between 0.3% and 0.5% in the general population and 3.0% and 6.0% in the exercising population. There are several models for the morbidity, but many of them are incomplete. A more recent interactional model is presented to emphasize the subjective nature of the morbidity. It is stressed that a better understanding of the behavior may result from the inductive examination of idiographic clinical case studies rather than nomothetic research.

KW - Behavioral addiction

KW - Compulsive exercise

KW - Exercise addiction

KW - Exercise dependence

KW - Habitual exercise

KW - Obligatory exercise

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Szabo A, Griffiths MD, Demetrovics Z. Exercise Addiction. In Preedy VR, editor, Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse: General Processes and Mechanisms, Prescription Medications, Caffeine and Areca, Polydrug Misuse, Emerging Addictions and Non-Drug Addictions. Vol. 3. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. 2016. p. 984-992 doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800634-4.00097-4

Exercise Addiction

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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