Exercise addiction, also known as vigorexia, is a dependency experienced by individuals who engage in excessive physical exercise. Although it is not an eating disorder, it affects individuals with a strong preoccupation with maintaining their physique. Therefore, its onset can be due to similar symptoms. We explain what it consists of and what its health risks are.
What is Vigorexia?
Vigorexia is a psychological illness or obsessive disorder shared by people who are not satisfied with their physical appearance. It often affects men and women with a notable body image distortion. That is, individuals who are unable to objectively see the state of their body (body fat level, muscle tone, weight, etc.), and focus on their imperfections, radicalizing their vision. Consequently, they feel an uncontrollable need to exercise to get in shape.
Exercise addiction is often related to anorexia, as it is a phenomenon that causes the opposite effect. For this reason, it is commonly referred to as reverse anorexia, or muscle dysmorphia due to the physical alterations it can cause in a person’s musculature. This is why vigorexia is also classified as a body dysmorphic disorder and falls within the field of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Suffering from this illness affects all areas of a person’s life, their psychological and physiological health, and damages their personal relationships.
Causes of Exercise Addiction
People suffering from sports addiction share common traits:
- Constantly looking in the mirror to evaluate their physique
- Never being aesthetically satisfied with their body
- Frequently paying attention to their body weight
- Comparing themselves to other people who engage in bodybuilding activities
- Obsessive individuals or those with emotional problems are more likely to suffer from the addiction
- Those affected by harassment or bullying tend to become addicted to physical exercise
When a person begins to develop one or more of these symptoms, they affect their emotional health. The individual turns all their thoughts into negative facts about their physique and feels the need to remedy their current situation. Consequently, they end up abandoning their routine and daily habits to create new ones focused on physical exercise and sports.
In a second phase, the person begins to follow low-fat diets that contain many carbohydrates and proteins. In more exceptional cases, there is also the possibility that they consume anabolic steroids and hormones. This is an action complementary to physical exercise that helps them increase muscle mass quickly.
How Exercise Addiction Affects Behavior
The most significant change in a person suffering from vigorexia is the creation of new habits. They develop a training plan based on physical exercise and a high-energy diet. Their goal is to achieve an aesthetically perfect body in the shortest possible time.
The training program is based on constant physical exercise that takes up a large amount of their time. These exercises are of a high intensity and great difficulty to maximize muscle tone development. One of the most common activities is weightlifting.
By needing so much time to exercise their body, the person with exercise addiction ends up giving up other priorities. For example, daily responsibilities, attending work, or maintaining social relationships with friends, family, and acquaintances.
Factors that Prevent Vigorexia
There are some behavioral guidelines that can help curb or slow down dependency on physical exercise:
- Always work with a personal trainer when exercising
- Undergo frequent physical examinations to assess health status
- Adapt physical exercises to the person’s physical capabilities and needs
- Avoid overexertion or taking unnecessary risks
- Respect adequate rest periods when fatigue and/or muscle pain appears
- Avoid negative thoughts focused on physical condition or aesthetic image to prevent relapse into obsession
Treatment of Exercise Addiction
Although exercise addiction may have some biological factors, it is primarily a behavioral disorder. It is a dependency that develops mainly due to cultural, social, and educational influences on the affected person. Therefore, any treatment for the illness must focus on changing their behavior and re-education.
Any rehabilitation process for vigorexia must begin with the immediate environment. That is, family and friends must provide the necessary support and help to the individual suffering from the addiction. Their goal is to make them understand their situation and try to convince them to start an appropriate treatment that aids in their rehabilitation.
As a first step, it is important to reduce the anxiety and enthusiasm that the addict may feel. These characteristics make them more prone to the behavioral disorder. Alternatively, healthier activities should be sought that do not foster their obsession with their aesthetic figure.
CCAdicciones is an addiction treatment center that can help people with their dependency disorders. Contact us and an addiction therapist will provide the support you need.
