How Does Excessive Exercise Affect Us Psychologically?
Sports and any moderate physical activity are recommended for all ages. In Western societies there are too many cases of sedentary people, and the best remedy to prevent diseases associated with lack of exercise is, precisely, to move.
However, far from what is usually thought, more exercise does not have to be better. There is a limit, and it turns out to be difficult to discern, although the problems it can pose for physical and mental health are serious enough not to ignore them.
Next we will discover How a lifestyle characterized by excessive physical activity affects us emotionally and behaviorally
How does excess physical activity affect us psychologically?
Sport is usually seen as a good health habit. And it is, without abuse. The frequent practice of physical activity is something very positive for our health, recommended for practically all ages and has always been seen as a protective factor against all types of diseases, especially bone and cardiovascular diseases. Sport, combined with a good diet, prevents the appearance of overweight and obesity, medical conditions that increase all types of pathologies.
But Not only does it positively affect physical health, but being physically active is also associated with greater psychological well-being Although the claim that sport cures depression is disproportionate, it is known that physical exercise is a protective factor against psychological problems such as depression, anxiety or stress. Furthermore, it has been seen that people who play sports frequently have greater cognitive performance, with better concentration, attention and memory.
However, not everything is so positive. Regular practice is one thing and suffering from a sports addiction is another, very different , a condition in which one leads an overly active lifestyle, to the point that it conditions not only physical health, increasing the risk of suffering injuries, but it can also negatively affect mental health. Addictions never bring anything good, and physical exercise addiction is no exception.
The psychological risks of sport
As we were commenting, physical activity has been associated with benefits for physical and mental health. Although there are some physical risks with regular sports practice, such as dehydration and injuries, these physical injuries are less likely when playing sports than the multiple medical and psychological problems associated with leading a completely sedentary life. Inactivity can lead to weight gain, cardiovascular disease and other medical conditions associated with poorer health and lower well-being.
One of the possible causes behind leading a sedentary or very inactive lifestyle may be having a mental disorder, especially depression , a mental condition whose symptoms include lack of motivation and loss of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable. There are many cases of people who have fallen into depression and who have completely abandoned their sports hobbies.
However, it turns out that There is also the risk of practicing too much sport , affecting psychologically in a different way compared to not doing any physical activity but in a way almost as serious or worse. No matter how protective a sport may be for mental health, if this physical activity is taken to the extreme it becomes a risk factor in itself, increasing the possibility of suffering from depression and anxiety disorders, especially among professional athletes.
There are many examples of professional athletes who show how an overly active lifestyle affects us psychologically. Although it must be said that it is not entirely fair to use them as an example as a warning for non-professionals, they do show very well what happens when sport has become a constant in a person’s life and has become something too much priority.
The most famous and recent example that comes to mind is the case of Simone Biles There is no doubt that this Olympic gymnast is physically fit, but due to having been subjected to a lot of pressure and very hard training, she has been forced to put her mental health before her professional career, something that has served other athletes well. to take a break too. Furthermore, Biles’ case, along with others like Naomi Osaka, have served to destigmatize mental health problems in the sports world.
A case long before them was that of Michael Phelps. This Olympic swimmer had made public his problems with depression associated with an extremely strict sports career with practically every aspect of his life. Phelps shared his psychological discomfort several years after the competitions, taking advantage of the fact that he was free from the neutrality imposed in the Olympic Games with its participants.
Others were not so lucky, such as German soccer player Robert Enke, who despite having a successful life in the sporting world ended his life by throwing himself onto a train track in 2009. Jeret Peterson, Olympic acrobatic ski athlete, committed suicide. just a year after winning the silver medal at the Vancouver Winter Games (2010). Dave Mirra, the best athlete in the history of BMX freestyle, ended his life in 2016, suffering from depression related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
We can’t talk about the risks of having an overly active lifestyle without mentioning chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Also called dementia pugilistica, it is a neurological condition in which, due to multiple impacts to the head, the brain is damaged and all kinds of emotional and cognitive symptoms appear:
To be fair, this disease does not necessarily have to be caused by an overly active lifestyle. Some people who are victims of abuse or who have suffered a car accident suffer from this problem, but it is especially common among practitioners of contact sports, such as martial arts or football. If these sports are practiced very regularly and adequate measures are not taken to avoid brain damage, there is the possibility of suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Sports addiction
A risk associated with excessive physical activity but which receives little attention is exercise addiction, undervalued by many and seen as a virtue by many others. It is believed that This particular addiction affects 3% of the world’s population to a greater or lesser extent and that poses psychological problems for individuals who are physically healthy. Since people who suffer from it are barely able to stop exercising, they run the risk of suffering physical problems over time, such as worn ligaments, broken bones or sprains.
Scientific research has shown that exercise addiction, as with any other compulsive behavior, is sustained by its mood-enhancing effects. These effects range from being able to manage some anxiety to reducing the effects of anger, depression, and boredom.
Physically, sport has a double effect: On the one hand, it improves muscle strength and aerobic fitness and, on the other, physical appearance Psychologically, it maintains a good state of mind and increases self-esteem not only by looking better, but because the person feels proud of themselves for having remained constant and not having failed along their path to have been constant and Disciplined by following a regular exercise regimen.
Then there is the social factor. In the Western world, the male and female beauty canons privilege people who exercise over those who don’t. Although men are asked to be muscular and women to be thin, in both genders, after having exercised constantly for a season and noticing the results, they receive all kinds of compliments. In the opposite case, this is gaining weight, you would not receive any praise and it is most likely that you would receive criticism, some of it very cruel, camouflaged under concerns for your health.
And it is precisely because of this that, when you see a person with an addiction to physical exercise, far from wondering if there is a problem, they are considered a benchmark of effort, perseverance and health. Exercise addicts, far from being criticized for their social environment or being told about the need to rest, are praised for their dedication or their appearance by friends, family, coaches, teammates and even media such as social networks. This validation and attention only reinforces the exercise addict’s efforts.
People who are addicted to exercise may be addicted to a second or even third addiction such as tobacco, alcohol, drugs, work, food or sex. Among them may also be addiction to steroids and other substances to increase muscle mass. Whatever it may be, comorbidity with other addictions increases the severity of sports addiction.
Some studies have linked eating disorders and caffeine and shopping addiction to exercise addiction. Addictive consumption of caffeine would be related to a desire to increase physical performance, taking it in pills or drinking large amounts of coffee or tea, a practice that is not so rare among athletes. Since caffeine is a substance that generates tolerance and dependence, The person would require more and more quantities to notice its enhancing effects
Regarding eating disorders, one of the explanations would be the obsession with achieving the desired sporting goals, both related to strength and the body. Both men and women can fall into dynamics of obsession with what they eat, rejecting any food that comes out of their diet and that seems like it could keep them from achieving their sports goals. Vigorexia, especially in men, would be the point of union between exercise addiction combined with an eating disorder.
Related article: “The 14 most important types of addictions”
How can you tell if a person has an exercise addiction?
Determining whether a person has an addiction to exercise or has an overly active lifestyle is the task of doctors and psychologists specialized in sports. Behind closed doors it is difficult to know if someone is overdoing it with the sport, as it will depend on many factors, including whether they feel good doing it, if they are suffering from injuries caused by overdoing the exercise or if there is some type of mental disorder that enhances it.. As General signs that indicate a person might have an exercise addiction we have the following:
Exercising intensely daily and at excessive levels
Exercising despite being injured or suffering from an illness
Needing more and more exercise to feel good about yourself
If the desired amount of exercise is not done, the affected person feels frustrated and in a very bad mood.
The affected person’s mood depends almost exclusively on how much exercise they do per day.
Do not take days or weeks of physical rest for fear of losing the progress made
Continue with a vigorous exercise plan despite negative consequences on social relationships and work and academic obligations.
Although it is still little known, there is increasing awareness about sports addiction and how an overly active lifestyle affects us psychologically. Thanks to this, it has been possible to develop diagnostic and screening tools such as the Exercise Addiction inventory Short Form, a six-question questionnaire that determines whether a person is at risk of suffering from an addiction to physical exercise.
You may be interested: “10 psychologically healthy daily habits, and how to apply them to your life”
Conclusions
Although the practice of physical exercise is usually recommended, its abuse can lead to several psychological problems caused directly or indirectly by its practice. Whether due to the pressure of the exercise itself or receiving impacts to the skull, especially among professional athletes, Various psychological problems can occur such as depression, anxiety or stress, as well as mood swings and suicidal ideation
In some cases, leading an overly active lifestyle ends up evolving into a sports addiction that can be combined with other addictions, both substance and behavioral, and eating disorders. The abusive practice of sports, far from being socially condemned, can be encouraged, making the person who is addicted to physical activity not consider stopping but just the opposite, continuing to exercise more and with greater intensity to receive more social recognition, a powerful reinforcement that can further establish the addiction.
