Fitorexia – Can You Become Addicted to Sport?

Where does “runner’s euphoria” come from?

“Runner’s euphoria” is the state of euphoric arousal, bliss and joy that we enter during intense exercise. It is estimated to occur after about 30 minutes of training at an intensity of 70-80% of maximum heart rate. Initially, it was thought to be primarily underpinned by our subjective feelings of enjoyment of the distances covered, the sporting atmosphere or successful competition. It has also been linked to the action of endogenous cannabinoids, the neurotransmitters that regulate energy metabolism and other physiological processes. Currently, the most common explanation is the action of endorphins, also known as “happy hormones”.

Endorphins, or endogenous morphines, are a group of hormones produced in the brain and spinal cord. They act on opioid receptors, causing euphoric states, relieving pain and offsetting feelings of fatigue. The endorphin-fuelled euphoria is not only found in runners – it can occur during intense training sessions in a variety of sports. Unfortunately, in some cases this condition shows its dark side, as it can sometimes involve an addiction to exercise.

Addiction to sport

Physical exertion can, under certain conditions, be a form of escapism. Many of us take the time to train in order to get away from the realities of everyday life – worries, problems, a flurry of errands or unpleasant events. In the vast majority of cases, it is a healthy respite from stress, a source of entertainment and pleasant sensations spiced with hormones. Doing sports does not usually make us stop taking care of our basic needs, isolate ourselves from people or neglect our responsibilities. However, in some cases, training acts like a drug – and this is when we see the mechanisms involved in addiction.

When talking about exercise addiction in the context of an obsession with physical fitness or an attractive figure, we may come across the term “fitorexia”. However, it is not classified as a mental disorder in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). From the DSM-5 classification, its symptoms are similar to those typical of behavioural addictions. Fitorexia is when a constant craving for exercise becomes obsessive and hinders daily functioning. This phenomenon has a number of negative consequences, the most serious of which include:

• greater risk of injury – the exercise addict exercises too much and too intensely, leading to direct injury or overtraining,
• disruption of the endocrine balance – which translates into mood swings, disruptions to sleep, water and energy management or disruption to the menstrual cycle,
• “the vicious circle of overtraining” – overtraining and lack of recovery cause a decline in shape and performance, which the addict interprets as an argument for increasing training loads, which in turn leads to more overtraining and even worse results, which can ultimately result in injury or burnout,
• eating disorders – addiction to exercise and its results increases the likelihood of anorexia, bulimia and similar disorders,
• social alienation – withdrawal from social relationships due to the subordination of daily activities to the increasing demand for further exercise stimuli.

Who is at risk of addiction to physical activity?

The physiological basis of exercise addiction is linked to endorphins, opioid receptor stimulation and other hormones that stimulate our reward and happiness centres, such as serotonin and oxytocin. This could mean that people who do not have access to important sources of satisfaction other than those related to exercise would be more susceptible to this type of disorder. This, however, is not proven. In contrast, it is known that fitorexia tendencies can be linked to pre-existing psychological tendencies. These include:

• narcissism – excessive focus on the self promotes prioritising exercise at the expense of responsibilities and social relationships,
• obsessions/compulsions – anxiety resulting from the inability to maintain consistent, predictable patterns can lead to fear symptoms and “escape” into physical activity,
• neurosis – for people experiencing strongly negative mental states, training may become the only way to restore emotional balance,
• perfectionism – people who are focused on results, striving for sporting excellence by eliminating every real and imaginary mistake, can easily fall into the trap of compulsive training that never produces satisfying results,
• eating disorders – e.g. anorexia and bulimia,
• other addictions – e.g. to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc.

 

How to counteract fitorexia?

It is estimated that the risk of exercise addiction is not very great – only 0.3-0.5% of the total number of adults are affected. However, for those who train regularly, the rate is between 3% and 6%, and can be as high as 20% for those practising individual sports at the highest level. The groups most prone to this disorder include “endurance athletes”, such as triathletes and ultramarathoners.

The symptoms of fitorexia are similar to those of other addictions. The demand for ever stronger training stimuli, the anxiety that accompanies inactivity, the stress of rest, the exercise-diet “binges” that end in injury or burnout – these are the everyday life of exercise addicts.

Remember, however, that no two cases of fitorexia are the same. Each requires individual diagnosis, examination and therapy. If you observe these kinds of symptoms in yourself, tell your trainer about them as soon as possible and seek professional psychological consultation.

For everyone else, we have one universal piece of advice – if possible, don’t practise alone. If there is someone around you during physical activity – a gym buddy, a colleague, a friend, a trainer – they can always point out to you that “enough is enough”. The social aspect of sport protects to some extent against the isolation associated with addiction. A trainer’s attention can protect against injury and draw attention to the need for rest.

Remember that balance is the most important thing in any sport. It is worth listening to your body, but you should not be deaf to the voices coming to you from the environment either.

_References:

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