Compulsive Exercise Disorder
Compulsive exercise, often referred to as anorexia athletica, obligatory exercise, and exercise addiction, can be as severe as other eating disorders. In fact, compulsive exercise often occurs alongside other types of eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia. Exercising too much can eventually lead to injury, unsafe weight loss, and even malnutrition. As a result, those suffering from this disorder require appropriate compulsive exercise treatment.
Symptoms of Compulsive Exercise Disorder
For the average person, it can be difficult to tell the difference between someone that’s dedicated to fitness and someone with an exercise addiction. It’s important to keep an eye out for the following signs to know if you or your loved one has a problem:
- Engaging in exercise beyond the requirements for good health
- Stealing time to exercise from work, school, and relationships
- Striving to achieve and master increasingly difficult challenges
- Defining self-worth in terms of body image and shape
- Never or rarely feeling satisfied with athletic achievements; small satisfactions are fleeting, and the individual does not savor victory, but rather, pushes on to the next challenge immediately
- Justifying excessive behavior by defining self as a “special” elite athlete
Health Consequences of Compulsive Exercise Disorder
Compulsive exercise can be serious and cause real and devastating health consequences such as:
- Loss of bone density (osteoporosis)
- Loss of menstrual cycle
- Chronic joint and bone pain
- Altered resting heart rate
- Increased frequency of illness
- Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)
How We Treat
Our evidence-based clinical treatment modalities for treating compulsive exercise disorder include the following: