Clinically Reviewed on 26/09/2023 1:00 pm by Dr. Olalekan Otulana (Advanced Practitioner) All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
Each day, 56.2% of all adults in the United Kingdom participate in a form of exercise. Recommended by medical professionals across the world, exercise comes hand-in-hand with many physical and psychological health benefits, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and enhanced mental health.
While the majority of individuals that exercise frequently do so in a beneficial way, approximately one in 200 people struggle with an exercise addiction.
Though exercise addictions are yet to be classed as a psychological or behavioural disorder, exercise addiction treatment & rehab must be secured when an individual develops an unhealth relationship with exercise.
Exercise addictions arise when an individual feels an uncontrollable urge to exercise numerous times a day or for long periods at a time. As exercise releases feel-good hormones such as endorphins, a euphoric sensation that is often referred to as “runners high” is achieved.
Defined as an intense feeling of joy following exercise, “runners high” gradually causes the brain to associate exercise with an enhanced mood. When this enhanced mood wears off, individuals are often left craving their next fix. In a bid to experience the euphoric sensations once again, many give in to impulsive behaviours that see them compelled to exercise.
As addictions can be life-threatening, exercise addictions must be diagnosed by medical professionals, such as psychologists, to ensure that exercise addiction treatment & rehab can be secured. Without appropriate support, exercise addictions can lead to a plethora of long-term health complications, including heart damage, joint pain, insomnia, and poor mental health.
Individuals struggling with exercise addictions will encounter several signs and symptoms that essentially indicate that exercise addiction treatment & rehab is required. These signs and symptoms can be physical, psychological, and behavioural.
Although the signs and symptoms experienced greatly differ, the most common signs of exercise addiction include:
In addition, it is not uncommon to experience insomnia, depression, burnout, and anxiety when an exercise addiction arises.
Many factors contribute to the probability that an individual will develop an exercise addiction at some point during their life.
However, mental health disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are frequently associated with exercise addiction. This is because social pressure and unrealistic body standards have seen the number of individuals struggling with body image disorders soar.
Trauma relating to health complications can also give way to exercise addictions, as can bereavements caused by physical health problems.
Regardless of the cause of exercise addictions, exercise addiction treatment & rehab is widely available.
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Asana Lodge is a leading UK based expert in Private Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment. Find out how we can help by getting in touch with our friendly team today.
At Asana Lodge, we provide exercise addiction treatment & rehab on an inpatient basis. Focusing on healing the body and mind in a relaxing environment, our treatment options cater to the addiction recovery needs of each individual that secures treatment with us.
Our exercise addiction treatment & rehab options include, but are not limited to, the following:
To ensure that treatment is effective, we equip each of our clients with a personalised treatment programme. These programmes are created by our team of medical and therapy professionals.
Irrespective of the treatment incorporated into our personalised treatment programmes, we ensure that our clients have the support and care they need at all times.
Through the employment of the treatments noted above, our clients have the opportunity to determine the root cause of their exercise addiction. In doing so, coping strategies can be developed to guarantee that urges to exercise can be overcome as and when they arise. Essentially, this reduces the risk of relapse and guarantees that a long-term recovery can be secured.
As exercise addictions are often experienced alongside mental health disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and trauma, at Asana Lodge, dual diagnosis treatment is also available. Dual diagnosis treatment simultaneously treats addictions and mental health disorders by employing several therapies to ensure that both can be overcome.
If you have any questions surrounding exercise addiction treatment or would like to refer a loved one for treatment, please reach out today.
An exercise addiction is a behavioural addiction that causes uncontrollable urges to exercise to impair an individual’s everyday life. Although exercising has many physical and psychological health benefits, when an exercise addiction is present, those struggling will experience intrusive thoughts that see them compelled to exercise vigorously.
Just as many other behavioural addictions can impair individuals from all walks of life, exercise addictions can too. However, research highlights that 3% of individuals that frequently go to the gym are at greater risk of struggling with an exercise addiction. Additionally, those who compete in sports, such as athletes and marathon runners, are more likely to develop exercise addictions. Studies also suggest that individuals who have recovered from substance addictions, or other behavioural addictions are also thought to be at greater risk of struggling with an exercise addiction.
Exercise addiction treatment & rehab remains one of the most effective treatments for exercise addictions. This is because exercise addiction treatment & rehab treats the underlying causes of exercise addiction. For example, when an exercise addiction arises from an eating disorder, treatment provided helps those struggling overcome eating disorders, challenge negative behaviours and develop coping strategies that ensure they can control compulsive behaviours that see them feed their exercise addiction.
Dr. Olalekan Otulana (Advanced Practitioner) - Clinical Reviewer - Last Reviewed: 26/09/2023 1:00 pm
Dr. Otulana is a highly skilled General Practitioner and Addiction Specialist. He possesses extensive expertise in the field of Substance Misuse Management and boasts a diverse background in evaluating, overseeing (including detox procedures), and overseeing the residential recovery of individuals grappling with various drug and substance addiction issues. His primary goal is to conduct thorough assessments of patients dealing with addiction issues and determine their medical detoxification and psychological treatment requirements. Dr. Otulana is well-versed in caring for patients who need dual drug and alcohol detoxification therapies.
In addition to his medical qualifications, Dr. Otulana is a proficient healthcare professional who holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from the prestigious Cambridge University Judge Business School.
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