Most people would agree that exercise is very important. It keeps individuals healthy, and it is known to help relieve stress. Many doctors emphasize the need for exercise or to participate in some sort of activity. However, is there a point at which an individual is exercising too much?
Doctors recently stated that exercising for 90 minutes, seven days a week is excessive. Does this apply to professional athletes? Does it depend on what types of exercise you are doing, or is it the fact that it is taking top priority in an individual’s life?
Is the need to exercise to this extent in response to media and society today? Is there something that we could do to prevent this reaction? Does the personality or type of person affect whether or not they will have this addiction?
I really enjoyed reading this article because this is what my primary source is about. It is a Nike commercial almost hinting at the idea of exercise addiction,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPTpEkdceic (it is kind of creepy). I believe that there is a certain personality type that is more vulnerable to exercise addiction; like mentioned in the article I think it would be a perfectionist. This person would always be aiming for the best. including the best body and to them working out is a great way to achieve the goal of a perfect body. But there is a line that is drawn between working out for a healthy life style and working out to help curve your addiction. I believe that professional athletes can be victims of over exercising. This over exercising along with eating disorders comes from body image dissatisfaction and anyone including athletes can be ashamed of their body.
ReplyDeleteSince your ARP will deal with exercise addiction I would like to know if you have stumbled upon any research pertaining exercise addiction and the world of work-out videos. Do you think this motivation for exercise from these videos influence their addictions? In the article it states "If you want to look better, you want to feel better get the p90x workout." Is it possible that all these work-out videos have an effect on people and their views about exercise and possibly push them to go too far?
DeleteI believe somebody can be addicted to exercise. By continuously working out and running until their body is in the condition they believe is acceptable, individuals sometimes get out of hand. Along with eating disorders, regular gym residents may never be satisfied with the way they look. The person may never believe he or she is big or strong enough. Working out more than necessary can be harmful to the body. Strains, and blindness can even occur after excessive living. The people who grow to be huge, really become concern with nothing other than their image. Other things in life become distant, and the idea of their self image is their only thing in mind. This, in my opinion,is classified as an addiction.
ReplyDeleteWhether it's an addiction or not, why do you think it's not as important as other addictions, like drugs or even food? I believe that society thinks of exercise addiction as a positive occurrence, even if it effects peoples lives negatively, just because they look good doing it. Do you think societal views on body image let some addictions be "ok" whereas other addictions with body image like Bulimia, Anorexia, and even food addiction (obesity) are "not ok?"
DeleteIt is hard for me to believe that people can be addicted to exercise. Just like food, exercise is something we need to keep us healthy. You are not being addicted food just because you eat everyday, and you will not be addicted to exercise either. I think the so called 'exercise addiction' may only focus on the ones that are trying to get huge muscles or unhealthy body shapes. But I think getting crazy huge muscles should not be considered as normal exercise.
ReplyDeleteDo you think we as a society influence people to go to far with exercise? Do you believe the statement about exercise addiction affecting more women than men? Especially with shows today like Jersey Shore involving men doing the "GTL" more than women. Or even just noticing more men in the Gym than women.
DeleteI believe people can be addicted to exercise just like they can be addicted to anything that takes over their lives. Yes exercise is a good thing, but when you start to feel anxious about not exercising, exercising when you are sick, and putting workouts above family and friends is when you have a problem. I feel that professional athletes need not necessarily more exercise, but maybe more strength training instead of cardio. People, men and women, feel extremely pressured to look a certain way. Women want to look like Megan Fox or Jennifer Aniston and men want to date them. Men on the other hand watch shows like Jersey Shore fell the need to go to the gym and bulk up like them, because they think thats what women want. So, in my opinion, exercise can be an addiction.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the article, do you notice any rhetoric that the author uses to persuade his audience?
DeleteI don't think people are addicted to exercise but to the point that they want "a perfect body".Everything has e limitation and exercise also have a limit, it is very good for someones health but in the point that they pass this limitation they start to be addicted to the perfection of their body. This is not good because most females start to have problems with their health with doing a lot of exercise.The addition to have a perfect body is just a type of drug because they want to do more and more exercise with the idea that they will make it. This informaction with the exercise we can related other topics just in commonplace.
ReplyDeleteSo possibly it's not even exercise addiction but rather a body dysmorphic disorder? That's really interesting because I always wonder what's at the root of all addictions.I once read somewhere that addictions arise from problems spiritually (the inner self) and they cover the deep seeded problems. I think that's why it's so hard to classify addictions because you think "It can be this, but what it can be that too." One simply never knows. So that leads me further to think why is all this classification of addiction necessary? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree considering this is my exact topic for my ARP. I believe people can be addicted to exercise. It occurs in many athletes, but can occur in non athletes too. Compulsive exercise does lead to an addiction, which furthermore can lead to an eating disorder. An exercise addiction has many side effects and makes people even become depressed or anxious when unable to workout. These symptoms can de thought of as withdrawal. Exercise addictions are like gambling or a sex addiction it needs no outside product to produce the chemical feeling of being 'high'. Society's pressure of the body image has paved the way for such drastic measures, but all addicts are in someway pressured. This mentality of losing weight and creating an Exercise addiction can severely impact one's life.
ReplyDeleteAlso Exercise Addiction has been recently added to the Fifth Edition of The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
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ReplyDeleteI feel as if this has no real connection to how much professional athletes work out. I feel like the athlete has to be in a certain shape to actually perform that sport accurately and effectively. I feel it's only a real concern when it becomes an obsession for that person. The personality type won't come into play too much essentially because there are so many factors like wanting to be better, using it as an escape or simply being a perfectionist. Multiple personalities can result in this addiction. Body dysmorphic disorder can cause a lot of different outcomes from plastic surgery addiction to exercise addiction, but if it not too severe the working out or plastic surgery may actually help to get rid of it because it will be what the patient wants to look like.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not believe that exercise in itself can be an addiction. If someone is working out excessively, other options like a body dysmorphic disorder or an eating disorder should be investigated. People are obsessed with body image and sometimes do take it too far, however, as long as the person is leading an otherwise healthy life, their exercise habits should go without scrutiny. Athletes are supposed to work out frequently because it is their job. When they are good at what they do, they are able to make more money. Money is a fantastic motivator for anything and exercise is no exception.
ReplyDeleteWhile chemicals are released in a person's body that makes them feel good when they exercise, I do not agree that one can become addicted to exercise. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing however, such as running until the joints in your knees and ankles are completely worn out; but exercising is a healthy activity that pays off in everyday activities, not just so you can lift more or run faster. It gives people more self confidence and for this reason, I feel that exercise is just a healthy activity and not an addiction.
ReplyDeleteI think this topic of being addicted to exercise is one that is very subjective. While I think that concept of it is totally plausible, I feel that they way we diagnose it is very complex. I do not think that you can classify someone as addicted to exercise strictly based on the amount of time they work out, but rather their entire lifestyle as a whole. Take someone like Michael Phelps, who by the definition given in the article, would clearly be classified as "addicted to exercise", and yet he is probably one of the most fit people on the planet and is hailed as being a hard worker and dedicated. Then you could look at a girl who works out everyday, but doesn't eat much, in order to try and be skinny and this classification off addicted to exercise would seem to be an accurate diagnosis. In order to classify someone as addicted to exercise you need to look at things such as their motives behind exercising, eating habits, etc..
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to determine whether or not this is a valid addiction. Variation in each individual person will determine what is too much. Anything in excess can be a bad thing. I would have to agree, however, that if one becomes dependent on exercise to function, then the term addict would be appropriate for that person. When exercising takes precedence over more important things such as eating, then it is obvious that there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteWhether something is an addiction is very subjective and is only recognized as a "real" addiction if there is a vast amount of people taking part in said addiction. This is why things like drug addiction exist because it is a very easily obtainable substance where there are so many people who take part in the activity that it can be considered as such. If there were the same amount of people who were considered addicts to exercise as there were drug addicts, exercise addiction would easily be considered a real "addiction"
ReplyDeleteI think we need to take more away than just "is this an addiction" but excessive exercise can turn negative rather than having positive health benefits. imagine the strain it can put on your joints muscles and more importantly your heart. I definitely think the over exercising thing can be a response to societal pressure to be perfect. i think it is all playing on the weakness of individuals.
ReplyDeleteI think that exercise can definitely become an addiction. I agree with the article in that once people start wanting to exercise instead of spending time with their children or friends and taking over their life it becomes an addiction. I think that it is possible for professional athletes to become addicted to exercise when they start doing more than their coaches and trainers have them scheduled to do. But, I think as long as people stay on a regular schedule and don't blow off more important things that exercise is very healthy and does not become an addiction very easily.
ReplyDeleteI think it is definitely possible to excessively exercise. One can wear themselves down with too much exercise. It can be unhealthy. I think it does depend on the type of exercise though. A sport or low impact exercise does not have as much of an effect as high intensity exercise. I don't think athletes are exercising too much depending on the sport.
ReplyDeleteI think that people can become more obsessed with the idea of having a perfect body rather than being addicted to the act of exercising itself. Some people just have different ways of achieving their perfect body such as working out, while others diet or develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bilemia. I don;t believe that there is a connection with athletes because they are working out for a sport and are practicing their skills.
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