The Truth About Exercise Addiction

Designed for individuals concerned about their workout habits, personal trainers, family and friends of folks with a problem, as well as working mental health professionals treating exercise addicts, The Truth About Exercise Addiction provides an easy-to-read, illuminating glimpse into the rising trend of over-exercise. Delving into the history of exercise addiction and the growing influence of “thinspiration,” Katherine Schreiber and Heather A. Hausenblasillustrate the symptoms and dangers of obsessive exercise with true stories from sufferers, all while exploring why and how such a seemingly healthy behavior morphs into a dangerous means of self-destruction. Analyzing the causes and consequences of excessive physical activity alongside the influence of genetics, culture, and personality, this book allows readers to gain a greater understanding of what exercise addiction looks and feels like. The Truth About Exercise Addiction also provides an unprecedented list of resources to address exercise addiction, a snapshot of treatments currently available for sufferers, and to top it off: guidelines on how to confront and care for someone who may have a problem.

The authors discuss the causes of exercise abuse and how to get the maximum benefits from a regular exercise program without crossing the line to unhealthy amounts of activity.

In 2000, Peach Friedman, a college senior freshly broken up from her boyfriend, set out to beat the blues by beating herself into shape. Running ten miles a day and taking in as little as 800 calories, she fell from 146 pounds to 100 in three months and was at serious risk of cardiac arrest. What Friedman suffered from was exercise bulimia—a newly diagnosed and rapidly spreading eating disorder that affects some 400,000 American women, and which gyms and colleges across America are beginning to take seriously. In Diary of an Exercise Addict Friedman recounts her descent into a life-threatening illness, her remarkable recovery, and the setbacks along the way. With refreshing candor she lays bare her relationships with family, friends, and lovers and the repressed desire that finally surfaced as she found her own way back to health.

Passion and Addiction in Sports and Exercise is about the bright and dark aspects of sports and exercise behavior and revolves around two closely related yet distinct concepts. Passion is a joyful and healthy reflection of one’s enjoyment and dedication to an adopted sport or exercise. At the same time, exercise addiction is an obligatory and must-be-done training regimen. This book is the first to attempt to explain the significant differences between passion and addiction in sports and exercise, as well as the relationship between the two. This book presents an overview of three dimensions of passion and offers a new frame to contextualize exercise addition. The work also addresses the misinterpretation of certain aspects of training (e.g., intensity, frequency, and commitment) often related to the risk of exercise addiction. After introducing the health benefits of exercise, the book looks at the passion for sports and exercise training and the transition into maladaptive practice. Then it presents definitions and theoretical models for exercise addiction. It then examines exercise addiction cases while also illustrating how excessive or high exercise volumes could be beneficial instead of problematic. The last chapter offers a new approach for a better understanding of exercise addiction. Passion and Addiction in Sports and Exercise is helpful for students, researchers, and clinicians interested in sport and exercise psychology, athletic training, behavioral addictions, and physical education. As well as being valuable reading for all regular exercisers and physically active individuals, including athletes competing at various levels in different sport disciplines.

Exercise addiction, also known as compulsive exercise, is characterized by using exercise to get rid of calories. This behavior is also known as exercise bulimia because the person is using exercise to purge calories from his or her system. The compulsive exerciser might also eat compulsively, restrict food, throw up, and/or take laxatives, diet pills, or other drugs, or any combination of these. Compulsive exercise is a bit different from other eating disorders: it can be a lot easier to hide. Students learn the common signs of eating disorders, when exercise becomes compulsive, the dangers of exercise addiction, trigger factors, and psychological, social, family, and biological factors of the condition. This book also provides helpful suggestions for treatment and getting help.

An old adage tells us that everything in moderation is healthy, but what about exercise? Unfortunately there is such a thing as too much exercise and there are real victims of this addiction. It can cause extreme weight loss, overuse injuries, exhaustion, depression, and heart problems, among other serious problems. This volume provides young readers and researchers a means of understanding exercise addiction and its ramifications. Readers will learn what causes it, how people live with it, and the latest information about treatment and prevention.

Now in its second edition, Applied Exercise Psychology emphasizes the application of evidence-based knowledge drawn from the fields of exercise psychology, health psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, and exercise physiology for physical activity behavior change. Thoroughly revised, the new edition offers readers: two new chapters covering Excusercise and Mood Alteration’s link to exercise; fully updated sections on current research and theoretical bases for understanding and promoting physical activity behavior; interventions for facilitating physical activity behavior change and the tools for measuring the effectiveness of these interventions; cross-cultural considerations for practitioners to ensure multicultural competency; considerations to guide best practices with special populations (e.g., persons with medical conditions and persons with mental health conditions); overall applied implications and future directions. An essential read that covers a variety of critical topics in applied exercise psychology, it brings often overlooked issues to the attention of practitioners to promote not only evidence-based practice but also responsible ethics and referral. The collection is a key reference for up-to-date research findings, relevant field experiences, and applied implications.

Giordano, an established scholar in behavioral addictions, has provided a landmark clinical reference book. This text provides the quintessential guide to understanding process addictions with detailed attention to assessment and treatment that is unparalleled in the literature. This is a must-have book for every clinician. - Craig S. Cashwell, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS, CSAT-S, Professor, William & Mary ”This groundbreaking text, A Clinical Guide to Treating Behavioral Addictions, is a must-read for counselors and educators alike. As a former addictions counselor, now counselor educator, I found the information in this text timely, relevant, and instrumental to the work of treating persons with behavioral addictions. This go-to resource will prove to be invaluable for years to come!” --Michael K. Schmit, PhD, LPC, Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies An innovative new text addressing 11 behavioral addictions in detail with a focus on recent neuroscience. This practical, approachable guide for clinicians comprehensively covers an array of behavioral addictions ranging from internet gaming addiction and sex addiction, to social media addiction and food addiction. Each chapter answers foundational questions to inform clinical practice including: How do I conceptualize it?, How do I identify it?, How do I assess it?, How do I treat it?, and How do I learn more? &Through this innovative resource, clinicians will gain valuable knowledge regarding the conceptualization, identification, assessment, and treatment of behavioral addictions. Each chapter highlights the most current research related to specific behavioral addictions, provides a synthesis of recent neuroscience, and examines diverse treatment approaches to fit the widest range of clinical styles. In addition, this book describes the evolving definition of addiction, provides examples of how to advocate for clients with behavioral addictions, and devotes an entire chapter to understanding the neuroscience of addiction. This clinical reference book will help counselors provide compassionate, effective services to clients with a variety of behavioral addictions. Purchase includes digital access for use on most mobile devices or computers. Key Features: Offers “Voices from the Field” sections in which clinicians describe their experiences working with each behavioral addiction Includes a chapter completely devoted to the neuroscience of addiction in addition to a synthesis of recent neuroscience in each chapter Synthesizes current research to aid in clinical conceptualizations Describes useful assessment instruments and how to access them Presents a wide range of treatment approaches and 12-step program options Provides abundant resources for further study