Answer Addiction

Tag: exercise addiction

  • Apple Watch Study Raises Questions About Exercise Addiction

    Apple Watch Study Raises Questions About Exercise Addiction

    Participants in an Apple Watch study worry that the tech could bring out an “obsessive tendency” in its wearers.

    A Duke University study that provides select students with free Apple Watches to monitor their health and wellness habits has some questioning whether the use of these and similar devices could have unintended consequences.

    Duke student Naima Turbes—who previously found herself addicted to fulfilling step goals set by devices like the Apple Watch—talked to fellow students who participated in the study about how the technology has impacted their health and their lives.

    The three-year WearDuke project was announced in November 2018. All first-year students of 2019 were offered the wearable devices as part of a study conducted by Professor of Medicine Geoff Ginsburg and Associate Professor of Medicine Susanne Haga. The researchers were interested in collecting data on students’ sleep habits, diet, and other aspects of personal health.

    The Sleep Factor

    “We will initially be focusing on sleep because sleep is very well documented [as something] college students don’t get enough of,” said Haga. “And it’s important to health, mental well-being and academic performance.”

    The idea is to promote better health awareness and, in a later study, offer advice on improving personal habits. However, early interviews with participating students suggest that awareness of bad habits may not be as helpful as they hoped.

    “As a [first-year], I am just trying to get used to having a different schedule than in high school,” said Duke freshman Ian Acriche. “I have the same bad sleep habits, but now my Apple watch just reminds me of them.”

    “I have not changed my actions, but I am more cognizant of how much sleep I am getting at night,” said Kelyce Allen, another first-year.

    Obsessing Over Diet & Exercise

    Turbes fears that the watches may end up promoting obsessiveness over one’s health, particularly as the study shifts focus from sleep to diet and exercise.

    “What if the study lights an obsessive tendency in a student that could have been avoided?” Turbes writes. “Hearing people talk about increasing exercise for a watch reminds me of dark moments walking around my backyard to hit an arbitrary step goal. I would not wish that on anyone.”

    Other students she spoke with said that they checked their watch for the time, notifications, and heart rate up to 20 times per day.

    Exercise addiction has been studied and discussed for several years, sometimes in connection with eating disorders, though it is not listed in the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

    A 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal estimated that 0.3% to 0.5% of the global population experience symptoms of exercise addiction.

    “We tend to—rightfully so—think of exercise as a really positive thing we need to be doing, and most of us don’t exercise enough and aren’t getting a hold of the health-related benefits of exercise,” said lead study author Heather Hausenblas. “But like with any behavior, we can take it to an extreme.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Exercise Can Help Addiction Recovery

    How Exercise Can Help Addiction Recovery

    By Chris Jansen

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: This article reviews the benefits of exercise during addiction recovery….to give you some extra motivation to get your heart pumping!

    ESTIMATED READING TIME: 5 minutes

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Balance in the Body

    Addiction recovery is all about restoring balance to the body. Through therapy, training, practice and support, people suffering from addiction can overcome their dependence on a substance or behavior, and find healthier ways to live.

    Most accounts of addiction recovery tend to focus on mental aspects of recovery – and with good reason, as the mind is central to the process of personal growth and improvement. But the mind is also heavily influenced by the rest of the body, since changes in activity alter the body’s production of chemicals that help shape mood and behavior.

    Diet, sleep patterns, and a person’s immediate environment can all greatly affect the success or failure of an addiction recovery effort.

    But exercise is arguably as important as any of these factors, for reasons we list below. The main principle is this: When we ignore any of the three components of being – mind, body, or spirit – we are cutting off our lifeline to wellness.

    Why Exercise?

    So why do treatment centers or aftercare programs focus on exercise in the first place? Following are some of the reasons why recovery programs that include an exercise component were found by researchers to be more effective than programs that do not incorporate exercise.

    First, endorphins moderate brain chemistry. The brain is hard wired to experience and repeat pleasure. But when we use drugs and alcohol, this natural system gets tweaked. Exercise helps us establish balance again.

    Second, exercise offers us better overall health and energy levels. Just think about how you feel after a vigorous 30 minute walk. Now, compare that to 30 minutes in front of the T.V. Hands down, circulating blood and oxygenizing the cardiovascular system rewards us with energy…and wellness.

    Finally, exercise can be a part of structured daily activities. When we use drugs and alcohol, we throw off rhythm cycles of sleeping and eating. Exercise can help us get back into these rhythms. When we set a regular daily or weekly exercise regimen, we settle into routine. And routine is good!

    Benefits of Exercising in Recovery

    If you or a loved one are entering a period of addiction recovery, consider the following advantages of exercise as you plan out your effort:

    1. It puts you in a good mood.

    Exercise releases endorphins, which creates feelings of happiness and activates the brain’s reward system. When you are in a better mood, you will feel more motivated to continue the addiction recovery process. A bonus effect is that the body will find it easier to say goodbye to the addictive substance or behavior, because it is getting the chemicals it needs from a new source.

    2. It gives you energy.

    Exercise wakes up your muscles and gets the blood pumping, sending more oxygen throughout your body. This heightened body state allows you to be more vigilant in fighting off urges, and helps give you the endurance needed to succeed in the long term.

    3. It gets the stress out.

    Even as exercise gives you new and positive energy, it also lets you release the built-up energy that comes from stress, anxiety, or other negative feelings. By cleansing your body of these negative forces, you will find yourself more free – and ready to focus your full attention on the challenge of recovery.

    4. It gives you a new hobby.

    People who are facing addiction issues should remain active; otherwise, they will need to spend more time thinking about (and fighting) their addictive impulses. By making exercise a regular part of your daily schedule, you can train your body to settle into a newer and more healthy routine.

    5. It helps you sleep.

    By using up your spare muscle energy during the day, exercise lets your body get ready for a full rest at night. A healthy sleep cycle is important for your body as it works to stay internally balanced.

    What Kinds of Exercise?

    Aerobics, outdoor activities, and yoga have been singled out as particularly effective types of exercisefor people recovering from addiction. Aerobic exercise helps improve overall health, while yoga incorporates a meditative practice that enhances personal focus and reduces negative thoughts. By spending time outdoors, individuals can reconnect with nature and also boost their body’s production of vitamin D.

    These recommendations match well with the experiences of addiction recovery experts at rehab centers around the world, many of which are adding an exercise component to their recovery programs. We spoke with Tony Tan, Clinical Director at The Dawn, a rehab in Thailand, for his take on the subject. He told us:

    “When a person is trying to overcome addiction, the mind and body crave the substance that was producing endorphins and dopamine in the brain and creating the feeling of being “high”. Add to this is the stress of daily life, and the cravings can reach unbearable levels.

    Vigorous exercise can also release endorphins, causing the client to feel a “runner’s high” — the same sensation of euphoria that accompanies a chemical high. Although it may be less intense than what the client used to experience with drugs or alcohol, the effects can be pleasurable both mentally and physically.

    In fact, our experience of treating clients with substance abuse show that exercise can lead to a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence in staying sober. We have seen real success in their ability to maintain a strong recovery after treatment.”

    As with addiction therapy techniques, different exercises can be more effective with some people than with others. Some clients are more suited to lower-intensity exercises like walking, yoga and Pilates, while others benefit from strenuous exercises like:

    • Core strength building
    • Hiking
    • Long distance cycling
    • Rafting
    • Rock climbing

    Group exercise within natural settings can be a particularly effective way to foster unity during treatment. The exercise itself is a great help, but these activities also have the additional benefit of giving recovering addicts a feeling of family-like support as they participate, as well as exposing them to situations that require collaboration and peer support.

    Finding Peace through a Well-Rounded Recovery Process

    An ideal recovery process should include high-quality therapy that focuses on the body as well as the mind. A growing number of rehab centers are following this holistic model – including The Dawn, whose program includes advanced treatment techniques as well as a complementary program of physical healing and exercise.This combined physical and mental approach to recovery allows patients to have a rehab experience that is as enjoyable and revitalizing as it is effective.

    Your Questions

    Have questions about exercising?

    Please leave us your questions – or personal experience – in the comments section below. We try to respond to all real life questions personally.

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Ellie Goulding Talks "Miserable" Exercise Addiction

    Ellie Goulding Talks "Miserable" Exercise Addiction

    The pop star touched on exercise addiction in a recent Instagram post.

    Singer Ellie Goulding addressed her experience with dependency on exercise, which she described as “not worth it.” 

    In a recent Instagram post, the Grammy-nominated singer shared a photo of herself, which was accompanied by text that in part read, “Ah good #memories of being addicted to the gym. Not worth it . . .” 

    Goulding, who has also struggled with panic attacks, said that while she continues to maintain an exercise regimen, she approaches it in an entirely different manner that encompasses boxing. 

    Goulding, whose most recent solo recording was the Top 20 UK single “Still Falling for You,” clarified what she meant about her previous exercise routine by adding, “It was just kind of miserable.” 

    According to a study by Northwestern University, approximately 3% of people who exercise on a regular basis have a dependency on exercise, which can be defined by physical or psychological symptoms like depression, anger or confusion brought on by missing a single day of exercise.

    In coverage of Goulding’s post Bustle cited Heather Hausenblas, a professor at Jacksonville University’s department of kinesiology, who noted that regular or even advanced levels of exercise don’t indicate an addiction to exercise.

    Rather, it’s the feelings that arise as a result of breaking the routine and the drive for people to change their lives in order to work out and quash those feelings that qualifies as a dependency.

    Goulding has mentioned that in the past, intense emotions have driven her to seek solace in music. “It was the ultimate companion – the strongest remedy for any kind of pain or sadness,” she said. “Often it was the only way I’d be able to say what I wanted to say or describe how I was feeling.”

    Exercise also became a means of contending with difficult emotions, including anxiety and panic attacks. But after a period of intensity – “I used to be harder on myself,” she told The CUT in 2018 – she has become better educated on healthy practices and feels “more confident than ever now, which is an amazing feeling.”

    “To work out is being respectful to your body,” noted Goulding. “It’s a way of paying back and saying thank you for keeping me alive and for giving me such an amazing opportunity to live and breathe.”

    View the original article at thefix.com