Over the edge exercise addiction.

Running is unconditionally great for the body, the soul, and the mind, right? Almost, but not quite. In fact, there may be nothing that can't cause harm when taken to an extreme, even the most benign or beneficial elements. The sacred domain of exercise is not protected from this universal truth. When a commitment to exercise crosses the line to dependency and compulsion, it can create physical, social, and psychological havoc for those among us who appear outwardly to be the very fittest. Runners are particularly vulnerable.

A "positive addiction" can be a healthy adaptation to the barriers to exercise in life, since commitments to work, family, and other healthy pursuits must compete for time to work out. Sometimes the line between commitment and compulsion is crossed. Richard Benyo, writing on the subject of exercise addiction for the Road Runners Club of America says that there is a negative side to exercise that gradually, insidiously, takes over the positive. "In an ironic way, nature balances the situation when the thing obsessed turns on and bites the obsessor."

Exercise addiction is not just another term for overtraining syndrome. Healthy athletes training for peak performance and competition can suffer overtraining symptoms, which are the short-term result of too little rest and recovery. Exercise addiction, on the other hand, is a chronic loss of perspective of the role of exercise in a full life. A healthy athlete and an exercise addict may share similar levels of training volume. The difference is in the attitude and the consequences. An addicted individual isn't able to see value in unrelated activities and pursues his sport even when it is against his best interest.

Recognizing Addiction

The exercise addict has lost his balance--exercise has become overvalued compared to elements widely recognized as giving meaning to a full life--work, friends, family, community involvement--in short, the fruits of our humanity. When emotional connections are passed up in favor of additional hours of training; when injury, illness and fatigue don't preempt a work out; when all free time is consumed by training--exercise addiction is the diagnosis. Withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and depression, which appear when circumstances prevent you from working out, are the warning signs for addiction.

To the addict, there is no exception to the rule, "the more the better." More training, more hours, more miles, more intensity: more is absolutely always better. Anything that interferes with the lust for more exercise is resented.

Blurred Boundaries

The paradox inherent in exercise addiction is the blurred boundary between what is healthy, admirable, and desirable, and behavior that is over the edge and dependent. As runners and fitness enthusiasts, we value individuals who seem to epitomize the true athlete who achieves success by virtue of discipline, sacrifice, and hard work. Peak fitness and excellence, which we aspire to achieve with our own running, require a dogged commitment to training despite circumstances and moods that would conspire against your resolve. Once we accomplish a training routine and the necessary commitment, isn't it normal to feel irritable and a little depressed when we miss our run?

Part of the paradox for the exercise dependent is that levels of achievement are often beneath what is expected for the obviously high level of commitment. Performance suffers when value is placed only on working out. The addict answers poor performance with running more and resting less. A healthy athlete looks at the big picture and adjusts training programs, allowing for rest and recovery among all the training variables.

Who is at Risk?

Experts have argued as to whether exercise addiction is linked to the highly touted "runner's high," due in part to the release of beta-endorphins during and after intense exercise. Most agree though, that exercise addiction is the result of psychological factors that could lead to other negative influences. "Intense, high achieving perfectionist individuals are particularly vulnerable to this addiction," says psychologist Sharon Stoliaroff, Ph.D. In the case of exercise addiction, the underlying psychological causes are usually linked to low self-esteem, which finds gratification in the gains made by training. "Unfortunately," warns Dr. Stoliaroff, "denial is a frequent component of any addictive process."

Don't Run Away

If you see a little too much of yourself in these paragraphs, don't run the other direction. Find a good counselor or someone else whose opinion you trust and discuss the possibility of exercise addiction. As you work with a counselor, change the emphasis of your exercise from more is better, to quality. Objective progress can be made by planning your workouts with an experienced trainer on a weekly basis, with rest and recovery given the emphasis they deserve in a well-balanced training program.

Write down a seven-day schedule planning mileage, intensity, rest, and any cross training activities with specific, reasonable goals relative to your skills. Working with a trainer, set outside limits for the number of hours in any given week to work out. Count all exercise in your total--stretching, warm-ups, cool downs, cross training, walking, yoga--everything. Do not exceed the mileage, time, or intensity that you've planned.

Never work out just because you found an extra hour or two in your day. Train only to the extent that you've planned. If you find extra time, spend it with a friend, a book, a movie, or call your mother. Set goals in other aspects of your life besides training. Learn something new--gourmet cooking, sailing, knitting. Become a mentor to someone in your community who needs you. If you miss a day, scratch it off your schedule. Never make up a missed workout by doubling up the next day.

Balance

Remember that working out should always have an element of play. If working out loses all aspects of fun, something has gone wrong. The most competitive professional athletes still love their sport, love to run because it gives pleasure, and not because it has become a compulsive need.

The exercise-addicted runner will almost always suffer the consequences of his addiction. It is not a coincidence that few exercise addicts can be lifetime runners. As Benyo said "the obsession bites back" in the form of chronic injuries, impaired relationships and other problems. The exercise-obsessed runner may one day complain that running ruined his life, but it was running out of balance that was the culprit.

George Sheehan, M.D. ran right to the end of his life. He could not separate his identity from his running. Running and being were synonymous. As a result, he achieved great things as a runner. Running didn't subtract from the rest of his life--it added. He was also the father of 12, a doctor, prolific writer, philosopher and thinker. And, he ran to the end of his life. Look for balance. Running enhances life. It can't stand alone.

RELATED ARTICLE: Have YOU Slipped Over the Edge?

Rate yourself as honestly as you can with the following checklist:

* I have missed important social obligations and family events in order to exercise.

* I have given up other interests, including time with friends, in order to make more time to work out.

* Missing a workout makes me irritable and depressed.

* I only feel content when I am exercising or within the hour after exercising.

* I like exercise better than sex, good food, or a movie--in fact, there's almost nothing I'd rather do.

* I work out even if I'm sick, injured, or exhausted. I'll feel better when I get moving

* In addition to my regular schedule, I'll exercise more if I find extra time.

* Family and friends have told me I'm too involved in exercise.

* I have a history (or a family history) of anxiety or depression.

If you have checked three or more of these items, you may be losing your perspective on running and working out. Exercise is healthy as long as it is in balance with a full life. Speak with a mental health professional or your doctor for help.

(Sharon Stoliaroff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Chevy Chase, MD, developed this checklist.)