Compulsive exercise is often referred to as anorexia athletica, obligatory exercise, and exercise addiction. Anorexia athletica is when a person no longer enjoys exercise, but feels obligated to do so. A victim, most prominently a female between the ages of 12 and 19, may experience a sense of guilt and anxiety when missing a work out, and not even sickness or injury can stop him/her from fulfilling the need for exercise.
Individuals with anorexia athletica may:
1. Repeatedly exercise beyond the requirements for good health.
2. Be a fanatic about weight and diet,
3. Steal time to exercise from work, school, and relationships.
4. Strive to achieve and master ever more difficult challenges. Forgets that physical activity can be fun.
5. Define self-worth in terms of performance.
6. Rarely or never satisfied with athletic achievements. Small satisfactions are fleeting. Does not savor victory. Pushes on to the next challenge immediately.
7. Justifies excessive behavior by defining self as a "special" elite athlete.
The American College of Sports Medicine offers helpful resources on the female athlete triad. The female athlete triad refers specifically to three related health problems often found in women athletes that includes a combination of:
Low energy availability (eating disorders)
menstrual irregularities (amenorrhea)
Weak bones (increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis)
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Related Resources
Anorexiareport.com: Anorexia Athletica
Healthline.com: Anorexia Athletica
Myfit.ca.com: Anorexia Athletica
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F-word.org Blog: Anorexia Athletica
