What Is Exercise Addiction? An Expert Explains the Warning Signs

More exercise isn’t always better. While there are many, many benefits of working out, it’s also true that exercise can become an addiction — and that’s a reality we hear about less often. Exercise addiction has no clinical diagnosis criteria and isn’t currently listed in the DSM-5 as an official mental health disorder (due at least in part to a lack of peer-reviewed research, according to the American Psychiatric Association). However, the manual has recently added more behavioral addictions, including those related to gambling and internet use — and some experts argue that exercise should be next. But what exactly is exercise addiction anyway, and how do you know if it’s happening to you?

A 2020 meta-analysis of 13 different studies and 3,635 participants estimates the overall prevalence of exercise addiction to be around 5 percent in amateur competitive athletes, 5.5 percent among university students, and up to 8.1 percent for general exercisers. However, these numbers rise dramatically in certain groups, says addiction specialist Lindsay Richerson, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, defining exercise addiction as “a compulsive need to engage in physical activity, even when it causes harm.” For example, a 2023 article in the journal Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience found that over 13 percent of indoor cyclists were at risk of exercise addiction, and over 15 percent of marathon runners. Other endurance athletes may be similarly at risk.

As with other behavioral addictions, exercise addiction is both compulsive and dysfunctional, meaning it can seriously interfere with your day-to-day functioning. And according to Richerson, social media is only fanning the flames. While some of us may look to social media “fitfluencers” for motivation and inspiration, it’s easy to fall victim to overly intense workout regimens. “This constant exposure can fuel obsessive exercise behaviors and unrealistic body standards,” Richerson says. “The ‘likes’ and comments on fitness-related posts can act as external reinforcement, potentially intensifying addictive exercise behaviors.” Read on to learn more about exercise addiction, including potential red flags, and what you can do to overcome it.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Lindsay Richerson, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, is an addiction expert, a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, and executive director at Lantana Recovery.

What Is Exercise Addiction?

Although it’s not officially listed in the DSM-5, Richerson says exercise addiction is still considered a serious condition by many mental health professionals. “People with this addiction often choose exercise over social activities or work responsibilities. They may need to increase their workout intensity or duration to get the same psychological boost,” she explains. “While regular exercise is healthy, it becomes a problem when it disrupts daily life and well-being.” Although some of the symptoms may sound similar, exercise addiction differs from conditions like exercise bulimia in that it isn’t about burning a specific amount of calories or achieving a certain aesthetic. The biggest factor at play is the compulsion to work out (no matter what).

Signs of Exercise Addiction

Exercise addiction affects everyone differently, but it often involves “spending excessive time working out at the expense of other activities,” Richerson says. “For example, someone might skip their best friend’s wedding to go for a run, or continue intense workouts despite a doctor’s orders to rest a sprained ankle. They might structure their entire day around exercise, sometimes working out in secret or lying about it.” Some other key signs might include:

Physical Effects of Exercise Addiction

When dealing with exercise addiction, you may feel totally out of control. Without taking time to rest and recover, you could increase your risk of injury, or even cause damage to important bodily functions. “Physically, [exercise addiction] weakens the immune system and increases the risk of injuries like stress fractures,” Richerson says. “In extreme cases, it can lead to a dangerous condition where muscle breakdown affects kidney function.” This is known as rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo), and can be triggered by overly intense exercise. RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) is another serious condition that may occur due to an energy imbalance (i.e. too much exercise on too little fuel). On a more general level, constant overexertion can also result in dehydration and heat-related illnesses.

Mental Effects of Exercise Addiction

“Mentally, this addiction often worsens anxiety and depression,” Richerson says, explaining that exercise can become a coping mechanism of sorts. “Exercise becomes the primary way to cope with stress or feel good about oneself. This can lead to social isolation, as workouts take priority over relationships and other activities.” Beyond these initial mental health consequences, exercise addiction can also follow you well into the night. “The fixation on exercise often disrupts sleep and increases overall stress, further impacting mental health,” Richerson says.

How to Overcome Exercise Addiction

The first step in overcoming exercise addiction is acknowledging that it’s a problem. “Treatment typically involves gradually reducing workout intensity and frequency, rather than quitting cold turkey,” Richerson explains. The end goal is to develop a healthier relationship with exercise — but it takes time (and as with any addiction, recovery is ultimately a life-long process). Tools like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help change your thought patterns around exercise and develop healthier coping strategies in general, Richerson says. If exercise addiction is being used as a coping mechanism, medication might be helpful for addressing underlying conditions (such as depression or anxiety).

Richerson notes that professional help is often needed to properly address any underlying issues, so someone dealing with this issue would want to contact their healthcare provider for the best personalized medical advice.

“Recovery involves building a more balanced lifestyle. This might mean setting realistic exercise goals, learning to enjoy rest days, and finding new hobbies or stress-management techniques, Richerson explains. “For instance, someone might replace an intense daily run with a mix of moderate exercise, meditation, and social activities.” It’s also a good idea to have a doctor or healthcare provider monitor your overall health at this time, and address any previous issues that may have been caused by overexertion. If you notice social media is a trigger for you, it could also be worth muting certain accounts, or instilling time limits on various platforms.

The Bottom Line

Richerson knows it’s hard to differentiate between exercise addiction and intense training, but the most important thing is to find a healthy balance. “Some mistake this addiction for dedication or discipline — not recognizing it as a serious condition affecting overall well-being,” she says. Because exercise is generally viewed as healthy, exercise addiction can also be a lot harder to recognize as problematic. “The key difference lies in maintaining balance and a healthy mindset about physical activity,” Richerson says. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a mental health professional for additional support.

Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health and Fitness. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she enjoys finding new ways to rock her 18(!) different eye patches, and making videos about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.