Done in moderation and on a regular schedule, aerobic exercise provides significant cardiorespiratory benefits; as well as enhancing our immune response to combat many major diseases and illnesses. So what happens when you do a little too much?
In terms of exercise in general, excessive reliance upon the act of exercising is termed exercise dependence. According to Hamer and Karageorghis (3), it is characterized by an obsessive and unhealthy preoccupation with exercise. Research has focused largely on the behavioral aspect of it but little research has been done on the biological process that takes place.
The Affect Regulation Model states that running serves as a positive feeling enhancer and a negative feeling enhancer. It focuses on two types of runners, one who runs to reduce their distress and one that runs to increase the positive feeling (3).
The research also shows the abstinence of running increases the negative feeling, which can only be alleviated with exercise - thereby reinforcing the need to exercise more.
Exercise Dependence can also disrupt social relationships that indirectly affect psychological health.
Based on the DSM IV categorisation, exercise dependence was found to have the same characteristics as drug dependence. These include tolerance, withdrawal symptoms from complete cessation of an exercise routine, and lack of control - an intense need or want to exercise beyond what is considered normal and routine (1).