Exercise Addiction
in Psychology & Therapy ·
Greetings,
The topic at hand caught my attention, so I decided to weigh in.
Three years ago, I was essentially addicted to working out. It wasn’t that I was trying to kill myself in the gym, but I maintained a rigorous five-day weekly schedule: three days of aerobics and two days of Pilates. On top of that, I performed a specific glute routine every single night—about 100 reps per leg, two sets (I'm no fitness expert, so forgive my lack of technical terminology)😁 but I was utterly obsessed. My primary fear was losing my shape so completely that I couldn't even sit down for more than a minute without discomfort, and I would exclusively sleep on my stomach. This cycle continued uninterrupted for just over a year.
Then came marriage. The shift in responsibilities completely disrupted my rhythm, and I spiraled into depression—and I mean that with absolute sincerity. My panic attacks intensified, and my self-image crumbled along with them.🙂 I can't say for certain if stopping that exercise routine felt like withdrawing from a chemical addiction, but I do know that while I was training, I felt like the most powerful woman alive.
I am attempting to get back into it now, but... it isn't quite the same.
The topic at hand caught my attention, so I decided to weigh in.
Three years ago, I was essentially addicted to working out. It wasn’t that I was trying to kill myself in the gym, but I maintained a rigorous five-day weekly schedule: three days of aerobics and two days of Pilates. On top of that, I performed a specific glute routine every single night—about 100 reps per leg, two sets (I'm no fitness expert, so forgive my lack of technical terminology)😁 but I was utterly obsessed. My primary fear was losing my shape so completely that I couldn't even sit down for more than a minute without discomfort, and I would exclusively sleep on my stomach. This cycle continued uninterrupted for just over a year.
Then came marriage. The shift in responsibilities completely disrupted my rhythm, and I spiraled into depression—and I mean that with absolute sincerity. My panic attacks intensified, and my self-image crumbled along with them.🙂 I can't say for certain if stopping that exercise routine felt like withdrawing from a chemical addiction, but I do know that while I was training, I felt like the most powerful woman alive.
I am attempting to get back into it now, but... it isn't quite the same.