Mood and sport performance

Abstract

This chapter presents a dark side of exercise behavior known as exercise addiction. It recognizes and knows how to assess the symptoms of exercise addiction. In sport and leisure physical activity, the frequency, duration and effort of the activity altogether represent the volume of exercise. Salience symptom is present when the physical activity or exercise becomes the most important activity in the person's life and dominates their thinking, feelings and behavior. Tolerance is a symptom that manifests itself in the progressively increased amounts of exercise necessary to experience the same effects that were previously felt with less exercise. Relapse is the tendency for repeated reversions to earlier patterns of exercise after a break, whether that is voluntary or involuntary. The treatment of exercise addiction should be aimed at the psychological problem that triggered the maladaptive behavior. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the possible actions to be taken by addicted exercisers, health professionals and researchers.