Addiction was traditionally restricted to substance abuse. Since the 1980s, researchers realized that the definition of addiction should be expanded to include behavioral addiction. For example, there are many people addicted to gambling, pornography, sex, and since the 1990s, computer use and the internet. Nevertheless, addiction is usually associated with negative things.

Is it possible that people are addicted to positive things? How about workaholic? Or even exercise?

Biologically speaking, it is possible. Behavioral addiction results from compulsive activities through which your brain, like having taken drugs, gets high. It is well known that exercise can generate endorphin and increase dopamine in the brain. Mice on a wheel can enjoy running so much that they keep running whenever possible. A Norway study has indicated that people can feel “high” after exercise. Our daily observations also show that many active people are indeed behaving like being addicted to exercise. They feel uncomfortable after several days of no exercise.

My personal experience can testify that exercise addiction does exist. During the past few weeks, I have been exercising regularly. In days when I was not able to exercise, I felt uncomfortable and behaved like I had lost something. The lapse actually created anxiety and lowered the mood. If exercise can relieve some depression symptoms, this addictive nature of exercise may backfire.

In a sense, exercise addiction is not different from smoking. You feel relaxed after a few puffs, but feel more depressed or anxious when you are not smoking. Similar cycle occurs during exercise. The only difference, needless to say, is that exercise can improve your health, while smoking can kill you.

Is exercise addiction good? Well, probably. On one hand, people who exercise compulsively are doing more and more exercise, and many of them are aiming at higher and higher goals. Some successful folks will achieve the ultimate of exercise like running marathon or participating triathlon. On the other hand, the addictive nature of exercise is by no means at the magnitude of drug addiction. People can easily go off exercise for days or months without incurring any complications.

The real problem is, however, that people who are easily addicted to exercise may be also addicted to other activities. Their personalities may be disposed to addiction. It just happens that they are addicted to good things, and addicted to good things are always good.

Therefore, search yourself. If you find that you are easily addicted to something, you can train yourself to be addicted to something good. This will improve the quality of your life.