- A new study looks at the role of escapism, a motivation known to be powerful, in exercise dependence.
- The study finds that when people are running away, rather than toward something, they are more likely to feel bad about their lives.
- Such people are at an increased risk of developing exercise dependence or addiction.
When it comes to running for recreation or exercise, a person’s motivation can be a critical factor in developing exercise dependence or not, according to a new study.
The study explores the role of escapism in running and finds that people who use the activity to escape life’s problems are more likely to develop an unhealthy exercise addiction.
Escapism as a powerful motivational factor has been explored in other contexts dating back to the
The research team, led by Dr. Frode Stenseng of the Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology, recruited 227 recreational runners through social media sites.
Participants were evenly divided in terms of gender, and their running habits and styles varied. Anyone who reported running regularly was sent a study questionnaire to complete.
A questionnaire assessed the role of escapism in each participant’s running, the degree to which they were or were not dependent on this form of exercise, and their level of general life satisfaction.
The study appears in Frontiers of Psychology.
While running and exercise, in general, are recognized as being beneficial to health, some people become
A 1997 study found that about 25% of recreational runners become addicted to the activity, and about 50% of marathon runners feel dependent of the sport.
A 2021 study lists some signs of exercise addictions among athletes:
- undertaking exaggerated exercise volumes
- lack of control over how much they…
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