The impact of planned and unplanned layoffs from training on withdrawal symptoms of exercise-addicted individuals

The rise in popularity of aerobic sports has resulted in increased reports of athletes being addicted to a regular regimen of exercise. This phenomenon has led to a need for psychological research examining exercise addiction The purpose of this study was to investigate empirically the occurrence of negative exercise dependence and to obtain a psychological profile of those who have become addicted to the activity of exercise. Sixty-two members of a suburban fitness/health club were solicited to participate in the study. An examination of the effects of continued exercise, planned layoff from training, and unplanned layoff from training on the withdrawal symptoms of addicted and nonaddicted exercisers was conducted. The Profile of Mood States was employed to assess withdrawal. Results of the MANCOVA found no significant interaction effect between addiction status (exercise-addicted, nonaddicted) and treatment condition (continued exercise, planned layoff, unplanned layoff). However, main effects for addiction status and treatment condition were significant. Post hoc analyses revealed that nonaddicts reported significantly higher levels of confusion and bewilderment than exercise addicts. Subjects in the condition of continued exercise reported significantly lower levels of tension than participants in the planned and unplanned layoff from training conditions. Subjects who experienced a planned layoff from training had significantly higher levels of anger compared with those subjects in the continued-exercise condition. No differences in underlying personality were found between exercise addicts and nonaddicts as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire