“Hypergymnasium”, “sports bulimia”, “athletic anorexia”… We will not find these terms in the medical reference book, but doctors are increasingly using them in practice. So informally called the compulsive and excessive need for physical exercise in order to maintain a low weight. So what is it: a trend of modern society or a diagnosis? And what does it mean for us?
The term sports anorexia (anorexia athletica) or hypergymnasium (hypergimnasia) is used by psychologists and coaches in their work. However, on Instagram, hashtags with these words adorn photos of slender people in tight sportswear, who are proud of their bodies and tell the world about their next run every day.
Fitness is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. But when it becomes something big, this is a reason to be wary. Too much exercise can lead to anemia, arthritis, heart problems, memory loss, infertility, and even death.
Triathlete mother-of-two Natalie Lawrence learned about sports anorexia the hard way. 8 years ago, she was diagnosed with osteopenia, a bone disease that precedes osteoporosis. Lawrence was at a healthy weight until she started training in the same gym as gymnasts. Their graceful forms made the athlete want to lose weight and bring her body to the ideal. For months, she would get up at 5am to swim the required 6K, then run or pedal for three hours, then hit the gym. Natalie eliminated carbohydrates and dairy products from her diet, and halved portions of food. She had occasional bouts of bulimia.
Other people’s selfies from the gym can lead to a painful obsession with sports
“I am an active, ambitious person. My principle is all or nothing. And the desire to train from morning to evening soon became chronic. I was exhausted, constantly wanted to sleep. My boyfriend left me. I have changed, closed in on myself. When I came to my parents, they were shocked at how I lost weight. But we thought it was normal for professional triathletes,” says the athlete.
However, tests showed that Natalie had a significant decrease in bone density in her spine, and her hormone levels were in line with the norms for a girl who had not reached puberty. Doctors claimed that the disease was caused by excessive fitness and refusal of milk.
This brought Lawrence to her senses, and she lowered the bar, although she still enjoys sports and runs marathons even in her last months. “I don’t think that this passion can be completely eliminated. I still continue to train, but still I try not to bring to the disease, ”she says.
Nervous and sports anorexia have a similar psychological nature
Today, psychologists agree that anorexia nervosa and sports anorexia have a similar psychological nature and create an illusion of control in the lives of their victims.
Sports psychologist Jill Owen believes that platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are popularizing hypergymnasium. “Someone else’s gym selfies and motivational quotes can lead to a morbid obsession with sports,” she says.
Clinical psychologist Nihara Krause notes that the disorder is more common in young athletes, and proposes one solution to the problem: trainers and gym staff should control the excessive activity of fitness fans. Because everything is good in moderation.
Read more at telegraph.co.uk.