Fitness Addiction Cases Surge, Fueled by Apps — SkimNews
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- Wayne Davies said his running obsession, which progressed to ultra-distance races, led to anxiety, sleep deprivation, and a heart rhythm diagnosis, before he sought help through NHS Wales.
- Zaheen Ahmed of the UK Addiction Treatment Centre reported over 57,000 people sought help for exercise addiction in six months, noting it often stems from sobriety and cross-addiction.
- Dafydd Judd warned fitness and calorie-tracking apps can become highly addictive, blurring the lines with technology addiction and creating unhealthy social media comparisons.
- Fionnuala Clayton of NHS Wales' Online CBT Service emphasized that while exercise boosts mood, too much can harm mental and physical health, and encouraged seeking support.
Why it matters: For individuals and health providers, the case highlights a growing behavioral health risk where wellness tools become sources of compulsion. The expert-cited surge in help-seeking and the link to digital tracking creates an urgent need to recognize and treat fitness addiction, especially among men who may hesitate to seek support.
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