Do you run to “escape” stress?it can lead to dependence

A new study by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) investigated whether ‘escapism’ could help us understand our motivation for running and our dependence on exercise.

Understanding escapism

“Escape” is a concept that is often defined as something you do to avoid or forget something unpleasant.

Examples include activities that we do to “switch off” the thinking in our brains, and forms of entertainment that we become so absorbed in that we lose the sense that we really are. Looking that.

“Many of our daily activities may be interpreted as escapism.” To tell Dr. Frode Stensen, Professor, Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU. “The psychological rewards of escapism are lower self-awareness, less rumination, and relief from the thoughts and emotions that are most pressing or stressful.”

Although escapism is usually an everyday occurrence in humans, its motivational bases and physiological consequences are not widely understood. There are two forms of escapism.

• Adaptive escapism, such as looking for positive experiences, known as self-expansion
• Escapism to avoid negative experiences (maladaptive escapism) – known as self-restraint

The former may have better effects and long-term benefits for individuals. The latter, by contrast, often suppress positive emotions and may avoid further in the future.

“These two types of escapism stem from two different mindsets: promoting positive moods or preventing negative moods.” To tell stone bed.

The physical activity of running is considered by many to be a “stress-relieving” exercise. Stenseng is the lead author of a new study investigating how the concept of escapism helps us understand the relationship between running, health and exercise addiction.

Self-inhibition associated with exercise dependence

A cohort of 227 recreational runners (50% female, 50% male) participated in the study. The participant had a variety of running exercises and was asked to complete a questionnaire investigating her three dimensions of escapism and exercise addiction.

• An escapism scale that analyzes preferences for self-enhancement or self-repression
• exercise dependent sales
• Life Scale Satisfaction Created to Measure Subjective Health Status of Subjects

Stenseng et al. found little overlap between runners who preferred self-extension and self-restraint as modes of escapism. Self-expansion was positively correlated with well-being and self-inhibition was negatively correlated.

Both forms of escapism were associated with exercise dependence, but this association was stronger in runners who preferred self-restraint.

Preference for self-expansion or self-inhibition was not associated with factors such as gender, age, or time spent running, although both modes influenced the relationship between exercise dependence and health status.

Decreased well-being may be responsible for both, the authors say. When Consequences of addiction to exercise – promote and facilitate it. It may also be facilitated by positive experiences of self-expansion.

“In conclusion, our findings support escapism as a relevant framework for understanding the relationship between exercise dependence and subjective well-being in running,” the authors write.

“More studies using longitudinal study designs are needed to further elucidate the motivational dynamics and consequences in escapism.” To tell Stensen. “However, these findings may be used for enlightening people to understand their own motivations and for therapeutic reasons in individuals striving for maladaptive involvement in activities. .”

This article Press release issued by frontierThe length and content of the material has been redacted.

reference: Stenseng F, Steinsholt IB, Hygen BW, Kraft P. Do you run to ‘get lost’? Relationship between two types of escapism in recreational running and exercise dependence and subjective well-being. front. Psychol. 2023;13. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1035196.