Compulsive Exercising
Once upon a time, a simple ‘click here‘ was all it took to push me into a downward spiral that included excessive weight loss, exhaustion, illness and, eventually – a stay in hospital. Having gained weight (through a number of pretty ordinary factors) I finally fixed my mind on goal setting – that being to finally get a handle on my weight, my general lack of fitness and my horrible sense of well-being.
I’d researched the various methods – of weight loss and exercise – and based upon my budget I decided I’d ‘fix myself’. And that’s where the problem started, looking back. I made myself my own mentor in a way, and being that I had no one to tell me when to stop, I quickly got out of control.
Basically I bought some home gym equipment, devised a diet (remember – I had no expertise so I was winging it) and that, as they say, was that. I reduced my calorific intake to 1200 calories per day. That in itself was dangerous but I also began to exercise, and hour a day, four days per week.
Of course I saw plenty of results, weight loss wise, in the first two weeks so I upped my exercise regime to six days and knocked another 200 calories per day from my diet. Within two months I’d lost an awful lot of weight, thought I looked fantastic and could really feel the change in my fitness level.
The fact that I was starving half the time, or felt shaky didn’t come into it – I was thinner! As time progressed my body began to suffer the ill-effects of being half-starved (and I was) and over-worked. Obviously the final outcome was that I collapsed, having punished my body (by this time) for near enough two and a half years.
After an extended stay in hospital – due to damage to my kidneys, and inflamed gut, exhaustion and skin problems, I then embarked upon what’s become on-going counseling. As of today I still feel overly concerned by my outward appearance but – I have accepted that what I was doing was extremely risky to my health and well being.
In the future I hope to maintain a healthy body weight, without any of the associated addictive behaviors which were, in my case, excessive exercising and weight control. If you’re in the same place that I am, or you’re struggling with a family member or friend that’s suffering from the same issues, have a look at Exercise Addiction Support – it’s a collection of forums that allow you to express concerns and/or ask for guidance.
Good luck, and good health.
Shopping Addiction – Omniomania
There are many forms of addiction, and one of them is shopping. Or rather excessive shopping. Often those that suffer from this condition will buy items that are of no real use to them, the focus being on the actual browse/purchase aspect. Ultimately, sufferers spending spirals out of control and the next stage is serious debt issues. This goes on to cause the sufferer increased anxiety, further pushing them into even more spending, as they try and cope with their negative feelings and/or sense of panic.
Typically the ‘shopaholic’ will hide their behaviors from family, friends and loved ones, often until they reach crisis point, which is usually reached by way on unmanageable debt. Unfortunately, based on how easy it is for an individual to secure money from commercial lenders up and down the country, it’s pretty easy to see why the need to buy becomes synonymous with the eventual need for intervention and debt counseling.
Where does an addiction to shopping come from? In many cases it stems from either a lack of material possessions as a child, or the inverse – too many. To give it its real name, Omniomania may well be one of the easiest forms of addiction to slip into. As a society we’re constantly bombarded with marketing and advertising campaigns, telling us what we need, encouraging us to consume, consume, consume.
To combat the sufferers impulse, there needs to be a long term strategy put in place, as well as plenty of support from professionals, family and friends. Counseling is always advised, as this enables the sufferer to identify their triggers, as well as the cause of their addiction. Coupled with time-engaging activities, imposed budgetary control and the individual given the chance to build up their feelings of confidence and self-worth, there often is a positive outcome for Omniomania sufferers.