Exercise addiction is commonly associated with which of the following?

Exercise addiction is commonly understood as a behavioral addiction characterized by an excessive focus on physical fitness and exercise, often at the expense of personal well-being and health. It is associated with compulsive exercising and a preoccupation with body image. The link between exercise addiction and other stimulant-based addictions, such as those to amphetamines, cocaine, and caffeine, revolves around the similarities in the dopamine response that these substances elicit in the brain, which can also be mirrored by the in-the-moment rewards of intense exercise.

Both exercise and stimulant use can lead to a heightened sense of euphoria and enjoyment due to the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters. This shared biochemical pathway helps to explain why individuals who may be prone to developing an addiction to one behavior, like exercise, can also exhibit tendencies toward other forms of addiction that stimulate the reward centers of the brain.

Conversely, while other options present various forms of addiction, their relationship to exercise addiction isn’t as direct. For example, gambling and alcohol addiction, or nicotine and marijuana addiction each involve different triggers and psychological pathways that do not correlate as closely with the compulsive behaviors characteristic of exercise addiction. Food and social media addiction also manifest from varied psychological needs and do not engage the