Mood Changes in Physically Active Men in Situations of Imagined Discontinuation of Physical Exercises as an Indication of the Risk of Addiction to Physical Exercises

Introduction. The phenomenon of addiction to exercise is one of the risks of systematically undertaken recreational physical activity. It is more common in men, especially those undertaking intense aerobic workout. The diagnostic criteria include the so called withdrawal symptoms expressed by deterioration of mood in the situation of discontinuation of exercise. The aim of this study was to determine mood changes in regularly exercising men in the situation of imagined discontinuation of exercise compared to the neutral situation, and their relation to the length of involvement in sports, the frequency and duration of exercise and the risk of addiction to exercise. Material and methods. The study involved 45 men aged 20-33 years who practice recreational jogging, combat sports, and exercising at the gym. Standard scales were used to test the mood: Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Mood Adjective Check List (UMACL), measuring the emotional states in neutral situation and the imaginary discontinuation of exercise and the scale to assess the risk of dependence on exercise developed for the study. Results. The results show a significant deterioration of mood in the situation imagined discontinuation of exercise, as compared to the neutral situation. Its magnitude grows along with the length of the men's involvement in sports, but there were no significant associations with the frequency or duration of exercise. The risk of addiction to exercise is positively correlated to the mood deterioration and the length of involvement in sports. Young men who systematically exercise regularly expect a significant deterioration in their mood in a situation of discontinuation of exercise, which suggests that there is a risk of addiction to physical exercise.