Exercise is often seen in a positive light. It is a common belief in today's society that a healthy diet and regular exercise lead to a long and healthy life. And in the simplest sense of the word, it will. It has been a tried and true method to control and lose weight, lift a person's mood, increase energy, combat a variety of health conditions and diseases, promote better sleep patterns, and even increase libido. (Mayo Clinic, July 23, 2011). So, since all of these are possible and probable benefits of training, why should it be anything other than good? Surely, something with so many benefits can't be a bad thing? However, we might overlook the fact that it is like anything good; in excess it can become dangerous very quickly. In society, there are more and more athletes who try so hard to the point of getting sick. What happened to physical activity for simple joy or competition driven by the love of sport? The motivations behind an individual's exercise habits are directly related to whether they develop an addiction. There is even a term for this phenomenon of excessive exercise: exercise addiction or exercise addiction. Exercise addiction is a craving that a person experiences, manifesting itself in the form of compulsiveness in relation to exercise behavior. It can manifest itself with physiological symptoms, such as withdrawal, or psychological signs such as anxiety and depression. (Hausenblaus, Downs. 2000). Some of these psychological symptoms can be seen in anyone who is competitive and/or elite in their chosen sport, but it may not necessarily mean they are “addicted.” We are not as likely to see such behaviors in people with moderate control who are more at risk for addiction. Research still needs to clarify many aspects of this affliction, so that the general public can access and be informed about the topic. If this were achieved, the incidence of exercise addiction should decline and eventually become a mere shadow of its current state. .gov/scienceofaddiction/brain.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32573781/ns/health-fitness/t/runners-high-can-turn-real-addiction/#.Ttg0LPLTpMYhttp://www .anorexiaathletica.com/Carroll, D., S. Rodgers, I. Cockerill, and D. Bamber. “Diagnostic criteria for exercise addiction in women.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. British Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2003. Web. 4 December. 2011. .