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EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY The Immune System, Cancer, HIV and Exercise:

In recent years research has linked two of the great plagues of our time (cancer and HIV) to exercise and its effect on the immune system. While exercise has generally been linked to benefits, in cases of excess it can have negative consequences. It is like a two-edged sword: it cuts both ways. If applied in moderation it can have beneficial effects, but if applied in excess it can have negative effects.

Exercise and Cancer:

Moderate exercise is linked to a lowered incidence of colon and breast cancer. Young women who regularly participate in physical exercise activities during their reproductive years have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Individuals who have cancer, but who exercise regularly, may benefit from improved psychological well-being, preservation of lean tissue, and enhanced immune system.

Exercise and the Immune System:

Research clearly suggests that exercising in moderation leads to improved psychological mood and enhanced immune system functioning. Conversely, it is widely believed that chronic intense and stressful exercise may result in mood disturbance and in suppression of the immune system. There is growing evidence that for several hours following heavy sustained exertion, the immune system is suppressed. It is believed that the immune system is stimulated and strengthened by moderately intense exercise, but suppressed by overly intense exercise. It appears that there exists an optimal level of regular physical activity conducive to the resistance to illness. Apparently, you can have too much of a good thing.

Exercise and Human Immunodeficiency Virus:

It is widely believed by medal professionals that the presence of the HIV ultimately leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Increased anxiety and depression should be viewed as risk factor facilitating the development of AIDS. Because exercise has been positively linked with decreased anxiety and depression, it follows that chronic exercise is effective in retarding the negative progression and effects of HIV. Research suggests that moderate exercise is an effective complementary therapy for treating psychological manifestations associated with HIV infections.

Social Physique Anxiety, Physical Self-Concept, and Body Image

Social physique anxiety, physical self-concept, and body image are all constructs that describe how an individual feels about her physical body. While these constructs are not identical to each other, they are correlated, and are predictive to exercise behavior. A high score on social physique anxiety and low scores on physical self-concept and body image are predictive of a low level of exercise behavior. Individuals who are anxious about their bodies, have low physical self-concepts, and have low body images have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. Social physique anxiety is the anxiety people experience when they perceive that other people evaluate their physiques negatively. Physical self-concept is the perception that people have about themselves relative to the physical-self. Physical self-concept is closely tied to the notion that an individual’s feeling of self-worth and self-esteem is related to how he perceives himself within his body. Body image refers to the images or pictures people have about their bodies. The image that a person has about her own body can be quite different from the one that other people have of her. Research shows that physically active people have better body image than physically inactive people.

Exercise Addiction

Exercise addiction is generally defined as a psychophysiological dependence on a regular regimen of exercise. The normal benefits associated with regular exercise at a moderate intensity are lost for the exercise-addiction individual. Failure to exercise according to schedule results in a mood state disturbance in the addicted individual. From an attributionial perspective, the addicted exerciser is controlled by the activity, as opposed to the activity’s being controlled by the exerciser. Compared to nonaddicted exerciser, addicted exercisers report being more restless and stressed out prior to an exercise bout. They also experience a higher degree of depression, anxiety, and general discomfort when they miss a scheduled workout. An important characteristic of the exercise addict is that he will generally insist on exercising in the face of physical pain or injury. Another term used to describe the addicted exerciser is obligatory runner. Obligatory runners are highly motivated to exercise, and when they can’t, they experience abnormal feelings of anxiety and psychological discontent.

Eating Disorders and Physical Activity

Actual clinically diagnosed eating disorders are relatively rare among athletes and physical activity enthusiasts. Much more prevalent are a whole array of unhealthy subclinical eating disorders. We will discuss both briefly.

Clinically diagnosed eating disorders

The two most severe clinically diagnosed or pathogenic rating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

• Anorexia nervosa

They exhibit the following criteria:

1. Severe weight loss

2. Refusal to maintain normal body weight

3. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat

4. Severe body image disturbance Treatment and recovery requires professional help. The diagnosed anorexic cannot overcome this mental illness herself.

• Bulimia Nervosa

They exhibit the following criteria:

1. Binge eating followed by purging at least twice per week for three months

2. Loss of self-control

3. Severe body image disturbance Bulimics are preoccupied with food and weight, fear getting fat, and exhibit chaotic eating behaviors. Unlike anorexics, bulimics turn to food, rather than away from it. As with anorexia nervosa, treatment and recovery from bulimia nervosa requires professional help.

Sub clinical Eating Disorder among Athletes:

Males and females involved in activities that link leanness to success are often pressured to be thin. This is especially true for female athletes involved in gymnastics and dancers. In an effort to be thin and to meet their coaches’ expectations, athletes may turn to a number of questionable eating and exercise behaviors that may compromise their health. Several recent studies have reported on subcilinical eating disorders among athletes. Of particular interest is a meta-analysis involving 92 studies, and 10, 878 athletes (Hausenblas & Carron, 1999). Results of this meta-analysis are as follows:

1. Athletes report more eating disorder symptoms than nonathletes.
2. Athletes competing in aesthetic sports report more eating disorder than those in nonathleteic sports (e.g., gymnastics, dance, diving).
3. Athletes do not have a greater drive for thinness than nonathletes.

Eating Disorder and Unhealthy Exercise Behavior

In some cases eating disorders have been linked to potentially unhealthy exercise behavior. Now let us briefly discuss some of those behaviors and relationships.

• Anorexia Analogue Hypothesis

It is hypothesized that male obligatory runners and anorexic females share common personality characteristics and a common drive for thinness which is through excessive exercise. This is the anorexia analogue hypothesis. Research provides only partial support of this hypothesis.

• Muscle Dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia is defined as a preoccupation with the notion that one is not sufficiently muscular. Individuals classified as being muscle dysmorphic, think constantly about their muscularity and have little control over compulsive weightlifting and dietary regimens.

• Wrestlers Making Weight

The adverse physiological effects of rapid weight loss or “cutting” in preparation for competition are well documented in the literature. Rapid weight loss results in decreased plasma volume, dehydration, and hypoglycemia. It also results in a cognitive functioning decrement. Cognitive decrements are noted primarily in short-term memory and digit span recall. Mood state disturbances are also noted in such people.

References

Cox, H. Richard. (2002). Sport Psychology: Concepts and Applications. (Fifth Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies Lavallec. D., Kremer, J., Moran, A., & Williams. M. (2004) Sports Psychology: Contemporary Themes. New York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishers