Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Eating Disorders & Substance Abuse

  • Prevalence of Eating Disorders:

    • Higher in athletes, especially females and sports emphasizing leannesdes

    Anorexia & Bulimia:

    • Anorexia: extreme control, denial of disorder, underweight, fear of obesity, disturbed body image,

    • Bulimia: binge-purge cycle, awareness of disorder, depressed mood, self deprecation, fear of being unable to stop eating, little control over eating

  • Bulimia characteristics: Engaging in regular self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, strict dieting or fasting, or vigorous exercise in order to prevent weight gain, •Average minimum of two binge-eating episodes a week for three months


  • Predisposing Factors:

    • Weight standards and restrictions, coach/peer pressure, performance demands, sociocultural factors, judging criteria, critical comments about weight, genetics

Prevalence of Substance Abuse:

  • Accurate assessment is difficult to achieve because of the sensitive and personal nature of the problem.

  • –Alcohol use 92% of high school athletes; 88% of college athletes

    –Performance-enhancing drugs: Reported use by only 5% of high school and college athletes (40 to 60% among elite athletes)

    –A 2003 CDC study: 1 in 16 high school students used steroids


  • Substance Abuse vs. Drug Addiction:

    • Abuse: Continued use despite problems

    • Addiction: Craving and compulsion to use

  • Girls and Steroid Use:

    • Used to achieve media-driven ideals, not just athletic advantage

Side effects on girls: severe acne, smaller breasts, deeper voice, excessive facial and body hair, irregular periods, depression, paranoia, and roid rage

  • Reasons for Drug Use:

    • Physical: enhance performance, rehabilitate injury, look better, control appetite, and lose weight.

    • Psychological: escape from unpleasant emotions or stress, build confidence , and seek thrills.

    • Social: peer pressure, role models

  • Six Categories of Performance-Enhancing Drugs:

  Stimulants,  Narcotics, Anabolic steroids, Beta-blockers,  Diuretics, Peptide hormones

  • Exercise Addiction:

    • Psychological dependence on exercise; withdrawal symptoms if not exercised

      Symptoms: Stereotyped pattern of exercise with a regular schedule of once or more daily, Giving increased priority, over other activities, to maintaining the pattern of exercise, Increased tolerance to the amount of exercise performed, Withdrawal symptoms related to mood disorder after cessation of the exercise, Relief of withdrawal symptoms by further exercise, Subjective awareness of a compulsion to exercise, Rapid reinstatement of the previous pattern of exercise and withdrawal symptoms after a period of abstinence


Preventing negative exercise addiction: •Schedule rest days.

•Work out regularly with a slower partner.

•If you’re injured, stop exercising until healed.

•Train hard–easy: Mix in low intensity and less distance with days of harder training.

•If interested in health aspect, exercise three or four times a week for 30 minutes.

•Set realistic short- and long-term goals.


  • Compulsive Gambling:

    • High in NCAA D1 football and basketball athletes, •When caught, college athletes reported not knowing the rules about gambling.

      •Gambling by high school students is thought to be widespread.