Shafaqna English- A new scientific review has found that while excessive exercise can develop into a harmful behavioral addiction in some cases, researchers caution against labeling committed athletes and fitness enthusiasts as addicted. A review published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions concludes that exercise addiction can occur when physical activity becomes compulsive, causing significant physical, psychological, and social harm. The review explains that exercise addiction is a behavioral addiction characterized by dependence and compulsive exercise despite negative consequences. Researchers distinguish between primary exercise addiction, in which exercise itself becomes addictive, and secondary exercise addiction, where excessive training is driven by underlying conditions such as eating disorders or body image concerns. Although medications used for other behavioral addictions may have potential, exercise addiction currently lacks formal diagnostic status, limiting pharmacological treatment.