Cycling can become a negative addiction when:
- It becomes a coping mechanism, not a pleasurable activity
- A spouse or partner initiates conflict about how the bike gets more attention than him or her
- It is used to medicate a disagreeable mood
- The hours and miles steadily increase over time to abnormal levels
- Hostility is expressed over missed sessions
- Mileage increases after attempts to reduce it
- You literally believe there's no such thing as "too many bikes"
Cycling racing or simply sport riding solo or in fast group rides can become that place in life where feelings of incompetence can be corrected, where the emotional struggle of a long-term relationship is left behind, where low self-esteem rises. These are precisely its benefits, but can also become the eventual prison where real life is left behind.
The problem is that cycling, like any quality drug, delivers. The more you give it, the more it rewards. Very few things in life have the same direct correlation between effort and results.
Consider This
If you prioritize cycling over work, relationships or personal creativity, then you are on the way to trouble. Actually, you are already in trouble, you just don't know it yet.
If you only feel centered while riding, you are off-balance.
If you have increasing conflicts with your life partner over your cycling, listen up! He or she may be letting you know something you need to know.
If you train harder, race more often, put in more miles, but aren't getting the same rewards--and that doesn't stop you--then you are in the classic addiction loop, and it's time for intervention.
What to Do
Obviously, step away from the bike. Take a look at what you've been neglecting. Those things that seemed to be so unrewarding may be so simply because you stopped paying attention. Think again about what it is you are really trying to accomplish. Very few of us were put on Earth to become "cyclists." Most of us stumbled into it, and once there, need to know how to put it in its proper place.
And we have to learn to confront those areas of life that cycling seems to compensate for.
Lastly, consider this: You may need a professional to help you understand exactly what it is that you are looking for in your cycling.
When searching for a professional to help sort through these issues, consider asking a doctor, clergyman or friends for recommendations. If you know someone seeing a professional is happy with that person, then definitely ask for the referral. Ultimately, what you'll want to look for is a sense of direct personal connection, more interest in listening than in speaking. Ask about experience with addictions. Someone who has a direct involvement him- or herself with high level sports is a plus, because they will be able to distinguish between healthy activity and addictive exercise, and will grasp that addictive activity is about seeking something in the activity that can't be found there.
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