In France, over 12 million people practice running, according to the French Athletics Federation. Running has become much more than a sport: it's a lifestyle, a stress management tool, an identity marker. Scientific studies increasingly support its benefits. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2020) shows that regular runners have a 27% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, and a 23% lower risk of cancer mortality. "Even light jogging, once or twice a week, provides measurable benefits," the study notes.
On the mental health front, the results are just as striking. A large-scale clinical trial conducted in the Netherlands (MOTAR study, 2023, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders) compared running to antidepressants in 141 patients suffering from depression or anxiety: after 16 weeks, both groups showed comparable improvement in symptoms. Running acts as a natural antidepressant by stimulating the production of endorphins, serotonin, and BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), a protein essential for neuroplasticity. It is this biochemical mechanism that produces the famous "runner's high."
But this euphoria has a downside: bigorexia. Recognized as a pathology by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2011, bigorexia—or exercise addiction—affects about 15% of regular athletes, according to a study by Professor Michel Lejoyeux, a psychiatrist at Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital in Paris. Running, cycling, and weightlifting are the three most affected disciplines. The symptoms are characteristic: inability to skip a session without experiencing anxiety or guilt, progressive increase in training volumes, neglect of social and family life, and continuing activity despite injuries.
Dr. Lejoyeux has identified a typical profile: "Bigorexics don't run for pleasure; they run to avoid suffering. The session no longer brings joy, but its absence causes a craving comparable to that for an addictive substance." The neurobiological mechanisms are indeed similar: intensive exercise activates the dopaminergic reward circuit, the same one involved in substance addictions. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology (2025), involving 1,200 ultra-endurance runners, reveals that 21% of them exhibit symptoms of clinical anxiety and 18% have sleep disorders related to their practice.
How to distinguish healthy passion from a downward spiral? Specialists suggest several warning signs: running despite a diagnosed injury, experiencing irritability or depression during forced rest, organizing one's entire social life around training, lying to loved ones about actual training volume. The French Society of Sports Medicine recommends not exceeding five sessions per week and planning regular recovery weeks. Running remains an exceptional ally for physical and mental health—provided one never forgets that rest is part of training. Sources and links: - Running and mental health — AthleExplique.fr - Lejoyeux, M. et al. (2012) — Exercise dependence, Journal of Behavioral Addictions - Scheer, V. et al. (2025) — Anxiety and sleep in endurance runners, Frontiers in Psychology - Marathon after marathon: when passion becomes a mental burden — Marathons.fr - Bigorexia: addiction affecting 15% of athletes — TF1 Info - Bigorexia: when the passion for sport becomes an addiction — Forme et Santé - Bigorexia: the dangers of sports addiction — Jogger's Sport
