Furthermore, running injuries vary greatly in type, severity, and duration and thus are difficult to control for in an experimental setting. One cannot, therefore, conclude from these studies that habitual runners unable to run due to inclement weather or personal conflicts will react similarly to a loss of running. In addition, future studies should explore effective psychological coping strategies to help habitual runners deal with an inability to run, regardless of the reason. There are cases, for example, of former alcoholics and drug addicts who discover running only to transfer their addictive tendencies to a more socially acceptable activity. This population may be at a particular risk for developing an addiction to running as a means of coping with negative affect.
Runners can obtain many psychological and physical benefits from a regular running regimen.
However, if individuals lack alternative coping strategies for managing negative affect, they may be at risk for developing a psychological dependence on running. In order to avoid running addiction, habitual runners should be encouraged to learn other techniques for reducing depression and anxiety and increasing physical self-esteem. Athletes can also seek the services of a qualified sport psychologist. If runners are prevented from running due to injury, they should be encouraged to cross-train in order to maintain both physical conditioning and psychological health until they are able to run. Future research should therefore examine whether individuals involved in other sports and exercise may be at risk for psychological addiction.