Individuals, as a result of their vital life experiences throughout the historical process, exhibit different levels of excitement and interest toward particular objects, facts, materials, and behaviors. This excitement and interest can eventually lead to addiction by imprisoning individuals over time. Addiction is a compelling and recurring need that forces individuals and, if left unfulfilled, can result in negative consequences that are strong and easily preventable (1). When reviewing the literature, it has been reported that behaviors such as internet and social media usage (2), sex (3), eating (4), and exercise (5) can be addictive. However, in behavioral addiction, it is generally known that craving occurs before addictive behavior (6). Therefore, it is believed that craving plays a critical role in the occurrence and maintenance of addictive behavior (2). The pleasure experienced by an individual following a behavior may lead to craving for that behavior, and depending on the frequency of craving and the frequency of its resolution, addictive behavior can develop.

Craving, first defined in 1955 as a difficult-to-understand component with a repetitive effect (7), refers to a strong desire, impulse, and urge (8). Although craving is generally used for substance use, it is not limited to substance use only, and it is known to be frequently used in terms of concept, definition, and usability by researchers from different disciplines (6). Particularly in recent years, it has been observed that the concept of craving has started to play an important role in behavioral cravings (9). Behavioral and substance addictions share phenomenological similarities. Individuals experiencing behavioral addictions often describe a pre-behavioral urge or craving, analogous to individuals with substance use disorders experiencing cravings before substance use. Moreover, these behaviors frequently alleviate anxiety and induce a positive emotional state or a sensation akin to substance intoxication (6, 10). When the literature is examined, studies on cravings for food (4), gambling (10), and travel (9, 11) are found to be available. However, despite exercise addiction being a behavioral addiction, the exact role of the concept of craving is not well understood.

Individuals who regularly engage in sports or exercise may occasionally experience unexpected events, such as a heavy workload, injury, lack of motivation, pandemic-related restrictions, and natural disasters like earthquakes, which can cause them to stay away from exercise temporarily. As a result, individuals may feel a strong desire to exercise. The situation where exercise is intensely desired during this period when exercise cannot be performed is defined as exercise craving.

In this context, life in eleven provinces has stopped because of two major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, which occurred on February 6, 2023, in Türkiye, and many people and structures have been adversely affected. Since life will take a long time to return to normal in these provinces, many individuals have had to live outside of their regular routines. Therefore, this study aims to examine the exercise cravings of individuals who have been forced to stay away from sports facilities and exercise for a certain period of time due to the earthquake disaster.

Two themes emerged from the data obtained from the participants’ discourses in the study (Table 2).

This study aimed to examine the phenomenon of exercise craving among individuals who could not exercise due to disrupting their normal routines following the two major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, which occurred in Türkiye on February 06, 2023. The feelings of individuals unable to exercise were deeply analyzed based on their statements. Two types of cravings were found in the research. The first one arises from the exercise addiction of individuals who define themselves as exercise addicts. Exercise addiction is defined as the state in which exercise is out of the individual's control, and the duration, frequency, and intensity of exercise are continuously increased to achieve the desired effect of exercise (21, 22). In this type of craving, the individual who cannot exercise after the earthquake suffers from exercise deprivation. It can be stated that craving, which occurs in the form of intense desire and strong impulses in exercise addicts, is caused by the deprivation of a habit.

As in other behavioral addictions (2, 4, 10) individuals with exercise addiction also exhibit typical exercise cravings (5). In other behavioral addictions, when the addictive behavior does not recur due to uncontrollable reasons, an urge or motivation to engage in the behavior emerges in the individual (21). Therefore, the current research findings align with and parallel previous research results, supporting each other.

According to the research findings, the second type of craving occurs due to anxiety. In this study, all participants who identified themselves as exercise addicts expressed concern about the negative effects of exercise deprivation on their physical appearance and athletic performance levels.

Craving is a strong desire that can cause a person to engage in negative behaviors or become obsessed with satisfying them (22). This is because the craving becomes a necessity for the craving person, just like eating (23). Therefore, it is thought that cravings may be the underlying cause of the anxiety caused by not being able to exercise.

Previous research has revealed different results. Kavanagh et al. noted that craving, which appears to be related to factors such as environment, expectations, mood, self-efficacy, and intentions, can cause distress and discomfort, especially during deprivation attempts (24). Individuals with exercise addiction (25–27) have expressed overcoming the desire to relapse into behavioral addiction due to withdrawal after a certain period, similar to individuals with other behavioral addictions (3, 9, 11). Research on exercise addiction suggests that when exercise is not performed, withdrawal symptoms manifest as psychological indicators such as stress, depression, and anxiety (28–31). Therefore, in behavioral addictions, the emergence of anxiety as a sign of withdrawal is commonly accepted.

However, our research findings provide a more nuanced perspective, indicating that exercise cravings based on anxiety in individuals with exercise addiction are not solely derived from exercise dependency. This suggests that additional factors, such as physiological changes, may play a significant role in shaping these cravings. For instance, elevated cortisol levels, a stress hormone, during exercise deprivation can heighten anxiety and depressive symptoms (32). Similarly, reductions in reproductive hormones like testosterone have been linked to addictive behaviors (33). Neurotransmitter disruptions, such as changes in dopamine and endorphin systems, also contribute to addiction-like behaviors, reinforcing the parallels between exercise and substance addictions (34). Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis further complicates stress responses and addiction mechanisms (35). These findings underscore the multifaceted physiological and psychological dynamics underlying exercise addiction and its cravings.

Based on the interviews with the participants, it can be argued that psychological factors are closely intertwined with physiological mechanisms. Specifically, this type of craving may be caused by muscle dysmorphia (MD) or may lead to MD in advanced stages. When specifically examining muscle dysmorphia, the individual's attention is directed toward the insufficient size and muscularity of their body (36, 37). Participants expressed concerns about a potential decrease in their current physical appearances, specifically in muscle mass, as they anticipate being unable to engage in training post-earthquake. Consequently, they indicate a strong motivation to engage in high levels of exercise.

This study has several limitations, which are outlined below. The small sample size, limited to only six participants, restricts the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the participants were all within the 22–29 age range and were single, which limits the representation of different age groups and demographic characteristics. While the use of semi-structured interviews as a qualitative method provided in-depth insights, the findings may have been influenced by personal biases and perspectives, potentially affecting their objectivity. The criterion sampling method, which selects participants based on specific characteristics, may have further constrained the generalizability of the findings to all individuals affected by the earthquake.

The exclusion of external factors such as psychological support systems, existing mental health conditions, or pre-earthquake physical activity levels may have overlooked other critical variables influencing exercise cravings. The data collection, conducted shortly after the earthquake, also limits the ability to assess long-term effects or changes over time. Although the inclusion of a vulnerable post-disaster population was ethically approved, participants’ emotional states might have affected their willingness to fully share their experiences, potentially impacting the reliability of the data.

Future research should include larger and more diverse samples to represent varying age groups and demographic characteristics. In addition to qualitative methods, employing quantitative methods would enhance the reliability and generalizability of the findings. Collecting data across different timeframes would allow comparisons of short- and long-term effects. Furthermore, adopting more structured and supportive approaches when working with vulnerable groups could improve data quality.

Studies should also incorporate not only sociodemographic variables but also physiological and morphological factors. For instance, variables such as participants’ physical health, musculoskeletal system characteristics, or biological responses to traumatic events should be included. Examining these factors would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between exercise cravings and post-traumatic behavioral responses. These recommendations will contribute to making future research in this area more robust and generalizable.

Similar to other substance and behavioral addictions, individuals with exercise addiction also exhibit craving behaviors. According to research findings, exercise craving manifests in two ways. The first type originates from exercise addiction, emerging when an individual with exercise addiction experiences a lack of exercise. The second type, with a more clinical dimension, arises from the inability to engage in training due to uncontrollable reasons. This form of craving is driven by concerns about the deterioration of the individual's current physical condition due to their inability to exercise. In the present study, an attempt was made to discern whether exercise craving exists based on participants’ narratives. This research is exploratory in nature. Therefore, for a more comprehensive measurement of the newly introduced concept of exercise craving in the field, the development of suitable measurement tools is recommended for future researchers.

While preparing this work, the authors used Grammarly to improve readability and language. After using this tool, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and took full responsibility for the content of the publication.