Symptoms Of Overtraining
Decreased Motivation And Self-Esteem
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The problem with decreased motivation and self-esteem due to overtraining is two-fold: first, overtraining has a significant impact on stress hormones including epinephrine and cortisol; second, it is exceedingly frustrating for an athlete to push harder and faster and discover only faster deterioration results from this increased work that is pushed past pain thresholds that are greater than ever. Negative results take a big bite out of the motivation to continue to press on. Also, when an athlete ties their self-esteem to physical prowess and ability, the lack of positive results and the persistence of negative ones gnaws at self-worth and can be the onset of depression. Those who live to push themselves in competitions or races also find it frustrating to be sidelined while waiting for the frequent injuries and illnesses of overtraining to heal and recover.