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Sport practice and stress management in French soldiers deployed in Afghanistan: Is sport dependence a risk factor for psychological distress?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2020

M. Trousselard ,
G. Demont ,
A. Malgoyre ,
N. Fidier  and
O. Ferhani
M. Trousselard*
Affiliation:
Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge École du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France
G. Demont
Affiliation:
Antenne médicale des armées, Quartier Galliéni, 25800Valdahon, France
A. Malgoyre
Affiliation:
Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge École du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France
N. Fidier
Affiliation:
Groupement de soutien de la base de défense de Varces, Varces, France
O. Ferhani
Affiliation:
Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge École du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France
*
*[email protected]

Abstract

Introduction

Sport activities can be considered either in terms of sport consumption or sport dependence characterizing a behavioral addiction [1–3]. The objective of this study concerned the effects of exercise-induced sport dependence on soldiers stress resistance in the context of a six months deployment in Afghanistan.

Methods

In an anonymous prospective cohort study we assessed before during and six months after deployment Extra Regimental Sport consumption (ERS), exercise dependence (ED; 2,5), anxiety and depression diseases, perceived stress, and mood of Tension/Anxiety. Plasmatic Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), considered as a good marker of central nervous system plasticity, was assessed before and after.

Results

Among the 397 young soldiers evaluated before and during the deployment, 131 had been assessed six months after. Before deployment, 65% of soldiers have ERS consumption. 42% presented ED, which was not related with higher ERS consumption. Levels of perceived stress, anxiety and depression diseases were higher for ED subjects and were not influenced by ERS consumption. In soldiers without ED, perceived stress and mood of tension/anxiety were higher in subjects without ERS. Neither ERS consumption, nor ED altered BDNF concentration. During deployment, the percentage of ED was not modified, but the distribution in sport dependence group was modified: 64% of soldiers with ED were not identified as addicted before. After 3 months, soldiers presenting ED had a higher Mood of tension/anxiety level. After deployment, both a higher BDNF concentration and anxiety disease score were observed in soldiers developing ED refer to those who did not develop ED.

Discussion

ED seems to present: (1) a relation with a high “anxiety”, (2) a liability in chronic stress environment. However, ED could be considered as an efficient strategy referred to the high level of BDNF after the mission. A follow-up is ongoing 18 months after the deployment to confirm this assumption.

Keywords

Behavioral addictionStressAnxietyMilitary
Type
P014
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 29 , Issue S3: Hors-série 1 – 6ème Congrès Français de Psychiatrie – Nice, novembre 2014 , November 2014 , pp. 543
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2014

Disclosure of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.

References

Véléa D. L’addiction à l’exercice physique. Psychotropes.8:39–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hausenblas, H.A.Downs, D.S.Exercise dependen a systematic review. Psychol Sport Exer 2002; 3: 89–123CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kern, L.Dépendance et exercice physique: une échelle de dépendance à l’exercice physique. Psychol Fr 52 2004; 403416Google Scholar
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