When you become obsessed with healthy habits… and it stops being healthy

Taking care of yourself is trendy. Eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, meditating… On paper, we all agree that these are pillars that help us feel better physically and mentally. But what happens when that pursuit of “utopian” well-being turns into an obsession?

More and more often, consultations are seeing cases of people who begin with self-care routines and end up trapped in a loop of extreme demands. What started as a tool to enhance health ends up becoming a source of anxiety, guilt, and social isolation. This phenomenon has a name: orthorexia.

What is Orthorexia?

Orthorexia nervosa is an eating and behavioral disorder characterized by a pathological obsession with healthy eating. It is not an official clinical diagnosis in manuals (such as the DSM-5), but it is widely described in the scientific literature.

The problem is not the desire to eat healthily, but the mental rigidity that accompanies this obsession. The person avoids at all costs the foods they consider “impure” or “imperfect,” and spends a large part of their time planning, reading labels, or preparing meals.

The result: a restricted life, with high levels of anxiety and negative consequences for both physical and mental health(Koven & Abry, 2015).

When Wellness Stops Being Wellness

1. Anxiety as a Constant Companion

The obsession with healthy habits often leads to anxiety. “Did I train enough today?” “Have I eaten too many ultra-processed foods?” “Am I contaminating myself with this product?” These questions repeat over and over, stealing your mental space and energy to enjoy life and the everyday moments.

2. The Impact on Social Relationships

What once were the plans you most looked forward to, like eating out with friends, joining a spontaneous dinner, or celebrating a birthday, end up becoming a real nightmare. The person feels they are losing control and prefers to avoid those gatherings. Little by little, this can lead to social isolation, one of the factors that most negatively affects emotional well-being.

3. Physical Strain

Although it may seem contradictory, becoming obsessed with being healthy can actually lead to nutritional deficiencies. By cutting out entire food groups, you put your energy, hormonal balance, and even immune system health at risk. This situation is often made worse because many people create their own diet plans without the guidance of a professional.

Factors That Fuel This Obsession

Several elements contribute to the rise of orthorexia and the obsession with self-care:

• Social media: platforms like Instagram and TikTok are filled with influencers promoting extremely strict lifestyles. The constant bombardment of “perfect lives” creates nonstop comparison and pressure that follows you even into bed.
  
  

• Productivity culture: we live in a world where it feels like everything must be optimized… even rest and leisure.
  
  

• Fear of illness: excessive worry about health can drive the urge for absolute control over food and the body.

Warning Signs: Am I Becoming Obsessed?

It’s not always easy to spot when a healthy habit starts to become harmful. But some of the signs I use as a reference in practice are:

• You spend more than 3 hours a day thinking about your diet or routine.
  
  

• You feel guilty or anxious if you don’t stick to your plan.
  
  

• You avoid social situations out of fear of not being able to control what you eat.
  
  

• Your list of “forbidden” foods keeps getting longer.
  
  

• You define yourself by how strict you are with your lifestyle.

If you see yourself in several of these points, it might be time to reconsider the relationship you have with your habits.

How to Find Balance in Healthy Habits

1. Flexibility as the Golden Rule

The key is learning to be flexible. Having a burger with friends or skipping a workout doesn’t ruin your progress, but it can help you maintain a healthy relationship with both your social life and yourself.

2. Focusing on Overall Well-Being

It’s not all about diet and exercise. Getting good sleep, building meaningful relationships, enjoying leisure time, and managing stress are also essential parts of health. In fact, the WHO(2020) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease.

3. Listening to Your Body

Excessive control disconnects you from your body’s natural signals: hunger, fullness, fatigue, or the need for rest. That’s why it’s important to relearn how to listen to them—so you don’t fall into rigidity and extreme self-demand.

4. Seek Professional Help

When obsession turns into suffering, the best option is to see a nutrition specialist and a psychologist. In many cases, a multidisciplinary approach is what makes it possible to regain balance. Don’t play with your health.

Practical Strategies to Avoid Falling into Obsession

• Allow imperfection: including foods you simply enjoy, even if they’re not “healthy,” helps break the cycle of rigidity.
  
  

• Set limits on digital consumption: filter the content you see on social media and follow accounts that promote a realistic view of well-being.
  
  

• Include activities you enjoy: health also means laughing, resting, and spending quality time with others.

Revisit your motivations: ask yourself whether you’re doing things to take care of yourself… or just to avoid feeling guilty.

The Role of Self-Compassion

In my experience as a psychologist and sexologist, self-compassion is one of the most powerful tools to avoid the trap of perfectionism in lifestyle habits. Learning to treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend in your situation is an excellent strategy for fighting rigidity and self-demand.

Recent studies show that self-compassion not only reduces anxiety, but also improves long-term motivation and adherence to healthy behaviors (Neff & Germer, 2018).

Conclusion

Taking care of yourself is important, but when the pursuit of health becomes an obsession, the original goal is lost: living better. The point is not to give up good habits, but to incorporate them in a sustainable, balanced way that makes you happy. Because being healthy doesn’t mean being perfect: it means doing what helps you feel good in your body, mind, and relationships.

References

• Koven, N. S., & Abry, A. W. (2015). The clinical basis of orthorexia nervosa: emerging perspectives. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 11, 385–394.  https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S61665 

• Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2020). Constitución de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Recuperado de https://www.who.int

• Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2018). The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. New York: Guilford Press.