What are the signs of Aikidoholism?

The following questions will help a person learn if he/she has some of the symptoms of Aikidoholism. He/she or a member of his/her family may need help.

  1. Do you occasionally practice heavily after a disappointment, a quarrel, or when the boss gives you a hard time?
  2. When you have trouble or feel under pressure, do you always practice more heavily than usual?
  3. Have you noticed that you are able to handle more Aikido than you did when you were first practicing?
  4. When practicing with other people, do you try to do a few extra techniques when others will not know it?
  5. Are there certain occasions when you feel uncomfortable if Aikido is not available?
  6. Have you noticed that when you begin practicing you're in more of a hurry to get to the first technique than you used to be?
  7. Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your Aikido?
  8. Are you secretly irritated when your family or friends discuss your growing preoccupation with Aikido?
  9. Do you often find that you wish to continue practicing after your friends say you have had enough?
  10. Have you tried switching dojos or following different plans for controlling or cutting down on your Aikido?
  11. Have you often failed to keep the promises you made to yourself about controlling or cutting down on your Aikido?
  12. Have you ever tried to control your Aikidoholism by making a change in jobs or moving to a new location?
  13. Do you try to avoid family or close friends while you are practicing?
  14. Do more people seem to be throwing you harder without good reason?
  15. Do you eat very little or irregularly when you are practicing?
  16. Do you sometimes have the "shakes" in the morning and find it helps to have a little nikkyo?
  17. Have you recently noticed that you cannot practice as much as you once did?
  18. Do you sometimes practice for several days at a time?
  19. Sometimes after periods of practice, do you see or hear things that aren't there?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, you have some of the symptoms that may indicate Aikidoholism.

"Yes" answers to several of the questions indicate the following stages of Aikidoholism:

Questions 1-7: Early stage.
Questions 8-16: Middle stage.
Questions 17-19: The beginning of the final stage.