I’m actually encouraging you to compete. 
Oh…
** feels slightly stupid **
^Nice piece,… basically what I think we can all agree on (and already knew):
Pushing your body to the limits of achieving true contest level conditoning is not especially healthy, but you will eventually recover, and no one else can (should) judge anyone else’s goals and what they deem important.
Pretty similar to what I always say about the youtube “celerys” who have never stepped onstage or even come close to looking like a bodybuilder always being the ones crying about how competing is an unhealthy endeavor. The internet is so sadly commical in its ability to give everyone a voice.
S
I think it depends on the goals of a lifter. By no means should competing be the only reason you train, but if your looking to take the next step, or want to try something new that will continue to push you I find it to be a great idea.
My first contest prep I learned more about my body than I ever have before, and it fought me a ton about balancing training and nutrition, how my body reacts to differant things, and most of all it showed me what I was capable of.