To all the depressed/moody people out there

[Cogwulf]

Get Some Exercise!


After getting pissed off with public transport I've finally got back to commuting by bicycle again.
Feels good man

I'm always surprised by how much physical activity can affect mood.

 

[notrightnow]

My therapist tells me this too. I keep meaning to but keep putting it off.

 

[Yet]

http://factoidz.com/the-effects-of-stress-cortisol-serotonin-and-exercise/

& also influeces memory and executive functions

 

[kantor1003]

It also has positive effects on memory? I guess I now know the answer as to why my memory seems so bad. Why can't we instead open threads telling how bad exercise can be; it resulting in potential heart failures etc.? That way I don't have to feel so bad about not doing it.

 

[Solitaire U.]

I'm always surprised by how much physical activity can affect mood.

Then you'll be positively amazed at how effective enhanced freedom of movement is at preventing it's deterioration, should you ever decide to take up the gauntlet of private vehicle ownership.

 

[Aramea]

Would that invole leaving the house?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Leaving the house is stupid.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Would that invole leaving the house?

Nope. I do almost all my exercising within my house. Much of it I do on a fairly small yoga mat.

Dave

 

[Firehazard159]

Actually, since I've stopped exercising regularly, I've started feeling better.

However, I don't think it has anything to do with exercising, just saying that it's not really an answer to all depressed/moody people. It definitely is something people should try, but really, there's plenty of other factors that could be coming into play.

 

[jzono1]

It's a simple solution that just doesn't work.

Don't get me wrong; it can be very helpful when you're recovering from a depressive episode. But it's no magic bullet that does wonders by itself.

Mustering enough willpower to start exercising and sticking to it long enough to get any benefits from it takes more than a moderately-severely depressed person can do. Exercise is likely to make things worse for a while until it starts working.

Take a few steps back and think what your advice may do to a severely depressed person. You're presenting a simple solution, with known good results, without saying that it *isn't* easy. At best he'll ignore it. At worst he'll try it and fail, pulling him further down into the hell that depression is.

Exercise can be very helpful, but only when approached correctly, and paced in a way that doesn't lead to exhaustion and failure instantly. 10-30min daily walks out in the sun is a good start. But for some, even that might be hard.

 

[Cogwulf]

Spoiler

It's a simple solution that just doesn't work.

Don't get me wrong; it can be very helpful when you're recovering from a depressive episode. But it's no magic bullet that does wonders by itself.

Mustering enough willpower to start exercising and sticking to it long enough to get any benefits from it takes more than a moderately-severely depressed person can do. Exercise is likely to make things worse for a while until it starts working.

Take a few steps back and think what your advice may do to a severely depressed person. You're presenting a simple solution, with known good results, without saying that it *isn't* easy. At best he'll ignore it. At worst he'll try it and fail, pulling him further down into the hell that depression is.

Exercise can be very helpful, but only when approached correctly, and paced in a way that doesn't lead to exhaustion and failure instantly. 10-30min daily walks out in the sun is a good start. But for some, even that might be hard.

That's all good advice of course.


Exercise only works if you want to do it. If you approach it as a chore it's just another thing to be unhappy about.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

It's a simple solution that just doesn't work.

Don't get me wrong; it can be very helpful when you're recovering from a depressive episode. But it's no magic bullet that does wonders by itself.

Mustering enough willpower to start exercising and sticking to it long enough to get any benefits from it takes more than a moderately-severely depressed person can do. Exercise is likely to make things worse for a while until it starts working.

Take a few steps back and think what your advice may do to a severely depressed person. You're presenting a simple solution, with known good results, without saying that it *isn't* easy. At best he'll ignore it. At worst he'll try it and fail, pulling him further down into the hell that depression is.

Exercise can be very helpful, but only when approached correctly, and paced in a way that doesn't lead to exhaustion and failure instantly. 10-30min daily walks out in the sun is a good start. But for some, even that might be hard.

+1

Plus doing it alone leaves one with little incentive, unless you have a strong sense of active desire / drive, which I'm sure not many INTPs have.

The perfect scenario for me would be in a group that ran / rode and played sports together. Competition + camaraderie + fun + inspiration.

 

[Taniwha]

What do you do when you are too depressed to even leave the house?

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I've started exercising 3 times a week since 2 months, and to be honest, I'm not noticing any difference in the way I perceive the world. I still feel dreamy, anxious and a bit pessimistic all the time. I am however having less trouble hiding it now I guess.

But one thing I must admit: For 6 hours or so after exercising I DO really feel good again, but this is only temporary. Hopefully the length of the feeling good phase will just get longer and longer then? I don't know.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

What do you do when you are too depressed to even leave the house?

A good point.

I've started exercising 3 times a week since 2 months, and to be honest, I'm not noticing any difference in the way I perceive the world. I still feel dreamy, anxious and a bit pessimistic all the time. I am however having less trouble hiding it now I guess.

But one thing I must admit: For 6 hours or so after exercising I DO really feel good again, but this is only temporary. Hopefully the length of the feeling good phase will just get longer and longer then? I don't know.

I think you need to shift your approach.

Exercising is usually focused on concrete results. But you don't want concrete results. You want psychological stabilization, therefore you need to shift your activities in such a way that they release the right neurotransmitters.

i.e. Do something more intense, but not necessarily related to regular exercising. More "extreme" activities.

 

[Cogwulf]

I think you need to shift your approach.

Exercising is usually focused on concrete results. But you don't want concrete results. You want psychological stabilization, therefore you need to shift your activities in such a way that they release the right neurotransmitters.

i.e. Do something more intense, but not necessarily related to regular exercising. More "extreme" activities.

extreme activities will still only be a short term boost for your mood.
The only ways that exercise creates long term improvements is either by breaking old patterns or by improving your self confidence.
It will also indirectly contribute by improving your sleep patterns and your concentration, even if you don't notice it.
It works as a placebo too.


I'm not saying exercise is a magic bullet like some people here seem to think I am. It just makes no sense not to exercise. I only assumed that it's common sense that you A) do something you enjoy, and B) pace yourself.

I didn't start this thread to tell people to do anything. I just started it because I was under the impression that most of the people who inhabit these corners of the internet have a phobia of even the mention of physical activity.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Well, yeah. My self confidence HAS gotten a boost, that is true. I feel way more masculine, I can actually feel that my whole body feels harder. Less fat, more muscle. My previous jello-y(you know, not fat, not chubby, but not skinny either...) torso is now turning into a more 'triangle shaped' torso, too. And of course there's no more feeling exhausted after running up 4 stairs at school, shopping bags don't feel as heavy, et cetera.

You're right about the physical activity phobia. I always cringed when I heard the word 'exercise' or 'sports' or even 'going out to town'. Now, I still hate going outside, but that's more because it's very grey at the moment and there's not much to do. But I now enjoy going to the gym and such.

And this all after 2 months. I have changed my thoughts on this now. Thinking and typing about it, I realized I have changed quite a bit in the positive sense for just 2 months. Imagine what the effects will be in a year!

 

[Minuend]

My work can be quite tiring because it includes a lot of lifting and fast paced walking. I have attempted to take an hour walk every now and then after work. It has not helped me. When left alone with my thoughts out walking, sometimes I'm even worse when I get back inside. I've been working at the same place for a year, but my mood has gone down quite a bit.

 

[Lobstrich]

The fuck is exercise? Screw that! I'd much rather just loaf around on my couch play some video games, read some books and listen to some music. The guy who came up with the idea that your body has to be in good condition is a complete tool! I don't want to do stuff!! Other than the stuff I do want to do.