Depression and motivation?
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I suffer from depression as well but I still get my butt up and out the door the gym out of discipline/habit. You have to exercise that pre-frontal cortex. Once you make up your mind (just like going to the bathroom, you just do it) your body will follow. Period. There are no excuses. Depression is a crutch that will wane off the more you deny it; you just have to want it bad enough. (ETA: This is my opinion which is working for me, please take no offense)
And you're right, exercise doesn't 'cure' depression in all of us as sometimes I still find myself lazying around in bed but again, my mood changes once I finish working out and finish my stretches. I then want to be more productive and I won't see my bed until midnight.
Dedicate to working out in the A.M. Get your 6-8 hours in, and get up and go straight to the gym/fitness of choice. Once you wake your body up by dragging yourself out of bed your mood will shift. If that doesn't work, deal with what's keeping you down. People aren't depressed just because. There's always a reason why. Fix/work on that reason no matter how big it is and you'll see the bed less and less.0 -
rachellosesitall85 wrote: »I suffer from depression as well but I still get my butt up and out the door the gym out of discipline/habit. You have to exercise that pre-frontal cortex. Once you make up your mind (just like going to the bathroom, you just do it) your body will follow. Period. There are no excuses. Depression is a crutch that will wane off the more you deny it; you just have to want it bad enough. (ETA: This is my opinion which is working for me, please take no offense)
And you're right, exercise doesn't 'cure' depression in all of us as sometimes I still find myself lazying around in bed but again, my mood changes once I finish working out and finish my stretches. I then want to be more productive and I won't see my bed until midnight.
Dedicate to working out in the A.M. Get your 6-8 hours in, and get up and go straight to the gym/fitness of choice. Once you wake your body up by dragging yourself out of bed your mood will shift. If that doesn't work, deal with what's keeping you down. People aren't depressed just because. There's always a reason why. Fix/work on that reason no matter how big it is and you'll see the bed less and less.
I'm not depressed "just because", I'm depressed because something in my brain chemistry is faulty. I'm working on that as much as I can. I'm glad exercising works for you, but if I go walk on a treadmill for an hour, I don't feel better, I feel like sleeping for a year.1 -
@SoulOfRusalka I'm going to start by saying talk to your doctor. If you're having issues with fatigue, it could be depression or it could be something else. Rule out what you can so you know which direction you need to go.
In the meantime, remember it's ok to start slow and build. Start with one or two things you can do now, and work on making those a habit. Then, change something else. It worked well for me, so it's something you might consider trying. And remember, exercise is NOT necessary for weight loss. It's good for other things, but if you're having trouble starting, focus on your calories in for now. All of my weight loss was without factoring in regular exercise.
Sometimes, if things seem overwhelming, you have to step back and focus on one day at a time. You still need to plan for the future, but I understand how that can make one feel like giving up because it's too much, so taking small steps and focusing on short-term goals will help you keep on track. Plus, celebrating a victory, no matter how small, helps you feel better about yourself and what you're doing. ^_^
Okay lady. Re-read my first statement. I'm giving the guy encouragement.
I hope you get out of your slump! You can lose the weight. Prove these hater trolls wrong.
I think the point was more along the lines of the fact that telling someone to cheer up when they are suffering from clinical depression is a bit insensitive. Clinical depression is not a switch, we can't just cheer up and it's not a 'slump'. I do appreciate that you're being supportive, but that mentality is why so many people don't take clinical depression seriously.rachellosesitall85 wrote: »I suffer from depression as well but I still get my butt up and out the door the gym out of discipline/habit. You have to exercise that pre-frontal cortex. Once you make up your mind (just like going to the bathroom, you just do it) your body will follow. Period. There are no excuses. Depression is a crutch that will wane off the more you deny it; you just have to want it bad enough. (ETA: This is my opinion which is working for me, please take no offense)
And you're right, exercise doesn't 'cure' depression in all of us as sometimes I still find myself lazying around in bed but again, my mood changes once I finish working out and finish my stretches. I then want to be more productive and I won't see my bed until midnight.
Dedicate to working out in the A.M. Get your 6-8 hours in, and get up and go straight to the gym/fitness of choice. Once you wake your body up by dragging yourself out of bed your mood will shift. If that doesn't work, deal with what's keeping you down. People aren't depressed just because. There's always a reason why. Fix/work on that reason no matter how big it is and you'll see the bed less and less.
Depression doesn't wear off over time. Mild depression can sometimes be helped with things like exercise, and it's a good idea to try other methods first, but clinical depression really is a physical issue with the brain chemistry. That doesn't go away. It can be mitigated and helped, but it will never go away. If I stop taking my meds, I will end up right back in the fail cycle again. I know this because just going down to a lower dose made it much harder for me to interact with people, and much harder for me to balance my emotions when I hit those bad days.
I'm happy you're able to moderate yours with exercise, that really is a better choice than meds if it works. Just keep in mind that it's not going to work for most people with clinical depression. Everyone experiences depression differently, so what worked for you isn't necessarily going to work for others.1 -
I believe people have very different degrees of depression from mild to suicidal. In my line of work and from personal experience I've seen it all. I also think that some things work for some but not others(and for some poor souls nothing works not even meds). And you have to find out what works best for you. Personally I am naturally introverted and sensitive so I find quiet soothing things help, hikes with my dog, yoga, watching light dramas, and solitude(I'm around people alot with work and I have kids/husband). BUT I wouldn't even be able to do those things without my meds, both for depression and hypothyroidism. I have been active for 30 years, I used to teach fitness classes. It's just always been a part of my life, But when the depression flares up (if that's the proper term) my fitness routine just shifts a bit to the above activities, the above post about getting up and working out early just wouldn't do it for me (I have never in 30 years been a morning worker outer!) But if that works for someone else who am I to judge??0
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I have dealt with minor depression and anxiety for many years. It certainly runs in my family. I have always been fortunate to have more good days than bad but sometimes it just gets more bad that I can handle on my own. I have see therapists at various times, usually for what I would refer to as a 'tune up', and about 16 months ago I made the decision that I was ready for medication. Asking for help was the best thing I could have done for myself. I was finally truly honest with my fiance (now hubby) and with my family and it has gotten so much better. I'm not going to say that every day is rainbows and fairy tales, but it's much better. I still have days when I just want to stay in bed and sleep and be left alone, and I take them if I really need them.
Do what you have to do to take care of yourself, I know it's hard when you have no interest in doing anything but sleeping. Try to eat healthy foods and get enough water. Sleep and rest if that's what you need. Ask for help from your family and friends, it may be tough for them to hear if you've been keeping this to yourself but they need to know that you need help.2 -
Okay lady. Re-read my first statement. I'm giving the guy encouragement.
I hope you get out of your slump! You can lose the weight. Prove these hater trolls wrong.
I totally did not take your comment in no way negative. And for her to jump on you is totally uncalled for.
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You're not alone! I've tried SO many antidepressants & none of them worked. I'm on 150mg of Wellburtin & so far so good! I'm motivated & I have energy. Since it's been nice I've been walking to get my kids from school & some days I force myself to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes. Once you get in to see the physiatrist you will definitely feel better!
Hang in there! You're not alone in this illness. ❤️0
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