Exercise is not helping my depression

DirrtyH

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the support.

And I think all of you are right. I don't think my nutrition is very good and I think that's at least part of what's dragging me down. It's a shift in thinking for me to think I need to eat more, I always had a problem with overeating, and now I really struggle to force myself to eat anything unless I'm starving.

I also think I'm probably going to need a medication shift, I'm thinking about talking to the doctor about adding a companion drug. And you're right, I haven't had blood work done in years so it might not be a bad idea.

I wish counseling was an option. My health insurance doesn't kick in until March and even then I'm not sure it will cover psychological health...

Thanks for all the suggestions.

sillyvalentine

Bacon will help.

MeanderingMammal

Change your negative thoughts. It sounds cliche but it works.

A statement generally seen as completely unhelpful, if not counterproductive.

The outside is a reflection of the inside.If your overweight that means your body/mind is out of balance. Meditate on the positive and you'll see the difference. CBT therapy helped me get off the meds and down to a size 8 along with meditation.

I would agree that meditation can help, but for someone already under pharmaceutical treatment it's complementary once that pharma is having an effect.

fitfreakymom

It's not really an issue of not enjoying my workouts or not wanting to work out. I felt great that first week, and I absolutely love spin class. I can tell I'm just truly depressed, and I don't understand why the exercise isn't helping the way everyone, including my doctor, says it's supposed to.

A re you sure it is depresion and not something else? Do you have a lot of stress ? ADHD, ADD? Need a change in career? Depresion is commonly misdiagnosed and maybe the drug is not working.YCan msg me if you want I have ADHD and there are mental health issues in our house.

westendcurls

My guess would be that since exercise changes the chemical balance in your brain, Your old prescription that was working for the old chemical makeup in your brain is no longer working. you may simply need a new prescription. exercise does work on depression for people with moderate depression. but if you're dealing with a slightly more severe form or will bipolar issues then you will need more than exercise alone. You'll get there as long as you keep trying to find what works for you.

MeanderingMammal

And I think all of you are right. I don't think my nutrition is very good and I think that's at least part of what's dragging me down. It's a shift in thinking for me to think I need to eat more, I always had a problem with overeating, and now I really struggle to force myself to eat anything unless I'm starving.

From the whole discussion it sounds like there are a number of aspects here, only some of which the advice here can help with. I get the impression that your history makes this quite challenging to understand.

My own experience with exercise and depression varied acording to where I was in the cycle. Early on I was recognising that I was feeling down and trying to exercise to help, I ended up chronically overtraining, so it had a coutner-productive efect and ended up driving me downhill. It doesn't sound like the level of exercise that you're doing is comparable to that.

Once I was on meds that helped lift my mood, and I eased back on the exercise, it started to have a more positive effect.

What I have found has been that exercise is something that I didn't do when I started to go downhill again. So it's something I need to focus on.

Sedna_51

I've fought with depression since I was a teenager, and in my experience, exercise for depression is like using jumper cables on a car. If you're mildly depressed, exercise might be one of the things that helps, and it keeps my mood stable. But when I'm really in trouble, it's like trying to jump-start a car that has no gas in the tank, and the brake line is cut, and the starter's down and the timing belt is broken and there's no oil in the engine. You can jump that car all you want, but there are a lot of other things that need to be looked at before it's going to start and run smoothly.

Long story short, I'd talk to your doctor. And if at all possible, I'd see if you can get a therapist or counselor involved. Maybe try googling "low-cost counseling" in your area, or looking on the websites of local hospitals or universities to see if they offer low cost or sliding scale alternatives. Just a few sessions could be really helpful.

I'll also add in that after years of falling into a pit in the winter, I bought a SAD light this year and I've found it to be an excellent support.

Best of luck!

reimaka17

I've fought with depression since I was a teenager, and in my experience, exercise for depression is like using jumper cables on a car. If you're mildly depressed, exercise might be one of the things that helps, and it keeps my mood stable. But when I'm really in trouble, it's like trying to jump-start a car that has no gas in the tank, and the brake line is cut, and the starter's down and the timing belt is broken and there's no oil in the engine. You can jump that car all you want, but there are a lot of other things that need to be looked at before it's going to start and run smoothly.

^^This basically, OP. I've been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, mild agoraphobia, and Dysthymia, which is chronic depression. Usually exercise is enough to stabilize my mood, but because I also get episodes of major depression and suffer from SAD it's not always enough. Hence why I go up and down in weight so much. If the exercise isn't working then you definitely need to look at other alternatives in addition to that. Sometimes something as simple as taking a multi-vitamin or iron pills can help to some extent (if you suffer from a deficiency). A friend of mine swears by Omega-3 fish oil capsules.

You mentioned above that you need to eat better and I can't agree with you more. In the past it has certainly helped me. Have you ever tried juicing? It's something my psychotherapist recommended to me and I found that both my mood and my energy levels increased a lot when I used to juice (about 5x a week, though always as a snack and never as a meal substitute. Equal amounts of vegetables/fruit worked). I was feeling the best I'd felt in years when I was exercising, juicing, and eating healthy...up until winter started and the SAD hit, anyway. But enough about that.

If you're not already seeing a therapist then I recommend you do. Sometimes just being able to talk about things with someone helps.

And definitely talk to your doctor about your medication not working. Anti-depressants are very hit or miss. He might be able to find you something that works.


I wish you the best of luck and health. Keep up the amazing work, OP. Never forget that you are strong and that you are more than capable of overcoming this.

meshashesha2012

if there are chemical or physical causes for your depression then i can't see how working out would help

reimaka17

if there are chemical or physical causes for your depression then i can't see how working out would help

Endorphins. However, I do believe it only really helps if you suffer from mild/moderate depression. If you're clinically depressed to the extent that you can't even get out of bed or eat then I doubt it's going to be very effective.

Still, in conjunction with the right medication and a well-balanced, nutritiously sound diet (and leaving out physical causes like vitamin deficiencies), plus therapy...well, I'm sure it's bound to do more good than harm.

alli2b

I'm currently taking anxiety medication, that helps with depression as well.. Maybe you should try something else.. tell your doctor its not working if you've given your depression meds over 7 weeks.. I will pray for you, I hope you feel better asap! God Bless!:flowerforyou:

maybeazure

I have been through it....and still am dealing with it. Exercise does help me some, but only very vigorous exercise...like running. Usually the effects will last a few hours, or more, but sometimes it doesn't seem to work as well...especially if something else is really bothering me. For me at least, depression seems to cycle around every so often. Sometimes I just have to recognize it, accept it and do the best I can.

Maybe you need to increase the exercise, or maybe talk to your doctor about increasing or changing the medication, or maybe a therapist would be helpful.

leaner426

You may not have been exercising for a long enough time. A counselor I saw about a year ago - who teaches at a local college - told me that it can take two months for the benefits of exercise on depression to kick in. She also told me that it has to be vigorous exercise - you have to sweat and get your heart rate up. Spinning should do it, weightlifting maybe not.

Try to get better about your calorie counting. I know if I am eating low sugar for a few days then get a lot it can cause havoc with my emotions. I also know getting the right vitamins can help a lot.

Just keep plugging away. The exercise is good for you even if it won't replace your antidepressant. Give it another month or two, my guess is that it will get better. It isn't like a light switch, the fact that you are going routinely tells me something is working. Good luck.

annekka

For me it wasn't anything immediately. It took a bit...after a while exercising I realized that I was being less cranky and irritable. On top of that I'd been taking antidepressants, counting calories and working out.

You may be the same in that there's nothing huge, just some small stuff that you realize down the line has changed.

rachrach7595

I would speak to your doctor about whats going on. You may be able to take something else or have your dose altered.

auntiebabs

I'm not in the same place you are, but I have felt better since I've improved my diet..

Off the top of my head.
1) Make sure you get enough plant and fish based fats... I like to call them "happy fats" (i Was diagnosed w/ high-cholesterol and had been on low-fat diets for years, I think that was a mistake for me.)
2) Coffee,
3) Foods high in magnesium (millet is a good source and surprisingly yummy.)

I'm a big fan of the multi-spear attack.

Sorry no reference to back this up right now.
But I remember at some point hearing that fat is NOT inert, it changes your body chemistry and messes with your hormones a bit. So as you get to a healthier weight it should become less of an issue.

Alix68

There are so many different answers on here and all of them are giving you good advice from personal experience. The trouble with depression is that it hits everyone differently. I found it devastating when I was younger but it's eased off with age, if it's any consolation, you may find this happens to you.
The post I most agree with is the person who says that 900 calories a day is NOT enough. This isn't only because you are getting too little energy, but in such a small amount of food you must be missing out on some essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12 is very important for your mental health but having a balanced diet in general is essential. I also found that cutting down on coffee and comfort foods has helped.
My other suggestion is that you have pinned your hopes on exercise as some kind of miracle cure because you've been told that and now you're disappointed that it doesn't seem to be working after only three weeks. My experience with depression is that patience is the key. You have to learn to ride it out even when it's like a savage beast raging inside your head. You have to understand that you are young, but you're not alone, and one day you will find, with or without help, a solution that eases your pain.
You must not let it dominate your life. Do not identify yourself as a depressive. Work towards improving the situation - this is not your life or your personality, it is a problem to be solved along with all the others, and that solution can only come when you recognise all the good things you have to be grateful for.
Have you tried outdoors exercise? What about horse riding, cycling, skiing or even gardening? To have goals and projects can help more than anything. A feeling of achievement is the biggest antidepressant I've ever known. Learn some new skills, be creative. Did you that there's a bacteria in garden soil that has a similar effect to antidepressants? Grow food! Anything that gets you outside and achieving can help. Sunshine and green surroundings are a massive lift to your feelings.
I also agree with the lady who advised you to see a councilor or therapist - these people can give you advice on how to make positive changes to your way of thinking aswell as listen to your feelings.
Being told to 'think positive thoughts' isn't helpful in my humble opinion - this is sometimes like being told to climb Everest without oxygen, but you can be helped to do it by professionals.
Good luck.

neandermagnon

my advice would be to go back to your doctor. Exercise alone just helps, it's not a cure. but if you're on antidepressants they should be helping to some extent.... one caveat is some kinds of antidepressants take a while to start working (they gradually build up your seratonin levels) so if you've only recently started on them you need to keep taking them to give them a chance. But if you've been on them for a while and they're not helping, go back to your doctor. Also, there are other approaches that may help, depending on the kind of depression and the cause, such as talking therapies which you can look into, although some kinds of depression they really don't help and antidepressants are what helps... but there are different kinds of antidepressants so if one isn't working then maybe your doctor should try you on a different one.

I've had depression, caused by PTSD, getting counselling for the PTSD plus strenuous exercise and a healthy lifestyle generally, including getting enough sunlight, is what helped. But as I said there are different kinds of depression so what works for you may be something different.... that's why it's important to have a good doctor or therapist.

neandermagnon

You may not have been exercising for a long enough time. A counselor I saw about a year ago - who teaches at a local college - told me that it can take two months for the benefits of exercise on depression to kick in. She also told me that it has to be vigorous exercise - you have to sweat and get your heart rate up. Spinning should do it, weightlifting maybe not.

weightlifting made a HUGE difference for me, in fact I'd say it's the single-most effective exercise out of any of them, with sprints coming in second (but I hate running, so weightlifting it is). It does have to be heavy weights though, lifting light weights up and down doesn't do much for anyone, but lifting really heavy weights with compound lifts is an extremely intense exercise and gets your heart rate right up in a very short time.

trijoe

I've fought with depression since I was a teenager, and in my experience, exercise for depression is like using jumper cables on a car. If you're mildly depressed, exercise might be one of the things that helps, and it keeps my mood stable. But when I'm really in trouble, it's like trying to jump-start a car that has no gas in the tank, and the brake line is cut, and the starter's down and the timing belt is broken and there's no oil in the engine. You can jump that car all you want, but there are a lot of other things that need to be looked at before it's going to start and run smoothly.

Wow. This is the best way I've ever heard it put. This totally sums things for me, too. I would add that WHERE I exercise counts, too. In the winter, when I struggle the most with depression, exercising indoors doesn't do much at all. In the summer, when I'm outdoors cycling or running or lawn mowing or whatever else, that's when I get the most benefits from exercise as a depression stabilizer. I think there's something to be said for exercising outside in the sunshine.

helen8328

I think the doctors are right to say it will help you but you have to remember that 'help' doesn't really mean a magic cure all. It usually takes a number of things working together to get out of depression. If you're exercising you also need to make sure you're getting enough nutrients throughout the day or you will crash and burn and feel worse for it. I'm guilty of loosing appetite when I'm down which just makes me feel worse and it's a downward spiral.

Also what are you doing after your workouts? Are you just going home and not doing anything? If so it could be the fact that you've felt so good while exercising and been on a high, to then go back to the life that makes you feel down, could be more depressing than normal. I found the best way to get out of depression was to plan my days in advance and keep myself busy with a day long routine. It was the days where I didn't have a plan that I felt the worst and most lost.

jjking54

Lot of information here ... I'll share what works for me.

1. Take charge of your mental health. By that, I mean, do your research, look into different meds and inform yourself about them. When you go see your doctor, press him/her with questions for information on their suggestions. Ask them WHY they recommend what they do.
2. Be patient (this sucks, I know) but sometimes it takes awhile to find the right med for your unique needs. I was on one med for a long time, and it helped, but it also caused side effects, so I ended up taking a companion med as well. After doing that for some time I talked to my doc and we worked out a plan to go off my original med and just stay on the companion med. So far, so good.
3. Be patient with your workouts. Just like the meds, I think the "good stuff" in your brain from your workouts have to build up in your system.
4. Keep your workouts fun and interesting. If what you're doing isn't working, change it up.
5. Watch your diet. Make sure your needs are being med.
6. Likewise, get plenty of rest. All this working out means your body needs time to recharge. But don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of oversleeping because you're feeling down. This also means don't overtrain.
7. Don't isolate. Reach out to people you love and who love you back if you're feeling down.
8. Consider meditation. It worked wonders for me when I was at my lowest.

Good luck ... feel free to add me or message me if you want

rides4sanity

If you are just starting out, two a days, might be more than your body is ready for. I'm pooped when I do 2 a days... For me cardio is a great anti depressent IF I keep it reasonable. When I push too far for too long, my body isn't happy. I get exhausted and then I get upset that I don't have the energy to do what I want. Causing negative emotional feedback instead of positive. Good luck in finding your balance!

shano25

So much good advice, much of what I would give. I'll share what works for me though:

A B Complex Vitamin and Vitamin D every day.
Regular sleep times (same time to bed and rise) making myself stay up even if I feel tired.
Yoga - I started with Bikram and it was amazing not just for the depression but for the withdrawal of my meds.

I had a hard time eating. I just didn't want to, the thought of it made my stomach hurt My doctor suggested I take Gravol (it's my understanding you don't have Gravol in the US, so whatever you would take for nausea or motion sickness.) I would take a children's tablet shortly before a meal and it would help my appetite and I would eat more.

Also, if you can find it, I highly recommend the book "Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way" by Nancy Liebler. It's about ayurveda and yoga for depression and some of it may be a little to "hippie" for some people, but it makes a good point of discussing the different types of depression and what works and doesn't work for each one.