Curing depression with exercise?

vtachycardia

Deficiency of certain essential foods and nutrients have been proven to be the root cause of several mental illnesses. I have provided Nutrition Therapy along side of mental health therapist for 4 years and can show you several cases where exercise and proper nutrition have helped people overcome depression, anxiety, alertness, anger management problems etc. I have 1 client in particular who is a middle school child who was diagnosed with ADHD and severe depression. He failed the 5th grade and was severely depressed and suicidal. His medicine cabinet looked like that of an 80 year old couple. After locating the essential nutrients that were missing from his diet and having him exercise regularly, he is no longer taking Strattera or any other medication for depression or ADHD symptoms. He is now an honor student with great focus.

Cortisol is known as the "stress hormone" and can cause your body harm physically and mentally. Yoga, meditation and other remedies are used to fight depression. Exercise is right there at the top of the list as well.

Google Cortisol as well as Dr. Vijaya Sathe for more information on how exercise and Nutrition Therapy can combat depression. Feel free to inbox me if you like as well.

E

Cortisol is produced by the body during exercise, in vast amounts.

All of the most recent "scientific" studies have seen no improvement in symptoms of depression in people on an exercise program.

Sorry to say this, but yoru anecdotal evidence in a child is fascinating - you must be writing it up to the Lancet for peer review.

Validation, work with someone in mental health, a case study, nutrition is the cure Hallelujah. Sign me up, and it is all Big Pharmas fault.

Lozze

Keep discussing with your doctor and get the therapy. Therapy helped me immensely.

I always feel better when I exercise.

skonly

I have been on meds or over 15 years and have tried to stop several times for years. Pills alone are not the answer, but when combined with exercise I find it provides the best quality of life. Exercise alone does not do it for me (I just tried again two weeks go).

I think we'd all prefer not to take the meds, but at the end of the day I will do whatever provides the best quality of life for me and my family.

My advice would be to try another antidepressant to find one that works for you and keep exercising. You will have a much happier lifestyle and healthier relationship with your family.

I agree. We don't know if the OP is mildly depressed due to current events in her life or wakes up every day thinking of suicide. I get so annoyed seeing all the posts that exercise worked for someone else! Were they all suicidal? Was it so bad they couldn't even get dressed for weeks at a time?

Thank you for your honest answer. Obviously you understand the struggle. Sadly I do too. It's a shame there is still such a stigma when it comes to mental illness.

If you need help get it.

meerkat70

Deficiency of certain essential foods and nutrients have been proven to be the root cause of several mental illnesses. I have provided Nutrition Therapy along side of mental health therapist for 4 years and can show you several cases where exercise and proper nutrition have helped people overcome depression, anxiety, alertness, anger management problems etc. I have 1 client in particular who is a middle school child who was diagnosed with ADHD and severe depression. He failed the 5th grade and was severely depressed and suicidal. His medicine cabinet looked like that of an 80 year old couple. After locating the essential nutrients that were missing from his diet and having him exercise regularly, he is no longer taking Strattera or any other medication for depression or ADHD symptoms. He is now an honor student with great focus.

Cortisol is known as the "stress hormone" and can cause your body harm physically and mentally. Yoga, meditation and other remedies are used to fight depression. Exercise is right there at the top of the list as well.

Google Cortisol as well as Dr. Vijaya Sathe for more information on how exercise and Nutrition Therapy can combat depression. Feel free to inbox me if you like as well.

E

Cortisol is produced by the body during exercise, in vast amounts.

All of the most recent "scientific" studies have seen no improvement in symptoms of depression in people on an exercise program.

Sorry to say this, but yoru anecdotal evidence in a child is fascinating - you must be writing it up to the Lancet for peer review.

Validation, work with someone in mental health, a case study, nutrition is the cure Hallelujah. Sign me up, and it is all Big Pharmas fault.

I'm afraid that's a misrepresentation of the literature - a lot depends on how depression and wellbeing are operationalised. (Particularly whether the research is deficit focused or not. Also how 'exercise' is operating realised.) As I said previously, the evidence base is varied and inconclusive.There was one meta review recently that garnered a lot of media attention. But that isn't the only research out there on the subject.

A_Valerie

I was diagnosed with depression over 20 years ago and am certain that i have suffered from it long before that time.
While exercise helps the body to produce serotonin, this is not always enough and often a short lived solution.
One thing that i have learned over the years is to work closely with your doctor, because while one type of medicine may not work another one will. I have even had great success with a drug for a few years and then suddenly, maybe due to normal changes in the body as we age, it will become ineffective. But if you feel yourself slipping then by all means get back in to see your doctor.

Good luck to you. Hugs.

MaraDiaz

There is evidence that exercise can be used to treat depression. Keep in mind this is only one study and only to treat mild to moderate depression:

The first study to look at exercise alone in treating mild to moderate depression in adults aged 20 to 45 showed that depressive symptoms were reduced almost 50 percent in individuals who participated in 30-minute aerobic exercise sessions three to five times a week.

"The effect you find using aerobic exercise alone in treating clinical depression is similar to what you find with antidepressant medications," said Dr. Trivedi, a study author and holder of the Lydia Bryant Test Professorship in Psychiatric Research. "The key is the intensity of the exercise and continuing it for 30 to 35 minutes per day. It's not for the faint of heart."

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/news-releases/year-2005/exercise-helps-reduce-symptoms-of-depression-ut-southwestern-researchers-find.html

meerkat70

There's rather more than just one study... (I'm starting to feel I'm talking to myself in this thread... :-))) )

eaglemama70

Hello friend,
I am surprised at how many responses you have received with this topic. I am no expert but just one woman, wife, and mom. I know medications suck. I have tried them and have gone on and off of them. I also had three rescue dogs. I just lost my "Sweet Olive" who died a few months ago. My husband has been deployed 2x to Iraq and once to Korea all in a span of five years. The main reason I am writing to you is support and friendship. I won't and can't tell you what works best. I am grateful for medications that I have been on. I am grateful for exercising bc it does benefit you from inside to out. Please just know that you are taking important steps just by putting out on MFP a call for help. Please take all that you have read and discuss with your doctor.

p0kers0ph

Exercising definitely helps me control my moods and anxiety.
I feel better about myself if I workout, boosts my confidence and gives me something to focus on.

holly1283

Exercise will not cure clinical depression. Go to your doctor. Exercise may make you feel better and is good for you but it will not cure depression.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog. Mine are rescues and have had problems. Last October they almost died and one was in the hospital for a week. I understand the stress.

Please do not listen to anyone telling you exercise will cure everything. The people saying that most likely have not had actual clinical depression. Talk to your Dr. There is nothing wrong with needing help.

This is very good advice.

Asil02

Only you and your doctor can determine what is best for you. I understand not wanting to take the pills. I was on them for a while, too. Be sure to stay in touch with your GP and ask them to do a full blood panel to see if your levels are normal....especially vitamin D. Continue to exercise and eat healthy as well.

lostwisdom

I have had clinical depression for ten years, and whilst exercise isn't the complete cure, I have found half an hour a day, plus healthy eating absolutely amazing for my mood! I was instructed to do so by both my doctor and therapist, however medication & therapy are also a big part of keeping my depression under-wraps.

I suggest starting exercise, cutting a lot of sugar out to help with low mood, but definitely also see your doctor.

I hope you are on the up soon hunni. x

blondie6688

I do several things for the "dumps". I use ST Johns wort. I find it just gives me that "edge" and keeps me just a tad more balanced. I also take 3 Omega 3 fish oils daily as well. You know what truly has helped me? I do a gratitude list and repeat it everyday. Life to me now is a matter of perspective. Half full vs half empty. When I feel myself starting down that "darker' road, I repeat mentally Thank you for my x, y, z. I started off with 3 things I'm grateful for every day and wowee, you should see my list now. It's LONG. I can change my mood instantly by simply focusing on the good in my life nd my gratitude list... and repeating , it always works out. Everything happens for a reason. and What am I to learn from this situation. Just my 2 cents. Exercise is a great mood booster for me too. Best of luck to you

debussyschild

Your situation reminds me of multiple friends of mine who have suffered from bi-polar disorder who voluntarily discontinue their meds. They all fall back down into depression once they go off of it. As an alternative to going off of it (since it seemed to be working), have you spoken to your doctor about trying something else that perhaps won't make you feel as sick? There's a wide variety of anti-depressants out there to treat clinical depression, I'm sure there is one that will meet your needs without reducing your daily quality of life. I'm sorry to hear about your dog and the distance between you and your husband. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Eta: I think exercise will help to elevate your mood and overall sense of well-being, but if you have clinical depression, it will not have that great long-lasting mood elevating affect that you're going for. It is certainly worth doing regardless, but I believe it's probably more of a supplement to treatment rather than a cure.

CJisinShape

I do several things for the "dumps". I use ST Johns wort. I find it just gives me that "edge" and keeps me just a tad more balanced. I also take 3 Omega 3 fish oils daily as well. You know what truly has helped me? I do a gratitude list and repeat it everyday. Life to me now is a matter of perspective. Half full vs half empty. When I feel myself starting down that "darker' road, I repeat mentally Thank you for my x, y, z. I started off with 3 things I'm grateful for every day and wowee, you should see my list now. It's LONG. I can change my mood instantly by simply focusing on the good in my life nd my gratitude list... and repeating , it always works out. Everything happens for a reason. and What am I to learn from this situation. Just my 2 cents. Exercise is a great mood booster for me too. Best of luck to you

Ditto. I've been on meds and I've been off of meds. It's hard to say, because when I was on meds, I really needed to be stabilized. But I didn't like the long term side effects. The solution we came up with was to treat as needed. I got a few books on brain health and found out that bad habits like caffeine, chocolate and sugar addictions were creating real harm. I used these substances to assist with low energy, which was counterproductive. Now, I manage my moods a lot better and do the things she's doing - namely writing down what I'm grateful to God for and to pray, pray, pray. I take fish oil, limit stress as best I can (which is hard, because I like to do projects). So, spiritual, nutritional, and psychological efforts together make a big difference. Also realizing that different things affect your mood that are out of your control, like the weather, help you not beat yourself up about not being upset over bad moods. The gratitude list makes a HUGE difference.

meshashesha2012

depends on the causes. if their is a chemical or physical cause in he brain then exercising might not be much of a cure.

it's the same thing for physical ailments. if you walk with a limp because of an old injury that hasnt healed properly then you'll be able to do stuff to cure it than if you were born with 1 leg shorer than the other.

clee369

Has anyone had results with exercise?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. No nobody has ever lost any weight due to exercise. Ever. It's never happened don't do it

NICEBODYTODAY

I stumbled upon this discussion of yours, while looking for exercise as a cure for depression. I think that antidepressants are the answer for major depressive disorder, as exercise alone wouldn't benefit these people, especially that exercise has no instant effect on depression (or maybe just a mere relief at the end of the workout session), BUT it's cumulative and would help over time. However, exercise alone can easily lift mild to moderate depression, and it does some changes to the brain chemistry that mimic those of an antidepressant, so first talk to your psychiatrist about your mood, he will tell you whether your depression is moderate or severe, and if it's not a major depressive disorder, you can easily cure it with exercise.
Note that stressful life events can easily trigger depression especially in those who had previous episodes, so what you've been experiencing for the last 2 weeks are early signs of relapse, and can be helped with exercise. But anyway, talk to your shrink about it. Good luck.