Exercising, Motivation and Depression

SweetlyVague
SweetlyVague Posts: 172 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey, everyone!

I'm here wondering how any of you out there with depression and high anxiety manage to keep yourselves on track.

Recently I moved away from home and although everything is well and good (great roommate, beautiful apartment, well paying job that gets the bills paid easily with much to spare), I find my depression and my anxiety have been spiralling out of control. My anxiety is horrendous whenever I'm home alone. I mean crippling. The other night my roommate came home to all the lights on, doors closed with me sitting in the living room with my back up to the wall. I know, I know, sounds really loopy. But for whatever reason, being alone at the apartment puts my brain into a frenzy and I can barely function. I have no true reason to be scared, but it happens. And once I have an anxiety attack, I'm just plain unmotivated to do a damn thing for the next while.

Same goes with my depression. I've been a diagnosed "sufferer" of depression for years now and although I have it under control a lot of the time, it's been a lot harder since I moved out. Things that don't ever bother me become things that make me want to cry, I don't sleep well, I have this heavy blanket of heaviness on me and it also leads to me being really unmotivated.

Surprisingly enough, I still manage to eat relatively well during all this. There are days where I'm feeling so down that I'm just not hungry, but I find I don't binge. My biggest issue is finding the motivation to keep up with going to the gym. We have a gym here in the apartment, but even that seems too far for me to even want to bother recently.

I fully understand that a visit to the doctor is probably a good idea, but I'm still curious if any of you have experience with this and have any helpful hints.

Thank you. :)

Replies

  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
    I have panic attacks and I have for years. Mine are especially bad if I do not sleep or if my hormones are all out of whack. I learned with my panic attacks to acknowledge this is happening and kinda ride it out. Exercise and good foods help a lot but my triggers are usually my TOM or great stress at home.

    Obviously a doctor, but a therapist can give you tools to get through it. Good luck, anxiety sucks the big one.
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    I don't have high anxiety most of the time, but I have struggled with depression. Since you are (hopefully) planning to see a doctor, I feel I can offer some modicum of advice:

    When you're enduring depression, it may be helpful to remember that your brain is lying to you! Your perspective is skewed because something is off. Of course, only your doctor can help rectify that situation, but know that you can get through this with a professional's help.

    Kudos to you for keeping up with healthy eating habits! If I were in the same boat, I would have lost all control, so I applaud you keeping your health up while struggling.

    Best wishes! *go see a doctor ASAP lol*
  • RosscoBoscko
    RosscoBoscko Posts: 632 Member
    I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and severe depression last year.

    At times it is hard to get the motivation to do anything, but I have found that focusing my mind on the fitness and weight loss has helped with suppressing some of the negative thoughts that I would usually have. Having said that some days you just have to accept that you are having a low day, and focus on finishing that day and starting afresh tomorrow.

    I am also lucky to have a couple of close friends who are there for me to talk when am hitting a low point and have been brilliant support, so I can't recommend enough having someone to confide in.

    When you go to the gym, do you train with anyone else as this has been a big thing for me, I train most of the time with a few others, so that a lot of the time it's a case of meeting them to train there rather than having to drag myself out on my own, although I do also go alone at times.

    For me the focus on the fitness etc, has enabled me to build slowly and bring myself off the medication I was on but I don't expect that there is one fix for everyone, it's a case of you needing to find whats best for you. Have you been to see the doctor about it since moving? Maybe some CBT might help?

    Oh and the one thing I still havent found the answer on is sleep, get by on very little most of the time, so thats the one am still trying to resolve as I think that is probably key to feeling better overall.
  • charlenelockhart3
    charlenelockhart3 Posts: 76
    Hi you sound very similar to me, I have suffered with depression for 8 years now as well as anxiety. I am the same if im left in the house on my own and have even rang my husband crying and begging him to come home from work before. I also struggle with the excersize. Food is fine but having the motivation to excersize is pretty much non existent.

    I think if we force ourselves to do it eventually we will want to do it. Feel free to add me as a friend if you wish xx
  • FierceFox81
    FierceFox81 Posts: 89
    So sorry to hear that you are going through all this. You have done a major lifestyle change by moving. This is probably what has triggered your symptoms to be so much stronger.

    It takes time to adjust to being home alone...no matter how old you are :) I have lived in many situations sense moving out of my parents home years ago. From living in the dorms, house full of girls on campus, with a boyfriend and now been living alone for about 6 years. I've actaully become really comfortable living by myself. Every now and then I do get an uneasy feeling though. Ways I find to comfort myself when I get that unsafe feeling; lights on, tv on when I go to bed, sometimes I close all the blinds put on happy dance music and bust a move (I'm not sure if closing the blinds is to keep creepers from seeing me or save my neighbors from having to see my terrible dance moves)...Also when you know your roomie will be gone, invite a friend over, or go to someone elses house for a bit.

    For the motivation part. Maybe try getting a gym membership. You can get out of the house and enjoy a group fitness class. You can find some gyms that will hold you more accountable for attending the classes. Sometimes making a friend in a class and planning what days you'll go will hold both of you accountable so you'll be more liking to hike up those happy pants and hit the gym.

    Hope you get it all figured out. Just remember you aren't alone. Everyone has those unmotivated days where we want to cry. Even if it's over something as silly as having to do laundry :) Take care!
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I have anxiety and PTSD. I have had many a day in my life where I have curled in a ball with back in the corner of a room and every window locked, deadbolt on and every light a-blazing. I take medication to help control the PTSD & anxiety symptoms, but have found that regular exercise really keeps most of it under control. Since I've started getting exercise regularly, I have had very few (like maybe one in the last year) anxiety attacks, and my general level of anxiety is decreased. My quality of life has improved so much that simply being able to go through a day without jumping because a leaf flew by is enough motivation to get my @ss out the door for a run.
  • mum2littledove
    mum2littledove Posts: 53 Member
    I have experience with both those things, and completely get when you say that an anxiety attack makes you unmotivated to do a thing. It causes such a shrinking away. Here's what worked for me.

    When I started running decent distances, I found that daily debilitating anxiety lessened to the point where it eventually went away. The trouble with that condition is that it self perpetuates itself, so even entering a room where you had experienced "the wave" before would trigger another one. It had gone on for a few years, and for me seemed to creep up through the day to a high point at night. It really was like a daily tide. Come morning it would have ebbed away, only to come back again triggered by stupid things. It's only when you've experienced it can you understand.

    Anyway, running seemed to break the triggers for me and make it stop until it eventually petered out of its own accord. But I then noticed if I missed a day of exercise, I would sometimes feel the stirrings of anxiety starting again. So I elected to always try to do a run (or at least a good walk) every morning, because that's when I'm always at my strongest. It meant getting up early, and changing my bedtime routine from a lifetime of being a night owl, but the fear of it returning was enough to get me out of bed at the crack of dawn. It is so so hard in winter, but winter passes and you just have to keep on top of it.

    So I think my single bit of advice would be to set your alarm for very early and exercise first thing. Provided you don't have a job with a 7am start it is possible. Sleep in your exercise gear if necessary. It will mean you are very tired at night, but for me that was another bonus because my anxiety was always worse at night and caused horrible insomnia.

    Depression is so much harder. If it's gripped me hard, I can't run or exercise - I can't see the point when I'm under the spell. What I have found is early morning exercise keeps it in check to so it can't tighten its grip on you, but once you're under it's very hard to keep going. I'd like to hear advice too from anyone on that.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    Yes, I battle depression too, and a few years ago one of my doctors suggested taking an anti-depressent. I'm still on it.

    Part of it with me is that I have a hormone imbalance that lends itself to depression, and another issue that makes it difficult to lose weight, but so easy to gain. Not to mention having had issues trying to conceive. Going through all of that made me realize that there are just some things (like the way my body operates with the hormones and all) that are beyond my control. I would love it if my body worked normally with the hormones and I would have no trouble conceiving, but there's truly nothing I can do about it. It's like being diabetic - you either have it or you don't, and the only thing you can do is try to tame the beast and keep it in the cage - if it gets out it'll run rampant.

    I understand about moving away from the famliy too. WHen I first got married I lived about 3-3.5 hours from my family. I currently live a little over two hours from them. Stay in contact with them as much as possible.

    Steps I took to help included taking the anti-depressants, seeking support from others, limiting my input of negative whether it was watching the news or limiting my exposure to negative people, even paying careful attention to the types of shows I was watching. The more you expose yourself to positive motivation, the easier it is to stay positive/motivated.

    One of my favorite songs is Celine Dion, "That's the way it is." It goes, "I can read your mind, and I know your story. I see what you're going through, yeah. It's an uphill climb in the feeling sorry, but I know it will come to you. So don't surrender cause you can win in this game called love....when you want it the most, there's no easy way out, when you're ready to go and you're heart's left in doubt - don't give up on your faith - love comes to those who believe it - and that's the way it is......when life is empty with no tomorrow and loneliness starts to call, baby don't worry - forget your sorrows, because love will conquer it all..."

    It helps to find something to believe in - call it God, Karma, good luck, or whatever your faith is.

    FOr what it's worth - and good luck!
  • sarathomas77
    sarathomas77 Posts: 1
    I recommend 5htp it helps me with anxiety and to sleep better when I have things on my mind and not sleeping well
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
    After 3 years on anti-depressants, my non-medication "prescription" now is:
    * Sunlight at leat 5 days out of 7, at least 6 hours a day (I have a lightbox on my desk)
    * 3x moderate to strenuous exercise per week: weights, cardio or both. For me, the weights gives a much more effective seratonin/dopamine shot, but YMMV
    * At least 7 hours sleep at least 5 nights out of 7
    * Low to moderate alcohol consumption, and not drinking any amount more than 3-4 days consecutively

    Winter is hard. Summer is easier.

    Motivation...that took time. Learning to manage depression is about learning to spot the signs earlier and earlier so the changes you have to make are smaller. After a few bouts, I can spot the slide early enough to realise that while my motivation for running might be low, my desire to spend 2 weeks hauling myself out of a depressive pit is even lower. So I go for the run.

    Counselling and/or cognitive behavioural therapy will also help. I can thrive without meds now because I did a LOT of work on my head while I was on them.
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
    I have depression and anxiety. I'm actually off work at the moment and have been for a month.
    Are you on antidepressants? I know not everyone wants to take them, but for me being on antidepressants really helps, both for anxiety and depression.
    2 weeks ago my dad gave me a kick up the bum (a well meani g I e) and since then I have left the house every single day. Even if it's just a 10 minute walk into town and back. Getting out of my normal 4 walls and being outside being moderately active has helped lift my mood.
    Avoiding alcohol really helps too. The most I've had in this episode is 2 pints of beer.
    Since my first episode over a year ago I completely avoid spirits.

    If you don't want to take antidepressants then like another poster suggested get some 5-HTP from Holland & Barrets. 5-HTP is the precursor to serotonin. The more of it you've got the more serotonin your body can produce. Low serotonin = low mood (on a basic level).

    Personally I'd go to your local GP and explain your situation and see what they. They may suggest ADs, counselling or both but it will help by taking that first step.

    If you want to friend me feel free.
    Hope you feel better soon x

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