Anxiety and depression= Lack of motivation :(

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  • taylorwaylor
    taylorwaylor Posts: 417 Member
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    You just gatta push yourself. I have depression and anxiety too and I rarely miss a workout.... When i first started going to the gym i didnt want to, but after awhile its just a habit and i love that place now :) ha. Ohh and dont spend all your time on cardio... strength train!! Seriously!!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Id love to honestly, but my personal problems wont allow me. Im not making excuses honestly lol. New year I tried going back to my local sports centre, and couldnt stay :(

    The very best thing you can do for yourself and your mood is to exercise!!! I know it's hard to get out there if you've got anxiety or panic disorder. And those feelings of being stuck and helpless don't help the depression. Are you seeing a psychiatrist for this? Sometimes a little anti-anxiety medication can help you get over the rough spots and help you cope with stressful situations until you get used to going and start feeling more comfortable. The more isolated you are the harder it is to heal, and the more practice you have in getting out and doing the things you want to do, the less you will need meds to do them. They are a crutch, but they can be useful in transitioning back to normalcy. Then, you can taper off. Just something to think about. If you aren't comfortable with meds or find yourself still struggling, is there a way you could find alternative means to exercise? Videos at home, walking near your home, etc...Good luck! It can and will get better! :flowerforyou:
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    ...Unless you have a physical disability, or some issue about timing, or a medical issue not related to your mental health, this *is* an excuse. I say so becuase i have the same shiznit...

    This "shiznit" manifests itself in different ways and in different levels of severity. Maybe you don't have the same shiznit after all.
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
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    Walking? Daylight, exercise and de-stressing all in one :)
  • farleyface
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    I can sympathize with your mental health issues. I would encourage you to make a commitment to exercise "soon" is not a real commitment. Exercise will also help with your anxiety and depression. I would also encourage you to seek medical attention for your anxiety and depression, prescribed medication can be very helpful.
  • vmekash
    vmekash Posts: 422 Member
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    I know nothing about depression, but I do know that exercising regularly makes me feel an overall sense of well being. I don't stick to a rigid schedule re exercise, but I do try to fit cardio in about every other day (at least M,W,F) and try to do strength training on T, and Th. If all I can muster is a stroll around the block, it makes a big difference in my overall feeling on any given day.
    Best to you.
  • krisbychiken
    krisbychiken Posts: 72 Member
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    I feel the same way every few months and gain weight from it (being a couch potato and bingeing...a lot.) Then I feel even worse because I gained so much weight and feel so awful that I get fed up with myself. Maybe start small with videos and walks. Once you see the scale move and start feeling healthier through dieting, you'll gain the courage to do more and get to a gym.

    They say to take meds for it and I've tried it once before. But I couldn't afford it at one point and stopped taking it. Now that I am losing weight and living healthier, I can honestly say it makes me feel better than any pill out there.

    Good luck!
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
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    I have anxiety and depression as well, going to the gym helps huge!!! without it I would be much worse....the motivation is hard sometimes but you just have to do it, get up and go, no excuses. Exercise .
  • kathleenmary73
    kathleenmary73 Posts: 33 Member
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    Honey I spent a life time using food for comfort--I know what you are suffering from and I can identify. Food is a fabulous coping mechanism, but it has it's drawbacks. So we have to learn how to cope with something a little less fattening. problem is, we spend so much time and effort building our dependency on food, we have to realize that it is going to take a good bit of concentration and effort to relieve ourselves of this problem. The first thing I can tell you is that you have to be aware of what you are doing--pay attention to what is happening in you and understand why you are reaching for the cake, the cookies, the pizza--if you are not hungry, then why are you wanting it? You have to really understand yourself and know what is going on in you. Sometimes this takes a while to get, but once you are able to recognize why you're going to the food, then you have the opportunity to fix the problem. I am going for brownies because I just had a fight with my husband and I want chocolate to appease my anger. Will it it work? Hell no! I'm going to eat that entire plate of brownies and still be angry. So what can I do to cope with the anger? Well, I can either beat the hell out of my husband or take my anger out of something that is not chocolate. My solution? Tai Chi. I determine in myself, to get alone and do 2 maybe three moves and I talk myself out of the chocolate. Does it always work? No, sometimes I go for the protein shake--it's chocolate and sweet and once I get it down, I feel better. It takes the edge off. I'd say out of twelve incidents in a week, I can tai chi myself out of eight or nine of them, we got shakes for the rest. I can tell you that I have not done brownies since I came up with the solution in December, Dec 1, in fact. I do hope this has helped you. This is my opinion and I just want to help you.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    ...I'd say out of twelve incidents in a week, I can tai chi myself out of eight or nine of them, we got shakes for the rest...

    That's so adorable! Sounds like you've got a great coping strategy there! I wonder if those tai chi moments have an effect similar to self-hypnosis. :heart: