Stress? Depression? Anxiety? - EXERCISE!!

Melinda1987
Melinda1987 Posts: 130
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
Something hit me the other day when talking to my best friend (who got me interested in this site). She's been exercising for nearly 6 weeks now - almost daily. STRENUOUS exercise - zumba, hour-long cycling classes, etc. And as I sat in her house and talked to her I could see the change. I don't mean physically - which is happening too - I mean mentally. She's far more positive & confident than she's been in years! I wondered if she noticed it too, so I asked "How's your mood been?" Knowing full well she suffers from depression & anxiety (as I do). She beamed "Wonderful! It's amazing!"

It reminded me of an article I read years ago about depression. I was diagnosed with depression shortly after my hysterectomy in '99, but not really treated until after my first suicide attempt in '02. Anyhow, the article I read somewhere (I have no memory of where) said basically that depression or some form of mental illness or eating disorder or SOMETHING effects such a LARGE portion of our population these days, and that most people site "stress in modern life" as a reason. But that is pure crap! Look back 200 or 300 years. You wanna talk stress?? Those people had hard lives! But no one talked about depression or anorexia or panic attacks. Granted - psychology not exactly a big field of study then. But I really don't think that's the point. Those people had physical labor. They got up and MOVED every day. So Amy & I got t talking about that and she said that it was absolutely true that there's a correlation - her therapist explained it to her.

That kinda irks me because in the 9 years that I've seen therapists & shrinks no one EVER explained that exercise would actually boost the chemicals in my brain that I'm currently relying on meds to boost! SHEESH! I'm not paranoid but it makes you wonder who's paid off by the pharmaceutical companies. Regardless - NOW I know! So that's why I'm not just focusing on healthier food choices (which used to be all I worried about - exercise would come "later"). I started a 21 Day Exercise Challenge group because I personally want to make a NEW HABIT out of exercising. They say 21 days to make a habit, so that's what I'm working on. And let me say - I'm only on Day 2 and it's working like GANGBUSTERS! I exercise in the morning and the smile doesn't leave my face all day. Not only is my mood elevated, but I handle stress better. Who knew?? :bigsmile:

Replies

  • daintycake
    daintycake Posts: 23
    i was just thinking about this the other day. I go through spurts of eating really clean and exercising pretty hard core for weeks and then fall off the wagon only to start up again and well.. lather, rinse, repeat. So now i am really focused on making healthy eating and living a permanent lifestyle change, which is what brought me here.

    As part of the lifestyle change I have committed myself to working out regularly. i've been very stressed at work for awhile now and the regular exercise makes SUCH a difference. If I work out in the morning my day is pretty much set to AWESOME. It's like things that normally would bother me don't when I've exercised.

    I can definitely see how exercise can become addicting because it is a total mood changer!!
  • alexbowser
    alexbowser Posts: 322
    Absolutely agree with everything you say.

    When I feel stressed, there's nothing like a long tough walk to calm me. I've only lost 16 pounds, but I already feel so much better and more confident.

    I wish someone had told me years ago how good it would feel to exercise consistently. I feel like an unstoppable goddess after my Zumba classes.
  • TheresaRichardson
    TheresaRichardson Posts: 167
    Good for you for making the connection! And thanks for the reminder. Motivation for me to exercise tomorrow morning!
  • AngelaPowPowPOW
    AngelaPowPowPOW Posts: 293
    The funny thing....all they told me to do was exercise and eat healthy. Every single one of those doctor's told me that. Who did I listen to finally? A therapist I finally decided to go to after suffering from anxiety and massive panic attacks weren't going away. He said it in a 20 minute, first session. I started that day. If only I listened WAY back in the day.
  • Melinda1987
    Melinda1987 Posts: 130
    The funny thing....all they told me to do was exercise and eat healthy. Every single one of those doctor's told me that. Who did I listen to finally? A therapist I finally decided to go to after suffering from anxiety and massive panic attacks weren't going away. He said it in a 20 minute, first session. I started that day. If only I listened WAY back in the day.

    Well that's the thing Ang. Every freakin Doc I've seen (medical, not psychiatric) in my LIFE has said things like 'You need to lose weight" (ya think??) and "You should exercise." Pffft - who pays attention to something like that?? It's like telling me I should drive below the speedlimit - bite me, right? I wish someone had taken the time to EXPLAIN. Tell me the benefits. Not just "it's good for you" - so is tofu, but I hate that crap. I'm a logical person though - I was a programmer for 15+ years. Give me the logic of it, and I will do it. But oh well - I'm just glad I know NOW! Moving forward... ;-)
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    So very true - I think most of the chronic health problems people have (both physical and mental) would be solved by simple healthy eating and exercise. I know it makes a huge difference if I've had a rough day at work and I go for a run or weight class or even yoga - I feel so much better, I can deal with the problems much more rationally, and I don't have the negative effects that indulging in comfort food would produce.

    Good luck and I hope exercise becomes an integral part of your life!
  • AngelaPowPowPOW
    AngelaPowPowPOW Posts: 293
    Oh mine told me...explained...shared pamphlets and their own personal experiences. I, however, didn't listen, because I wasn't ready to dedicate myself like that, I guess. Like an alcoholic or a junkie...you know they NEED to do something. They know they NEED to do something, but until they are ready, what's the point? lol
  • 44isthenew29
    44isthenew29 Posts: 141
    I've suffered from depression for a very long time. I've studied it, talked about it, and knew how beneficial exercise was. When I used to work out regularly, my depression was more manageable. However, I went through periods of such lows that I couldn't even get out of bed. I knew that getting up and even going for a walk would be helpful, but when it was THAT bad, all I wanted to do was sleep.
  • SJSharksChick
    SJSharksChick Posts: 83 Member
    I don't know where I'd be right now w/o exercise.

    This past winter, I dealt with an ectopic pregnancy. It was by far the hardest, most depressing thing I've ever been through.

    My doctors put me on antidepressants, which helped slightly, but once I was well enough to exercise, I actually felt like myself again. It's amazing what getting up & moving/being healthy does for the body & soul. :)
  • ehilgeman
    ehilgeman Posts: 45
    OMG. Exercise keeps me sane. I have a stressful job and some more stress going on at home right now. Without regular exercise, I'd go postal. Sooooo much better than Prozac.
  • ambraroberts
    ambraroberts Posts: 9
    www.drnedley.com :)
  • justleeanne
    justleeanne Posts: 251 Member
    It is true that exercise can improve people's mental health because of the endorphins etc that are released, there will be heaps of info online about this, I can't believe your doctor didn't recommend this to you at some point. I am glad that you and your friend are both feeling so good, keep it up! :)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I have had depression a couple of times (post natal) and my doctor has always said exercise is the key. The thing is, I don't find it makes me any less depressed. What it does do is occupy me so I am not depressed/anxious WHILE I am exercising, so as long as I never give myself a break to sit down and think I am ok, but the moment I do, it's as bad as ever.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    being injured right now and not being able to exercise (for the first time in 4 years since turning my life around) is driving me insane!!!

    I don't know what people do with themselves after work?? :P
  • jenbk2
    jenbk2 Posts: 614 Member
    I have to say that I totally agree with this. I haven't worked out in the past couple of weeks. I can tell my mood has changed.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I've always heard about exercise helping, but I've never had the energy to start. And when I would work up the energy to start exercising, invariably I would catch a cold or something a week after starting and then I'd get out of the loop. When I started exercising along with MFP back in like January or February, I noticed a marked change, and it helped keep me in the habit because I liked it so much. But then my cousin died, and it was the first of a series of incidents that just knocked me off my feet, and I didn't exercise for 6 weeks. The depression made me not want to exercise, and then not exercising made me more depressed. So I got back on the workout bandwagon last week, and I'm already feeling so much better, even through my period.

    The problem with exercise and depression is that depression saps your energy so much that it's hard to get started exercising. Nobody ever tells you how to get over that hurdle and just get started.
  • bex879165
    bex879165 Posts: 121 Member
    I suffered with post natal depression after the birth of my 2nd in 2009. It took me months to admit there was a problem and I needed help but eventually I got there and they gave me anti depressants. Nowhere along the way did anyone mention exercise! I was on the tablets for nearly 12 months and gradually weaned myself off them - I felt as though they weren't really hitting the spot anymore. I've been ok but things easily get me down and something just clicked after xmas - I knew I needed to lose weight and the feeling that I was slipping back to how i'd felt before the tablets was a kick up the bum enough for me to start my diet!! I've now lost 21lb since the end of Feb - still a way to go yet but i'm exercising 6/7 days a week and feel guilty if I don't. It's great!! :-)
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