Exercising with Mental Health Problems
CharlotteRose82
Posts: 53 Member
I have some fairly severe problems with my mental health. These impact me massively when it comes to physical activity. When I'm manic I am physically much more active, I can go out walking for miles and miles, I dance and I have all the energy. For the last 6+ months I've been chronically depressed, most days I lie on the settee or bed, the furthest I tend to walk on a daily basis is the chemist when I get my medication. One of the worst parts is the anxiety I get whenever I do leave the house. Part of me really wants to go out and walk in the fresh air and the other part is petrified of going anywhere.
All of this is a never ending cycle of guilt. I constantly tell myself I should go for walks, I should get out in the fresh air, it will be good for you etc etc, but the reality is its far much harder than just putting on my shoes and setting off. I could exercise in the house but again that whole lack of motivation etc that comes with the depressive state is just killing me.
I really need to find the motivation to start physically moving and making an indent into the 10,000 steps I should be doing per day.
Anyone else that struggles with anxiety and depression how do you motivate yourself when things are bad? What sort of things do you do?
All of this is a never ending cycle of guilt. I constantly tell myself I should go for walks, I should get out in the fresh air, it will be good for you etc etc, but the reality is its far much harder than just putting on my shoes and setting off. I could exercise in the house but again that whole lack of motivation etc that comes with the depressive state is just killing me.
I really need to find the motivation to start physically moving and making an indent into the 10,000 steps I should be doing per day.
Anyone else that struggles with anxiety and depression how do you motivate yourself when things are bad? What sort of things do you do?
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Replies
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Talk to your chemist and your doctor. They can make adjustments.
You do not have to be active to lose weight. Log in the diary and eat less food than you have been eating.0 -
I have a severe anxiety disorder,my doc constantly recemends exercise to help with my symptoms
since its so hard to get out by myself even with the 5 medications i take daily to cope
his suggestions are to go out at night,when nobody is around....but still couldnt do it
So i bought exercise dvds free weights, ankle weights and a yoga mat so that i could work out at home
Im ok going out if somebody is with me and sometimes go to a fitness class with a friend
Its hard and a daily struggle...but i feel the most comfortable and safe in my own home
Even dancing around my kitchen makes me feel alot better
good luck hun
you can do this xo
Feel free to message me if u want to chat
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I have severe anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, depression and ptsd... I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have had luck with sticking to the calorie goal and I use Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home videos.. it helps a lot and it's a great workout. You can find them on youtube. I will friend you, and feel free to message me anytime.0
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Snow__White wrote: »Even dancing around my kitchen makes me feel alot better
I dance in my dining room lol
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Medications are definitely important, but individual or group psychotherapy may help you develop some healthy coping skills for your mood disorder. Best of luck to you!0
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Could you go out for walks early in the morning or in the evening when there are fewer people around? I love going running but also have social anxiety so don't like to go running in places where there will be a lot of people. So I go really early in the morning, or on a quiet trail outside of town.
Exercise has actually helped me a lot, it really helps to balance out my moods.0 -
For me, working through major depression is an ongoing process, and I really relate to your challenges, CharlotteRose82. The first pieces to put in place for me were meds and counseling, as that combination has the best track record for learning to live with mental illness. Meds took several months of trial and error to get right, and I went to more than one counselor (painfully, wasn't even driving at that point) just to find a person who could help me find the issues weighing me down and help me lighten my psychological load--an Obi-Won Kenobi of sorts. Exercise was the next piece to put in place, along with making sure I was sleeping not too much and not too little. I developed a daily routine of: breakfast, meds, coffee, prayer, and exercise every morning whether I was feeling up to it or not. This was the first time I really had to be intentional about my health, but laying this foundation day after day after day helped me stay balanced and enjoy life again.
Believe me, by nature I am spontaneous and fun-loving, but in my low times I see my daily routine as a kind of ladder leading me out of the pit of despair. Exercise has been critical in giving me more energy for the day beyond merely surviving it, and I write my fitness plans into my schedule like any other important appointment. I make sure I have no excuses for some kind of workout each day: I keep workout clothes on their own hook, and have a list of YouTube workouts cued up. (My current favorite is Yoga With Adriene, and I'd recommend her Yoga for Complete Beginners as well as Yoga for When You're Sick. I love her easygoing approach to "find what feels good" and practice of yoga as a means of taking care of yourself.) I try to stay within my calorie goals as much as possible.
Two years after the onset of depression, I still try to schedule work and appointments around my daily regimen. And I never pack my day, either, leaving room for a relaxing evening or quiet weekends. I enjoy food and cooking, but have learned to keep things simple: one-pot meals in either a slow-cooker or in the oven, with a side of raw fruit or veggies. I am learning not to keep binge-worthy foods at home.
I've learned to look at mental illness as requiring a different lifestyle from what I had before, and possibly a very good life as it's lived with intention. Looking back, my recovery started with my decision to work at living with it, working with professionals to help me develop a strategy for each day, and finding people who support me over the long haul, namely my husband.
My heartfelt sympathies and best wishes to you.
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babyleonard5 wrote: »I have severe anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, depression and ptsd... I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have had luck with sticking to the calorie goal and I use Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home videos.. it helps a lot and it's a great workout. You can find them on youtube. I will friend you, and feel free to message me anytime.
Thank you, it's horrendous isn't it, often feeling like a prisoner in your own home. I've accepted the friend request and I'll have a look on YouTube for the workout. I. can usually stick to the calorie goal but it's the lack of movement that makes me feel extremely guilty/lazy etc.
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Snow__White wrote: »I have a severe anxiety disorder,my doc constantly recemends exercise to help with my symptoms
since its so hard to get out by myself even with the 5 medications i take daily to cope
his suggestions are to go out at night,when nobody is around....but still couldnt do it
So i bought exercise dvds free weights, ankle weights and a yoga mat so that i could work out at home
Im ok going out if somebody is with me and sometimes go to a fitness class with a friend
Its hard and a daily struggle...but i feel the most comfortable and safe in my own home
Even dancing around my kitchen makes me feel alot better
good luck hun
you can do this xo
Feel free to message me if u want to chat
I have some weights etc at home I just need to find the motivation to do something. I usually feel safe when I go out with my sister which is usually every Saturday for coffee and a wonder around the small retail park but if it's too busy I run for the hills (not literally, otherwise that would be half the exercise problem solved)0 -
smotheredincheese wrote: »Could you go out for walks early in the morning or in the evening when there are fewer people around? I love going running but also have social anxiety so don't like to go running in places where there will be a lot of people. So I go really early in the morning, or on a quiet trail outside of town.
Exercise has actually helped me a lot, it really helps to balance out my moods.
I do try but the fear disables me. It's the summer holidays here soon and I'm hoping that with my daughter being off school and me having her most of the time for the next 4 weeks she'll come walking with me in the mornings
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That does sound really difficult.
I don't know what options you have locally, but one of my friends actually runs exercise classes specifically for people with anxiety issues. The idea is that it's a safe space for people who recognise that exercise helps them manage their symptoms, and she also includes relaxation time at the end. There might be somebody running something similar near you. Going for walks with your sister sounds like a good idea too - maybe she could come round and encourage you to do exercise videos together or routines from YouTube?0 -
masihbelum wrote: »For me, working through major depression is an ongoing process, and I really relate to your challenges, CharlotteRose82. The first pieces to put in place for me were meds and counseling, as that combination has the best track record for learning to live with mental illness. Meds took several months of trial and error to get right, and I went to more than one counselor (painfully, wasn't even driving at that point) just to find a person who could help me find the issues weighing me down and help me lighten my psychological load--an Obi-Won Kenobi of sorts. Exercise was the next piece to put in place, along with making sure I was sleeping not too much and not too little. I developed a daily routine of: breakfast, meds, coffee, prayer, and exercise every morning whether I was feeling up to it or not. This was the first time I really had to be intentional about my health, but laying this foundation day after day after day helped me stay balanced and enjoy life again.
Believe me, by nature I am spontaneous and fun-loving, but in my low times I see my daily routine as a kind of ladder leading me out of the pit of despair. Exercise has been critical in giving me more energy for the day beyond merely surviving it, and I write my fitness plans into my schedule like any other important appointment. I make sure I have no excuses for some kind of workout each day: I keep workout clothes on their own hook, and have a list of YouTube workouts cued up. (My current favorite is Yoga With Adriene, and I'd recommend her Yoga for Complete Beginners as well as Yoga for When You're Sick. I love her easygoing approach to "find what feels good" and practice of yoga as a means of taking care of yourself.) I try to stay within my calorie goals as much as possible.
Two years after the onset of depression, I still try to schedule work and appointments around my daily regimen. And I never pack my day, either, leaving room for a relaxing evening or quiet weekends. I enjoy food and cooking, but have learned to keep things simple: one-pot meals in either a slow-cooker or in the oven, with a side of raw fruit or veggies. I am learning not to keep binge-worthy foods at home.
I've learned to look at mental illness as requiring a different lifestyle from what I had before, and possibly a very good life as it's lived with intention. Looking back, my recovery started with my decision to work at living with it, working with professionals to help me develop a strategy for each day, and finding people who support me over the long haul, namely my husband.
My heartfelt sympathies and best wishes to you.
Thank you very much. I'm trying to find a balance with medication but the bipolar means stability changes at the drop of the hat. This is one of the longest depressive episodes I've had in a while, luckily I've just started on a new anti depressant as the one I tried at the end of last year made me "ill", fingers crossed o get some respite and can't start working on the other things
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You clearly recognise the issue, so you have to have that in mind in your day to day actions.
If you wnat to exercise for health benefits, then it has its place. Instead of going from active to inactive with huge swings, try and do little and often.
1. Try and move a bit more in everyday life, walk to the shops etc.
2. Have a plan where you control how much intentional exercise you do 15,20 mins each day tick it off your list of daily tasks and when youve done it for a week increase it by 5-10 mins till you find some balance. If you have it as your daily routine then you do it out of habit, it will be easy to achieve and you need to work on the control aspect of no more and no guilt by stopping there.
Do keep on with the exercise it really helps.0 -
Do you have access to a garden at home? When I can't face getting out in the world, I walk around the deck of my pool. It helps me get my steps in and get some fresh air without leaving the safety of my own home. My pool is tiny so it takes lots and lots of laps around it - but it gets the job done. 0
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I have bipolar type 2. Some days I can't exercise. But usually I am able to walk, even if I feel bad. Walking is a great way to feel better, too.
Also, I hope you feel better-- I know, it is a terrible thing to deal with.0 -
When I can't face leaving the house, I clean and organize the house for a few hours, walk up and down the hall reading my Kindle, pace while talking on the phone, or dance to music. I'm trying not to be like that, but since it comes and goes, I've found ways to be active anywhere. It actually cheers me up when I get something done, even more than when I just exercise.0
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At-home HIIT and toning workouts have helped me enormously when I'm too depressed or anxious to leave the house. I'll tell myself to just start one of the videos, promising myself that I can stop if it feels too awful, but I usually finish. Videos from Tone It Up are my favorite!0
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I have anxiety and depression as well. One thing for me was working with my doctor to find the right med combo for me. There are still days I come home from work and want nothing more than to take a nap. But I know working out regularly makes me feel better. I don't do gyms, I don't like working out in front of people. So I turned my spare bedroom into a workout space with a nice elliptical and I buy new fitness dvds fairly often. I just started using videos on youtube as well from Jessica Smith. She's got many types of free workouts. Having a variety and something I enjoy doing is helpful to get me motivated. Its a struggle. I hope this helps, if nothing else than at least you know you aren't alone, there are many of us here facing the same or similar hurdles.
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I suffer with depression and post traumatic stress. I joined a group that runs bike rides every week. (I could ride but they will teach you how to if you dont know). It has made a huge difference to the way I feel and deal with my depression. It gives me more energy to do more stuff. On the difficult days I rationalize it. Get up off the chair and do something, anything. The more you do the more you want to do. The worst thing you can actually do is sit/lie and do nothing. Exercise gives you the happiness hormones, a good sense of achievement and it can break the depression habits. Because I ride in a group I feel I would be letting people down if I didnt go. So rain or shine Im out there on a bike lent by them. If the instructor can come from 40 miles away I can get off my butt and ride with them.0
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fingers crossed o get some respite and can't start working on the other things
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Just checking in. Hope you're seeing some progress in finding the right meds and moving a bit more. One day at a time! Take care.0 -
Med-resistant dysthymia (which is a lifelong persistent depression vs. the major depressive episodes) and social anxiety here.... Exercise is the HARDEST thing for me. I have had breakdowns just sitting in my car outside of the gym because I can't force myself to get in there, and most days I feel pretty dang accomplished if I have clean socks on. Group activities are a NO GO, and I tend to just....quit.... everything I try to do alone at home and go back to bed. Daily routines are extremely difficult for me to stick to because I just flat out don't have the energy, motivation, or general willingness to persist at things that make me feel even more miserable than I feel when I wake up. Haven't found my sweet spot yet at all. When I have bouts of double depression (major depression ON TOP of my usual dysthymia) it's even harder.
I don't have any helpful advice, but I want to thank you for posting the question because it's gotten some suggestions I haven't tried yet and seeing other people post on the topic does make me feel like I should keep trying.
Good luck.
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That does sound really difficult.
I don't know what options you have locally, but one of my friends actually runs exercise classes specifically for people with anxiety issues. The idea is that it's a safe space for people who recognise that exercise helps them manage their symptoms, and she also includes relaxation time at the end. There might be somebody running something similar near you. Going for walks with your sister sounds like a good idea too - maybe she could come round and encourage you to do exercise videos together or routines from YouTube?
I really have to go look for one of these. My city kind of sucks when it comes to support, so I doubt there's anything like it here, but I'm definitely going to look. That sounds really nice.0
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