Depression/Anxiety getting in the way of Fitness Goals
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Hi, normally I don't like talking about my Depression and Anxiety but I wanted to see if there were others who deal with this who struggle getting physically healthy because of it. I am on medication but I still have ups and downs and have a hard time (a lot of the time) to get to the gym or do anything (except for lay in bed). I even have anxiety when I do go to the gym and it's crowded (silly I know) . For any who have dealt with this, was there anything you did to help?
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I am so with you there darlin. I have my ups and downs. I tried medication But after 4 different ones each giving me thoughts that scared me I'm done with medication! I'm starting to feel better tho. Eating better and seeing those results are a big part of it for me. My first few weeks I didn't even think of exercise I am simply starting out with my eating habits and Establishing A healthy relationship with food. I think I have that basically Down and The anxiety and depression have never been under control like they are now. As for the anxiety over a crowded gym its defiantly not silly Maybe look into a 24 hour gym and exercise at night or early morning until you become comfortable with yourself and the Equipment. If its a self image thing make it a mindset that everyone there is there for the same reason as you are and some of them probably started where you are. Make a friend bring a friend to the gym so you feel more comfortable. If there are fitness trainers ask them if they offer a free session (I went to a gym a few years ago and they allowed 3 free sessions every 3 months) It might make you feel more comfortable and you will know what u should be working on. Also My trainer introduced me to a few people who ended up being very helpful. My last tip is music... Zoning out to music will help your anxiety and help u focus on what your doing rather than who's around you. Good luck my friend.2
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I turn into an absolute slug in the winter time. (Some years worse than others.) I basically hibernate. I don't even know how it happens. It just comes on gradually with those subtle, creepy light changes in the fall (angle of the sun), and hits a peak in the dreary colder months. I usually enjoy exercise, going places and doing things most of the time, so it's very strange how I get sucked into this alternate universe of stagnation. It's kind of demoralizing, since I lose a lot of my fitness during this time. Sucks to get stuck there. Thankfully, I usually bounce back fairly quickly.
What helps me is thinking ahead to the coming spring and making sure that I get outside on the trails whenever the weather is good. Fresh air, sunshine, green plants and birds all make me happy. Often, I need other people (family, friends) to actually take me out and help motivate me. It's hard to get yourself to do things (not just exercise) when you're stuck like that. I know I need help to get moving when I'm like this. (Funny, since I love to do things on my own the rest of the year. I'm so high maintenance in the winter. LOL.)
My problem is primarily seasonal in nature. Luckily, I live in Southern California where the winter is very mild and very short. It's already spring here again and I've been getting more and more energetic and motivated. I couldn't imagine living in a place with extended winters. It would be hell for me.
I know what you mean about crowded gyms. I go with a buddy (usually my husband) in the off-peak hours, so it's not so bad. As for laying around in bed not doing anything: Yup, I feel you. There's this quality of being stuck. Like maybe there's plenty of things you could be doing or even want to do, but there's an invisible force field of indecisiveness preventing you from taking action. (This feeling of being stuck is almost a physical sensation, hard to describe to people who don't know what it's like.) Frustrating!
So each night, I try to write down one thing I want to accomplish the next day. Just one thing. Sometimes just doing that one thing (for example, a load of laundry, a 30 minute hike, whatever you pick) inspires me to keep going, and I end up getting tons of stuff done that day. Other days, I struggle to get just the one thing done, but I tell myself it's just one thing and I can stop after that, so I get it done. And that's a success that keeps me motivated into the future.
Hope this helps...
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CurvyPrincess66 wrote: »I am so with you there darlin. I have my ups and downs. I tried medication But after 4 different ones each giving me thoughts that scared me I'm done with medication! I'm starting to feel better tho. Eating better and seeing those results are a big part of it for me. My first few weeks I didn't even think of exercise I am simply starting out with my eating habits and Establishing A healthy relationship with food. I think I have that basically Down and The anxiety and depression have never been under control like they are now. As for the anxiety over a crowded gym its defiantly not silly Maybe look into a 24 hour gym and exercise at night or early morning until you become comfortable with yourself and the Equipment. If its a self image thing make it a mindset that everyone there is there for the same reason as you are and some of them probably started where you are. Make a friend bring a friend to the gym so you feel more comfortable. If there are fitness trainers ask them if they offer a free session (I went to a gym a few years ago and they allowed 3 free sessions every 3 months) It might make you feel more comfortable and you will know what u should be working on. Also My trainer introduced me to a few people who ended up being very helpful. My last tip is music... Zoning out to music will help your anxiety and help u focus on what your doing rather than who's around you. Good luck my friend.
Thanks... I don't care what people think of my in the Gym, I just get really anxious in crowds. I wasn't always like that but the older I get the worse it gets. I've been in the military for 8 years now so fitness and health has been a part of my life for years so I have no problem doing the bare minimum because of my job but anything other than that...nope. I need the medication because even though I still have ups and downs my downs are no where near what they would be if I didn't have medication. Thanks for the advice!
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Great advice... I will have to try that...So each night, I try to write down one thing I want to accomplish the next day. Just one thing. Sometimes just doing that one thing (for example, a load of laundry, a 30 minute hike, whatever you pick) inspires me to keep going, and I end up getting tons of stuff done that day. Other days, I struggle to get just the one thing done, but I tell myself it's just one thing and I can stop after that, so I get it done. And that's a success that keeps me motivated into the future.
Hope this helps...
thank you.
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I have the same issues as well as panic attacks. After being pretty much home bound I realized I had to do something. I signed up for Beachbody on demand and am able to do so many workouts. It's 30 some dollars every 3 months. The Cize and hip hop abs are great motivators . I love all the work outs really. There also free on line workouts on line as well so you may want to look into those. I hope this helps.0
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I struggle with the same, I've been off meds for a year now! Yay! I started running with friends around my neighborhood- I feel like having someone to work out with helps me heaps! Keeps me distracted a for a short time.
The gym is especially hard for me because I too have really bad anxiety, and I don't do very well around lots of people. But I have an awesome personal trainer, he helps me so much.
The idea about writing down ONE thing you wanna accomplish the next day sounds awesome! I will start doing that myself!
Little by little I hope to get better!
Feel free to message me if you ever wanna talk, always helps to talk to someone who can understand. x
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Fantasypugs wrote: »I have the same issues as well as panic attacks. After being pretty much home bound I realized I had to do something. I signed up for Beachbody on demand and am able to do so many workouts. It's 30 some dollars every 3 months. The Cize and hip hop abs are great motivators . I love all the work outs really. There also free on line workouts on line as well so you may want to look into those. I hope this helps.
Thanks..I'm gonna do that when I get home. I am currently gone for work. I appreciate that advice!
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CaptainAmericaGirlYASSS wrote: »I struggle with the same, I've been off meds for a year now! Yay! I started running with friends around my neighborhood- I feel like having someone to work out with helps me heaps! Keeps me distracted a for a short time.
The gym is especially hard for me because I too have really bad anxiety, and I don't do very well around lots of people. But I have an awesome personal trainer, he helps me so much.
The idea about writing down ONE thing you wanna accomplish the next day sounds awesome! I will start doing that myself!
Little by little I hope to get better!
Feel free to message me if you ever wanna talk, always helps to talk to someone who can understand. x
Hey thanks. It's nice to be reminded that I'm not the only one who deals with this. Unfortunately I don't make friends very easily to find a work out buddy; haven't had a close friend since high school. I hope to be in a better place mentally one day.
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CaptainAmericaGirlYASSS wrote: »I struggle with the same, I've been off meds for a year now! Yay! I started running with friends around my neighborhood- I feel like having someone to work out with helps me heaps! Keeps me distracted a for a short time.
The gym is especially hard for me because I too have really bad anxiety, and I don't do very well around lots of people. But I have an awesome personal trainer, he helps me so much.
The idea about writing down ONE thing you wanna accomplish the next day sounds awesome! I will start doing that myself!
Little by little I hope to get better!
Feel free to message me if you ever wanna talk, always helps to talk to someone who can understand. x
Hey thanks. It's nice to be reminded that I'm not the only one who deals with this. Unfortunately I don't make friends very easily to find a work out buddy; haven't had a close friend since high school. I hope to be in a better place mentally one day.
I'm sure you will be there one day hun, I was the same way... I wouldn't talk to people or even consider having a friend! But I think it takes the right kinda people, people who make you feel comfortable enough!
It'll come to you, like it did to me! x1 -
I have social anxiety it can be hard sometimes but just do your best1
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Honestly for me exercise is the best remedy. I'll just bundle up and go for a walk.1
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I have the same problem. Some days I just can't get out of bed and some days I want to eat everything in sight because of my depression and/or anxiety. I can push through sometimes, but not all the time. And talking a walk sometimes does help with my anxiety. I think we just have to be a little more forgiving of ourselves because our minds are different and affect our bodies.1
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You got this!
Here's my story.
Mine all started about 20 years ago when I was going through some personal/professional Sh-tuff. Then pile some marital problems on top of that. I started exercising to try to break the cycle and pull myself out of it. Unfortunately the exercise became an outlet for anger. I got in great shape. Down almost to Onederland. Six marathons, multiple triathlons including Ironman. All fueled on anger.
Then I got injured and we moved to a new city to make a "fresh start". I lost my support system and fitness crew. Along with it went my ability to care. Gained nearly 100 pounds. Big-time depression. No energy. No motivation. Every time I would try to exercise, it would trigger the anger, which made the depression worse, which increased the marital problems. Vicious cycle.
Medication and therapy helped, but didn't fix anything.
We moved again, and I got some more help, but the main thing is I committed myself to a goal that is larger than myself. I committed to a group. I am leading a group on an expedition (literally) to my happy place. There are others (including my kids) counting on me. Without me, they can't go. If I don't drop the weight and get in shape, I can't go.
I have learned that I am externally motivated. Feeling good about myself just doesn't exist. It only counts if others feel good about me, or if there is a tangible "prize" for me. So, Along the way I have set incremental goals with rewards. So far it seems to be working. It is like eating an elephant. One bite at a time.
TL;DR. Set an external goal, larger than yourself. One that you can't back out of. Then take it in small bites. Reward yourself for each "bite".
YMMV.
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Hi, normally I don't like talking about my Depression and Anxiety but I wanted to see if there were others who deal with this who struggle getting physically healthy because of it. I am on medication but I still have ups and downs and have a hard time (a lot of the time) to get to the gym or do anything (except for lay in bed). I even have anxiety when I do go to the gym and it's crowded (silly I know) . For any who have dealt with this, was there anything you did to help?
It's a vicious circle. You have anxiety and depression and know that exercise is key to helping balance your body, clear your mind, and center your spirit. But the depression causes you to not care and the anxiety makes going to the gym a scary prospect. But you HAVE TO.
For me, I had to find ways to detach my emotional and mental response and just "float", is what I called it. That is, to be present in what I am doing and only focus on that to quiet down the depression and anxiety in my mind and body. It was tough to learn, but I practiced and practiced, forcing myself at time to go through the motions of life when every fiber in my body was fighting me and my mind was lying and telling me not to go. But that is it...depression and anxiety are simply chemical reactions in your body that effect your emotional and physical well-being, and floating is simply the way I found to remove that barrier to getting my life back.
I've said it a bunch here. If you don't even want to workout or are stressed while working out, and you do 30 minutes of running, or if you are totally pumped to be there are go beast mode on those 30 minutes, the effect of the workout is exactly the same and what your body needs.
Find your ways to cope with it and push past the lies your body makes you feel. Do it at your own pace, as long as you find ways to keep moving forward.
My key "ah ha" moment was, I wasn't trying to find ways to conquer or cure my depression and anxiety so I could find myself or be myself again. I was still myself, but I had to learn and build the new me of learning to live with it as part of my life.
All the best.
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You got this!
Here's my story.
Mine all started about 20 years ago when I was going through some personal/professional Sh-tuff. Then pile some marital problems on top of that. I started exercising to try to break the cycle and pull myself out of it. Unfortunately the exercise became an outlet for anger. I got in great shape. Down almost to Onederland. Six marathons, multiple triathlons including Ironman. All fueled on anger.
Then I got injured and we moved to a new city to make a "fresh start". I lost my support system and fitness crew. Along with it went my ability to care. Gained nearly 100 pounds. Big-time depression. No energy. No motivation. Every time I would try to exercise, it would trigger the anger, which made the depression worse, which increased the marital problems. Vicious cycle.
Medication and therapy helped, but didn't fix anything.
We moved again, and I got some more help, but the main thing is I committed myself to a goal that is larger than myself. I committed to a group. I am leading a group on an expedition (literally) to my happy place. There are others (including my kids) counting on me. Without me, they can't go. If I don't drop the weight and get in shape, I can't go.
I have learned that I am externally motivated. Feeling good about myself just doesn't exist. It only counts if others feel good about me, or if there is a tangible "prize" for me. So, Along the way I have set incremental goals with rewards. So far it seems to be working. It is like eating an elephant. One bite at a time.
TL;DR. Set an external goal, larger than yourself. One that you can't back out of. Then take it in small bites. Reward yourself for each "bite".
YMMV.
Thanks for sharing your story. I am happy to hear that you have found ways of coping. 0 -
Hi, normally I don't like talking about my Depression and Anxiety but I wanted to see if there were others who deal with this who struggle getting physically healthy because of it. I am on medication but I still have ups and downs and have a hard time (a lot of the time) to get to the gym or do anything (except for lay in bed). I even have anxiety when I do go to the gym and it's crowded (silly I know) . For any who have dealt with this, was there anything you did to help?
It's a vicious circle. You have anxiety and depression and know that exercise is key to helping balance your body, clear your mind, and center your spirit. But the depression causes you to not care and the anxiety makes going to the gym a scary prospect. But you HAVE TO.
For me, I had to find ways to detach my emotional and mental response and just "float", is what I called it. That is, to be present in what I am doing and only focus on that to quiet down the depression and anxiety in my mind and body. It was tough to learn, but I practiced and practiced, forcing myself at time to go through the motions of life when every fiber in my body was fighting me and my mind was lying and telling me not to go. But that is it...depression and anxiety are simply chemical reactions in your body that effect your emotional and physical well-being, and floating is simply the way I found to remove that barrier to getting my life back.
I've said it a bunch here. If you don't even want to workout or are stressed while working out, and you do 30 minutes of running, or if you are totally pumped to be there are go beast mode on those 30 minutes, the effect of the workout is exactly the same and what your body needs.
Find your ways to cope with it and push past the lies your body makes you feel. Do it at your own pace, as long as you find ways to keep moving forward.
My key "ah ha" moment was, I wasn't trying to find ways to conquer or cure my depression and anxiety so I could find myself or be myself again. I was still myself, but I had to learn and build the new me of learning to live with it as part of my life.
All the best.
Thanks for the response... it is a vicious cycle! Depression and Anxiety effects every aspect of life. It gives me fatigue, head aches, causing me to become a hermit, causes weight gain, food craving when I feel empty and need to feed my emotions... the list goes on. But I know I need to keep moving. Once I stop then it's so hard to get back going again. I need to learn how to "float" I think starting is the hardest thing once I'm up and doing something I can force myself to keep going but it's getting up in the beginning that is hard. I too need to learn to live with this and not let it define me.
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I deal with anxiety and depression. I just workout at home seems to take the edge off for a little bit i tried several medications in the past but didnt like the effects. I can do fine with working out and eating fairly clean but once or twice a week i cant sleep at all and end up binge eating which overrides the exercise and healthy eating but thats what i struggle with. I know it mainly stems from my loneliness that was my biggest trigger to drink. I spent all of my twenties building relationships in and out of the bedroom around alcohol and now im in my 30s and clean and 2000+ miles from anyone i know besides my kids so i just focus on them and work and exercise but between the duties of being a single parent and working long hours and working out the stress breaks me sometimes but i just dust myself off and try again eventually i will get it right. What sucks is i have drastically improved my life and my kids lives our living situation kicked a 16 year addiction by myself while going through a nasty split with their mom and raising them by myself bought a house got raises at work lost 75+pounds best shape i have been since i was a teen but for some reason i still feel miserble. I guess for me the moral is its gonna suck either way might as well work hard and make where your miserable the best you can lmao.1
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Depression and anxiety here as well. You just have to force yourself to do the things you don't want to do. I look at how many years I've wasted and how far behind everyone else I am and it drives me to at the very least succeed in one area. I chose fitness bc that's the easiest choice out of everything. It doesn't require a support system, money or education (it can but there are ways around it) I don't have all of the answers bc I'm still in the process of digging myself out of a 5 year hole but as far as anxiety goes it's worked a bit for me to just play a role. You are not you. You are someone else. That someone else is confidant and cool. You can be an actor, a model, a scientist. Fake it until you make it. I've recently found that at the gym, if you run a bit on the treadmill first thing and the anxiety goes way down. You can't spend tons of energy on anxiety if you tire yourself out.2
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