Do any of you work out to escape depression?

Cardiokilledme
Cardiokilledme Posts: 8 Member
in Motivation and Support

I've suffered from severe depression for a long time. I spend a lot of my available free time in the gym. I train hard there to the point that people think I'm getting ready for a competition (I look almost like I'm ready for a competition). What they don't know is that I work out so hard at the gym because it's the only thing that lets me escape myself. It actually makes me feel good for a change but whenever I leave the gym I just fall back into depression. The gym for me has just become a place to feel normal I guess. It is the only place that I feel normal. Sometimes though people notice the muscles you have and they admire them but to me I know that the only reason I have them is because of how I feel inside. While they admire them I just look at myself and feel so broken. Can anyone relate?

Replies

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Supposedly one study found that exercise is as effective for depression as meds. So you are definitely not alone there. I had an episode of depression in college but fortunately haven’t had to deal with chronic depression. You have my sympathy.

    You didn’t choose to be depressed, but you did choose to go to the gym and work out in order to help yourself. That’s brave and smart. Your muscles came from your own work to feel better. I hope you can be proud of them, because I think you have done something to be proud of.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I used to find that exercise lifted my mood well beyond just that session. A couple years ago, I started working out again, and it didn't have that effect. That was the summer I realized that it was time to get some professional help. It took a long time and I had to work through some painful stuff, but counseling helped me in ways that exercise really couldn't. I had to get to the point where I believed that dealing with the crap had to be less painful than staying where I was. I don't know if you've been to counseling, but I highly recommend it. I'm sorry you are going through this.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    so insightful...and I'm glad you have the gym as a place that makes you feel some balance. I guess the bonus to that is that you're super fit...which is great. I wonder if there is some trigger..leaving the gym that throws you into a depression. Maybe a really good counselor could help put you on the right path to have that same feeling of well being when you leave the gym. I wish you the best.
  • mariececilia10
    mariececilia10 Posts: 77 Member
    edited June 2019
    Your accomplishments definitely are something to be proud of. Look around at how many of us struggle to take care of our bodies! What you’ve achieved is extremely difficult. In addition to therapy and/or medication, maybe ask yourself what you would pursue if you knew you couldn’t fail at it. You love being in the gym and working on your body, so maybe take it a step further and actually start competing. Or if you ask yourself the question and realize it’s something entirely different, start taking baby steps toward that goal.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i'm glad exercise works for you.

    it has no affect on my depression. maybe a little on my anxiety because i make myself too tired to worry
  • Cardiokilledme
    Cardiokilledme Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you for the responses. I supposed it could be worse. One could escape to alcohol, drugs, gambling or whatever misdeeds to escape depression but I choose the gym.

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