December 2021 Monthly Running Challenge

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  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    Re: the podcast. Given that some recent studies have found exercise was at least as effective at improving depression as meds, I don’t see how it’s a bad thing that runners self-medicate with exercise.

    Also, I would be interested in controls, since comparing runners to the population as a whole is ignoring that runners aren’t demographically the same as the population as a whole. Runners tend to be whiter, middle aged, and upper middle class compared to the general population. There was a joke that Strava global heat maps was a map of where rich white people live. Are these people over reporting mental illness because they are more likely to have access to a sympathetic doctor willing to prescribe meds?
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 5,956 Member
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    @Tramboman Glad you were able to get your foot to quit hurting. Funny about the people commenting on your attire. Glad you had a good, happy run.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,056 Member
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    rheddmobile wrote: »
    Re: the podcast. Given that some recent studies have found exercise was at least as effective at improving depression as meds, I don’t see how it’s a bad thing that runners self-medicate with exercise.

    Also, I would be interested in controls, since comparing runners to the population as a whole is ignoring that runners aren’t demographically the same as the population as a whole. Runners tend to be whiter, middle aged, and upper middle class compared to the general population. There was a joke that Strava global heat maps was a map of where rich white people live. Are these people over reporting mental illness because they are more likely to have access to a sympathetic doctor willing to prescribe meds?

    The lack of diversity was mentioned as a limitation in the paper. The author acknowledged that ultraendurance athletes were overwhelmingly white. Regarding controls, while not perfect, the population at large is not a terrible control for the study. Mental illness is way under diagnosed in people of color and in poorer populations in the US and the study population was not 100% white. As per overreporting, I don’t think so. Rich white people have issues with mental illness as well, and you have to keep in mind that the study collected info not just for things like depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD, etc but a variety of eating disorders as well. For whatever reason that is sort of getting lost in the discussion.
    The first several pages of the study and a portion of the podcast acknowledged prior studies that showed moderate amounts of exercise (like the typically recommended 3-4 days a week for 30 mins) were effective at improving symptoms mental illness. This study particularly addresses ultra endurance athletes and stratified them based on hours of training, all of which were well beyond the range of moderate exercise. It was never insinuated that moderate exercise to treat/assist with mental health issues was problematic. It was more discussing whether there was a point where the benefits of exercise become outweighed by potential harms. Such as, are people using training for an Ironman to cover their exercise bulimia or are they using carb-loading to cover for binge eating? That sort of thing. Also, she discussed whether adhering to extreme levels of training for extended periods of time actually caused some mental illness for some people. Exercise addiction, anxiety related to missing life events versus missing a workout, depression being under recognized because these athletes don’t fit the idea in our heads of what a depressed person looks like.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,972 Member
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    I hope all who celebrated had a Merry Christmas! My kids were here and it was really nice. I didn't run today, but I don't usually run on Saturdays. I am planning on a run in the morning though.

    I like your idea @quilteryoyo and if @skippygirlsmom and @shanaber are in agreement then I can set us up as "Keeping it Sleasy" on RTY 2022.

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