Does anyone else here suffer from depression? How has exercise helped you with it?

[Jane P.]

Exercise helped a lot when I first began doing it years ago. It was a positive change in my life. However, as it became a routine part of my life the depression returned. Still, I would not give up exercise and I'm not sorry I started exercising. There are so many causes of depression including genetic ones. It can be a very hard nut to crack.

[Hej]

I excercise regularly, i.e. every day. Have been doing that since childhood-- except when I've been seriously unwell. For me, activity is the normal state of affairs, like toothbrushing, showering, picking up and putting away, eating, etc. The whole problem with depression is that you don't have the energy to do those things, you simply can't live. Seeing is as if you have a thick glass fishbowl upside down over your head, moving is like moving through molten lead. You can barely exist and all you can manage is the minimum to avoid physical death-- which actually you would prefer, but you don't even have the energy or the hope for that.

Would improving objective circumstances like being clean, living in an orderly environment, having nutrition, moving the body out in the sunshine help with "feeling better"? Well... yes. But that's a bit like saying getting rid of your sore throat, cough, watery eyes, fever, and stuffy nose would help you feel better from having a cold. Or that you could achieve those things through a force of will.

Exercise is part of health and it's part of life. For me it makes no sense to talk about exercise as a cure for depression. As far as I can see, that kind of talk misses the whole point of what exercise and depression actually are.

[topfitmama]

Hej,
I see what you are talking about. I have been at the place where everything, even a load of laundry that needed hanging up, seemed huge and unsurmountable. I do think that regular exercise helps minimize depression and keeps me sane most of the time. I notice that sunlight helps a lot, but there are beautiful summer days when I've been so beaten down that the thought of having to go out made me want to curl up under that proverbial rock all the more.

Depression is not fun. And it's a lot worse when people tell you to just "get up and do it" , "get out and you'll feel better" or "just stop fretting". It's lack of understanding of the basic that we don't choose depression.
Yes, there is some truth to being able to choose to get up, go out, etc... but the amount of energy it takes just to move and get started is sometimes just not there. And that energy has to come from within. Nobody can push you to want to go out.

Someone up the thread mentioned faith helping her. I'm glad it helps you. I have had to step away from regular contact with religion in order to stop feeling so bad about having depressive phases.

[Hej]

Originally Posted by topfitmama

Hej,
I see what you are talking about. I have been at the place where everything, even a load of laundry that needed hanging up, seemed huge and unsurmountable. I do think that regular exercise helps minimize depression and keeps me sane most of the time. I notice that sunlight helps a lot, but there are beautiful summer days when I've been so beaten down that the thought of having to go out made me want to curl up under that proverbial rock all the more.

Depression is not fun. And it's a lot worse when people tell you to just "get up and do it" , "get out and you'll feel better" or "just stop fretting". It's lack of understanding of the basic that we don't choose depression.
Yes, there is some truth to being able to choose to get up, go out, etc... but the amount of energy it takes just to move and get started is sometimes just not there. And that energy has to come from within. Nobody can push you to want to go out.

Someone up the thread mentioned faith helping her. I'm glad it helps you. I have had to step away from regular contact with religion in order to stop feeling so bad about having depressive phases.

Thank you for your kind response, concern, empathy, and understanding. I can understand why you might have to step back from organized religion while being in a deeply depressed place. I find the tone of some of the posts in these types of threads quasi-religious, with excercise providing the path to salvation. Exercise doesn't help my depression. Faith either. Though if it helps others, I'm very glad to hear it. For me, depression is the inability of exercise, hope, faith, life. Competent, expert medical care and treatment help me. And the love, patience, understanding, and practical day-to-day care of my family. Nothing else.

[roz]

Originally Posted by Hej

I excercise regularly, i.e. every day. Have been doing that since childhood-- except when I've been seriously unwell. For me, activity is the normal state of affairs, like toothbrushing, showering, picking up and putting away, eating, etc. The whole problem with depression is that you don't have the energy to do those things, you simply can't live. Seeing is as if you have a thick glass fishbowl upside down over your head, moving is like moving through molten lead. You can barely exist and all you can manage is the minimum to avoid physical death-- which actually you would prefer, but you don't even have the energy or the hope for that.

Would improving objective circumstances like being clean, living in an orderly environment, having nutrition, moving the body out in the sunshine help with "feeling better"? Well... yes. But that's a bit like saying getting rid of your sore throat, cough, watery eyes, fever, and stuffy nose would help you feel better from having a cold. Or that you could achieve those things through a force of will.

Exercise is part of health and it's part of life. For me it makes no sense to talk about exercise as a cure for depression. As far as I can see, that kind of talk misses the whole point of what exercise and depression actually are.

Exactly.

[roz]

Originally Posted by topfitmama

Hej,
I see what you are talking about. I have been at the place where everything, even a load of laundry that needed hanging up, seemed huge and unsurmountable. I do think that regular exercise helps minimize depression and keeps me sane most of the time. I notice that sunlight helps a lot, but there are beautiful summer days when I've been so beaten down that the thought of having to go out made me want to curl up under that proverbial rock all the more.

Depression is not fun. And it's a lot worse when people tell you to just "get up and do it" , "get out and you'll feel better" or "just stop fretting". It's lack of understanding of the basic that we don't choose depression.
Yes, there is some truth to being able to choose to get up, go out, etc... but the amount of energy it takes just to move and get started is sometimes just not there. And that energy has to come from within. Nobody can push you to want to go out.

Someone up the thread mentioned faith helping her. I'm glad it helps you. I have had to step away from regular contact with religion in order to stop feeling so bad about having depressive phases.

Ah.. a beautiful sunny day. Usually makes me more depressed because I know that I can't enjoy it.
Thanks for sharing.

[horsemom2]

Starting to exercise pulled me out of my deepest funk over 11 years ago and I have used exercise to not just elevate my mood but to keep me from going that deep ever since.
Just recently a series of events were pulling me down and about the only thing that kept me from sinking deeper and deeper was exercise.

Barb S
who is fine now but cannot say the same about myself just last week
(cannot believe that Kathy Smith's kettlebell workout with music only was my anti-depressant but it worked!)

[Pippadog]

Hi

I can relate to alot of comments here. I suffer with depression off and on. I've had a couple of major episodes and also I am diagnosed with OCD. I try to exercise when I'm low but when the depression kicks in its very hard to get out of bed let alone workout. I know I should but my big saviour are my dogs and walking them over a field near where I live is my real sanctuary. I love it and it always lifts me. Also my medications keep me going although I wonder if they're working sometimes lol. I can imagine faith could help alot of people. Personally I like to get back to nature and let that work through me.

Laura

[toaster]

Hi Bob,

I'm a psychologist, and I recently reviewed a book that you might like called Depression 101. It's a short book, but it's full of helpful information about taking a very proactive approach towards depression by taking control of things like exercise, diet, sleep, etc. (The authors do discuss the role of therapy and medication for the most serious forms of depression, but that's not a major focus of the book.)

[topfitmama]

That book sounds interesting, Beth, thanks for sharing!