Exercise and anxiety/depression

I know some of you are out there. Is it just a meme? How much has exercise helped with your struggle?

Bonus question:
To anyone that has recovered or is in the process, did you take medication? Or should it be avoided

I don't believe exercise helped in the slightest. Before the depression hit i was going to the gym five times a week and then i couldn't go at all. I took three years off and finally got back into it but the depression is never cured.

I've had many issues, among them depression.

The best I ever felt was when I was working out an hour or so a day, and I was losing weight, feeling confident.

It will halt depression in it's tracks, but it's something you need to keep up.

I know Veeky Forums won't like to hear this, but in my experience cardio ends to help more with depression than lifting.

One hour a day three times a week is enough to keep my depression at bay. I think it comes down to working towards personal improvement.

i dont think exercise will ever cure someones anxiety or depression. but going to the gym regularly has helped lift me out of some tough spots, given me more confidence and alleviated my mood.
Generally gives you more energy throughout the day if you're exercising regularly rather than the lethargy that comes with some conditions.

If you really do suffer, then your demons will still come to visit every couple of months full fledged instead of being a medium amplitude, everyday-thing.

Hasn't solved anything, but if I didn't go to the gym I would have probably killed myself by now.

It at least gives you something to focus on, something to feel a sense of accomplishment with.

This.

>Be a sad kunt
>Gf left me
>Watch Forrest gump
>Just randomly start running
>Run through neighborhood with the biggest grin
>So fucking happy for no reason, just wanna run really fast through the botanical garden
>Feel sensation I felt when running as a little kid
>Run as fast as I can through park, zig zagging and all
>People staring but so happy I just don't care

No wonder dumb people are so happy, they realize the enjoyment to be found in the little things.

I've been diagnosed major depression disorder. It was seriously affecting my life. Lost a really good job, lost my girlfriend after that because I really didn't care about anything in life at the time

For two years I tried the psychiatrist/therapist solution. I was prescribed 5 different SSRIs/SNRIs, a few benzos, anti-psychotics, and other meds. Not all at once but different combinations. Anti-depressants will make things feel "ok". But that means your lows will feel "ok" AND your highs will feel "ok". Sex isn't as fun. Whatever your hobbies are won't be as fun. Your life is just kind of meh while on an anti-depressant. It doesn't get rid of depressive thoughts for the severely depressed, it just makes you less reactive to them.

All during this time I would make short commitments to "going to the gym" or "lifting". For a week I would take it seriously, then go intermittently, and then stop for a while. I would get a brief high at the start, think life was great, and then lose the motivation and go back to my normal depressive self.

A few months ago I started taking exercise and diet seriously for the first time. At first it sucks, but seeing improvements in myself is the key to getting over my depression, I think. Being able to finish your number of sets when I failed the week before is amazing. Running a mile for the first time without walking at all? Huge milestone.

It's only been a few months but I can feel my mindset changing. I think about what I'm going to do tomorrow instead of dreading the past and today. I am being good to myself instead of constantly undermining myself. I don't think depressive thoughts will ever go away entirely, but when you seek to improve yourself and really, really follow through with it, you are directly combating self-hatred.

I firmly believe my workout routine helps keep off my depression. It just makes me happy to run and lift weights. And it forces me to eat more/better since I need the calories from all the working out. And it helps me go to sleep quickly at night so I get more sleep – just another way to keep depression at bay.

But, way beyond exercise, I think meditation helped me with my depression more than anything.

The doc who got me through and out of an episode of depression/anxiety (with a sprinkle of panic disorder, ~6 panic attacks per day at random) encouraged me to stay off meds "if I'm feeling brave enough" and focus on just doing the body-scan meditation he gave me a recording of when the anxiety hit and keeping a journal.

The idea apparently is that recovery is usually faster and more robust if you can survive the worst of it un-drugged and climb out of it. Every time I've compared experiences with someone who's gone through it and went the drug route, this seems to get verified. It took me no more than a few days of practicing the meditation and journaling to feel like, "Okay, I'm feeling brave, I think I will actually improve," no more than a few weeks to feel like I was "safe" with enough tools to keep the worst of the deep numbness and random panic at bay, and no more than a few months before my shrink said I seemed fine and cut me loose. I agreed. That was 7 years ago, haven't seen a psychologist since, and being care-free and even-keeled have become big parts of what's apparently my persona and reputation.

Also yeah, exercise is an actual scientifically-verified depression treatment too. The real core of my own strategy was meditation, but shortly thereafter I found exercise and Veeky Forums and next thing I knew I was playing a sport and loving life. So yeah, go for that too.

Well it helps in the way that I have something to look forward everyday.

It's actually been quite the opposite effect for me. The more I lift, the more I hate myself. The greater the numbers climb, the more I curse myself for not doing more.

For me, hatred is the fuel for pretty much everything I do. Hatred for the guy I was yesterday and the guy i am today.

had the same thing but now I cant bring myself to hate. I don't know where my motivation comes from anymore

Thanks for all the responses lads, helped ease my mind for now knowing i may actually be able to get through this

This

you've been smoking DMT, huh?

Cardio leads to greater release of endorphins so this makes sense

It helped with my depression tons. If I stop lifting I'll eventually stop caring about everything and sit in my room for days. Anxiety just stayed the same though, sadly.

severe depression here. i took anti-depressants and lithium; gained like twenty pounds in two months, formerly ectomorph with god-level metabolism.

lifting releases endorphins and raises test levels. i've increased my volume; never felt better. i've tried some really harsh drugs because a low dose anti-depressant gave me complications; pills that made me cry, collapse, feel like shit.

i've seen intelligent, sensitive people overcome their depression with low doses of anti-depressants/anti-psychotics.

working out keeps me balanced. try GSLP with several accessories MWF

forgot to mention i'm not currently taking medication and don't plan to unless my situation worsens dramatically and i become suicidal

>Anti-depressants will make things feel "ok". But that means your lows will feel "ok" AND your highs will feel "ok". Sex isn't as fun. Whatever your hobbies are won't be as fun. Your life is just kind of meh while on an anti-depressant. It doesn't get rid of depressive thoughts for the severely depressed, it just makes you less reactive to them.

This sounds like my life and I'm not on anti-depressants.

No Exercise:
>look in mirror
>be fat and weak
>more depressed

With Exercise:
>stronger
>healthier
>girls take second glances at you
>people treat you better
>people are more interested in speaking to you

tl;dr yes it helps, it won't solve depression but it helps

congrats, it seems that anti-depressants have never actually helped anyone I know. It's just made them fat and more depressed

LIFTING definitely something that helps, but its not often a full "cure" for me lifting HEAVY makes me feel fucking alive and i look forward to lifting heavier each time. Depression IMO feels like you arent "living" just going through the motions. Heavy legs day makes you feel like your souls being fucking devoured, pulled appart and your drowning in turbulent water.
Cardio is, the bomb as well, endorphin make you feel content and happy.
Agreed, meditation is probably best of all, by a long shot. Very painful at first, uncomfortable untill you work through your own shit. But it forces you to do so, It quietens the negative and reinforces the positive and gives clarity

Elevated spirit is weak, lowered spirit is weak.
Be calm, you are on the right path