Exercise vrs. Antidepressants

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Is any one able to manage anxiety and depression with regular exercise instead of medications? I've been running and swimming for years and it seems to help a lot, most of the time.

Z

Article in news today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7263494.stm

For all my opinion is worth, I won't take medications unless I can trust them. Currently, I only trust Nyquil and Advil.

I've been referred to a psychiatrist by doctors, parents, and psychologists. I don't look forward to it.

Whenever I exercised, I didn't really feel that much different. I might not be paying attention though. Yesterday I was pretty down but I snapped myself out of it and actually exercised. So it wasn't the exercise that did it, just some drive inside me. It's weird. I can only snap myself out of whatever ails me. I can't use other methods other than my mind as it rarely helps in the (long term).

And I heard about that on the Radio (iceb's link).

I have a similar ability. I had very bad anxiety in college, couldn't eat etc. After some gastrointestinal tests (there was nothing wrong with me, I was told), and visits to a psychiatrist (there was nothing wrong with me, I was just a little depressed), I thought to myself, "maybe my stomach/gastro problems are because I am letting stress get to me." I started exercising to reduce stress, and flipped a mental switch - I would not worry (fixate) about people and events that I couldn't control. Flipping the switch helped a great deal - it didn't eliminate anxiety, but reduced it enough that for the most part the stomach problems ended.

I have to agree that it seems more like my mental state and the way I react to things determines my depressions or anxieties, more so than my exercise. Though if it were just a chemical imbalance I'm sure exercise would help that. I workout 4-5 times a week and I only get depressed when my aspie mind can't handle something.

I exercise regularly AND take antidepressants. I definitely feel worse when I don't get exercise, but I don't have time to do exercise that is only exercise. It's gotta be worked into the rest of my life, and when the weather is bad it's tough.

I've always been an athlete, and I've always had bouts of depression. I'm happy with both meds & exercise.

(btw... I'm also AD/HD, and the H. needs its exercise!)

I don't take anti-depressants. I don't trust ANY of them.

Regular exercise doesn't always "cure" my depression...but makes me feel better for a while. When I was taking anti-depressants [citalopram] they actually made my depression worse and had nasty side effects.
I would rather take the natural approach if possible from now on.

I feel really good after exercising, especially running, but I don't think my overall mood has changed otherwise.

I love exercise and it helped me get over some low-level depression I had about 10 years ago (I didn't even know I was depressed until I began exercising regularly and my mood improved significantly), but all that said, I honestly don't think exercise is going to help someone with clinical depression - or it might, but only to a certain extent. I had a case of the blues, nothing really serious.

The thing with exercise, you have to be doing it intensely enough to raise your endorphin level for the "good feeling" part to really kick in. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this but I will anyway - I learned about the endorphin thing because before I started exercising regularly, I had a rather tight off-and-on-again relationship with certain opiates. Well, one day I was exercising and I got EXACTLY the same feeling I got when I got high. So you KNOW I went chasing after that! No wonder I felt better! In any case, that's part of what makes you feel good after exercise, and if you get in the habit of exercising 4 or more times a week, it will definitely do wonders for your mood. I MADE it part of my life because I felt - and looked! - so much better.

But if someone is depressed enough to seek help and possibly need medication, I don't think I would consider doing exercise in its place. It's always possible to do both.

-J.

If you really need the meds, then exercise alone won't do it. If you don't need meds, then exercise will really make a difference in your mood.

Here's a link to the original paper:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045

Hi, I think you're opinion's worth plenty. I'm curious, though: what is it about Nyquil and Advil that have earned your trust?


I hope it will be helpful for you.


Is snapping yourself out of it the same thing as using willpower?

1) I trust nyquil and advil because they work and don't change my personality. Besides, Nyquil tastes very close to jager. A+++++:D

2) I don't like being recommended pills, shots, whatever.

3) Not really. I usually lack motivation, but sometimes there is a "switch" that is flipped on no matter how terrible a day has been. It brings me to a higher state. I become more energetic. Willpower, I lack. I can tell myself "do this, do that" and my body will not react.

I think people dismiss the power of exercise to regulate mood as New Age tripe. It is incredibly effective, and as a person who has been subjected to a number of drugs, I would say it is easily on par in terms of importance. The problem for me, however, is that I find it incredibly difficult to exercise in front of people.

I used to run early in the morning to avoid the crowds and noise of the day but the meds I was put on were causing me to sleep 12+ hours a day so I gave this routine up. I then started trying to run at night, but was harassed by roving gangs of youth and cars honking as they drove by. For someone hypersensitive to noise, people randomly honking at you is like a physical assault.

It's sad that someone who really enjoys being fit is kept from doing so by fear of people.

I miss the times in my youth where I'd work out and push my body to it's absolute limit...and the high of accomplishment that would come thereafter.

I'd really like to get into the habit again, for it was relieving, but...booze is just so much easier

It's a shame that anyone would dismiss the power of exercise for promoting wellness. It definitely can have a positive effect on mood.

Having said that, I would not necessarily agree that exercise and medications are interchangeable. Depression seems like a very complex condition, so I am cautious about any medication, psychotherapy, or other treatment that seems like a complete way of fixing it.