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Zonder
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 23, 2008
Age: 44
Posts: 611
Location: Great Lakes
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 Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:37 am Post subject: 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
_________________
. . . the basest of all things is to be afraid . . .
William Faulkner
Nobel Prize Speech, 1950
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iceb
Tarkalean hawk
Joined: Apr 27, 2007
Posts: 1256
Location: The Liberator flight deck
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oscuria
Verbal Guerrilla
Joined: Feb 01, 2008
Posts: 1930
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: |
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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). |
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Zonder
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 23, 2008
Age: 44
Posts: 611
Location: Great Lakes
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| oscuria wrote: | | 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). |
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.
_________________
. . . the basest of all things is to be afraid . . .
William Faulkner
Nobel Prize Speech, 1950
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Centinela
Hummingbird
Joined: Feb 13, 2008
Age: 28
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:57 am Post subject: |
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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.  |
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Melly
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Dec 14, 2007
Posts: 33
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject: I do both |
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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!) |
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Brittany2907
Self-Proclaimed Animal Lover
Joined: Jun 10, 2007
Age: 17
Posts: 3729
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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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. 
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The hero is no braver than the ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
You haven't failed until you quit trying.
- Unknown Author.
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Arbie
Educated Stupid
Joined: Mar 23, 2007
Posts: 1586
Location: Near Greenville S.C.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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| I feel really good after exercising, especially running, but I don't think my overall mood has changed otherwise. |
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MsJ
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Feb 18, 2008
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:19 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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Space
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 03, 2006
Age: 25
Posts: 1605
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| Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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| 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. |
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regularguy
Raven
Joined: Oct 29, 2007
Age: 44
Posts: 107
Location: Chicago, IL USA
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regularguy
Raven
Joined: Oct 29, 2007
Age: 44
Posts: 107
Location: Chicago, IL USA
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| Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| oscuria wrote: | | For all my opinion is worth, I won't take medications unless I can trust them. Currently, I only trust Nyquil and Advil. |
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?
| Quote: | | I've been referred to a psychiatrist by doctors, parents, and psychologists. I don't look forward to it. |
I hope it will be helpful for you.
| Quote: | | 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). |
Is snapping yourself out of it the same thing as using willpower?
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All the best to you,
Steve |
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oscuria
Verbal Guerrilla
Joined: Feb 01, 2008
Posts: 1930
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| Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:05 am Post subject: |
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| regularguy wrote: | | oscuria wrote: | | For all my opinion is worth, I won't take medications unless I can trust them. Currently, I only trust Nyquil and Advil. |
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?
| Quote: | | I've been referred to a psychiatrist by doctors, parents, and psychologists. I don't look forward to it. |
I hope it will be helpful for you.
| Quote: | | 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). |
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+++++
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. |
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ignisfatuus
Raven
Joined: Feb 06, 2008
Posts: 116
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| Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:12 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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Bluesummers
Benevolent Dreamer
Joined: Feb 13, 2008
Age: 22
Posts: 1178
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Exercise vrs. Antidepressants |
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| Zonder wrote: | 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 |
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
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