Seems like such an unrealistic suggestion

If my therapist didn't do anything but tell me to exercise I'd never go back to her again.

Actually, if my therapist did other things, but then suggested that I exercise I wouldn't go back to her again.

We're not infants; we all know that we need to exercise. No therapist or doctor needs to tell us to exercise.

I don't think I'd be flipping her off in my car - I'm pretty sure I'd flip her off to her face, though.

I feel bad for you. You're already battling depression, the last thing you need is to have more burden placed on your shoulders.

I'm a person where the simplest things aren't always obvious. Sometimes it takes hitting me with a jumbo brick of the blatant to get through. This doctor is concerned and trying multiple approaches. I would continue the course of treatment.

I can say after exercising yesterday I felt pretty amazing, but I went to bed way too late last night. Had too much energy and I was hungry asf. It was kinda nice. My t badgers me about exercising too. Sometimes you just gotta motivate yourself to do things even though you don't want to. Here's my favorite motivational speech haha

And sometimes you can allow yourself to sit it out and wait until the depression passes. Because it will eventually, enough so you can do something without feeling immensely pressured to take some kind of action. As long as you keep breathing, it's enough for now. We're already too hard on ourselves. Doing is not always the best remedy for depression. Being can be beautiful, even while we're depressed.

I think it never helps to beat ourselves up about what we’re unable to do when depressed. I believe it is still important to have the goals of self care, which includes the exercise, but accept ehen we can’t meet them.

Man if I was Wonder Woman, I would have flipped her whole car over, forget just flipping her off! But in all fairness, my therapist throws in the "try to get in some exercise" comment in my sessions with him too. I give him a look, and he just jots it down on his notepad. I think after 11 years of therapy with him, he knows what that look means.

In my opinion, you have gotten more valuable advice on this thread than you got from her. The absolute BEST thing I saw was the suggestion of the "5 minute walk". I LOVE that because I am trying my best to do that too, (still gonna give my therapist that look though!). Also, I found some comfort in trying to stretch a little. I mean it may be a little difficult at first, but I find that if you can't do the walk, a little bit of the stretching can relieve you of some discomfort.

I agree.

Thanks, everyone!

I've been getting so depressed. This afternoon was the first day I was even able to step outside, because I had my pdoc appointment. He increased a med.

The 5 minutes start is what I'll try when I can. Of course if I can go longer I will. But not until I feel better.

Good for you for taking care of yourself by knowing what you hope to do, while also respecting your limitations.

I use small increments in starting anything new or difficult, particularly cleaning. I usually use 15 minutes as my minimum commitment, but if 5 is what you can manage then 5 minutes is a great start.