[Xeneon]

Okay I was having a Chat in with some of the people in the chat room about depression and excerise. Yes excerise helps a person with depression. Excerise is really good to have with depression but when your in a depressed state it is very hard to find the will to do small things. Most people with depression have to find the will to live first and then go from there. Its not like people with depression choose to do nothing because thats how it is. People that are in a depressed state just can't see the light at the end of tunnel. So it makes it alot harder to have the motivation to get up and excerise. If your not in a depressed state at the moment then yes excerise in your life can help. One person says they don't have any sympathy for people that don't do anything because they are unfit. Someone mentioned something about depression. It has me so fired up because I don't like when people say things when they are so un-eduacated about it. I'm not saying I'm compeletly right but I have been in that depressed state before and when I came out of it all I could think of what have you done? People don't choose to be fat or to be depressed. Its in are brain or its what we know. Sense I have gotten out the state of mind, I have made changes in my life to become more healthier but when I was depresed. I just couldn't see the light at the tunnel so I did what I had to and that was it. Sorry but this is just how I feel. Depression is a beast and finding the will to go on is hard sometimes. To excerise when you have no will, no hope and no more energy to go on is impossible until you find the will to go on. Am I wrong?

This is not to offended anybody. Everybody has there right to have opinion, doen't mean we all are going to agree.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense. Thanks for reading if you did

Many people think that we need to find motivation before doing an action. I believe it's the total opposite: By doing an action, we find motivation to do more. The same goes with those who are depressed.

It has been proven time and again that doing things helps those who are depressed. I can tell you that all the times I overslept and did absolutely nothing while depressed...it ALWAYS made me feel worse.

But those times when I took an action, however small, I always felt better. Even if it was just getting up to watch TV, take a bath, read a magazine. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I am getting my mind off of how the depression is making me feel, if only for a little while.

Exercise is no different, and it helps so much in those who are depressed. I exercise 6 days a week and eat clean, and it has made a big difference.

To those who lie down and wait for motivation or willpower to arrive...I would guess that you will be very disappointed in the results.

[venusss]

I think that not doing something is in a way tempting. SOmebody talked on the forum about depression becoming a habbit few days ago... and I think it is pretty valid observation.

One has to break the cycle. No way around it.

[krisakira]

It completely depends on HOW depressed a person is. If you have mild depression, you could go take a walk out in the sunshine, that might help lift your mood. It is hard to make the decision but yes there are benefits. And then maybe you can start a schedule of doing it every day at a certain time and push yourself. Even with moderate depression you can push yourself. But if you have severe depression (like I have had many times) you feel like you can't do much more than get out of bed, if even that. There's a physical element to it, and it sucks all your energy out. It feels as though you just came home from exercising all DAY. I'm not going to tell you to run a mile! But it doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything. You can do a lighter activity, such as just go outside and sit, instead of taking the walk. Even if it is just to put pants on for the day. Something in which you can say, "I did this today."

[Aslan]

spring clean your house/ flat

[Perna]

It is always possible to do "something". I think defining "exercise" too legalistically, that you have to work out at a gym for 30+ minutes, etc., is what gets in our way.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/04...ion/12627.html

It's hard to get out of bed but not impossible. It's a choice and you can choose to do the hard stuff (get up and shower, dress, go eat a healthy meal) or stay in bed and sleep. There's an armed forces slogan I like, "The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a while longer."

[Gently1]

I have read some studies that mild or moderate depression improves with exercise.
This does not seem to be the case for severe depression.

In my experience when I was the most ill, I would not shower if I had an appointment, I needed the energy to get to therapy. Once I got to the hospital, I would be early and sleep for 30 to 45 minutes in a cozy library.
Then off to group therapy, then home and my day was done.
Looking back, even that was like an extreme sport.

Like Xeneon-said so well
"To excerise when you have no will, no hope and no more energy to go on is impossible until you find the will to go on. Am I wrong?"

No one is wrong, as what works or worked for me, might not work for you, yet in the sharing of different experiences it opens doors to other possiblities.

I would add the only way to find the will is get help for the thoughts and actions that are labeled as depression. There is hope.
G1

[Xeneon]

I hope you all don't think I'm lazy person. Just at the time I was depressed. I just know for me that I had a full schedule with college classes. I had afterschool responsiblities to go to. I had to walk to get anywhere like the stores and all that stuff. Just at the end of the day the last thing I could think about doing is going excerising for 30 minutes. I just know at the state of mind that I was in I could think clearly or anything. I did what I had to do at the time and at the end of the day I was exhausted.

[Xeneon]

Originally Posted by melissa.recovering

Many people think that we need to find motivation before doing an action. I believe it's the total opposite: By doing an action, we find motivation to do more. The same goes with those who are depressed.

It has been proven time and again that doing things helps those who are depressed. I can tell you that all the times I overslept and did absolutely nothing while depressed...it ALWAYS made me feel worse.

But those times when I took an action, however small, I always felt better. Even if it was just getting up to watch TV, take a bath, read a magazine. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I am getting my mind off of how the depression is making me feel, if only for a little while.

Exercise is no different, and it helps so much in those who are depressed. I exercise 6 days a week and eat clean, and it has made a big difference.

To those who lie down and wait for motivation or willpower to arrive...I would guess that you will be very disappointed in the results.

I totally get what your saying now. I just was having a hard time understanding you in chat. I agree with you here. I just was just thinking you thought they should excerise for along period or time. Yes that would help but it takes baby steps before that happens. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[turquoisesea]

Hope you don't mind my 2cents, I agree that it depends on the individual and the level of depression.

My therapist mentioned a number, I can't remember what percentage, but a large percentage of the population benefits from about 20 min aerobic exercise, and it can often be as effective as psych meds (according to my T) but another portion of the population has no effect on mood (according to T). So right there, its already dependent on the person.

I think it's GOOD to have people push you to get out , to exercise, and to overcome the feelings. However, I over time have found that for MYSELF, there are times that my bf, for instance, pushing me to get out of the apartment and moving would make it WORSE, and other times it would make it better. =O I have learned to identify the difference in these moods and deal with them accordingly. For me, this awareness of myself and what "type" of depression I was dealing with really really helped.

Hands down, imo depression is a personal experience. there are as many different types of depression as there are people and each person needs to find their own way. I do believe in exercise as a way to try helping a person, and I do believe it is good advice to try to overcome. Depression is something we need to fight, but fighting smart is better than randomly throwing punches, so the more you can learn about your individual experience the better.

[lynn P.]

I know what its like to be in excellent physical shape but I've slacked off since my marriage problem the last few years. I didn't gain weight since I eat healthy, but I'm not toned or in good cardio condition - very disappointed in myself. After hearing about the recently published study of bus drivers verses the workers who are ticket agents - they found the ticket agents who were on their feet, lived longer compared to the bus drivers who sat all day. This scared me, since I'm all into living as long as I can.

I want to start but its like starting all over again and I struggle with motivation. Its the battle of my mind and getting to the point of 'doing it' and I agree this is what prevents most of us from doing it. I also agree with Melissa - don't wait for the motivation, just dive and do something and it doesn't have be a rigid routine. For today, I decided to do little things - like every commercial break I get up. Instead of walking to another room, I jog there. Instead of standing while preparing food, I'll do calf exercises...standing on your toes...up and down. Next time you have to go to another room - jog lightly. I went to heat up my tea in the microwave for 45 seconds, so I did 45 jumping jacks. Little things all day probably adds up to 30min by the end of the day. Hopefully this will ease me into a regular routine and back in good health again. Sitting too much causes a multitude of health problems. I'm thinking of getting one of those medicine balls to sit on when I'm at the computer.