!Crazy Depression and Exercise!

Disclaimer : I am aware everyone's biology is different so different effects are seen with each person, I am also aware that the extent of depression/stress varies hugely, I am no expert either , just interested in this field :holmes:

We're always told about the immense benefits that physical and mental well being can bring :ahee:

but I am guilty of making excuses like 'I'm too tired/busy/unmotivated/lazy' for sport :facepalm:

or failing to actively lift my own mood and try a new perspective (although this is very difficult for all when feeling down :facepalm2:

)

however, after reading some of the potential effects in worse cases, I released the drastic effects physical and mental health can have :moon:

Physical - exercise (20min/day) means …

•

Obese and moderate fit = half Death Rate to normal weight and unfit

•

20% lower risk of breast cancer

•

30% lower risk of falls + depression + dementia + early death

•

35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke

•

50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes + colon cancer

•

68% lower risk of hip fracture

•

83% lower risk of osteoarthritis

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/whybeactive.aspx
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/486727

:h:

Mental – Less depression/stress means…

•

Wounds (pretty sure acne is a wound too) heal 40% faster for days if no strong Argument with lover/’yourself’

•

half coronary artery disease chance

•

Heart attack + cardio disease less chance (decreased HR/blood vessel less constricted)

•

Pain sensitivity decreased even headaches

•

Immune system stronger even against colds

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/how-moods-affect-our-health-764289.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/effects-on-body#9

The actual chances and numbers are all up for debate, but to see the extreme worse cases and how many different body parts were affected was a complete revelation for me. :u:

I hope you realize how strong the benefits are now for exercising/being in a good mood even if taking the steps to achieve these are very difficult at least you may by more motivated to do so now. :h:

NOTE: I have adapted the mental effects to be positive instead of negative, eg a source may have said 2x chance of coronary artery disease chance when depressed so I rephrased it as 'half coronary artery disease chance' when less depressed to make the stats like positive (ie same stat but reversed) :wink:

NOTE: I have also adapted the mental health section for w/lover and added 'yourself' since I believe self arguments/self hate is as strong if not stronger than to a significant other for some cases :dontknow:

NOTE: I know I said 'crazy' and although these studies have be done for a while now, I still found them pretty crazy in terms of how much was affected and to what potential extent
:holmes:

(edited 5 years ago)

Everyone knows the benefits it's hammered into you by every doctor you see. I took up the gym and rlly tried to get into it but it was making me even more exhausted than before even on my 'good' days. This thread comes across as naive, am sorry but it just sounds like those people that say oh just adopt a positive mental attitude. There are also a lot more mental conditions than just depression and you seem to be conflating feeling down and stressed with depression.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 2

username1339858_

16

Yes there are immense benefits to exercise, we all know that. Drilled into us.
I don't know, I'm starting to believe exercise helps if you're feeling down but not necessarily for depression as such. I assume it's the same for other MH issues.

Agree, every proffesoanl you see even if it's just a mentor or a counsellor is like 'have you tried excercise'
Yep and people get them mixed up which is irritating. Unless people have experience of depression/mental illness or are medically qualified I don't think they are in any position to give advice to depressed people about how to feel better. Is patronising at best.

Reply 4

ForestShadow

OP

22

Original post by CoolCavy

this thread comes across as naive, am sorry but it just sounds like those people that say oh just adopt a positive mental attitude.

thanks for taking the time to read it coolcavy, I tried to make sure the sources were all credible enough on the validity front.

Sorry if I came across advising ppl to 'just be positive when thinking', I never said to adopt a positive attitude instantly regardless of the individual's extent of mental health, I just said these points could act as motivation solely.

In my disclaimer I tried to point out that the spectrum of mental health varies hugely and I am no expert. (ie naiive perhaps)

Reply 5

username1339858_

16

Original post by CoolCavy

Agree, every proffesoanl you see even if it's just a mentor or a counsellor is like 'have you tried excercise'
Yep and people get them mixed up which is irritating. Unless people have experience of depression/mental illness or are medically qualified I don't think they are in any position to give advice to depressed people about how to feel better. Is patronising at best.

I think people who haven't been depressed just don't get it. Only thing they can relate to is the 'feeling down' aspect and ofc that can be helped with exercise.
I tried exercising when I was quite depressed, one thing is the challenege to even get to exercising, another is to feel a difference. Felt no difference, think I even felt worse because the 'miracle cure' didn't work for me.

Original post by ForestShadow

thanks for taking the time to read it coolcavy, I tried to make sure the sources were all credible enough on the validity front.

Sorry if I came across advising ppl to 'just be positive when thinking', I never said to adopt a positive attitude instantly regardless of the individual's extent of mental health, I just said these points could act as motivation solely.

In my disclaimer I tried to point out that the spectrum of mental health varies hugely and I am no expert. (ie naiive perhaps)

I know you mean well and am not trying to bash you but I think it's a bit of a simplistic outlook. Whilst people may not know the exact statistics the majority know that excersise is meant to help and if this was going to motivate them it would have done so already but motivation is incredibly hard with depression, is one of the symptoms.

Prsom, I think this little cartoon sums it up well:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/db/04/6e/db046e48fbaca835cc3154d42748b71f--healthy-lifestyle-random-things.jpg

Reply 7

Danny Dorito

20

Original post by ForestShadow

Disclaimer : I am aware everyone's biology is different so different effects are seen with each person, I am also aware that the extent of depression/stress varies hugely, I am no expert either , just interested in this field :holmes:

We're always told about the immense benefits that physical and mental well being can bring :ahee:

but I am guilty of making excuses like 'I'm too tired/busy/unmotivated/lazy' for sport :facepalm:

or failing to actively lift my own mood and try a new perspective (although this is very difficult for all when feeling down :facepalm2:

)

however, after reading some of the potential effects in worse cases, I released the drastic effects physical and mental health can have :moon:

Physical - exercise (20min/day) means …

•

Obese and moderate fit = half Death Rate to normal weight and unfit

•

20% lower risk of breast cancer

•

30% lower risk of falls + depression + dementia + early death

•

35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke

•

50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes + colon cancer

•

68% lower risk of hip fracture

•

83% lower risk of osteoarthritis

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/whybeactive.aspx
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/486727

:h:

Mental – Less depression/stress means…

•

Wounds (pretty sure acne is a wound too) heal 40% faster for days if no strong Argument with lover/’yourself’

•

half coronary artery disease chance

•

Heart attack + cardio disease less chance (decreased HR/blood vessel less constricted)

•

Pain sensitivity decreased even headaches

•

Immune system stronger even against colds

•

Suppressed Anger = 2x heart attack/stroke + cancer

•

Angry outburst = heart attack + stroke chance 5x over 50

Solution to last 2 points is a controlled communication/outlet of anger so its not suppressed but not an outburst either

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/how-moods-affect-our-health-764289.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/effects-on-body#9

The actual chances and numbers are all up for debate, but to see the extreme worse cases and how many different body parts were affected was a complete revelation for me. :u:

I hope you realize how strong the benefits are now for exercising/being in a good mood even if taking the steps to achieve these are very difficult at least you may by more motivated to do so now. :h:

NOTE: I have adapted the mental effects to be positive instead of negative, eg a source may have said 2x chance of coronary artery disease chance when depressed so I rephrased it as 'half coronary artery disease chance' when less depressed to make the stats like positive (ie same stat but reversed) :wink:

NOTE: I have also adapted the mental health section for w/lover and added 'yourself' since I believe self arguments/self hate is as strong if not stronger than to a significant other for some cases :dontknow:

NOTE: I know I said 'crazy' and although these studies have be done for a while now, I still found them pretty crazy in terms of how much was affected and to what potential extent
:holmes:

Really interesting thread btw! It's hard to find a "cure all" for things like depression, but I found from my experience that exercise has helped loads when it comes to treating depression and anxiety. However of course different things work for different people, but thanks for sharing some tips.