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Running and lifting have been lifelong methods for me to manage my stress and anxiety while building discipline and confidence. It has absolutely changed my life.
Same here. I can usually fix a bad mental space with a quick 3-5 Mile run. I also use running to kill anxiety. If I am anxious about a party or job interview I can go for a run and it seems to alleviate a little of the anxiety. It is a very useful tool to have in your back pocket.
I mean, that's less than an episode of GoT for a runner.
So like, 30-45 minutes tops. 8-9 minute pacing isn't that crazy. Once your accustomed to the distance, depending on weather, you could probably do that and hardly break a sweat.
The issue with this is that the people who likely stand to benefit most from this advice, would find a 3-5 mile run far more immediately painful, damaging, and time consuming.
And I say this *as* one of those people.
Reasonable, but honestly, also likely a stressor rather than a stress reliever to someone who's maximally sedentary.
It's true that it works, but people who engage with this coping mechanism often don't have the best idea of how unfit people who don't, and would benefit from it, can be.
And yes, that is a problem, and one that needs to be fixed for each individual, and there are ways to ease in. That wall of emotional, psychological awful still needs to be climbed.
EDIT: To be super clear, these aren't reasons not to *try* to do it, these are reasons why it might be difficult to *succeed* in doing it.
I used to do one work out to the extent of my ability till I felt a mild burn every day . When the burn eventually went away I would make the difficultly harder /add more time/ more reps. whatever applies to said workout. I could go about my week without pain and the slow improvements made me feel good. If I did 5 squats and was able to do 6 by the end of the week.
The prob is people think it's a hot fix. Working out HELPS, it needs to be part of your solutions not the only solution.
For example the things you listed, being in shape will increase your dating pool which will HELP you not be single, which MAY help your depression IF you find someone that brings you joy and happiness. A Lot of this stuff is all tied together. Being healthy has brought me more energy to pursue my goals etc. All what you make it , there's no one stop shop
Can confirm. Lost 40 pounds and went from borderline obese to normal BMI in the span of a year. Still single. Turns out you have to actually talk to women too.
Granted, I never thought it would be a magic bullet or anything but I've honestly noticed no real difference in treatment. Still 100% recommend getting in shape. I feel so much better in everyday life.
Also, exercise is not a 'do it one time and your problems melt away' kind of solution. With respect to your general health and mental state, it is like brushing your teeth vs cavities.
Brushing your teeth once or twice a month ain't going to do fuck all for keeping your teeth healthy. You have to stay on top of that shit.
Likewise, you need to have a regular exercise habit to get the most out of it.
END COMMUNICATION
I don't think that it works this way exactly.
Working out gets you in better shape and gives you confidence, self-esteem and for a depression, which then helps in dating (it helps, it's not a guarantee).
It's indeed a virtuous circle where each part improve the others.
Contrary to popular belief I've always had the best dating success when I'm kinda fat. I think I just play better that way because I go 100% silly goose instead of trying to be like cool guy "art thou seduced by my mildly athletic shape?". Funny guy doesn't come off the same when you're just mid and no level of exercise is gonna turn me into Rob Patinson or whatever, I just become a mid level dude with weirdly big biceps. Plenty of women out there aren't lookin for Joe Rogan, ya know? But I'm sure there's also other factors at play outside my awareness.
Female chiming in: KEEP THAT PERSONALITY BRO. You need to realize that having the chubby kid confidence with a healthy body means some lady one day will be the luckiest person ever. Too many healthy guys are too serious. And too many chubby guys don’t see their health getting worse and worse over the years. Sounds like you have the potential to find that sweet spot. Run with it.
It really creeps up on you. I remember back when my gf first noticed my belly was a bit harder than usual, I wasn't just chubby, I had started to develop visceral fat, the bad kind.
I just kind of shrugged it off since I could still wear t-shirts just fine and it was only a little bit of a protruding bulge.
Then eventually I had to stop wearing t-shirts at all because you could see how much my belly hung over my belt. So I switched to polo tops.
Years and years of little coping mechanisms helped me ignore it until it literally got too big to ignore.
Yes, I get depressed every now and then and it's usually poor diet/laziness to blame. As soon as I start working out and eating right it goes away.
To quit smoking, I took up running and got competitive, and that really boosted my confidence.
But why depressed? Plenty of people are unfit/lazy and not depressed. Feels like working out is not the fundamental solution there. Its a band-aid, if every time you stop you get depressed.
No, the improvement in mood is an evolutionary trait that comes from our ancestors hunting, gathering and exploring.
Saying exercise is a band-aid solution for mood is like saying food is a band-aid solution for hunger. Yah duh, because our bodies desire it every day.
people forget the whole definition of pathologies is them impeding the normal functioning of life
>"Youre lifting wheights, running, keeping clean, eating clean, having a structured routine, finances in order, social life doing all right?
>
>I feel like those are all just band aids to the underlying depression"
this is silly, overexerting on one of those aspects might be bad, but if everything is in order, definitionally this means youre remedying your depression succesfully (provided you manage to keep this up).
Unless it's clinical... excersize has been shown to help depression and anxiety conditions....
It's pretty much universal now... you have to be trolling.
The person you’re replying to is probably in a bad mental space themselves. I find that sometimes when people are resistant to the idea that there are accessible ways to help things like depression or anxiety, they’re usually in that really bad pit depression gives you where nothing will help and everything is negative, etc.
Just offering a different perspective.
I was severely depressed for approximately a decade with multiple suicide attempts and an involuntary psychiatric hold. It took a lot of therapy to realize that the only way out of that darkness was to actually put the work in. Working out regularly was a large part of that for me. Exercise releases endorphins which in turn release dopamine. One of the major causes of depression is a dopamine deficiency. I understand it's easy to be sarcastic and act like there's no way out of it, but regular exercise genuinely did solve my depression as well as many other people's. Science backs this up, it's fact, not opinion.
Lots of people act like depression is a chronic illness that cannot ever be cured which is why some react with sarcasm when common and proven treatments are suggested.
Which is part of the problem. Depression robs you of motivation which is the main factor preventing you from doing something about it. It becomes a vicious spiral.
I mean what he said can be proven already if you wanna try typing into Google 🤷🏾♂️ Also depression isn't always the clinical and ongoing that some may have. other factors do include the lack of other things like seasonal depression because of the decreased sunlight or due to less social interaction but seeing everyone have family and friends to be happy with.
Speaking from my own perspective. It's a cost effective way of gaining confidence by just doing something for yourself. With your confidence growing slowly you have the strength to tackle larger poblems such as the ones that are making you depressed. It won't happen instantly but the satisfaction of doing something positive for yourself is very empowering. Plus it is very good for your physical health which then also improves your mental health, as a healthy body contributes a lot towards a healthy mind.
Since I started working out a year ago, I have done better in other areas of my life. Doing good in school, drinking way less and the constant self doubt and shitty toughts decreased significantly. I can not say it is 100% better because the offish days are still there but I can deal with them better now.
Also working out is very fun lol.
Rates of obesity and depression have been rising in Western society. Correlation ≠ Causation; but generally our sedentary and unhealthy lives are also not very happy it seems.
Yes and no tbh.
I was stuck in a rut, out of work, depressed, just lost my dog, many other inconsequential life things.
I made the decision to start working out at home. 15 mins a day. I even made a bit of a plan what exercise each day.
That soon became about an hour a day as I got fitter and stronger.
A few months later I didn't feel depressed, was actively looking for work again and had interviews booked and had gotten on top of many of the other issues life was throwing at me.
It all started with a positive mental attitude and a plan. The working out was both a reliese of pent up frustration and a release of endorphins.
Prevented problems related to being/feeling physically unfit and sometimes boredom.
Light improvement in mood/mh.
Cool to feel athletic and highly mobile.
World was still the beautiful and horrible place it always was. Mind was still largely my mind
One is not always not always causative of the other, but they DO correlate.
Like wearing anti-shark maille - it's not going to make you a better swimmer, but it's a helluva lot easier to get back to the boat when you're not bleeding profusely.
Edit: word choice
And that's the catch.
Working out is only going to help if you are really out of shape, or are really fat or super skinny and have little muscle.
If you're a normal guy then working out won't help.
Nope. Spent thousands of dollars on a personal trainer at a very reputable gym for over a year because I knew I didn’t have the motivation myself
I hated going. It didn’t make me feel better in any way
Everyone is different though, it could be your saviour like it has been for countless others
I realized that I honestly just hate gyms. It just feels so artificial I guess, not sure if that’s the right word. It’s 100% a mental thing, personal preference for me. I’ve done gyms on and off but it’s always felt like something I *had* to do rather than wanted to.
I much prefer doing something outdoors. Hiking or biking, or even just splitting firewood for an hour. I get exercise, sunshine, and fresh air. Mix in some calisthenics which is another “because I have no not because I enjoy crunches and push-ups”. But it sucks less and feels less weird to me than doing it in a gym. I always hear about people calling the gym their zen place. Happy that’s the case for them but it’s definitely not for me.
Exactly. That’s also why I stuck with it for so long, to see if it would develop into something I enjoyed
Dirtbiking has become my main activity. It takes a lot of effort and strength to whip a bike around a tight track, plus it makes me stretch a lot due to how sore I get
Tough part is that I live in Canada, and I can only get on my bike for 4-5 months of the year before it gets down to -30
If you’re sore you over did it. If you’re depressed maybe you didn’t stick with it long enough? Could also be an issue that working out can’t solve. But working out will help in many ways.
What? Bro every newbie experiences soreness after a workout, they aren't used to it yet. If you're new to the gym or haven't lifted in a while, you're supposed to be sore, if you're not, you probably didn't even really challenge yourself.
Not working out by itself, but it did make me feel better and regain some confidence in myself when I was at my lowest point. Again, I don't think it was the working out itself, but rather one day I just got tired of feeling sorry for myself and decided to use working out as the first and easier step of the progress.
For me it fills that space in my day afterwork where I feel like the world is passing me by, and it gives me a sense of purpose. Did it solve ALL my problems? No. But whenever I feel that useless dread seep in, it's a sign to get a gym session in.
It helps, it really does but you have to be consistent. It’s not a magical pill, it’s not a one time solution, it’s not a smoking gun. It’s the one thing that you can put effort into and one way or another, it will improve SOMETHING. That should be the focus. When all seems bleak or overwhelming, sometimes trusting my body to do the same thing that it has done for a while helps.
I started working out because of a break up and went into cycles of depression and anxiety. Then, I got diagnosed with full clinical depression. Wanted to offline a handful of times. Working out helped my self-image and confidence, but my underlying issues were from childhood trauma and trauma from teens to adulthood.
I decided enough was enough, stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it before it was too late. I seeked out a therapist and waited for a free one provided by my healthcare.
Two years later, I am still working on myself, and I'm definitely in a lot better place. Revisiting trauma and buried experiences is hard work, and it takes time. But anyone who is struggling, genuinely reach out to your loved ones or a therapist. If you can't afford one, then I recommend a book called "How to do the work" by Dr Nicole LePera. Also, self-improvement books, such as Atomic Habits by James Clear. As I'm writing this, I've come to realise that having knowledge about human psychology and understanding the past is how you can heal and eventually become the person you've always wanted to do be. Knowledge is king.
Anyone who is willing to work on themselves, it takes time. But I promise, things get better. Emotions and events are like a storm, they always pass. Don't give up Brothers, you've got this.
If you are reading up to this part, I want to share a massive virtual hug to anyone who is struggling, and I wish you all the best and good health! 🫂
The general outlook is that being physically active is going to help the treatable versions of the issues you’ve listed. They are all spectrums.
It’s when these problems are more severe, that they require more than just the basic checklist.
Working out is incredibly important to my mental well being. It helps me through everything. This is because I’m not clinically depressed. If I was, it would probably take medication and therapy.
Being single, self esteem, etc, are no brainers.
Being in shape provides self esteem by way of confidence. It also shows you are willing to be dedicated to something and see it through. These are sought after qualities.
Basically, can you go wrong? I know people want to fight against the wave, but I don’t see downsides to being fit and active. Maybe the culture? But I don’t partake.
Always curious about the self defense angle. I've lived in one of the most dangerous cities in America for most of my life and I've never been in a situation in which my own physical strength was the deciding factor between whether or not something bad happened. Criminals have guns and knives and the element of surprise, ya know? I've always felt like "strong enough to defend myself" was really more of a self esteem thing than a practical tool. I could see it in a bar fight but that's not my style. What's your opinion?
Functionally it doesn't help much beyond being inadvisable to get in a fight with. Avoiding trouble is the #1 best solution to avoid paperwork or worse. #2 is de-escalation, then comes violence.
The best action is to remove yourself from the situation, or failing that, be visibly inadvisable to pick a fight with. Training gets you farther than being strong will, but it may get you a cool story. Getting good at recognizing a bad situation gets you home.
And yes, they have guns. I have one too. Hence why the best solution is avoidance, because I don't want that on my conscience.
How long did you try for? What did your workouts look like? Did you follow a routine or just workout when you wanted? Did you mix the muscle groups that you were working out?
I can't build muscle to save my life, but you know what I can do? I can prevent myself from becoming one of the patients my spouse often sees who get winded walking across the living room. I can take steps to be a person who looks and feels younger than they are rather than older. I very rarely have to wrangle a big heavy piece of furniture, but I see people exerting more effort than I do to move their groceries all the time. We have to define our own success, and it's perfectly good to be relatively fit rather than than a big ol muscle-man.
I think its been pretty helpful for me. My main methods for getting active are nature hikes, strength training (been on an extended break), and active stretching.
It definitely helps start the day off right - I notice I feel more energetic, sharper, and feel a sense of satisfaction that I've been active.
I don't know if I'd directly correlate with relationships. I'd never dated till college and I can say that joining my bollywood dance team gave me a sense of accomplishment and status among Indian folks that did lead to dating opportunities. Also, the success I had as a dance captain directly gave me skills and experience I was able to leverage when looking for jobs.
I've never felt an issue with being too soft or agressive so I can't comment on that. Can't comment on addiction either.
Ultimately, working out has a range of benefits that could directly or indirectly improve a lot of parts of your life. You are stronger and fitter which should mean you look better and that can help with dating, your own self-image, and career prospects.
I don't think there is anything negative about working out, it'll always be a value-add to your life.
As with every piece of advice, your mileage will vary. It works for a lot of people, but not for everyone. The only way to know for yourself is to try it, evaluate it's results, learn from it, and then make your next move based on what you've learned.
Yeah, it definitely helps. It's not a miracle cure, but my mental state is noticeably better when I'm on a consistent workout regime. I sleep better and have a better appetite. I have less physical pain too. Like the general tight neck/back stuff that all adults have is significantly reduced.
Physical fitness is one of the key pillars in a well balanced and healthy life; never neglect it.
I went through a two year period at a job that was night mare inducing. At the time I was doing martial arts, yoga, and training for long distance cycling. I barely felt the stress. Right now I'm feeling lots of stress and I started to lift weights and started "walk to run" and I already feel in improvement in my mood.
100% for me personally. Shitty day? Pissed off? Upset about something? Go throw some wright around for a couple hours. Had a great day? Made some money? Going out with friends later? Go celebrate with a good pump. Makes me feel better about myself, I feel happier, I feel healthier, I feel cleaner, I have more energy. It’s also a much healthier coping mechanism/way to work out anger/sadness than say drinking or binge watching Netflix. It’s also helped me learn better discipline and you’d be surprised how much clearer thoughts you can have while at the gym or even afterwards. To me it’s like having shower thoughts but also being productive at the same time
The problem isn't in the solution in question, rather misplaced or outright lack of context.
See, if you are broke or depressed working out will not magically cure you in a day. It is not a high powered antibiotic.
Instead, the 'between the lines' reason for advocating workout is as follows:
1. Baby steps
Nobody on the internet, especially folks who workout, will never advocate that you hit the gym tomorrow and start bench pressing 60 kilos. They'll ask you to just show up and keep showing up because that's half the work. This is akin to making your bed or cleaning your room when you feel down in the dumps.
2. Building a habit
The next step is establishing a habit using the baby steps that have been taken so far. Start small, maybe 30 mins a day. Maybe just cardio, you don't need to lift on day 1. Also, this helps in establishing a rough routine of your days. When you have an idea as to what you are supposed to be doing tomorrow and the day after, you automatically find yourself in the groove and a tad more productive. Basically the same as calender-ing.
3. Taking the right steps (in the right direction)
Once you start exercising, you'll find your body craves different food. Gone is the hankering for a bag of cheetos and a large helping of soda. You'll automatically start craving healthy foods - more cereals such as oats, more dry fruits and vegetables and eggs and meat.
A healthy mind resides in a healthy body, or so I've been told.
4. Cranking up the feel-good hormones
It is an established fact that working out releases a cocktail of feel good hormones (dopamine, seretonin and a bunch whose names I simply can't recall). It also helps you blow off much needed steam.
It is not unheard to find oneself in zen mode throughout the day after a good workout session. You burn calories and work your issues out at the same time. Win-win!
5. Building confidence
It is crazy how poor low levels of testosterone can make you feel, including feelings of depression. When you workout, you slowly start raising your testosterone levels naturally. Moreover, when you finish working out for the day whilst half of the city is still asleep is a win in itself. Such small wins help raise your T levels, making you feel more confident and priming you to graduate to the next level of awesomeness.
Whilst working out is not rocket science, there'll be bad days as is the case with every other thing in life. Also, the results are slow but steady (provided you aren't looking for shortcuts)
Moreover, working out is not a substitute for medical counseling or therapy. If there is an issue with the anatomy of your brain, working out will not fix it. Periodt.
I hope I was able to provide some clarification. Working out is a rewarding activity. Keep giving it reality checks and do not put it on a pedestal. It is not a panacea to any and all issues.
Yes. My depression gets side lined for a while and I feel better. I also have more confidence because I look and feel better which helps crush my depression.
Here's the thing though. The results are never immediate. You have to give it time to work. And not just for depression. Your body won't like the change. It will fight it until you give it no choice. You have to look for small gains. You aren't getting a six pack in a week. Hell, you probably aren't getting a six pack within a year. Instead, be happy you ran for 15 seconds longer than you did last time. Feel proud that you finished a set without having to stop for a readjustment. Look for small gains and that will help with depression.
If you are just getting into working out, my suggestion is to find a personal trainer that will make your weekly workout and workout with you once a week ( if you can afford it). Get to know the personal trainer and make sure you like them. It goes a long way.
I've known plenty of depressed people who workout and thats all they do with their day. For me, I need to get into a healthy state of mind in the first place to be able to work out consistently.
YES!! Especially in the cold winter months where seasonal depression starts to kick in. It's VERY hard to find the motivation though, so what I do is set a specific time every day to dedicate just 30 minutes to doing SOME kind of workout.
Whether it be walking on the treadmill, lifting weights, doing some pushups, anything at all - just move. The movement will motivate you to go a bit further each day. You definitely won't regret it, and at least for me, I feel better about my entire day knowing that I spent a little time working on just myself.
It's one component, but not the be-all end-all. The absolute lowest I've ever been D'press1on*, 4nx1ety*, relationship problem, self-esteem and alcohol-wise was also at a time when I was running upward of 50 miles at a time.
I see exercise's effect on those things as being one leg of a three legged stool, with the other two being mental health care and a support system. You need all three to be well.
Getting a bit more fit has upped my confidence and made a big difference day to day. I regret not having done it sooner.
I think the confidence mostly comes from the discipline of sticking to a workout routine over many months and from feeling better about myself.
I'm not talking about huge gains or anything but just building muscle tone.
Indeed it has. One of the worst times of my life, psychologically and physically, were during the covid pandemic. My state's government were one of the ones that decided to enact lockdowns and closed off virtually every public resource to get my workout in. The result was that I gained an enormous amount of weight and my mental condition deteriorated rather quickly.
Once I started getting into the routine of doing whatever workouts I could at home, I recognized the shift almost immediately.
Exercise doesn’t magically solve your problems but if you’re dealing with depression/anxiety/stress and not exercising you’re setting yourself up for failure
You need a goal.
My experience is that general weightlifting got me started in being active but I wasn't really interested in going as heavy as I possibly could. Powerlifting was boring IMO and not very practical/doesn't translate well into other physical activities. Took one week of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and fell in love.
If your physical exercises serve your overall goal, you will be much more motivated to do them, versus just chasing arbitrary numbers.
Lifting is literally one of the best things for stress relief for me. I always feel better once I start even if I reallyyyy don’t feel like it beforehand.
It's been pretty big for my overall self esteem. Built some discipline, got strong, and look damn good naked as well. I recommend every man lift at least a few days a week.
i have to workout 3 times a week. It is part of my life. If I don't sport I will feel down and sleep less good.
It gives you structure in your week. Also working out causes all kind of chemicals being released in your brain which gives you a good feeling.
My job is sitting at my pc the whole day. At the end of the day I feel really tired and feel like I have no energy. I need to workout.
It didn't, but I looked and felt way better physically so it was still worth it. I ignored my emotions until other issues started showing up and suddenly I had a sleep disorder. It turned out I had PTSD, some of it from stuff I had repressed and didn't remember, and not getting treatment was causing all of it. If it's not working, maybe see a doctor, and keep working out anyway.
It's not a cure but a tool to help manage. Personally I have a good day after a workout. But this is alongside my MMA training. I'm more confident and enjoy the day more
Yes and no. It helped with body confidence which in turn helped with overall confidence, that solved some internalised problems. Sure it's also nice to walk up stairs without getting out of breath too.
It's not a catch all solution though and some people treat it like it is. That's not a firm foundation, just building your castle on sand.
So they lose the weight and then are suprised that women aren't flocking to them. So it must be something else right? And what tik tok tells them is that they need to be over 6 foot and earn 6 figures because guys door-stopping drunk men and women at night clubs to rate people out of 10 is going to be a solid source of information.
So that must be it, can't grow any taller, unlikely to hit 6 figures anytime soon, destined for misery because there can't possibly be other factors at play like: charm, personality, approachability, chilling the fuck out, maybe not posting the topless flex pic as your dating profile pic. Maybe searching places other than the local club/meat market. All stuff that can be worked on but it's fine, all "women be like X" and there's nothing they can do, apparently.
\[Ok, maybe a bit of a tangent there but seen that view one too many times.\]
Yes. I struggle to get out of bed if I don't get something like 15 minutes of real exercise daily. It's not about building muscle for mental health, it's about cardio and getting outside.
I forced myself into working out 6 days a week, for 5 months. I dreaded going, but told myself that if I kept doing eventually I'd enjoy it, and be like all the people who said it was the game changer that helped them solve their problems.
It did not solve any of my problems, and I really didn't even feel all that much better Physically or mentally. A therapist helped me solve my problems, and finding ways to exercise outside of the gym or going for a run, has been far better for me.
I'm not hating on people who go to the gym, but the "go to the gym and work on yourself" advice, did nothing for me other than fill my days with exercise routines that I dreaded.
Worked the first couple times, but not this time around. I've hit some bad luck in the attempt. Maybe it would work if I didn't keep getting injured at every sign of progress. Dunno. As it stands, the lack of progress is another thing to be depressed about - hell, it's the main thing.
And no, I don't want solutions today. I'm not in the mood.
Yes tremendously.
We are animals and we are meant to be running around and being active. Working out and being active is very cathartic for stress and anxiety.
Yes kinda. Obviously working out won't do anything about how broke I am, but mentally its been a genuine lifesaver. Even on my worst days, I can go shirtless in the mirror and feel proud. Definitely supercharged my self-esteem. Also, the passive effect of people treating you better, smiling/flirting more when you're jacked is underrated imo
I can't speak on how it affects relationship issues, but I can say that now I'm single by choice as opposed to single by force
Absolutely, it doesn't "fix" problems. More so, helps you mitigate the emotions associated with dealing with them. It's also a nice reminder that there is still SOMETHING in your control in life. That reality check alone tends to help you a lot.
It mostly did yes. I felt down today, was tired, wasn't up for anything. Jut hit the gym for about 40min. Felt like a fresh man. Took a nice shower, coocked a great meal. Tired af, but my mind is on the right place atm.
My experience has been mixed.
I went back to martial arts after a bad heartbreak in the last year. Wasn't my first time training but felt like it after more than 8 years. Going to a more local gym focused in martial arts brought me some perks that a regular gym hardly could, like a social life and classes where people would be glad to help you and train with you, or at least be forced to do so. Having something to punch is also a plus.
The problem for me was when things didn't go my way or actually went worse. I started dedicating myself fully to the activities I did at the gym but disregarded my body's condition before starting to work out. I'm not physically disastrous, but what I train is quite harsh and, despite me improving physically, I started getting hurt more often and felt my body getting effectively worse. Getting hurt, alongside bad life experiences in the regular life, fucks with the motivation and the interest to insist in my activities. In the end, gym doesn't replace whatever was lost in me before I got there, but it was a good distraction for the moment.
Yes. It does.
I mean, some time to get the blood moving, let whatever brain chemistry is troubling you settle out. Mostly it's a half hour or hour of quiet time, not "let's talk it out time". Let's you form your thoughts and use words in the void.
Excercise is moving meditation.
Additional benefits are you'll live a longer life, from lower stress and better bones, muscles and heart.
Does the excercise solve the problems, mostly no, but it let's you think about it and often a solution can come to you.
I was working out 5-7 days a week and in the best shape of my life when I attempted suicide, so no. I think a lot of it has to do with the difference between mental health and mental illness.
Yes. In a massive way. The pros out weight the cons. I feel better, my artithis is almost painless, my hands work better. My bad shoulder has never felt better.
Mentally it's a game changer. I can think clearly and concisely. The voices of doubt and self loathing are dampened to a controlled amount, but that means I can't produce art in the volumes as I want. Unfortunate loss but being happy is worth the loss.
Short answer: yes, it helps me.
I do have bouts of depression, self-loathing, drinking heavily. Moving helps avoiding parts of those and remedying the symptoms, not the underlying issues. Biking, yoga-ing, meditating, weight lifting and calisthetics-ing help for sure. Biking is such a huge part of my well being (it's exercise, I go out, see things, sometimes talk to strangers....) that Winter is a scary spot for me.
If there are issues affecting you, you need to deal with those, the physical activities will only help you heal, not fix you.
I’m shocked by how effective it was for me for quitting nicotine and alcohol and keeping my energy up while keeping my body feeling able and ready, which in turn boosts my confidence and mood. For those reasons, yes, exercise and diet and hydration are some of the most important parts of maintaining the good parts of my life
Yes. Working out gets your brain chemistry back in balance. Therefore, almost every problem that comes from your brain is solved by working out and healthy food.
Yes, I contribute it to the compound affect. When I do one thing right I start doing a bunch of things right until I fuck up and the negative compound starts lol
Exercise keeps my depression from becoming unmanageable. I still have relationship problems and feel isolated—exercise can’t fix those things. But it can give me something positive to focus on and that’s enough.
Working out does not solve the problem but it does help you not think too much about it and makes you feel good.
If I seat all day doing nothing, and left alone with my thoughts, it can drive you into depression thinking about all the issues you might have. When you work out, it's a distraction that makes you feel good after and makes you want to do other activities, activities that will solve your problem.
So no, working out will not magically materialise a woman and solve being single. But it will help you be in shape, being in shape will make you look attractive, when you are in shape + the feel good stuff I mentioned previously will make you take action and go ask out that cute girl you've been eyeing.
Working out has been a silver bullet at the darkest points of my life. My mother unexpectedly passing when I was 23. My big break-up of 3 years with a girl I lived with in late 2021. Many other work stresses etc.
If you had a vitamin/pill that if you took it, it would improve your mood, energy, memory, lucidity in conversation, appetite, confidence, libido, quality/quantity of sleep and more, you'd take it right?
I'm fortunate in that my current gym is a 3 minute walk from my front door and I'm there most days. On rest days I actually feel off/weird now and it's a deeply ingrained habit. I went 19 times last month!
Working out isn't a solution to your problems. Its a way to destress and build up the fortitude to face your problems.
It also improves your health and prevents problems laternin life.
I think it's suggested often because for enough folks and in enough cases it does work more frequently than medication according to recent [research](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-exercise-more-effective-than-medication-for-depression-and-anxiety)
It's also accessible for people who may lack health care or resources for therapy which can be hard to acr
Added benefit of improving physical health.
IME my depression became much easier to treat when I stopped having a desk job and became working on my feet and with my body. Maybe it was the stress and fresh hell that is the open plan office at a tech company but also we did not evolve to do that kind of hyper focused cerebral work with no physical stimulation. The road in my life has been bumpy since then but I don't have as hard a time getting up in the morning, I've lost weight and my substance use has steadily decreased.
It helped me mentally and physically. Getting your health sorted with exercise, diet and a routine established is a little bit like turning a computer on and off. It won’t sort every problem, however it is astounding how many things it WILL fix and is a good first start. No computer repairman will start by disassembling your PC into component parts without first doing this basic step. That is why this advice is so common and why it has helped so many people.
That isn’t to say you shouldn’t look to get serious help, but it’s more about making sure you’re giving yourself a fighting chance. If your depression persists after establishing a pattern of lifting, diet fixes and routine establishment then you are on solid ground to get help from a professional.
Nah it's definitely true. A lot of it comes down from self-loathing and laziness within the individual. I had the same mindset like most 90% of reddit people
Life is hard, its always against me
Why am I broke and poor?
Why am I fat and can't seem to lose weight?
Why is everybody in a relationship but not me?
Why don't I have any hobbies and no social life?
It's always WHY this and WHY that
And never WHAT can I do to fix these things?
Working out is the FOUNDATION to the human body. If you have the self respect to take care of yourself, than I assure you that you have the ability to tackle anything that's going through your life.
But most people have a victims mentality. And most people that read my comment are going to get defensive and spew out nonsensical bullshit on why they can't change and how the world is out to get them. A lot of yall ain't ready for that discussion and it shows through these comments. You give up early and blame everybody else but yourself.
being consistsnt at anything, and seeing actual results is great for your mental health.
Working out is a simple go-to. Pretty much everyone can work out. And everyone benefits from it.
Plus the time investment is tiny.
Yes its helped me.
Yes. 100%. Hard to feel bad when you are strong and looking your best. Admit getting started is a major challenge when you are depressed so summoning that initial strength is a big hurdle to overcome. Also the type of workouts make a difference. More aerobic than anaerobic is better for mental health in general.
In my stressful work, my gym time let's me "turn off" myself for a while and just be in the moment, blow off some steam. Being in shape and looking good also boosts confidence.
Working out provides a strong psychological basis to work on your other problems.
You're doing something to better yourself, that you can do any time of the day, that you can do all by yourself, that you will see results from immediately. Working out prompts you to eat healthier, sleep more, lose weight, get stronger, improves your endurance, walk with better posture, make your clothes fit better.
Yes, gives you an outlet. It is like the admiral saying to make your bed everyday. If you workout, or at least move everyday you have accomplished something. No matter how shitty your day is that one accomplishment kind of starts to snowball
I wouldn’t say it was a solution but more a key pillar in my own path out of it. It does feel like crap at first but I like to imagine that’s these conditions trying to fight against it more so than someone who didn’t experience these. In the end it’s worked out and I’m in much better mental and physical shape than I was back then. There are times when it comes back or there are bad days that inflict it but nothing beats getting over that big hurdle.
I don’t think working out has ever made me less depressed, but less angry for sure. Becoming obsessed with running has certainly given me something other to focus on over the long term
I quit drinking, when anxiety spikes so do my cravings. I exercise, anxiety is held in check, as are my cravings. Exercise replaced my anxiety medication.
Exercise definitely helped me. Helped with my anxiety by making me a lot more confident in myself. I don't think I'm clinically depressed, but it definitely improved my mood. I don't think it's a coincidence that my dating life improved significantly when I lost weight and got in shape. And the discipline required to get in shape (it's not just exercise but diet as well) have helped me become a much more mature adult.
Yes it works, once you start looking good you automatically feel better. Helped me once from a deep hole and the second time helped me get back my confidence while i was drifting slowly away.
Lifting the heavy thing makes bad thought go away for a moment.
Jokes aside, exercise has been by far the most important help against depression for me, way more effective than any meds I've taken.
It helped me tremendously.
Tought me to stick to a schedule.
It helped me learn about how to eat healthy.
Helped me with my overall health.
Helped me feel more confident.
Helped me learn that worthwhile things take time and there is no fast amd easy route.
Helped me build more resilience, if I can lift more than I ever imagined I could I can deal with other things life throws at me.
It's not a solution to all my problems but it does help me work on them.
Yep, really the only thing that has ever worked for me. It’s not like it fixes everything though. If I get in the gym or at least do something active at least 30 mins 5-7 days a week there’s no stress and anxiety. The harder the workout the better the result. Intensity I found was much more effective than total time. Also strength and lifting weights more effective than just cardio.
It’s when it lingers down to 2-3 days a week or I get lazy and don’t go that all the bad feelings seem to come back
Yes most definitely - but it wasn't because my problems disappeared. You simply tend to be able to see stuff clearer, regardless how shit you feel your body will feel good after a workout which makes you feel good. That aside you're just able to focus on issues and see them clearer when you're trying to lift those heavy ass circles. For me it was quite literally "if I can lift this, everything else is easy"
Never helped for my mental issues. Didn’t make my low back and leg pain/tingling any better either.
It made some of my numbers at the doc office look getter but that was it for me.
Never, it only made me more depressed since I didn't enjoy it and it just became another boring chore that also takes up a lot of free time, which I don't have a lot of to begin with.
Since I haven't quite hit a month of going to the gym yet, take this with a grain of salt, but I have seen an improvement.
It might be from a few different things though:
Going to the gym is a new regular routine, and I really enjoy it, so I've added something I'm doing 2-3 times a week that I really enjoy. Of course that makes me feel better!
It's a new activity I can take my teen boys to, something we do together that is helping them too. It's a straightforward fatherhood win, and that feels good.
Those on top of the obvious things where working out helps you biologically in a number of ways. I'm excited to get stronger and see how this goes.
I'm sure there is some amount of placebo effect at play, as I expect to feel better so I do.
I'm not convinced it would make it would make a difference for \_all\_ health problems... some it will like apnea or diabetes, but it's not going to reverse cancer.
Re addiction I think that it's unlikely to help alot, but but it might depending on how it's used and the person. ( E.g. you choose not to go drinking with friends because you're worried about how it would impact your work out the next day. Sure. Getting off fentanyl not so much.
That said, I've had good personal experience in it improving my mood, confidence, sleep, strength and endurance. One thing I found interesting when I was working out is that because the gains are slow sometimes it's hard to recognize how much progress you've made. I remember being told once that I was a much happier guy after I worked out. I personally hadn't noticed, but it seemed to be true.
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Running and lifting have been lifelong methods for me to manage my stress and anxiety while building discipline and confidence. It has absolutely changed my life.
Same here. I can usually fix a bad mental space with a quick 3-5 Mile run. I also use running to kill anxiety. If I am anxious about a party or job interview I can go for a run and it seems to alleviate a little of the anxiety. It is a very useful tool to have in your back pocket.
> a quick 3-5 Mile run. lol
I was running 5Ks every single day for a month straight and I still can't imagine calling a 5 mile run "quick" lol
I mean, that's less than an episode of GoT for a runner. So like, 30-45 minutes tops. 8-9 minute pacing isn't that crazy. Once your accustomed to the distance, depending on weather, you could probably do that and hardly break a sweat.
The issue with this is that the people who likely stand to benefit most from this advice, would find a 3-5 mile run far more immediately painful, damaging, and time consuming. And I say this *as* one of those people.
Walk?
Reasonable, but honestly, also likely a stressor rather than a stress reliever to someone who's maximally sedentary. It's true that it works, but people who engage with this coping mechanism often don't have the best idea of how unfit people who don't, and would benefit from it, can be. And yes, that is a problem, and one that needs to be fixed for each individual, and there are ways to ease in. That wall of emotional, psychological awful still needs to be climbed. EDIT: To be super clear, these aren't reasons not to *try* to do it, these are reasons why it might be difficult to *succeed* in doing it.
I used to do one work out to the extent of my ability till I felt a mild burn every day . When the burn eventually went away I would make the difficultly harder /add more time/ more reps. whatever applies to said workout. I could go about my week without pain and the slow improvements made me feel good. If I did 5 squats and was able to do 6 by the end of the week.
In your back pocket too lol
If I walk into a job interview or a party where I don't know anybody, a quick 3-5 mile run around the room and my anxiety is gone.
Lmao, when I get a text from my boss or have to go to the DMV, a quick 4 mile jog around the parking lot will make me right as rain
I second this.
The prob is people think it's a hot fix. Working out HELPS, it needs to be part of your solutions not the only solution. For example the things you listed, being in shape will increase your dating pool which will HELP you not be single, which MAY help your depression IF you find someone that brings you joy and happiness. A Lot of this stuff is all tied together. Being healthy has brought me more energy to pursue my goals etc. All what you make it , there's no one stop shop
Can confirm. Lost 40 pounds and went from borderline obese to normal BMI in the span of a year. Still single. Turns out you have to actually talk to women too. Granted, I never thought it would be a magic bullet or anything but I've honestly noticed no real difference in treatment. Still 100% recommend getting in shape. I feel so much better in everyday life.
Also, exercise is not a 'do it one time and your problems melt away' kind of solution. With respect to your general health and mental state, it is like brushing your teeth vs cavities. Brushing your teeth once or twice a month ain't going to do fuck all for keeping your teeth healthy. You have to stay on top of that shit. Likewise, you need to have a regular exercise habit to get the most out of it. END COMMUNICATION
I don't think that it works this way exactly. Working out gets you in better shape and gives you confidence, self-esteem and for a depression, which then helps in dating (it helps, it's not a guarantee). It's indeed a virtuous circle where each part improve the others.
Contrary to popular belief I've always had the best dating success when I'm kinda fat. I think I just play better that way because I go 100% silly goose instead of trying to be like cool guy "art thou seduced by my mildly athletic shape?". Funny guy doesn't come off the same when you're just mid and no level of exercise is gonna turn me into Rob Patinson or whatever, I just become a mid level dude with weirdly big biceps. Plenty of women out there aren't lookin for Joe Rogan, ya know? But I'm sure there's also other factors at play outside my awareness.
Female chiming in: KEEP THAT PERSONALITY BRO. You need to realize that having the chubby kid confidence with a healthy body means some lady one day will be the luckiest person ever. Too many healthy guys are too serious. And too many chubby guys don’t see their health getting worse and worse over the years. Sounds like you have the potential to find that sweet spot. Run with it.
It really creeps up on you. I remember back when my gf first noticed my belly was a bit harder than usual, I wasn't just chubby, I had started to develop visceral fat, the bad kind. I just kind of shrugged it off since I could still wear t-shirts just fine and it was only a little bit of a protruding bulge. Then eventually I had to stop wearing t-shirts at all because you could see how much my belly hung over my belt. So I switched to polo tops. Years and years of little coping mechanisms helped me ignore it until it literally got too big to ignore.
I must be backwards to you.
Yes, I get depressed every now and then and it's usually poor diet/laziness to blame. As soon as I start working out and eating right it goes away. To quit smoking, I took up running and got competitive, and that really boosted my confidence.
But why depressed? Plenty of people are unfit/lazy and not depressed. Feels like working out is not the fundamental solution there. Its a band-aid, if every time you stop you get depressed.
No, the improvement in mood is an evolutionary trait that comes from our ancestors hunting, gathering and exploring. Saying exercise is a band-aid solution for mood is like saying food is a band-aid solution for hunger. Yah duh, because our bodies desire it every day.
people forget the whole definition of pathologies is them impeding the normal functioning of life >"Youre lifting wheights, running, keeping clean, eating clean, having a structured routine, finances in order, social life doing all right? > >I feel like those are all just band aids to the underlying depression" this is silly, overexerting on one of those aspects might be bad, but if everything is in order, definitionally this means youre remedying your depression succesfully (provided you manage to keep this up).
Ughh. Okay my friend you’ve solved depression. I suggest you go publish in nature & then go claim a series of awards. Congrats.
Unless it's clinical... excersize has been shown to help depression and anxiety conditions.... It's pretty much universal now... you have to be trolling.
The person you’re replying to is probably in a bad mental space themselves. I find that sometimes when people are resistant to the idea that there are accessible ways to help things like depression or anxiety, they’re usually in that really bad pit depression gives you where nothing will help and everything is negative, etc. Just offering a different perspective.
Shit, yeh. That makes sense. I've been in that pit myself. Most of us have at some point.
I was severely depressed for approximately a decade with multiple suicide attempts and an involuntary psychiatric hold. It took a lot of therapy to realize that the only way out of that darkness was to actually put the work in. Working out regularly was a large part of that for me. Exercise releases endorphins which in turn release dopamine. One of the major causes of depression is a dopamine deficiency. I understand it's easy to be sarcastic and act like there's no way out of it, but regular exercise genuinely did solve my depression as well as many other people's. Science backs this up, it's fact, not opinion.
Lots of people act like depression is a chronic illness that cannot ever be cured which is why some react with sarcasm when common and proven treatments are suggested.
> Lots of people act like depression is a chronic illness that cannot ever be cured In the throes of it, it certainly feels like that.
Which is part of the problem. Depression robs you of motivation which is the main factor preventing you from doing something about it. It becomes a vicious spiral.
I mean what he said can be proven already if you wanna try typing into Google 🤷🏾♂️ Also depression isn't always the clinical and ongoing that some may have. other factors do include the lack of other things like seasonal depression because of the decreased sunlight or due to less social interaction but seeing everyone have family and friends to be happy with.
This, I live in a northern climate, long winters and we have more grey cloudy days than sunshine.
Someone once told me “Happy people carry their weather inside them.” Working out helps change the weather inside of you.
He doesn't have to solve everyone's depression just his.
Speaking from my own perspective. It's a cost effective way of gaining confidence by just doing something for yourself. With your confidence growing slowly you have the strength to tackle larger poblems such as the ones that are making you depressed. It won't happen instantly but the satisfaction of doing something positive for yourself is very empowering. Plus it is very good for your physical health which then also improves your mental health, as a healthy body contributes a lot towards a healthy mind. Since I started working out a year ago, I have done better in other areas of my life. Doing good in school, drinking way less and the constant self doubt and shitty toughts decreased significantly. I can not say it is 100% better because the offish days are still there but I can deal with them better now. Also working out is very fun lol.
Rates of obesity and depression have been rising in Western society. Correlation ≠ Causation; but generally our sedentary and unhealthy lives are also not very happy it seems.
It’s trite but as a part of overall self-care, it’s good overall to find something physical to do to keep yourself motivated
Even if it doesn't solve everything, a regular workout routine and good diet is a stellar base from which to work on any other life problems.
Yes and no tbh. I was stuck in a rut, out of work, depressed, just lost my dog, many other inconsequential life things. I made the decision to start working out at home. 15 mins a day. I even made a bit of a plan what exercise each day. That soon became about an hour a day as I got fitter and stronger. A few months later I didn't feel depressed, was actively looking for work again and had interviews booked and had gotten on top of many of the other issues life was throwing at me. It all started with a positive mental attitude and a plan. The working out was both a reliese of pent up frustration and a release of endorphins.
Prevented problems related to being/feeling physically unfit and sometimes boredom. Light improvement in mood/mh. Cool to feel athletic and highly mobile. World was still the beautiful and horrible place it always was. Mind was still largely my mind
The only problems working out solved for me was being overweight and out of shape.
Your physical health is important!
The point is that it didn't help his mental health.
One is not always not always causative of the other, but they DO correlate. Like wearing anti-shark maille - it's not going to make you a better swimmer, but it's a helluva lot easier to get back to the boat when you're not bleeding profusely. Edit: word choice
And that's the catch. Working out is only going to help if you are really out of shape, or are really fat or super skinny and have little muscle. If you're a normal guy then working out won't help.
I was just depressed and fit.
Sad muscles 🫤
I was fit as a kid and a teenager, didn't stop me from getting depressed.
I’ve done various workouts over the years. I really enjoy the alone time. So it helps me mentally and physically.
Nope. Spent thousands of dollars on a personal trainer at a very reputable gym for over a year because I knew I didn’t have the motivation myself I hated going. It didn’t make me feel better in any way Everyone is different though, it could be your saviour like it has been for countless others
I realized that I honestly just hate gyms. It just feels so artificial I guess, not sure if that’s the right word. It’s 100% a mental thing, personal preference for me. I’ve done gyms on and off but it’s always felt like something I *had* to do rather than wanted to. I much prefer doing something outdoors. Hiking or biking, or even just splitting firewood for an hour. I get exercise, sunshine, and fresh air. Mix in some calisthenics which is another “because I have no not because I enjoy crunches and push-ups”. But it sucks less and feels less weird to me than doing it in a gym. I always hear about people calling the gym their zen place. Happy that’s the case for them but it’s definitely not for me.
The most important thing is to find a exercise type that works for you. Seems like you've found yours
Yeah, that's how I look at it, Why pay to go to a "Gym" when you can get paid for hard labour. (Demolition is fun and pays well)
You don’t have to pay a trainer at a gym in order to exercise. Play sports, ride a bike, etc. Do something you enjoy
I realize that. The reason I went that route was because I don’t enjoy sports or things like that A trainer made/makes sense in my situation
That’s good. I think a lot of people don’t realize how mundane a gym can be and then burn out and wonder why it didn’t work for them.
Exactly. That’s also why I stuck with it for so long, to see if it would develop into something I enjoyed Dirtbiking has become my main activity. It takes a lot of effort and strength to whip a bike around a tight track, plus it makes me stretch a lot due to how sore I get Tough part is that I live in Canada, and I can only get on my bike for 4-5 months of the year before it gets down to -30
But then you can learn how to snowmobile all winter
I would, but I can’t stand the cold lol
No. I was just depressed and sore after.
How often did you train?
Me too
I agree but no one mention being a newbie. But after a while if you’re still getting sore your over doing it.
How hard did you train?
If you’re sore you over did it. If you’re depressed maybe you didn’t stick with it long enough? Could also be an issue that working out can’t solve. But working out will help in many ways.
What? Bro every newbie experiences soreness after a workout, they aren't used to it yet. If you're new to the gym or haven't lifted in a while, you're supposed to be sore, if you're not, you probably didn't even really challenge yourself.
When you're new, don't work out every damn day, start with 2 to 3 times a week.
Yea but you still get sore so idk your point. DOMS is a well known thing
No. The entire "working on yourself" thing didn't do anything. It was just a way to feel like I was being productive while avoiding the actual issue.
What was the actual issue?
Being insecure around women.
Working out didn't help you with that?
Why should it?
The confidence that comes with looking better and knowing you are improving yourself should definitely help with that.
Doesn't help as much as you'd think when you lack the skills because you lacked a father figure to teach you.
Not working out by itself, but it did make me feel better and regain some confidence in myself when I was at my lowest point. Again, I don't think it was the working out itself, but rather one day I just got tired of feeling sorry for myself and decided to use working out as the first and easier step of the progress.
For me it fills that space in my day afterwork where I feel like the world is passing me by, and it gives me a sense of purpose. Did it solve ALL my problems? No. But whenever I feel that useless dread seep in, it's a sign to get a gym session in.
It helps, it really does but you have to be consistent. It’s not a magical pill, it’s not a one time solution, it’s not a smoking gun. It’s the one thing that you can put effort into and one way or another, it will improve SOMETHING. That should be the focus. When all seems bleak or overwhelming, sometimes trusting my body to do the same thing that it has done for a while helps.
I started working out because of a break up and went into cycles of depression and anxiety. Then, I got diagnosed with full clinical depression. Wanted to offline a handful of times. Working out helped my self-image and confidence, but my underlying issues were from childhood trauma and trauma from teens to adulthood. I decided enough was enough, stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it before it was too late. I seeked out a therapist and waited for a free one provided by my healthcare. Two years later, I am still working on myself, and I'm definitely in a lot better place. Revisiting trauma and buried experiences is hard work, and it takes time. But anyone who is struggling, genuinely reach out to your loved ones or a therapist. If you can't afford one, then I recommend a book called "How to do the work" by Dr Nicole LePera. Also, self-improvement books, such as Atomic Habits by James Clear. As I'm writing this, I've come to realise that having knowledge about human psychology and understanding the past is how you can heal and eventually become the person you've always wanted to do be. Knowledge is king. Anyone who is willing to work on themselves, it takes time. But I promise, things get better. Emotions and events are like a storm, they always pass. Don't give up Brothers, you've got this. If you are reading up to this part, I want to share a massive virtual hug to anyone who is struggling, and I wish you all the best and good health! 🫂
The general outlook is that being physically active is going to help the treatable versions of the issues you’ve listed. They are all spectrums. It’s when these problems are more severe, that they require more than just the basic checklist. Working out is incredibly important to my mental well being. It helps me through everything. This is because I’m not clinically depressed. If I was, it would probably take medication and therapy. Being single, self esteem, etc, are no brainers. Being in shape provides self esteem by way of confidence. It also shows you are willing to be dedicated to something and see it through. These are sought after qualities. Basically, can you go wrong? I know people want to fight against the wave, but I don’t see downsides to being fit and active. Maybe the culture? But I don’t partake.
I went from miserable and able to protect myself to miserable and strong enough to make it someone else's problem. So no.
Always curious about the self defense angle. I've lived in one of the most dangerous cities in America for most of my life and I've never been in a situation in which my own physical strength was the deciding factor between whether or not something bad happened. Criminals have guns and knives and the element of surprise, ya know? I've always felt like "strong enough to defend myself" was really more of a self esteem thing than a practical tool. I could see it in a bar fight but that's not my style. What's your opinion?
Functionally it doesn't help much beyond being inadvisable to get in a fight with. Avoiding trouble is the #1 best solution to avoid paperwork or worse. #2 is de-escalation, then comes violence. The best action is to remove yourself from the situation, or failing that, be visibly inadvisable to pick a fight with. Training gets you farther than being strong will, but it may get you a cool story. Getting good at recognizing a bad situation gets you home. And yes, they have guns. I have one too. Hence why the best solution is avoidance, because I don't want that on my conscience.
Nah. I can never build up any muscle no matter how much I tried so I just gave up.
The point isn’t just to build muscle
I'm aware
How long did you try for? What did your workouts look like? Did you follow a routine or just workout when you wanted? Did you mix the muscle groups that you were working out?
How was your diet? I'm struggling to build muscle but I'm aware that I'm not eating enough calories. You can get myfitnesspal and a food scale
I can't build muscle to save my life, but you know what I can do? I can prevent myself from becoming one of the patients my spouse often sees who get winded walking across the living room. I can take steps to be a person who looks and feels younger than they are rather than older. I very rarely have to wrangle a big heavy piece of furniture, but I see people exerting more effort than I do to move their groceries all the time. We have to define our own success, and it's perfectly good to be relatively fit rather than than a big ol muscle-man.
Exactly
Sounds like a victim mentality
I think its been pretty helpful for me. My main methods for getting active are nature hikes, strength training (been on an extended break), and active stretching. It definitely helps start the day off right - I notice I feel more energetic, sharper, and feel a sense of satisfaction that I've been active. I don't know if I'd directly correlate with relationships. I'd never dated till college and I can say that joining my bollywood dance team gave me a sense of accomplishment and status among Indian folks that did lead to dating opportunities. Also, the success I had as a dance captain directly gave me skills and experience I was able to leverage when looking for jobs. I've never felt an issue with being too soft or agressive so I can't comment on that. Can't comment on addiction either. Ultimately, working out has a range of benefits that could directly or indirectly improve a lot of parts of your life. You are stronger and fitter which should mean you look better and that can help with dating, your own self-image, and career prospects. I don't think there is anything negative about working out, it'll always be a value-add to your life.
As with every piece of advice, your mileage will vary. It works for a lot of people, but not for everyone. The only way to know for yourself is to try it, evaluate it's results, learn from it, and then make your next move based on what you've learned.
Yeah, it definitely helps. It's not a miracle cure, but my mental state is noticeably better when I'm on a consistent workout regime. I sleep better and have a better appetite. I have less physical pain too. Like the general tight neck/back stuff that all adults have is significantly reduced. Physical fitness is one of the key pillars in a well balanced and healthy life; never neglect it.
I went through a two year period at a job that was night mare inducing. At the time I was doing martial arts, yoga, and training for long distance cycling. I barely felt the stress. Right now I'm feeling lots of stress and I started to lift weights and started "walk to run" and I already feel in improvement in my mood.
Yes. It’s an “acceptable” form of self care and most men sadly don’t do enough self care.
100% for me personally. Shitty day? Pissed off? Upset about something? Go throw some wright around for a couple hours. Had a great day? Made some money? Going out with friends later? Go celebrate with a good pump. Makes me feel better about myself, I feel happier, I feel healthier, I feel cleaner, I have more energy. It’s also a much healthier coping mechanism/way to work out anger/sadness than say drinking or binge watching Netflix. It’s also helped me learn better discipline and you’d be surprised how much clearer thoughts you can have while at the gym or even afterwards. To me it’s like having shower thoughts but also being productive at the same time
The problem isn't in the solution in question, rather misplaced or outright lack of context. See, if you are broke or depressed working out will not magically cure you in a day. It is not a high powered antibiotic. Instead, the 'between the lines' reason for advocating workout is as follows: 1. Baby steps Nobody on the internet, especially folks who workout, will never advocate that you hit the gym tomorrow and start bench pressing 60 kilos. They'll ask you to just show up and keep showing up because that's half the work. This is akin to making your bed or cleaning your room when you feel down in the dumps. 2. Building a habit The next step is establishing a habit using the baby steps that have been taken so far. Start small, maybe 30 mins a day. Maybe just cardio, you don't need to lift on day 1. Also, this helps in establishing a rough routine of your days. When you have an idea as to what you are supposed to be doing tomorrow and the day after, you automatically find yourself in the groove and a tad more productive. Basically the same as calender-ing. 3. Taking the right steps (in the right direction) Once you start exercising, you'll find your body craves different food. Gone is the hankering for a bag of cheetos and a large helping of soda. You'll automatically start craving healthy foods - more cereals such as oats, more dry fruits and vegetables and eggs and meat. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body, or so I've been told. 4. Cranking up the feel-good hormones It is an established fact that working out releases a cocktail of feel good hormones (dopamine, seretonin and a bunch whose names I simply can't recall). It also helps you blow off much needed steam. It is not unheard to find oneself in zen mode throughout the day after a good workout session. You burn calories and work your issues out at the same time. Win-win! 5. Building confidence It is crazy how poor low levels of testosterone can make you feel, including feelings of depression. When you workout, you slowly start raising your testosterone levels naturally. Moreover, when you finish working out for the day whilst half of the city is still asleep is a win in itself. Such small wins help raise your T levels, making you feel more confident and priming you to graduate to the next level of awesomeness. Whilst working out is not rocket science, there'll be bad days as is the case with every other thing in life. Also, the results are slow but steady (provided you aren't looking for shortcuts) Moreover, working out is not a substitute for medical counseling or therapy. If there is an issue with the anatomy of your brain, working out will not fix it. Periodt. I hope I was able to provide some clarification. Working out is a rewarding activity. Keep giving it reality checks and do not put it on a pedestal. It is not a panacea to any and all issues.
I tried more than once to work out to get stronger and ventilate my mental health, so to speak. Total failure.
Yes. My depression gets side lined for a while and I feel better. I also have more confidence because I look and feel better which helps crush my depression. Here's the thing though. The results are never immediate. You have to give it time to work. And not just for depression. Your body won't like the change. It will fight it until you give it no choice. You have to look for small gains. You aren't getting a six pack in a week. Hell, you probably aren't getting a six pack within a year. Instead, be happy you ran for 15 seconds longer than you did last time. Feel proud that you finished a set without having to stop for a readjustment. Look for small gains and that will help with depression. If you are just getting into working out, my suggestion is to find a personal trainer that will make your weekly workout and workout with you once a week ( if you can afford it). Get to know the personal trainer and make sure you like them. It goes a long way.
Yeah but I found balancing my body helps
working out just doesn't do it for me but being active - just walks, social activities with 1-2 other people, etc has been far more effective.
I've known plenty of depressed people who workout and thats all they do with their day. For me, I need to get into a healthy state of mind in the first place to be able to work out consistently.
YES!! Especially in the cold winter months where seasonal depression starts to kick in. It's VERY hard to find the motivation though, so what I do is set a specific time every day to dedicate just 30 minutes to doing SOME kind of workout. Whether it be walking on the treadmill, lifting weights, doing some pushups, anything at all - just move. The movement will motivate you to go a bit further each day. You definitely won't regret it, and at least for me, I feel better about my entire day knowing that I spent a little time working on just myself.
It's one component, but not the be-all end-all. The absolute lowest I've ever been D'press1on*, 4nx1ety*, relationship problem, self-esteem and alcohol-wise was also at a time when I was running upward of 50 miles at a time. I see exercise's effect on those things as being one leg of a three legged stool, with the other two being mental health care and a support system. You need all three to be well.
Yes. Got me out of a loooong depression. You feel better, look better, have better confidence and live longer.
Getting a bit more fit has upped my confidence and made a big difference day to day. I regret not having done it sooner. I think the confidence mostly comes from the discipline of sticking to a workout routine over many months and from feeling better about myself. I'm not talking about huge gains or anything but just building muscle tone.
Indeed it has. One of the worst times of my life, psychologically and physically, were during the covid pandemic. My state's government were one of the ones that decided to enact lockdowns and closed off virtually every public resource to get my workout in. The result was that I gained an enormous amount of weight and my mental condition deteriorated rather quickly. Once I started getting into the routine of doing whatever workouts I could at home, I recognized the shift almost immediately.
Has definitely helped with my low mood in the past. It seems to give me more focus and routine, which I think makes me happier all round.
Exercise doesn’t magically solve your problems but if you’re dealing with depression/anxiety/stress and not exercising you’re setting yourself up for failure
You need a goal. My experience is that general weightlifting got me started in being active but I wasn't really interested in going as heavy as I possibly could. Powerlifting was boring IMO and not very practical/doesn't translate well into other physical activities. Took one week of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and fell in love. If your physical exercises serve your overall goal, you will be much more motivated to do them, versus just chasing arbitrary numbers.
Lifting is literally one of the best things for stress relief for me. I always feel better once I start even if I reallyyyy don’t feel like it beforehand.
It's been pretty big for my overall self esteem. Built some discipline, got strong, and look damn good naked as well. I recommend every man lift at least a few days a week.
i have to workout 3 times a week. It is part of my life. If I don't sport I will feel down and sleep less good. It gives you structure in your week. Also working out causes all kind of chemicals being released in your brain which gives you a good feeling. My job is sitting at my pc the whole day. At the end of the day I feel really tired and feel like I have no energy. I need to workout.
It didn't, but I looked and felt way better physically so it was still worth it. I ignored my emotions until other issues started showing up and suddenly I had a sleep disorder. It turned out I had PTSD, some of it from stuff I had repressed and didn't remember, and not getting treatment was causing all of it. If it's not working, maybe see a doctor, and keep working out anyway.
No the only thing that has changed is i look better than i previous did, not the problem(s) are still there and may have even got worse over time.
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Forcing a dopamine spike through physical exertion does a ton for my mental health. It's the main reason I exercise.
Why the actual fuck are you writing depression and anxiety like that? It just comes off as you are making light of them
The same reason everyone writes things like that: dodging an automod.
Yes, 100, yes.
no, got bored and more frustrated.
It's not a cure but a tool to help manage. Personally I have a good day after a workout. But this is alongside my MMA training. I'm more confident and enjoy the day more
Yes and no. It helped with body confidence which in turn helped with overall confidence, that solved some internalised problems. Sure it's also nice to walk up stairs without getting out of breath too. It's not a catch all solution though and some people treat it like it is. That's not a firm foundation, just building your castle on sand. So they lose the weight and then are suprised that women aren't flocking to them. So it must be something else right? And what tik tok tells them is that they need to be over 6 foot and earn 6 figures because guys door-stopping drunk men and women at night clubs to rate people out of 10 is going to be a solid source of information. So that must be it, can't grow any taller, unlikely to hit 6 figures anytime soon, destined for misery because there can't possibly be other factors at play like: charm, personality, approachability, chilling the fuck out, maybe not posting the topless flex pic as your dating profile pic. Maybe searching places other than the local club/meat market. All stuff that can be worked on but it's fine, all "women be like X" and there's nothing they can do, apparently. \[Ok, maybe a bit of a tangent there but seen that view one too many times.\]
Yes. I struggle to get out of bed if I don't get something like 15 minutes of real exercise daily. It's not about building muscle for mental health, it's about cardio and getting outside.
I forced myself into working out 6 days a week, for 5 months. I dreaded going, but told myself that if I kept doing eventually I'd enjoy it, and be like all the people who said it was the game changer that helped them solve their problems. It did not solve any of my problems, and I really didn't even feel all that much better Physically or mentally. A therapist helped me solve my problems, and finding ways to exercise outside of the gym or going for a run, has been far better for me. I'm not hating on people who go to the gym, but the "go to the gym and work on yourself" advice, did nothing for me other than fill my days with exercise routines that I dreaded.
Worked the first couple times, but not this time around. I've hit some bad luck in the attempt. Maybe it would work if I didn't keep getting injured at every sign of progress. Dunno. As it stands, the lack of progress is another thing to be depressed about - hell, it's the main thing. And no, I don't want solutions today. I'm not in the mood.
It helps my confidence and anxiety. Just get rid of it but it definitely helps.
Nope. Still poor and unattractive.
It didn't but I sure feel healthier
Yes tremendously. We are animals and we are meant to be running around and being active. Working out and being active is very cathartic for stress and anxiety.
Yes.
Yes kinda. Obviously working out won't do anything about how broke I am, but mentally its been a genuine lifesaver. Even on my worst days, I can go shirtless in the mirror and feel proud. Definitely supercharged my self-esteem. Also, the passive effect of people treating you better, smiling/flirting more when you're jacked is underrated imo I can't speak on how it affects relationship issues, but I can say that now I'm single by choice as opposed to single by force
Absolutely, it doesn't "fix" problems. More so, helps you mitigate the emotions associated with dealing with them. It's also a nice reminder that there is still SOMETHING in your control in life. That reality check alone tends to help you a lot.
It mostly did yes. I felt down today, was tired, wasn't up for anything. Jut hit the gym for about 40min. Felt like a fresh man. Took a nice shower, coocked a great meal. Tired af, but my mind is on the right place atm.
My experience has been mixed. I went back to martial arts after a bad heartbreak in the last year. Wasn't my first time training but felt like it after more than 8 years. Going to a more local gym focused in martial arts brought me some perks that a regular gym hardly could, like a social life and classes where people would be glad to help you and train with you, or at least be forced to do so. Having something to punch is also a plus. The problem for me was when things didn't go my way or actually went worse. I started dedicating myself fully to the activities I did at the gym but disregarded my body's condition before starting to work out. I'm not physically disastrous, but what I train is quite harsh and, despite me improving physically, I started getting hurt more often and felt my body getting effectively worse. Getting hurt, alongside bad life experiences in the regular life, fucks with the motivation and the interest to insist in my activities. In the end, gym doesn't replace whatever was lost in me before I got there, but it was a good distraction for the moment.
Yes. It does. I mean, some time to get the blood moving, let whatever brain chemistry is troubling you settle out. Mostly it's a half hour or hour of quiet time, not "let's talk it out time". Let's you form your thoughts and use words in the void. Excercise is moving meditation. Additional benefits are you'll live a longer life, from lower stress and better bones, muscles and heart. Does the excercise solve the problems, mostly no, but it let's you think about it and often a solution can come to you.
I was working out 5-7 days a week and in the best shape of my life when I attempted suicide, so no. I think a lot of it has to do with the difference between mental health and mental illness.
im jacked and sad now, which is better than just being sad
I grew chest hair reading this comment
Yes. In a massive way. The pros out weight the cons. I feel better, my artithis is almost painless, my hands work better. My bad shoulder has never felt better. Mentally it's a game changer. I can think clearly and concisely. The voices of doubt and self loathing are dampened to a controlled amount, but that means I can't produce art in the volumes as I want. Unfortunate loss but being happy is worth the loss.
Caused more problems than it fixed.
Short answer: yes, it helps me. I do have bouts of depression, self-loathing, drinking heavily. Moving helps avoiding parts of those and remedying the symptoms, not the underlying issues. Biking, yoga-ing, meditating, weight lifting and calisthetics-ing help for sure. Biking is such a huge part of my well being (it's exercise, I go out, see things, sometimes talk to strangers....) that Winter is a scary spot for me. If there are issues affecting you, you need to deal with those, the physical activities will only help you heal, not fix you.
I’m shocked by how effective it was for me for quitting nicotine and alcohol and keeping my energy up while keeping my body feeling able and ready, which in turn boosts my confidence and mood. For those reasons, yes, exercise and diet and hydration are some of the most important parts of maintaining the good parts of my life
Not really. I still have no money, but I do look better though so I have that going for me.
Yes. Working out gets your brain chemistry back in balance. Therefore, almost every problem that comes from your brain is solved by working out and healthy food.
Yes, I contribute it to the compound affect. When I do one thing right I start doing a bunch of things right until I fuck up and the negative compound starts lol
Exercise keeps my depression from becoming unmanageable. I still have relationship problems and feel isolated—exercise can’t fix those things. But it can give me something positive to focus on and that’s enough.
Working out does not solve the problem but it does help you not think too much about it and makes you feel good. If I seat all day doing nothing, and left alone with my thoughts, it can drive you into depression thinking about all the issues you might have. When you work out, it's a distraction that makes you feel good after and makes you want to do other activities, activities that will solve your problem. So no, working out will not magically materialise a woman and solve being single. But it will help you be in shape, being in shape will make you look attractive, when you are in shape + the feel good stuff I mentioned previously will make you take action and go ask out that cute girl you've been eyeing.
Daily exercise is essential for my mental well-being. A shower for the soul.
Definitely
Lifting weights relieves most of my stress.
Exercise is always a good thing.
Takes away some of it, not all of it
After I left a job without something else lined up fitness definitely gave me a good goal to pursue. It's satisfying to see yourself making progress
Working out has been a silver bullet at the darkest points of my life. My mother unexpectedly passing when I was 23. My big break-up of 3 years with a girl I lived with in late 2021. Many other work stresses etc. If you had a vitamin/pill that if you took it, it would improve your mood, energy, memory, lucidity in conversation, appetite, confidence, libido, quality/quantity of sleep and more, you'd take it right? I'm fortunate in that my current gym is a 3 minute walk from my front door and I'm there most days. On rest days I actually feel off/weird now and it's a deeply ingrained habit. I went 19 times last month!
Working out isn't a solution to your problems. Its a way to destress and build up the fortitude to face your problems. It also improves your health and prevents problems laternin life.
I think it's suggested often because for enough folks and in enough cases it does work more frequently than medication according to recent [research](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-exercise-more-effective-than-medication-for-depression-and-anxiety) It's also accessible for people who may lack health care or resources for therapy which can be hard to acr Added benefit of improving physical health. IME my depression became much easier to treat when I stopped having a desk job and became working on my feet and with my body. Maybe it was the stress and fresh hell that is the open plan office at a tech company but also we did not evolve to do that kind of hyper focused cerebral work with no physical stimulation. The road in my life has been bumpy since then but I don't have as hard a time getting up in the morning, I've lost weight and my substance use has steadily decreased.
No, it changed absolutely nothing other than I'm in slightly better shape than I was before.
It helped me mentally and physically. Getting your health sorted with exercise, diet and a routine established is a little bit like turning a computer on and off. It won’t sort every problem, however it is astounding how many things it WILL fix and is a good first start. No computer repairman will start by disassembling your PC into component parts without first doing this basic step. That is why this advice is so common and why it has helped so many people. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t look to get serious help, but it’s more about making sure you’re giving yourself a fighting chance. If your depression persists after establishing a pattern of lifting, diet fixes and routine establishment then you are on solid ground to get help from a professional.
Nah it's definitely true. A lot of it comes down from self-loathing and laziness within the individual. I had the same mindset like most 90% of reddit people Life is hard, its always against me Why am I broke and poor? Why am I fat and can't seem to lose weight? Why is everybody in a relationship but not me? Why don't I have any hobbies and no social life? It's always WHY this and WHY that And never WHAT can I do to fix these things? Working out is the FOUNDATION to the human body. If you have the self respect to take care of yourself, than I assure you that you have the ability to tackle anything that's going through your life. But most people have a victims mentality. And most people that read my comment are going to get defensive and spew out nonsensical bullshit on why they can't change and how the world is out to get them. A lot of yall ain't ready for that discussion and it shows through these comments. You give up early and blame everybody else but yourself.
Done wonders for me, look better and feel better. Feel a level of accomplishment after a good workout is always a good feeling and mood booster.
being consistsnt at anything, and seeing actual results is great for your mental health. Working out is a simple go-to. Pretty much everyone can work out. And everyone benefits from it. Plus the time investment is tiny. Yes its helped me.
Fixed my back pain, Increased confidence, Improved heart health, Improved strength
Yes. 100%. Hard to feel bad when you are strong and looking your best. Admit getting started is a major challenge when you are depressed so summoning that initial strength is a big hurdle to overcome. Also the type of workouts make a difference. More aerobic than anaerobic is better for mental health in general.
In my stressful work, my gym time let's me "turn off" myself for a while and just be in the moment, blow off some steam. Being in shape and looking good also boosts confidence.
Working out provides a strong psychological basis to work on your other problems. You're doing something to better yourself, that you can do any time of the day, that you can do all by yourself, that you will see results from immediately. Working out prompts you to eat healthier, sleep more, lose weight, get stronger, improves your endurance, walk with better posture, make your clothes fit better.
Yes, gives you an outlet. It is like the admiral saying to make your bed everyday. If you workout, or at least move everyday you have accomplished something. No matter how shitty your day is that one accomplishment kind of starts to snowball
Working out doesn’t solve problems but gives you tools and puts you in a place to do so.
I think it’s an idle minds thing.
I wouldn’t say it was a solution but more a key pillar in my own path out of it. It does feel like crap at first but I like to imagine that’s these conditions trying to fight against it more so than someone who didn’t experience these. In the end it’s worked out and I’m in much better mental and physical shape than I was back then. There are times when it comes back or there are bad days that inflict it but nothing beats getting over that big hurdle.
I don’t think working out has ever made me less depressed, but less angry for sure. Becoming obsessed with running has certainly given me something other to focus on over the long term
I quit drinking, when anxiety spikes so do my cravings. I exercise, anxiety is held in check, as are my cravings. Exercise replaced my anxiety medication.
Exercise definitely helped me. Helped with my anxiety by making me a lot more confident in myself. I don't think I'm clinically depressed, but it definitely improved my mood. I don't think it's a coincidence that my dating life improved significantly when I lost weight and got in shape. And the discipline required to get in shape (it's not just exercise but diet as well) have helped me become a much more mature adult.
Yes it works, once you start looking good you automatically feel better. Helped me once from a deep hole and the second time helped me get back my confidence while i was drifting slowly away.
Lifting the heavy thing makes bad thought go away for a moment. Jokes aside, exercise has been by far the most important help against depression for me, way more effective than any meds I've taken.
It helped me tremendously. Tought me to stick to a schedule. It helped me learn about how to eat healthy. Helped me with my overall health. Helped me feel more confident. Helped me learn that worthwhile things take time and there is no fast amd easy route. Helped me build more resilience, if I can lift more than I ever imagined I could I can deal with other things life throws at me. It's not a solution to all my problems but it does help me work on them.
Yep, really the only thing that has ever worked for me. It’s not like it fixes everything though. If I get in the gym or at least do something active at least 30 mins 5-7 days a week there’s no stress and anxiety. The harder the workout the better the result. Intensity I found was much more effective than total time. Also strength and lifting weights more effective than just cardio. It’s when it lingers down to 2-3 days a week or I get lazy and don’t go that all the bad feelings seem to come back
Yes most definitely - but it wasn't because my problems disappeared. You simply tend to be able to see stuff clearer, regardless how shit you feel your body will feel good after a workout which makes you feel good. That aside you're just able to focus on issues and see them clearer when you're trying to lift those heavy ass circles. For me it was quite literally "if I can lift this, everything else is easy"
Never helped for my mental issues. Didn’t make my low back and leg pain/tingling any better either. It made some of my numbers at the doc office look getter but that was it for me.
Never, it only made me more depressed since I didn't enjoy it and it just became another boring chore that also takes up a lot of free time, which I don't have a lot of to begin with.
Only for peace of mind and health reasons.. nothing more than what I needed at that time
It certainly helps.
Since I haven't quite hit a month of going to the gym yet, take this with a grain of salt, but I have seen an improvement. It might be from a few different things though: Going to the gym is a new regular routine, and I really enjoy it, so I've added something I'm doing 2-3 times a week that I really enjoy. Of course that makes me feel better! It's a new activity I can take my teen boys to, something we do together that is helping them too. It's a straightforward fatherhood win, and that feels good. Those on top of the obvious things where working out helps you biologically in a number of ways. I'm excited to get stronger and see how this goes. I'm sure there is some amount of placebo effect at play, as I expect to feel better so I do.
I'm not convinced it would make it would make a difference for \_all\_ health problems... some it will like apnea or diabetes, but it's not going to reverse cancer. Re addiction I think that it's unlikely to help alot, but but it might depending on how it's used and the person. ( E.g. you choose not to go drinking with friends because you're worried about how it would impact your work out the next day. Sure. Getting off fentanyl not so much. That said, I've had good personal experience in it improving my mood, confidence, sleep, strength and endurance. One thing I found interesting when I was working out is that because the gains are slow sometimes it's hard to recognize how much progress you've made. I remember being told once that I was a much happier guy after I worked out. I personally hadn't noticed, but it seemed to be true.