Does exercise/healthy eating help with your depression?

[nonamegirl]

This year has been the healthiest year in terms of diet and exercise for me and yet I keep feeling worse and worse

Me too. I've never been healthier in terms of diet and exercise.......and I've never been worse of mentally/physically :(

 

[Tinxxx]

doing nothing helps a lot.

 

[Nymph]

I hate excerise but eating relatively healthy does help me, because food relates to all kinds of body issues which for me are: acne and weight. I used to eat 1 bag of chips everyday and I stopped and tried eating better and it helped a bit. What helped most was medications tho, I use meds for acne which help a ton, I feel like I could eat fast food everyday without worrying about acne lol and for weight helped me Venlafaxine. It reduced my appetite which was one of my biggest enemies.

 

[alexit]

Without a doubt it has a positive effect on your health. Does it cure depression? Maybe for some, maybe, but not highly likely. That is to say if you became depressed after letting yourself go, then it probably will, but there are plenty of athletic people with depression. It's obviously a complicated disease without a single cause or cure.

 

[a.n.kirillov]

Yes, but it depends. If used compulsively to avoid facing real life problems, then it is just as much a hindrance as any neurotic behaviour.

Eating healthy to me means not stress eating, eating only until satiated and only when hungry. Healthy exercise to me means having the desire to move and fulfilling it; so definitely not forcing yourself to exercise or being compulsive about it or guilt tripping yourself.

 

[Lupgevif]

I never ate healthy so I don't know about that. My mother would say walking lifted my mood, but I never truly felt that. I walk everyday, and I finish the same way I start: thinking about death. I also paid 3 months of gym once, aiming at self-improvement. By the end of the second month I couldn't force myself to go anymore.

 

[Chupacabra 44]

I think it's almost perceived to be a universal truth today that exercise definitely helps with depression. Exact neurochemical benefits of exercise are still theoretical. Some scientists think that exercise helps to boost such neural chemicals as dopamine and serotonin. My understanding per my ivy league educated psychiatrist is this is all theoretical stuff, but everybody is jumping on board that yeah it definitely helps enhance brain chemistry.

With nutrition, science is a little bit behind the curve compared to exercise. But, once this older generation of physicians retires and we get the new fresh open-minded younger physicians coming into the fold there will be much broader acceptance concerning the impact of nutrition and depression.

I'm 100% convinced there's a link and I'm annectodal proof of that. Hundreds and hundreds of people online say the same thing.

Highly recommend anybody with depression focus on both diet and exercise I have some knowledge in this area feel free to DM.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

But, once this older generation of physicians retires and we get the new fresh open-minded younger physicians coming into the fold there will be much broader acceptance concerning the impact of nutrition and depression

I think that's exactly what's happening. The sticking plaster approach of medication can be seen to be not working for many (though some still do need it). Lasting problems need lasting solutions, which are far harder to implement because they take time and determination, both from the physician and the patient.

 

[TheQ22]

I've been eating healthier and have lost about 22 pounds in 3 months (now about 13 and a half stone, or 190 pounds) - and I feel more depressed than I have in ages.

That's probably down to other factors though.

 

[schopenh]

> My parents dont think I should change my eating

Ones immediate family can be the absolute worst for support when it comes to making positive changes for your health and weight; especially if they themselves lead an unhealthy lifestyle. My family (who are all very overweight - obese; myself being the _only_ exception) literally give me dirty looks when I eat healthy or am dieting/intermittent fasting to shed some weight.

To answer your question. Looking and feeling healthier is obviously a better baseline to be at, though it may not have significant or any impact on your mental health.

 

[Blueman]

I spent 20 years running marathons and eating healthily. Enjoyed life
This year depression has struck due to long term unemployment ,I still eat reasonably healthily and exercise a bit, but struggling to do a run which I could do easily even earlier this year gives me a brief high but reminds me where I am now so makes me depressed.....

 

[Grav]

Exercise helps me a lot, so I need to get back to it! I do free weights usually and between the workout, the music blasting, and the results I eventually get my mood changes and I can point to something positive. Unfortunately when I hit a low and stopped all that work went away, making things even worse.

 

[141592653]

Short answer : No
Long answer : Not AT ALL

 

[nomoreenergy]

I think it can definitely help, but all the times when I was eating healthier/exercising, I started once I was already feeling better and I got off track once my depression got worse. It is better for your body which can help your brain, but the mental illness really does make it hard

 

[Chupacabra 44]

I've been eating healthier and have lost about 22 pounds in 3 months (now about 13 and a half stone, or 190 pounds) - and I feel more depressed than I have in ages.

That's probably down to other factors though.

May I suggest that you start keeping a food journal to see if you might have some slight food intolerances that are impacting your depression. Take the approach that everything you are consuming might be contributing to your moods. After time through keeping the food journal you will likely start seeing associations between consumption and mood.

> My parents dont think I should change my eating

Ones immediate family can be the absolute worst for support when it comes to making positive changes for your health and weight; especially if they themselves lead an unhealthy lifestyle. My family (who are all very overweight - obese; myself being the _only_ exception) literally give me dirty looks when I eat healthy or am dieting/intermittent fasting to shed some weight.

To answer your question. Looking and feeling healthier is obviously a better baseline to be at, though it may not have significant or any impact on your mental health.

I'm no fisherman and I am unsure if this actually is accurate. However reading your post reminds me of the story that with a bucket full of crabs as soon as one crab starts to climb out of the bucket the other crabs pull that crab back down into the bucket, and thereby, prevent this crap from escaping. In essence all the crabs keep the other crabs down.

I hope you'll find the strength to accomplish your objectives on your own.

Wishing you strength!

 

[Deleted member 1465]

In essence all the crabs keep the other crabs down.

Crabs. Bastards. Knew it.

 

[LittleJem]

I know one woman who feels better from her anxiety and depression when she is running regularly. For me, when I'm really ill I can't get out of bed and I can't exercise. I tried to take myself to the park one time with exhaustion and horrible suicidal thoughts and I tried running with them. I only did that once. It was unpleasant getting to the park and unpleasant running with suicidal thoughts. I used to drag myself out of bed around 4 pm for a walk so I wouldn't be completely bedridden, then I got more bedridden and that stopped. At the moment I am not bedridden (thank you LSD) and so I do exercise. Because whenever I run I injure my knee, I am now doing fast walking for weight loss. I say that, I need to get decent shoes before starting it properly. You have to walk at a certain MPH for walking to be a good cardio exercise, and fast enough that you are out of breath, and I believe for 45 mins?

I do sometimes feel better after a dance class or after yoga - so it can help - but for me if it helps that feeling doesn't last, and the depression comes back. I might get an afterglow of 10 mins if I am lucky.

When I am feeling better (like when I have medications work for a few weeks before it conks out) then I love to exercise! There were two weeks where I was feeling happy due to a supplement that I got out of bed and enjoyed yoga soooo much.

 

[timeisnigh]

Looking and feeling healthier is obviously a better baseline to be at, though it may not have significant or any impact on your mental health.

bolded for truth