I Have Depression and Anxiety. Please Stop Telling Me to ‘Go for a Run’

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'I hate to break it to you, but exercising with a mental illness is more complicated than that. It’s also kind of a dick move to suggest physical activity to anyone and everyone with anxiety or depression as if it’s some panacea.' -imteddybless

For example, someoneon my Twitter thread, “Oh how true this is! You're already anxious so go do something you're not good at in front of a tonne [sic] of people you don't know! No thanks.”

That wasn't always the case for me, and it may not be the case for everyone with a mental illness. At the peak of my own physical fitness, I was exercising every day. I measured how many calories I burned against how many I consumed. I ran until I wanted to throw up, and I pushed myself to keep going even when I was obviously exhausted. I had a disordered relationship with exercise, and nothing about it was healthy.

The trick that has helped me get to a healthy place with exercise is allowing myself full permission to doWhen I first began exercising regularly again, I committed to just 10 or 15 minutes a day and built on that. Now, if I ever feel the urge to push harder or compete with previous workouts, I remind myself that I’m not training for anything. I’m not trying to lose weight. I’m just trying to feel better, and there is no deadline for that.

I honor my feelings and my symptoms day to day, and I don’t self-punish when I’m not feeling up to doing much. Sure, it can be helpful, but sometimes it just doesn’t work, and sometimes there’s no place for it. Our limits are real, and “I don’t want to” is as valid a reason as any. Don’t push, or coax, or try and coerce us. And don’t express your disappointment on days where we tell you no; this will just make us feel more crappy and less inclined to try in the future. Please do not act like we’re not willfully doing all we can to feel better when we’re not exercising.

 

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Works for me!!!

Or better yet.. just stop giving 'advice'

imteddybless Great read. It reminded me that everybody's individual experience of anxiety is different, despite universally similar manifestations.

imteddybless Bloody love you imteddybless

imteddybless I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I'm a Mental Health Professional, and I recommend some form of exercise keeping in mind the client's limitation. A walk down to the corner is a lot better than staying inside, feeling depressed. You have made a sweeping generalization here.

imteddybless With depression there is no energy to get up much less exercise.

imteddybless So sad but true.

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