File :-(, x, )
depression and working out Anonymous
question, not looking for advice.

I'm in a personal rut, and was pretty bad when I had taken 3 weeks off from the gym, but felt a fuckton better after I went back monday night. feel the shittiness creeping back, so I'm going again tonight.

so I ask: does anybody else workout for the sole or secondary purpose of avoiding depression?

pic unrelated
>> Anonymous
I do this regularly.
But this is very bad.
Focus your mind on perceiving "working out" as an active release of stress and anxiety.
Not a focus of mental dependency.
By doing this working out will be a reward in itself.
More so it will be fun.
>> Anonymous
>>450673
oh, it's not my main goal. my main goal is to gain weight and strength. But the fact that I went from being ready to an hero to pretty chipper is hard to ignore.
>> Anonymous
Right here with you. I suffer from depression pretty hard, have for the majority of my 20's, and the best way I have found to combat it is from going to the gym and running. I was not surprised at all when I found out that the endorphin release your body get's from exercise is equal to any prescription medication.
>> Anonymous
yeah, when I compare the time periods I've lifted with those where I've slacked off I'm a lot more depressed when I'm not working out - also easily stressed and very anxious about things I shouldn't be
>> Anonymous
I do this.

It seems to take the edge off the high end of my cycles as well, which is fine by me.

Normal is better than very great 10% of the time.
>> Murdoc
Well, I use to for a bit. I just channelled any feelings of set back or depression to some form of work out... which I don't know crap about. (I kinda want a beginner's yoga thing so I can get my lethargic ass able to move more fluid)
Alot of crap takes awhile to wait for it to happen, job searchs or such crap. It is a good down time but I had to move this frikin gliding-bycicle-stylied-walker upstairs and inside because I got fed up with people looking at me while I did it. I like to focus one just the workout when I do and that crap distracts me.
But hey, at least I got my frickin OAT MEAL and WHEY PROTIEN!!!
>> Anonymous
>>450646

With relation to your pic OP:
"Self improvement is masturbation."
Despite the obvious irony behind the quote.
>> Anonymous
Exercise releases endorphins and it's a safe, constructive way of enjoying yourself. Of course it makes you feel better.
>> Anonymous
Feeling sore the rest of the day and the next day after working out makes me feel more accomplished than I ever feel after doing well on tests and papers. It's also a great break from school/studying.
>> Anonymous
>>450646
Yeah i use it as a form of stress relief...long periods wihtout exercise makes it easier for me to be in a depressive mood.
>> Anonymous
Hell yeah I work out to not get depressed.
When I work out it relieves so much stress in my life. It just keeps me moving. I feel like if I stand still and think about it then ill just get depressed, but if im sore and tired, then ill just be to grumpy to deal with my own problems.
emo fag i know
>> Anonymous
I workout to relieve depression, and it works. I focus more on strength goals than body image, as there are parts of my body that I dislike. So hitting PR's while lifting is a huge mental boost. Also, vitamin D!
>> Anonymous
>>451239

Just do add

No stress = No production of Cortisol = less of your body eating muscle. sweet eh.