Resistance training and depression

Brian?

Heard about this study on th radio earlier. I’ve also heard years of anecdotal evidence on the subject. Some high profile posters and mods of the fitness forum in the past were very open about how they used strength training to cope with mental health issues, so I thought it was worth starting a thread.

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/314827/weightlifting-can-be-as-effective-for-depression-as-medication-university-of-limerick-study-finds.html?refresh_ce

Personally, I don’t suffer from depression so I don’t feel qualified to comment on that. But I do live a high stress life. I’m a manager in a large multinational, have 2 young kids and am trying to buy a house. I also recently finished a post grad in Engineering. Through my varied levels of stress, rarely less that 7/10, I’ve found resistance training to be a huge help.

I’ve a theory that it’s not the physical aspect that really makes the difference, it’s actually the mental side of lifting heavy that does it. I’ve used mindfulness do achieve some similar results. Mindfulness is all about being connected to what you’re doing and being in that moment. Lifting something heavy gives one that connection. If your mind and body are entirely concentrated on lifting something it’s hard to over analyse life for those few minutes.

I’d be interested in hearing other people’s input in relation to exercise and mental health. It would be nice to actually have a “mental fitness” thread.

Alf Veedersane

I absolutely agree...gym time is my form of mindfulness. I've had some shìt to deal with in recent months and the gym was my escape. Being in the squat rack was like being in a bubble. Nothing existed outside of the rack; it was just me, the bar and plates and the rack. I just had sets and reps to count. There wasn't room for anything else.

A couple of years ago, I brought up the fact that I'd been in the grip of an eating disorder for a couple of years. I genuinely feel the gym had a large part in coming through. I started to see food as fuel for training. Something important and necessary if I wanted to get stronger. And I wanted to get stronger because began to enjoy that linear progression from having a programme to follow.

Tl;dr I'm a big fan of the gym because of all of the non-physical benefits its given me.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

Dtp1979

Think this is on the matt cooper show shortly

whippet

I don't suffer with depression (I think !!) and while I have a stressful job .. I manage it quite well .. but the gym is a place where everything else in life takes a backseat .. almost as if they don't exist - and I find myself happier for it. Moving weights is a battle that I have with myself .. I am competing with myself and no one else

In recent years I have even found myself seeking out decent Gyms while on holidays .. holidays are not stressful .. but the time in the gym clears the brain and sort of hits the reset button.

bladespin

Very much agree, helps with goals, self confidence and all sorts of good things, even if you're just clearing your head durong a session. Certainly helps me.

seefin

Totally agree. Have had days where feel so tired and burnt out and stressing in head about the problem of the day! Force myself to go to gym for weightlifting and an hour later , bounce out full of energy. You don't focus on anything else while there, agree it's a form of mindfulness . Generally I'd be concerned about peoples opinions of me but at gym I'm not even aware of others and know it's same for them. I think weightlifting , over any other form of exercise, gives a certain sense of empowerment,

Brian?

draiochtanois wrote: »

I think this is the salient part of the discussion.
Why do these things stress you?

Stress is an external thing. I see it as something from the outside. Not all stress is bad. Stress in work can help me perform better. The stress of having children pushed me back to college.

I don't suffer from "stress" as some sort of disorder. It's just there. It sometimes makes me anxious. The anxiety is the problem, I can better deal with the anxiety if I lift heavy.

I should have clarified this in the beginning.

TRS30

Fortunately I'm a reasonable laid back person so don't really get stressed as such and luckily have never suffered from depression however have never been a very confident person.  I have always enjoyed sports and being active however lifting has given me a new confidence. I look better so I feel better. People comment on my appearance which is nice however I do it mainly for myself.
I believe exercise in general is great for mental health. My wife unfortunately has had a lot of tough things to deal with in her life and always says she deals better with life challenges when she gets to the gym or goes out running.
With us both working full time in busy jobs and having two young kids we are conscious that we give each other our own time to lift, go running etc as we both appreciate how important it is to the other person.

bladespin

whippet wrote: »

In recent years I have even found myself seeking out decent Gyms while on holidays .. holidays are not stressful .. but the time in the gym clears the brain and sort of hits the reset button.

That's a brilliant idea :eek: might start a thread lol.

I find our hols brilliant but there is often stress.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

Mr. CooL ICE

I don't consider myself to have ever suffered from depression. I've had ups and downs in my life, but that's it. Whenever life was somewhat down, I always found exercise, regardless of what it was, to be hugely beneficial for the mind.

Going back 5+ years, I was mainly running. I found it to be like meditation. Just me and my thoughts. And, well, traffic. The endorphins at the end obviously helped.

My exercise has exclusively been lifting weights for the last few years. I also get the same benefit as running. What I get from lifting weights that I never got from running, is confidence. I don't know why it is exactly; possible the idea of being able to lift a weight I wasn't able to previously, or the fact that my posture has improved. Who knows.

Alf Veedersane

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

What I get from lifting weights that I never got from running, is confidence. I don't know why it is exactly; possible the idea of being able to lift a weight I wasn't able to previously, or the fact that my posture has improved. Who knows.

I don't know what it is either but part of it has to be an innate acknowledgement that you're getting stronger. Not in a "I'm strong now" but in a "Jesus...now I'm squatting/pressing/deadlifting/etc my old 1RM for reps as a warm up."

Maybe there's a sense of achievement that you respect because it was hard earned.

Brian?

draiochtanois wrote: »

I think a key issue for stress / anxiety / depression is insufficient sleep.

Most people don't go to bed early enough and most parents don't put their children to bed early enough. The two are of course related.

You could be right. I don't have that problem though. My kids are out cold by 8pm. The majority of time I get over 8 hours sleep.

I appreciate all inputs, but I'm not sure what this has to do with the subject at hand?

whippet

bladespin wrote: »

That's a brilliant idea :eek: might start a thread lol.

I find our hols brilliant but there is often stress.

Actually not a bad idea to set up a thread of recommendations for friendly gyms in the usual holiday spots.

kevthegaff

I definitely agree, I loved doing weights in the past as it was like a personal battle. Lots of milestones, feel strong afterwards and general health. Was reading about dry stone wall building and a few guys who are on YouTube that have left stressful city jobs for it. Also you have a physical structure after your endeavours with some lifting

ford2600

The benefits of exercise on mental health isn't anything new, or using it to treat depression. You will find plenty studies showing a benefical link, comparable to a pharma intervention in some patients.

Personally I wouldn't notice much difference between bike ride/sea swim/lifting weights/Saturday morning with a splitting maul.

I would see pro and cons to weight training as a medicine; the main and probably only con being you are inside yet again!

The concentration needed to perfect technique, the linear progression, setting and achieving goals, improved sleep and the social aspect of it are obvious benefits.

For stressed people exercise should only be one tools in your arsenal(an over reliance on it could be counter productive) and probably should include
*an effort to get properly calm every day
*improved sleep
*source of self esteem should come from relationships rather than achievements; your advice being asked in gym/ new friendships should matter more than hitting a new 1RM or not

I've met a lot of people over the years who have had an unhealthy relationship with exercise, so the dose is important.

For people who stress/worry a lot and get anxious, learning techniques to switch that off is pretty simple

ford2600

Isn't google fcuking awesome.

I read this book over 20 years ago and this thread reminded me on this passage. One of the main characters, a landowner rattles on about the enjoyment of hard labour in fields with the peasants.

http://www.hangdogrevival.com/tolstoy-depression-exercise/

Alf Veedersane

ford2600 wrote: »

The benefits of exercise on mental health isn't anything new, or using it to treat depression. You will find plenty studies showing a benefical link, comparable to a pharma intervention in some patients.

Personally I wouldn't notice much difference between bike ride/sea swim/lifting weights/Saturday morning with a splitting maul.

To be fair, the study is only new in the context of it being a meta-analysis.

I did hear a chap on the radio this morning - I didn't catch his name so I'm not sure if he was one of the authors - but he said that the news reports focussed on lifting weights but that what they classify as 'resistance exercise training' wasn't necessarily just lifting weights but included anaerobic exercise.

That tallies with one of the bullets on the background to the analysis which said "although aerobic exercise training has well-established effects on anxiety that are comparable to other empirically-supported treatments, the anxiolytic effects of resistance exercise training (RET) remain understudied."

Alf Veedersane

whippet wrote: »

Actually not a bad idea to set up a thread of recommendations for friendly gyms in the usual holiday spots.

Recommendations for Rosslare are welcome.

Never managed to keep up long term but any time I've lost weight and exercised regularly I found it made no difference whatsoever to my mood.

silverharp

I'd be inclined to say the effect wouldn't be unique to resistance training, I'm lucky enough to live on the coast and do a lot of purposeful walking for want of a better term, I'd go for a 2 hour walk before or after work a couple of times a week and ditto at the weekend and I get a similar feeling to being at the gym or going running, plus unlike the gym I'm getting a good dose of sunlight which is a good mood and sleep enhancer.
Given that we tend to live in very man made environments the wonder of watching the tide roll in, walking barefoot along a beach is something to be enjoyed.

witchgirl26

Deleted User wrote: »

Never managed to keep up long term but any time I've lost weight and exercised regularly I found it made no difference whatsoever to my mood.

I would have said the same but started going to a gym last year and for the first time in my life, stuck at it. It wasn't massively obvious to me but it was to others that my mood seemed to brighten after I go. I just seem to be more relaxed, happier, more get up and go. I've only noticed myself in the past few months but others noticed a lot before. I think keeping it up long term might be the key.

Dtp1979

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

I don't know why it is exactly; possible the idea of being able to lift a weight I wasn't able to previously, or the fact that my posture has improved. Who knows.

It’s probably the fact that either your clothes are getting smaller or you’re getting bigger