Exercise is the best anti-depressant together with good diets and spiritual/positive outlooks. Legal drugs can be quite a drain. Lew Rockwell often has articles on the drug problems.
What's important for folks to realize is that a person with an illness like depression has to find coping mechanisms. I would not poo-poo pharmaceuticals if it helps someone get by. A person needs to find the triggers for depression and also coping mechanisms that help alleviate the symptoms. Often, there is an "ah-ha" moment where a coping mechanism emerges.
It sounds like GS found an important 'ah-ha' that the Springer-Damascus hike helped alleviate the symptoms, but then had a nasty fall-back when she stopped exercising and the possibility that the extra weight has an effect on her chemistry. So, she may be hitting on all this. It does seem like getting an effective exercise strategy would help.
Finding exercise that 'works' for someone can be tricky - there are time constraints, and what works for a person. It's worthwhile taking some time to dabble. Personally, I find that exercise lifts my mood - and the exercise that works the best is anything that involves motion in the outdoors - running, kayaking, biking, hiking, cross country skiing. Swimming not so much unless it's in the ocean or a lake.
Whenever I give the advice I gave there's always someone who jumps down my throat and starts screaming that I can't possibly know about brain chemistry and neurotransmitters and "I'm on medication and you're not so you can't understand". I guarantee when anyone gets treated for depression unless the doctor really doesn't know what he's doing, medication is only a small part of the treatment plan. A (much) larger part of it should be lifestyle changes and working on forming a different view of the world around you.
There's no reward at the end for the most miserable thru-hiker.
After gear you can do a thru for $2,000.
No training is a substitute for just going and hiking the AT. You'll get in shape.
Depression is a very real condition that makes people listless and makes it very hard for them to move forward. My sister went back on Abilify recently the thousand dollar a month product covered by Medicare so she would sleep better, etc.. A family friend stopped over the other day and said how it helped her be more functional. You have sites like "Crazymeds" where those on these meds. can discuss how they are doing. Far be it for me to act as the doctor suggesting options, my sister's need for the drug was triggered by a nephew who is an alcoholic unmanageable and was in the detox unit at the hospital last week. Foul mouthed and unmanageable, he negatively affects family.
They have found talk therapy is great, for some the twelve step programs work wonders, church meetings and an attitude of gratitude. High quality natural intakes, like organic yogurt by the quart, EPA/DHA oils as in some fish, flax oil, etc.. Raw nuts like walnuts provide magnesium. Regular healthy eating times. I drink yerba mate in quantity rather than coffee and herb teas can be great.
My therapist once told me, "I think you should go back on medication." His reasoning? Through my therapy he could tell I wasn't at a level of stability. Not that I personally was having some meltdown but that the anxiety and stress level had elevated. He said he needed me to be at a particular level in order for him to help me. It was a random comment in our therapy and more of a suggestion. The point is sometimes you need to be at a particular level in order for cognitive therapy to do you some good. So medications are a tool for doing that. I was in cognitive therapy for about 3 years. On and off medication but the last 2 years of that I was off, even after his suggestion. Treatment is about finding mechanisms and tools to help you get better. Changing your latitude, to borrow a Buffett expression, can be a viable tool. We react to stimuli of all kinds. Use them to your advantage.
I find that description just plain foolish.Originally Posted by Dogwood
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.
I haven't seen this mentioned, so I'll throw it out there too. I went from being very active to doing nothing - when I broke my leg. I had complications, and had a broken leg for two years. I could only get about with a walker, putting no weight on my leg, so I couldn't bike, hike, or kayak. During that time on the sofa, I read trail journals and books about the trail. I looked at my photos of the trail and kayak trips. I read books and magazines about other people's mishaps, adventures, backpacking recipies, trip planning. . . anything and everything about trips made and future trips planned. I made plans for my next trip out. As soon as I was able to start PT, I did, and worked as hard as I could to gain back the muscle strength I needed to backpack again.
I spent much of those two years living "outside" through other's experiences, and learned a lot I didn't know about backpacking, but I also learned this about myself: I am stronger than I thought, and backpacking is the reason.
I would suggest regular exercise, your doctor's meds for depression, and making plans for your future adventures. Depression is hard, and many people do not "get it" but you can fight it with the proper "tools."
I don't believe its just the exercise that increased your mood i firmly believe that nature, the woods and the silence of urban life is the mood enhancer. I moved to a small country town 2 years ago making a lot less money but live in the woods and never been happier.
If you can’t fix it with duct tape or a beer; it ain’t worth fixing
Its not a theory that exercise will combat your mental illness its just a fact that its probably better than any therapist you can go to unless yiour life is entirely in shambles.
A believe in nature cures; there is no condition or attitude too dire that will not be bettered in the great outdoors provided that the weather, etc. are pleasant.
And though psych. meds. may be helpful for stabilizing some people there have been way too many problem outcomes especially among the youth: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-0...behavior-youth
And I would do a thorough search before taking any medication long term as to side effects: http://www.worstpills.org/
Thank you, KDogg. Yes, too many people do not have an understanding of what clinical depression is. In my case, it runs in the family on both sides and treating it with medication (in addition to exercise and a meaningful life) was transformative for me. I know that people mean well, but I never CHOSE to be depressed. If I could choose, I would definitely choose something else!
Thanks for a great post.
Thank you, yes. Medication can be one very useful tool in my toolbox for managing my depression. When I started my meds ten years ago, it was then that I was able to more effectively address the cognitive side.
Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate that everyone has some valuable advice to offer. I know we can't all know and understand the experiences of others, and forums like this hopefully allow us to do that a little better.
No one here seemed to mention how to do all of this with three kids! Lol! They are probably my biggest impediment to being able to choose and control having the optimal lifestyle and diet. Luckily they are more than worth it and make up for it with the joy they bring to my life.
I have returned to regular walks and hikes, not as intense as pre-hike training but back to a "normal" level. This has greatly alleviated my depression. I am still experiencing a high amount of anxiety, which is very unusual for me. I suspect, as I mentioned in my previous post, that it has something to do with my body's post-hike chemistry being out-of-whack. In fact, my research suggest what I am experiencing is the common side-effects of low testosterone. (My testosterone post-hike must have been off the charts because I have never been so horny in my whole life!!)
As for nature, yes, I cannot exercise in a gym but must be in the out of doors, smelling and observing the world around me and the changing seasons. If I look to the sky I can remember that it is the same sky as above the trail, and in my heart I am there. This whole life is a section hike and I feel privileged to be on it.
Thanks again for all the help.
"...(havig)three kids... are probably my biggest impediment to being able to choose and control having the optimal lifestyle and diet."
Wow, you believing and saying that puts a lot into perspective about how you've gotten to the point where you are.:confused
Still don't believe you can POSSIBLY walk away from depression do you?
I am not comfortable with all this over-sharing lately.
Jane
Ignoring that depression exists is a great deal of the problem. Geez I'm really sorry that you are uncomfortable. But try being a depressed person with this 500 lb gorilla that keeps messing with you.
That's not what I'm uncomfortable with. It's the sex talk (here and in other threads). I guess I'm getting old, but I knew that...
Jane
Scout I understand that life is very difficult sometimes. One day everything is going beautiful, then the next, well there is an old saying, life is a terrible thing to happen to a person. Believe it or not, sometimes that happening can open doors in positive ways.
You mentioned that you care for three kids, are you a single parent? You also said you love being outdoors, is it possible to take your kids on outdoor hikes with you?
When I was hiking in the Pecos wilderness I passed a single dad who regularly takes his teenage and pre-teen daughters hiking for overnights on the weekends twice a month. His rules were simple, no cell phones or electronics of any kind, and they had to pack in whatever they felt they could not live without.
I remarked to him how well behaved and mannerful they were, that is when he explained his rules to me. He said when he first started this he was sure he was the most hated father in the world. Now, three years later, you can see the love and admiration they had for their dad.
I am not going to address the depression side for you, you have lots of advice on here already to draw from and the medical advice from your doctor. As a mom of kids myself, I know anytime you can get them to unplug from the world of society and to tune in to the natural world it is a good thing. And anytime you are outdoors with them, you are making great memories.
I wish you the best in finding solutions and hope you know we are all here to listen and talk anytime you feel the need. Good luck in your hiking and with the kids. Happy trails.
Life is not about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself.
Maybe the solution here is to keep hiking...you said you did quite a few miles to train, why not just keep training for next year's hike?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote