Posted by Lao Tzu on August 18, 2008, at 5:57:41
In reply to Peter Kramer debunks exercise, CBT, posted by Franz on August 8, 2008, at 6:11:57
I've found that exercise did help me with low mood, but only when I was also on the right psychiatric medication for my condition, which is bipolar depression. Bipolars can fluctuate between having a lot of energy and low energy, and exercise can raise mood, but if you are in a cycle of low energy, excessive exercise can make you feel more tired and so depressive symptoms could theoretically seem worse. As far as cognitive behavioral therapy, it did help me with the strange thoughts I was having at the time, i.e. putting things into more perspective, but still strange thoughts persisted, depression persisted, and social anxiety was not helped much by cognitive behavioral therapy for me, though I suspect that people who do not have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia probably do better with cognitive behavioral therapy. It certainly is a driving force for helping one to be more realistic in day to day living, but I still think that certain groups of depressed people (namely, bipolar and schizophrenia) benefit greater with medication and nutritional supplements.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:844909
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080612/msgs/846965.html