Posted by linkadge on August 6, 2006, at 1:00:09 [reposted on August 8, 2006, at 11:07:04 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Exercise and depression » Bob, posted by rod on August 5, 2006, at 21:58:42
Its possable too, that it is a "feel worse before you feel better" type of situation.
Sometimes people feel significantly worse the first little while on an antidepressant. This is probably because the drug induces placticity in parts of the brain which works bring resolution to the things that are depressing you. Its possable that you are activating parts of the brain that have been dormant for a while, and in doing so you may create some sort of internal conflict. It may induce placticity in parts of the brain that may be critical for an antidepressant effect, but in the short term produce dysphoria.
For instance. If I've had a bad day at work where I feel that my boss is always over my head and pissing me off. When I start to jog, it is like the day goes in reverse. My brain starts trying to undoe the things that it doesn't like (ie confronting the issues that are depressing me). So instead of being depressed, and accepting it, I start to feel a bit more agressive. I look for ways to regain my normal feeling of self control. Some people think I'm crazy, jogging along, cursing to the air. Eventually as I keep exercising I feel myself transcending the anger. I feel more objective. I start to think about why this jerk has no better a life than to take out his anger on his employees. I start to think about other options I have for other jobs, I start to think about ways I can keep him occupied and off my back. I think about ways to get him fired, I think about ways I can suck up, I think about ways I can make his job easier and perhaps put him in a better mood. And no, after all of this, I don't always come up with the *concrete* answer that I am looking for, but I at least feel better that I have adressed the issue, and that I am thinking about it.
It depends of course on where you're at, but exercising is not just like popping a tranquilier, its can be a very active. Just like hitting the punching bag, you start, and you may start to trigger the release of things you've been bottling up. Exercise can sometimes bring the crappy stuff to the forefront.
This is just my experience though.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:674827
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20060610/msgs/674836.html