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Rock climbing significantly reduces depression

21 points by brahmwg 9y ago

throwawayclimb 9y ago
This mirrors my own experiences. When climbing it's like a nagging part of my brain shuts off. I imagine this is what other people experience during meditation. For me this works better than drugs. I have a partner who's suicidally depressed. Climbing is the only thing that gets them out of bed. The dark side of this is that high cliffs provide easy access to self-harm.
chickenfries 9y ago
So just to be clear, they had two test groups and they both rock climbed? Don't we already know that any kind of exercise is good for depression?
- hdhzy 9y ago
  Was it a double blind controlled study? But seriously, I don't see a link to the paper...
  - z0k 9y ago
    I think this is the study they are citing https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281260875_Indoor_rock_climbing_bouldering_as_a_new_treatment_for_depression_Study_design_of_a_waitlist-controlled_randomized_group_pilot_study_and_the_first_results https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281260875_Indoor_ro...
nlawalker 9y ago
Bouldering is awesome for a million reasons, and is incredibly easy to try out/get started with. Seriously, if you have ever given climbing a passing thought or even just saw a picture once and thought it looked cool, try it out. Find a gym near you, call them up, confirm that they have a bouldering area - not just roped - and ask them how much a day pass with shoe rental is. Put on something comfortable and get yourself there and you'll be climbing the walls within 5 minutes. You can go by yourself - you don't need a partner or spotter - but it's a great social activity, so take your partner/friends/kids if you want. Bouldering is climbing low to the ground over pads, so there are no harnesses or ropes and no required safety training (beyond whatever your gym might require - facility tour, short video, etc.). Most gyms have plenty of problems catering to beginners. It's a novelty-seeking, flow-encouraging activity that will keep you busy physically and mentally. Be ready - your arms are going to be tired.
rurban 9y ago
Surfing even more. And much safer. It's the water temperature and the noise of the waves, which cool you down.
cbanek 9y ago
I really agree anything that takes your total concentration is great for helping to snap out of depression. Depression I view mostly as a cyclone of shittiness in mental feelings, which seems to feed back on itself (as does happiness). Other things that I find get me out of whatever I was thinking before: Driving (especially fast, or fun roads), shooting a gun, Starcraft / RTS games (at least if you want to win). I think there's also something for repetitive actions, such as jogging or running, which kind of slowly lull you out of your current thinking.
sammyttrr 9y ago
I should definitely give it a try! I had been suffering from depression. It was caused by chronic stress in an abusive marriage. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting better after leaving. So my doc put me on antidepresssants ( http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ ). Now I am off antidepressants and feel happy again:)
samuel88 9y ago
That's amazing that rock climbing helps! I had been suffering from depression. It was caused by chronic stress in an abusive marriage. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting better after leaving. So my doc put me on antidepresssants ( http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ ). Now I am off antidepressants and feel happy again:)

21 points by brahmwg 9y ago

This mirrors my own experiences. When climbing it's like a nagging part of my brain shuts off. I imagine this is what other people experience during meditation. For me this works better than drugs. I have a partner who's suicidally depressed. Climbing is the only thing that gets them out of bed. The dark side of this is that high cliffs provide easy access to self-harm.

chickenfries 9y ago

So just to be clear, they had two test groups and they both rock climbed? Don't we already know that any kind of exercise is good for depression?

hdhzy 9y ago
Was it a double blind controlled study? But seriously, I don't see a link to the paper...
- z0k 9y ago
  I think this is the study they are citing https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281260875_Indoor_rock_climbing_bouldering_as_a_new_treatment_for_depression_Study_design_of_a_waitlist-controlled_randomized_group_pilot_study_and_the_first_results https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281260875_Indoor_ro...

nlawalker 9y ago

Bouldering is awesome for a million reasons, and is incredibly easy to try out/get started with. Seriously, if you have ever given climbing a passing thought or even just saw a picture once and thought it looked cool, try it out. Find a gym near you, call them up, confirm that they have a bouldering area - not just roped - and ask them how much a day pass with shoe rental is. Put on something comfortable and get yourself there and you'll be climbing the walls within 5 minutes. You can go by yourself - you don't need a partner or spotter - but it's a great social activity, so take your partner/friends/kids if you want. Bouldering is climbing low to the ground over pads, so there are no harnesses or ropes and no required safety training (beyond whatever your gym might require - facility tour, short video, etc.). Most gyms have plenty of problems catering to beginners. It's a novelty-seeking, flow-encouraging activity that will keep you busy physically and mentally. Be ready - your arms are going to be tired.

rurban 9y ago

Surfing even more. And much safer. It's the water temperature and the noise of the waves, which cool you down.

cbanek 9y ago

I really agree anything that takes your total concentration is great for helping to snap out of depression. Depression I view mostly as a cyclone of shittiness in mental feelings, which seems to feed back on itself (as does happiness). Other things that I find get me out of whatever I was thinking before: Driving (especially fast, or fun roads), shooting a gun, Starcraft / RTS games (at least if you want to win). I think there's also something for repetitive actions, such as jogging or running, which kind of slowly lull you out of your current thinking.

sammyttrr 9y ago

I should definitely give it a try! I had been suffering from depression. It was caused by chronic stress in an abusive marriage. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting better after leaving. So my doc put me on antidepresssants ( http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ ). Now I am off antidepressants and feel happy again:)

samuel88 9y ago

That's amazing that rock climbing helps! I had been suffering from depression. It was caused by chronic stress in an abusive marriage. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting better after leaving. So my doc put me on antidepresssants ( http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ http://antidepressivemedicines.com/ ). Now I am off antidepressants and feel happy again:)