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Sometimes you need a therapist and/or meds to figure out that you need to (or even can) figure it out, and it's possible to overdo just about anything, certainl

Sometimes you need a therapist and/or meds to figure out that you need to (or even can) figure it out, and it's possible to overdo just about anything, certainly including exercise and sleep. Depression puts you at the bottom of a well, and by definition not thinking clearly. You're dangerously close to telling people to just deal with it on their own, which is harmful and cold.

Nav_Panel 9y ago
Certainly. I have been in the position before where I was at the bottom of my own personal pit and was unable to begin exercising on my own (severely depressed and obese, not a great combination to begin an exercise program). It's not an easy thing to get started doing _anything_ when you're depressed, habits are hard to change. People shouldn't be expected to change these things (purely) on their own, as a lot is a function of environment/genetics/overall life situation, but... I can recall clearly what it would have been like (for me personally at least) were I in a strongly depressive state: I'd read the comment warning me about exercise, then I'd be afraid to exercise at all. By framing exercise as a risky behavior based on a few exceptional anecdotes, the poster does depressed readers a disservice. It's relatively established that depressed people are more risk averse in general[1][2], and exercise also has well established benefits in treating symptoms of depression (I shouldn't have to cite sources for this one). The benefits far outweigh the risks. 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590786/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590786/ 2: https://www.nesda.nl/nesda/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wiersma_JClinPsych_2011.pdf https://www.nesda.nl/nesda/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wiersm...
- eradicatethots 9y ago
  No need to treat depressed people like children and withhold info about risks. They’re still humans after all.
  - sooheon 9y ago
    I believe you misunderstood the point. The problem is that the "risks" of exercise are blown out of proportion.

Nav_Panel 9y ago

Certainly. I have been in the position before where I was at the bottom of my own personal pit and was unable to begin exercising on my own (severely depressed and obese, not a great combination to begin an exercise program). It's not an easy thing to get started doing _anything_ when you're depressed, habits are hard to change. People shouldn't be expected to change these things (purely) on their own, as a lot is a function of environment/genetics/overall life situation, but... I can recall clearly what it would have been like (for me personally at least) were I in a strongly depressive state: I'd read the comment warning me about exercise, then I'd be afraid to exercise at all. By framing exercise as a risky behavior based on a few exceptional anecdotes, the poster does depressed readers a disservice. It's relatively established that depressed people are more risk averse in general[1][2], and exercise also has well established benefits in treating symptoms of depression (I shouldn't have to cite sources for this one). The benefits far outweigh the risks. 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590786/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590786/ 2: https://www.nesda.nl/nesda/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wiersma_JClinPsych_2011.pdf https://www.nesda.nl/nesda/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wiersm...

eradicatethots 9y ago
No need to treat depressed people like children and withhold info about risks. They’re still humans after all.
- sooheon 9y ago
  I believe you misunderstood the point. The problem is that the "risks" of exercise are blown out of proportion.