excercising helping anxiety?

[nick78hh]

It seems like when I excercise my anxiety foes away, but if I just lie around and do nothing it creeps up. I'm curious as to why this happens? Is it because by excercising where are doing something iwth ourselvs and getting rid of negative energy?

[Absolut100]

I'm not sure why it works but this week I have really embraced exercise as a strategy to help cope with my anxiety and it has been great. I look forward to it and have no anxiety during or after. Maybe endorphins??

[troy294]

I find for me personally meditate , I laughed it off when doctor told me but I read up about it and it's been practiced for thousands of years do must be some point to it . I try to meditate at least once a dad for twenty min and I find for me personally it works . It took roughly a month of doing it before I got right technique and noticed to feel more relaxed . Try it ya might Suprise ya self - it suprised me I thought meditation was a farce. A joke , but seriously ya never see a stressed monk or anyone that practices it regularly

[dazza]

Although exercise might release some happy chemicals into your bod. during/after your physical workout, I doubt this is the dominant, positive effect.

Anxiety is MIND driven. Every symptom, every fear, every bit of weird shit that anxiety has to offer comes from the MIND.

Now consider this:

With all the health problems related to smoking, drinking, obesity and so on these days... we are constantly being reminded of the following:

1/ eat your "5 a day"
2/ eat plenty of veg
3/ exercise regularly
... and so on

These reminders are in our faces at every adveritisng, opportune moment.

Of course it's good advice, but I think we've been somewhat brainwashed with it and to those who have got any kinda health conscience are gonna start to feel guilty every time they chomp on a Big Mac or guzzle a Pepsi.

I reckon this guilt is starting to play havoc with us and it wouldn't surprise me that it's actually causing anxiety for some.

Anyway... back to the point; By exercising you're probably relieving a lot of this guilt and feeling content that you've done something good.
I.e. it's a mind aid rather than chemicals.

[suzeliz]

I agree! I think if you do something good for your body like exercising, you relieve the guilt of eating bad and when you feel better about what you are doing to your body the level of anxiety goes down.
Although exercise might release some happy chemicals into your bod. during/after your physical workout, I doubt this is the dominant, positive effect.

Anxiety is MIND driven. Every symptom, every fear, every bit of weird shit that anxiety has to offer comes from the MIND.

Now consider this:

With all the health problems related to smoking, drinking, obesity and so on these days... we are constantly being reminded of the following:

1/ eat your "5 a day"
2/ eat plenty of veg
3/ exercise regularly
... and so on

These reminders are in our faces at every adveritisng, opportune moment.

Of course it's good advice, but I think we've been somewhat brainwashed with it and to those who have got any kinda health conscience are gonna start to feel guilty every time they chomp on a Big Mac or guzzle a Pepsi.

I reckon this guilt is starting to play havoc with us and it wouldn't surprise me that it's actually causing anxiety for some.

Anyway... back to the point; By exercising you're probably relieving a lot of this guilt and feeling content that you've done something good.
I.e. it's a mind aid rather than chemicals.

[nick78hh]

so its good?

[Buttercup]

Of course! If it makes you feel better then it's all good.

[bhamlaxy]

Exercise has done nothing but spike my anxiety. Even the slightest physical exhaustion and I feel an immediate heightening of anxiety and very pronounced derealization. I think that "good feeling", like a runners high, is off putting to me. I'll keep trying

[laurandisorder]

Bhamlaxy;

I have experienced an acute panic attack after exercise (hot day; ran on the beach, over exerted myself, hopped in a hot car, ran out of water = argh!) and that still affects me.

My solution is to interval run with my dog. He loves it so much and I concentrate on him (stopping every few minutes to wee, sniff, wag tail) that it takes the focus off my breathing and if I'm feeling over exerted.

I actually get quite edgy if I can't go out every other day. And I feel so much better afterwards.

[dazza]

If feeling anxious then exercise is not on the menu for me!

Anxiety = hyper-sensitivity = anything can trigger it

So, an increased heart rate will likely cause a panic.

I'd rather sit still during anxious times :-)