Most people would really benefit from going to the gym.
I'm not trying to downplay serious mental illness as its absolutely real.
For many though just going to the gym several times a week or another form of serious physical exertion can make a world of difference.
Since I started taking the gym seriously again I feel like a new man. Any negative thoughts are simply gone. (The testosterone helps as well)
This is coming from someone that has zero friends and works from home and all my co-workers are offshore. Besides my wife and kids its almost total isolation. Going to the gym though leaves me feeling like I could pluck the sun from the sky.
I am not trying to be flippant here but if you feel down, give it a try, it may surprise you.
Yes. Most would benefit from more exercise. We need to get sufficient sleep. And more sun. Vitamin D deficiency is shockingly common, and contributes to mental health problems.
We would also generally benefit from internalizing ideas from DBT, CBT, and so on. People also seriously need to work on distress tolerance. Having problems is part of life, and an inability to accept the discomfort is debilitating.
Also, we seriously need to get rid of the stupid idea of trigger warnings. The research on the topic is clear. The warnings do not actually help people with PTSD, and can create the symptoms of PTSD in people who didn't previously have it. It is creating the very problem that people imagine it solving!
All of this and more is supported by what is actually known about how to treat mental illness. Will doing these things fix all of the mental illness out there? Of course not! But it is not downplaying serious mental illness to say that we should all do more of the things that have been shown to help mental illness!
Such an odd reply. I say people would benefit from working out and your response is simply excuses?
"are you going to finance that?"
I pay $18 a month for my gym membership.
"are you going to make sure other people at the gym don't make fun of me?"
I suspect this is the main concern. No one at the gym gives a damn about you friend. We don't care if you are big, small, or in between. Just don't stand in front of the dumbbell rack blocking my access (get your weight and take a couple steps back so people can get theirs) or do curls in the squat rack and you will be fine. Wear normal gym clothes without any political messaging on them, make sure you are clean and wear deodorant. Ensure your gym clothes are washed before you wear them again.
Pre-plan your workout the first few times. I am going to do upper body today so I will do some sort of bench press, some sort of shoulder press, some bicep curls and some triceps extensions.
Start small. Use machines while you learn the layout and get comfortable. If someone is on the machine you were going to use, roll with it, just find something else you are just starting, it doesn't matter. As you get more comfortable move to free weights but machines are really fine for most things.
Honestly I know people are intimidated by the gym but there really is no reason to be. Most people just put on their headphones and tune out. If you see someone looking at you I promise they don't really care, you are just passing through their vision. If you are stuck or feel bad, find one of the biggest dudes in the gym (the ones that look like they eat steroids for breakfast) and ask for help in a friendly manner. They are always the most helpful, friendly and least judgmental. Don't take all of their time but a quick, hey would you mind showing me how this works is going to make their day.
Life is not going to change for you, you actually have to make the effort.
If you have mental issues that is not as simple as you let it sound. I'm not arguing the results of exercise but I am arguing the ease of starting with a task which requires continuous effort and behavioural changes.
sure but if we always put things off because its hard or stressful then we will never make any progress. People are free to put barriers in front of everything or they can just go ahead and do it. Its your life, and your responsibility
Most people would really benefit from socializing with others on a weekly basis. If you don’t have friends, make some. Volunteer. The gym is another type of pressure on people’s lives.
I'm pretty good without friends. I'm sure it could be helpful but I don't see any negatives currently from not having them. Been 20 years and I've gotten used to it. I completely understand that for other people this may not work. I have zero interest in volunteering or similar. I'm good but with that said your advice is good.
Since I started taking the gym seriously again I feel like a new man. Any negative thoughts are simply gone. (The testosterone helps as well)
This is coming from someone that has zero friends and works from home and all my co-workers are offshore. Besides my wife and kids its almost total isolation. Going to the gym though leaves me feeling like I could pluck the sun from the sky.
I am not trying to be flippant here but if you feel down, give it a try, it may surprise you.