/r/EOOD
EOOD is a welcoming and positive place to discuss exercise and mental health and the relationship between them. We welcome everyone here regardless of age, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation and social or economic status. We also do not limit ourselves to talking about Depression all forms of mental health are covered. Discussion of other coping skills is also welcome, not only exercise.
EOOD is short for Exercise Out Of Depression.
EOOD is a welcoming and positive place to discuss exercise and mental health and the relationship between them. We welcome everyone here regardless of age, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation and social or economic status. We also do not limit ourselves to talking about Depression and cover all aspects of mental health, however we can't change the name of the sub now.
People in this sub try to help one another but none of us are medical or exercise professionals, we are just random well meaning internet strangers. All we can say is "I was in a similar situation to you and this helped me." EOOD is not a replacement for medical professionals.
If you are experiencing any mental health problem PLEASE SPEAK TO A DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
If you are unable to speak to a doctor then try to contact a crisis line, mental health charity or a responsible person you trust.
IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS PLEASE CALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICES NOW.
While the focus of this sub is obviously exercise and mental health and we appreciate it if posts and comments are related to this we try to help as many people as possible here. If you feel this is a place where you can talk then we will try to listen and do what we can to help within our own experience.
EOOD is not a commercial space. We are not here to promote your youtube channel, website, supplements, diet program, wellness business or any other commercial activity. The exception to this is that we do allow medical and academic studies seeking participants to post here but we ask that they contact the moderators first so we can vet the study for our users safety.
EOOD is not a place where people come together to complain and be negative. We try to be as positive as we can whilst acknowledging that we are all people that are facing severe problems. We try to help and support everyone if we feel we are able to.
Anything intended to cause others to feel unhappy or uncomfortable in any way will not be tolerated. We are here to support other people. If you are uncomfortable about any posts or comments in this sub please report them and message the moderators. We will take action as soon as we are able to.
Unlike many exercise focussed subs we do not have a wiki with recommended exercise routines. This is because we do not want posters to the sub to be greeted with a "Read the wiki" message instead of receiving help and support. We do have a list of other resources for both exercise and mental health which we hope you find useful here.
/r/EOOD
Which workouts are you currently focusing on? What have you done to EOOD this week??
All of us here face tremendous problems. We climb mountains and lift massive weights in our minds every single day. We are all still here. Sometimes we are temporarily defeated. If things are too much and we retreat and regroup. We try again though.
After a temporary setback we try to find a way around the problem. If we are on our own we try to be like a good fighter, we dodge, duck, bob and weave so the blows barely touch us.
No one reading this on their own though. We are all here together. We are a team. Team mates jump in to help another team mate when they are in trouble. They work together to support one another. A team can do far, far more any individual can.
We are all here to help one another. If there is anything any of us can do to help you then just ask.
You got this, you can do it, we will help you.
Alright, as the title suggest, after asking various lifestyle and purpose question on Reddit, I realized I am severely depressed.
Long story short:
Some more info:
What I am looking for is a beginner friendly guide to fix depression and anxiety that can be potentially done without any pills or medicines.
I really can't see myself destroying any more.
Please help as I really know any answers to this.
Thank you very much!
Have you tried something new that has helped you?
It doesn't have to be exercise related at all. Books, music, podcasts, tv, websites, organisations all help. Or it could be something someone said in passing that helped you and they have probably forgotten all about.
When I played rugby I would always roll around in the muddiest part of the pitch that I could find as part of the warm up. I reasoned that if I was wet and muddy before the start of the game it wouldn't feel as bad the first time I had to dive on the ground during the game
When I used to go to the gym I liked to start on the stairmaster. The gym had four machines but I wanted my machine and would become frustrated if I couldn't use it. It could ruin a whole workout.
I like my rowing machine at home to be positioned just so in the room. I will move it a centimetre or so back into the "right" position. Nothing is marked on the floor or anything but I know if its not right.
When I am at the archery range I tend to shoot on the far left side of the range. I am left handed and that means I can watch what everyone else is doing. I have a routine for every shot that is far too complicated to write down here but it helps me focus my mind and get my body aligned.
What are your little exercise quirks and foibles?
Taking the overall pulse here. How are you? If not well, think whether there are any positives to share as well to balance negatives. But of course, if you need to vent, know we are here to listen.
Have you been mindful lately? Made any useful observations that have helped you and could help others? Share any efforts especially ones that change your mind or attitude, meditation efforts, positive thinking, and gratitudes.
In addition or alternatively, have you had any successes in improving what you eat? Any good recipes to share?
I’m dealing with a calf muscle injury and now half the exercise I like to do is not an option for a few weeks. I made the mistake of thinking I just had a sore muscle and tried to run a soon as it felt better — this just re-injured it.
I don’t have access to a stationary bike and it’s way too hot where I live to ride a bike outside during summer. I do have a Tonal so I can lift, but I don’t feel like I can really warm up that well without jumping/running/using my legs in some way. Ideas?
Care to share your successes of this week, whether exercise or others? What went well, what is promising, what do you feel good about? If you have any selfies and progress pics to share, now is your chance
I can’t stick to any form of exercise or diet anymore. It’s too hard. My body and mind are tired of fighting. I don’t have any willpower left. I can’t be consistent with anything and I cannot keep promises, to myself or anyone else. My only hope is a miracle drug or surgery. I’m physically repulsed by the idea of doing any more work. I don’t owe anyone anything. I will probably have another stroke or pass due to heart issues. I don’t even care anymore. The bottom line is, I can’t be healthy anymore.
This is to complement my previous success in weight loss, and I can only hope that I'll manage to see a similar sort of positive outcome here.
My existence forever remains a neverending nightmare, and death/decay is all that essentially awaits me. In spite of the intractable nature of such a heinous predicament, and one that I'm unfortunate enough to call my own, I've somehow spurred myself to take what little action I can towards mitigating this tsunami of torment I endure daily, and to which I've already endured for so many awful years now. Like using a simple bucket to bail out water on the Titanic, any sort of salvation is laughably impossible, but what else can I do except throw myself into what one might call a kind of self-serving madness? Limbs spastically flailing away in the face of overwhelming futility. Doomed efforts on an equally doomed ship.
Weight loss can only do so much. Therapy can only do so much. Going to the gym can only do so much. All these things together can only do so much, and yet none of it is enough. Limits are limits for a reason, and mine are suffocating to the extreme. Many would call it wanton pessimism, but one simply needs to keep their expectations in check. Even if my fate is to be unspeakably ghastly, in regards to dying alone and rotting away for weeks until someone just so happens to notice the smell, in the meantime, between then and there, I can pass the time like this, the same way a deathrow inmate might do the same. Exercising and tending to their body, when execution and consummate disaster could occur at any moment.
Next to none will understand, let alone be able to relate to a hellish predicament like mine, but if nothing else, it's worth making note of these marginal victories I can amass for myself, even when, ultimately speaking, the iceberg of catastrophe that has ever defined the miseries of my existence looms ever larger with each passing day.
Hi guys,
I did psychedelics 5 months ago, and everything was fine at first, and then it wasn't. This was my third time doing them, and honestly i had no Knowledge on what they actually were. I understand this is my fault for following my friends idea, and i cant do anything to change the past. The only thing i can do is focus on the now. I started having severe panic attacks in March, and they got worse over time. Most likely because never in my life have i ever dealt with anxiety that way, like I've had it before due to breakups & stressful situations, but nothing like this.
At first, when i was having my first dissociation ep. i didn't know what it was.. it wasn't until i looked up the symptoms, and google gave me the answer. Things got pretty bad in July. In June, i kind of had a break from everything.. no ep, no attacks, nothing! i thought "YESSS its gone." It wasn't.
It came back stronger, and more unbearable, that i genuinely felt like not existing, was a lot easier. I turned to my faith, because even though it felt like it would be easier to not exist, my desire to live is way bigger.
I'm currently seeing a therapist, and she's using the CBT method. I've had great days, where i feel like my life is back, the colors are bright again, and it feels like I'm attaching... but then it goes away, and it feels like my body is on auto pilot, and I'm paralyzed, watching everything, but there is no attachment? i don't even know how to explain it. Maybe after you've received horrible news, that feeling? idk.. the feeling after a heartbreak? you, where you ask yourself "Is this really happening?" that X 10.. this stuff will humble you. The worst part? i self-induced it.
STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS. Find yourself, here, by going out in nature, by talking to God (if you believe, in which i Encourage everyone to get saved, but I understand that everybody has the same belief system.. and its a path that finds you.)
I just want to know if anyone has gone through this, and has been able to live a happy life afterwards? to snap out of it?
i read that I'm having an "ego death" like an actual one. My faith has been so helpful, but its nice to read other peoples testimonies.. i know i cant be the only one :(
I need some hope. I have faith, because its just a deeper feeling i get.. but in the meantime.. i just want to educate myself. After all Knowledge is power. Much love.
Socializing can help depression, as can thinking of others, community service, caring for loved ones. Care to share any social activities that you have participated in this week or are planning to?
TW: Panic attacks, Possible ED, depression
Hello, I’ve recently gotten into the gym and while I have seen improvements since starting back in February I’m not where I’d like to be. For context: I was diagnosed with adhd and anxiety very early tweens. I was off and on ADHD meds mainly up til college. The negative self talk I give myself everyday was enough to make me wither away til 94lbs at 5’8. I am probably depressed as well and I was prescribed Remeron which has helped tremendously. I had a car accident that caused me to miss 3months of gym time and placed me under a depressed mood.
Now: I currently weigh 110lb which is the heaviest I’ve ever been. I try to go to the gym for 1-2hrs every weekday and meet my trainer. I get a full 7hrs of sleep on average and overall my life has improved.
But I’m not happy. I can’t get the calories down to the # I need (3k calories for bulking). I can’t decide on what to eat half of the time and some days I just don’t feel like eating to my goal. I don’t stretch often enough. I’m not good with my water intake. I want to cry during workout sessions at times because I feel like I’ve lost so much progress during those 3 months. I have terrible posture and even though many people say I look better than before, I feel like I’ve regressed more. How do I stop worrying over the tiniest of details? I feel like I’m not improving or that I’m in the sand as the waves move away from me; it may look like I’m moving but I’m standing still. What methods do you keep from beating yourself up for not having it put together? It’s exhausting and I can’t be the only one who feels this way, I hope. Thanks a bunch!
How have you unwound this week? Any creative projects you would like to share?
Which workouts are you currently focusing on? What have you done to EOOD this week??
Have you tried something new that has helped you?
It doesn't have to be exercise related at all. Books, music, podcasts, tv, websites, organisations all help. Or it could be something someone said in passing that helped you and they have probably forgotten all about.
Yesterday afternoon when I finished work I rowed 10000m on my rowing machine. When I finished there was a big puddle of sweat under the machine. I could look at the screens of my rowing machine and phone and see what I had done. The puddle proved it too.
That made me realise I had accomplished something in an otherwise shitty day. Work had gone badly with constant distractions and interruptions. I hadn't accomplished anything all day. Then the big puddle of sweat told me I could do something and that it was good.
Even more importantly I am confident that I can row 10000m a little faster than that. Not a huge more its true but I know I have it in my muscles, lungs and heart to do it. I am certain it won't become mentally overwhelming to push that little bit harder as well. I know I won't give up.
Move. Sweat. Repeat. It does get easier but only if you keep trying.
46M, had a huge stressful anxiety even a couple of months ago and since then y appetite has not been the same. Mainly I wake up in the morning and have no appetite and low energy and eventually my appetite comes around lunch time. Before this event I would wake up like clockwork and be hungry. This makes my morning a menta struggle because of having low energy and no appetite.
At this stage I think it is a waiting game. I usually try to force myself to eat a healthy bar of some sort, but I have no other idea how to get my mornings to not be such a struggle.
You are fantastic.
You are wonderful.
You are amazing.
You are doing the best you can.
You are overcoming tremendous difficulties.
You are helping other people.
You make other people smile.
We are all impressed by your success.
We are all in awe of your determination.
We are all proud of you.
We all want you to succeed
We will all help you in any way we can.
We are here for you just because you are here with us.
You're worth it.
Taking the overall pulse here. How are you? If not well, think whether there are any positives to share as well to balance negatives. But of course, if you need to vent, know we are here to listen.
So recently I got a new fitness tracking watch, and it motivated me to improve my exercise on several fronts, to train more and harder and longer, to walk more and more cardio and more intense strength training. When my watch yesterday told me that after my intense cardio workout I needed over 30 hours of rest, my first reaction was to dismiss it. I felt great and accomplished. And I wanted to do strength training the next morning.
When I woke up this morning and measured my blood pressure and it was way too high, especially the diastolic of 121, yikes, I could not dismiss that as easily, and yes, I do feel tired. So I adjusted my plans for today and it will be a walking only for exercise day. Plus I realized that maybe I am not ready for two intense strength training and two intense cardio workouts in one week. If that is a level that I want to workout at, I will need to gradually work up to that.
I used electronics to help me figure out that I was overtraining, a fitness watch and a blood pressure monitor, but listening to my body better could have told me this too, I bet. My mental/emotional sense of accomplishment was clouding my judgement though, and I wanted to keep pushing.
Aside from walking, I am planning to meditate today, and just take it a bit easier physically.
What are your experiences with overtraining? What are some ways that you have observed that you went too far - ideally before injury or burnout? What are some of the things you adjust/do when you observe that.
Have you been mindful lately? Made any useful observations that have helped you and could help others? Share any efforts especially ones that change your mind or attitude, meditation efforts, positive thinking, and gratitudes.
In addition or alternatively, have you had any successes in improving what you eat? Any good recipes to share?
Hello 46m who has been dealing with some depression and anxiety a bit the last couple of months. I regularly see a councilor and on a small dose of an SSRI.
I'm a brown belt in BJJ and usually enjoy being a tibe but the last month or so been battling motivation and found I've been more depressed and anxious in the AM.
Looking to start running a couple of miles in the AM to hopefully get my day going right and to feel better. Lately my appetite doesn't come till around lunch so hoping it helps with that.
Just curious if anyone here does that and what your experience is like
Care to share your successes of this week, whether exercise or others? What went well, what is promising, what do you feel good about? If you have any selfies and progress pics to share, now is your chance