Depression and Running

I'm assuming that, by "chemically depressed," you're referring to a state of depression caused by an underlying problem in brain chemistry rather than by transitory life events. Typically, this would be related to the body's less-than-optimal regulation of seratonin levels in the brain.

As I mentioned in a thread that appeared a month or two ago on letsrun.com , I recall an article in "American Scientist" (NOT "Scientific American") some years back that discussed laboratory experiments on rats that had been forced to exercise to exhaustion under conditions in which their seratonin levels had been artificially altered. As I recall, the authors speculated that some humans may use endurance exercise as a form of "self-medication" to boost brain seratonin levels and thereby provide some relief from depression.

There are certainly worse ways to deal with depression, but I also think there are more effective ways. You should seriously consider treatment with any of the various prescription drugs known as "selective seratonin re-uptake inhibitors" ("SSRIs"), such as Prozac (or its generic equivalent), Paxil, and Zoloft. Many, many people have obtained excellent results from these drugs. Talk about all of this with a good psychiatrist.

I agree with all that oldguy has said--but there is a strong liklihood that you are NOT chemically depressed and, so, you may want to consider other routes because a psychiatrist will automatically assume the chemical route--in most cases. Feel free to click on my name and discuss this further with me and MAYBE I can help.

Just keeping the conversation going as one who has experienced depression, competes and is in the field of psychology. What about depression, endogeneous or otherwise, effect on performance. The symptoms of depression are almost the exact opposite of what we consider being in the "zone," "flow", or "the ideal performance state." While running can be a temporary fix for a few hours post run, one might feel better due to some physiological changes, it is not necessarily long lasting fix. For those who are sport psychologists how do you assess and then treat a low level depression which is having an effect on performance, with typical p[erformance enhancement strategies(self talk, visualization etc.) or use a more clinically oriented strategy CBT interpersonal etc.

I have suffered from depression. However, in my case depression made it difficult for me to run. I would not want to do anything. . . go to class (my grades suffered), see people, eat, etc. I would even have to force myself to go run and when I did I would get out 2-3 miles from home and literally breakdown physically and emotionally. My times suffered greatly!!!! I just didn't have the umph I once had. I was finally put on prozac and this helped a lot!

My suggestion is that you talk with a psychologist and explore the possiblity of being put on anti-depressants.

Maybe someone else can relate...I get emotionally distressed when I don\'t run at least once during the day. Kind of like an addiction. I need to run at least once a day, or else I feel depressed as if I did not do my best that day. Similarly, if I am feeling down, I may not get out and run and that makes it worse. Usually, I will force myself to run and feel better. But I guess what I am saying is that when I don\'t run, I feel even worse. Like I\'m lazy, unhealthy, and not being a true to myself. I hate this feeling, and going for a run is the one thing that I can control (or not control) that I can do everyday to provide some type of relief, structure, accomplishment, etc. I am addicted to it, and I get depressed if I\'m not active.

I get depressed if I don't get 5 cups of coffee in the morning. Addiction? what you have is just a real strong habit that makes you feel good--like my coffee drinking. I am not hooked on my coffeee--I can do ok without it and have many times--but I'd rather not. And if I don't get my coffeee I feel like my life is not right and people are pushing me around too much and I can become very hostile and bitter. Whereas you get down on yourself, I get down on the world. Same diff as far as I am concerned.

when i can't run, i get very depressed. but i don't think it's really the same thing you're talking about. i was forced on a 2 months hiatus over a stress fracture, and i can definately say that i was pretty damn depressed most of the time. my grades slipped, i was always tired and falling asleep in class, and i didn't want to hang out with my friends. but i've realized (now that i have started up running again) that my mood is always good and happy, and life is generally much better. however, i know that this depression not only came from your listed reasons (unable to free my mind or forget emotional pain) but because of chemical imbalances. obviously, exercise messes with your chemical balance to boost your mood. but i think you already knew that. owell.

One theory of depression is simply that our thoughts influence our mood. Picking up on the idea that you need to free your mind. Thoughts such as "I have to run or I can't be happy" or simply "I must run" are slightly irrational and thus lead to negative emotional states. You can't be happy if you don't run or what do you mean by thinking I must run, you must run or what, you will all of sudden become a couch potato. The point is to challenge your irrational thoughts, "I want to run but I cannot right now" "Some times it is better for our bodies to take a day off from running, not running one day does not equal laziness, actually doing too much can lead to injury and overtraining. "I may be a better athlete by taking a day off. An athlete listens to their body"

Another theory is that depression is due to a loss. For those experiencing depression during a transition(hs to college) you have lossed friends and your hs identity for those who are injured you have had a similar identity loss. Exploring the meaning of running in your life and how it effects your identity is one way of addressing the loss, there may be ways which you experience yourself out on the track that you do not in other areas of your life. That is another loss. These are all issues that can be tackled with a sport psychologist, clinical psych, etc in psychotherapy.