Keeping the “Black Dog” at Bay: Cycling and Depression.

[XXtwindad]

I appreciate the physical benefits that cycling confers, but it’s the mental health aspect of cycling that matters more to me. I have low-grade chronic depression. I hesitate to use the word “suffer” because many people endure a much more debilitating strain than myself. But still, depression is like a ubiquitous cloud that you just can’t quite shake.

Unless I’m on my bike. Nothing chases away the blues more handily than steadily pacing myself up a huge hill. It’s mentally liberating. Nothing to think about but reaching the crest.

Not a lot of research on nuerotransmitters (seratonin and dopamine) and cycling but there’s bound to be some correlation. It’s the same phenomenon that results in a “runners high.”

I hope that there’s a large contingency of people who’ve experienced the mental relief that cycling provides, particularly during the Pandemic. For my money, it’s the best anti-depressant out there. Bar none.

A recent article I read that promoted the thread:
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/5932/how-cycling-can-help-overcome-depression

”Cycling also puts you into a meditative state without you having to make a conscious decision to sit down and meditate. It’s rhythmic, but you need enough focus on what you’re doing to block out your worries.”

[colker]

i can relate to that. On one hand cyling does inhibit and keeps mild depression at bay. Otoh it can intensify the up and down syndrome if push is too hard.
Depression is chemical but not only: in the long run it goes away w/ emotional self exploration. Facing the black holes and clearing them up. It takes time, decades but you do it.

[colker]

I find wrenching somehow therapeuthic. Sometimes even more so than riding tuning the bike brings focus when i need it. HIghly recommend it.

[weisan]

cycling is my meditation

[Black Dog]

I take offence to this thread! :rolleyes: ;)

[colker]

I take offence to this thread! :rolleyes: ;)

Hahaha

[joosttx]

https://youtu.be/oUGy1-C7ahc

this gets the blues out of me and onto the dance floor.

[gbcoupe]

I have a bit of seasonal depression. Lack of sun around here a good part of the year doesn't help. Being active and getting outside does. Cycling works for me.

I think many of us (cyclists) are at least a little bit OCD as well. Riding checks that box for me. It's a focus and distraction at the same time. Bike, prep and the ride.

[dbnm]

I don't do drugs and I don't do therapy.

Cycling helps me a lot.

Also, if anyone needs to talk, let me know. I'm a great listener.

[steveoz]

I find the first half of the ride I excise the demons/frustrations/emotions of the day - usually ride really hard on that first half- then at the turnaround point it suddenly it comes to "survival mode" if that makes sense? - it's the focused feeling that I'm far from home and have to make it back - no other thoughts/feelings can intrude....

[XXtwindad]

https://youtu.be/oUGy1-C7ahc

this gets the blues out of me and onto the dance floor.

That must be quite a sight to behold.

[XXtwindad]

I don't do drugs and I don't do therapy.

Cycling helps me a lot.

Also, if anyone needs to talk, let me know. I'm a great listener.

Very kind gesture.

[CMiller]

Wrenching, especially wheel building/truing, are fantastic forms of therapy for me. I love getting lost in something mechanical and tactile.

[Clean39T]

https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a20048039/seeking-zen-by-bike-in-japan/

"Descending in the rain terrifies some people. But I’ve had some of my most spiritual experiences while guiding a bike down a wet road. Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna once said that he “saw God” while racing in the rain. On this long descent to our hotel I, too, feel guided by forces larger than myself, as if I have a supernatural intuition for my limits. I tuck my head to keep the rain out of my eyes, but my shoulders are relaxed. I have the sense that I know exactly what to do. Despite the chill, I arrive in Uwajima feeling elated."

[Clean39T]

https://www.nature.com/articles/tp2015225

"Mental and physical (MAP) training is a novel clinical intervention that combines mental training through meditation and physical training through aerobic exercise. The intervention was translated from neuroscientific studies indicating that MAP training increases neurogenesis in the adult brain. Each session consisted of 30 min of focused-attention (FA) meditation and 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Fifty-two participants completed the 8-week intervention, which consisted of two sessions per week. Following the intervention, individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD; n=22) reported significantly less depressive symptoms and ruminative thoughts. Typical healthy individuals (n=30) also reported less depressive symptoms at follow-up. Behavioral and event-related potential indices of cognitive control were collected at baseline and follow-up during a modified flanker task. Following MAP training, N2 and P3 component amplitudes increased relative to baseline, especially among individuals with MDD. These data indicate enhanced neural responses during the detection and resolution of conflicting stimuli. Although previous research has supported the individual beneficial effects of aerobic exercise and meditation for depression, these findings indicate that a combination of the two may be particularly effective in increasing cognitive control processes and decreasing ruminative thought patterns."

Good stuff. This may increase the time to time to ride (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=256216&highlight=time) though..

[Old School]

https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a20048039/seeking-zen-by-bike-in-japan/

"Descending in the rain terrifies some people. But I’ve had some of my most spiritual experiences while guiding a bike down a wet road. Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna once said that he “saw God” while racing in the rain. On this long descent to our hotel I, too, feel guided by forces larger than myself, as if I have a supernatural intuition for my limits. I tuck my head to keep the rain out of my eyes, but my shoulders are relaxed. I have the sense that I know exactly what to do. Despite the chill, I arrive in Uwajima feeling elated."

This is one of the best, and most transparent and revealing tomes about depression that I have read. I gave it a Therapist friend who has trouble sleeping, and may be depressed at some points in his life. He was very impressed, and intrigued by the article vis a vis the left /right repetition of the cyclist.

(It's a thing)

I hope OP finds that article and reads it too.

[Clean39T]

This is one of the best, and most transparent and revealing tomes about depression that I have read. I gave it a Therapist friend who has trouble sleeping, and may be depressed at some points in his life. He was very impressed, and intrigued by the article vis a vis the left /right repetition of the cyclist.

(It's a thing)

I hope OP finds that article and reads it too.

Padraig's experiments with Ketamine, while polarizing, have been interesting to follow as well. I haven't read any updates in a few months or more, but it seemed like he had some major breakthroughs in clinical applications. His openness in talking about it and efforts to #breakthestigma was humbling.

[Fixed]

Cycling is good for the body the mind and the spirit
Cheers to all

[colker]

I read somewhere depression hit a significant number of cycling specialty climbers.
Cycling may keep depression at bay but it´s not a treatment. In the long term it should be treated. Depression is dangerous and a waste of life.

[mhespenheide]

I was never diagnosed, but I think I had some mild intermittent depression in my teens and into my late twenties.

Cycling and running helped immensely. Even just the commitment to get out the door and train / do something helped.

In academic work (and most white-collar office work), it can be very difficult to see the results of your work on a day-to-day basis. Whether a bike ride, a run, or an episode wrenching, it can be very helpful to be able to point out that I accomplished this thing at the end of the day. Carpentry or other hands-on work can help as well for the same reason: there's something concrete to point to.

[cmg]

i like the way on an afternoon ride your forced to focus on the ride, especially if it isn't a straight out and back. it reduces the inner noises, turmoil. Lets my mine relax and then the resulting calm when i'm eating dinner. I have to do something, and riding is it.

[weisan]

I was never diagnosed, but I think I had some mild intermittent depression in my teens and into my late twenties.

Cycling and running helped immensely. Even just the commitment to get out the door and train / do something helped.

In academic work (and most white-collar office work), it can be very difficult to see the results of your work on a day-to-day basis. Whether a bike ride, a run, or an episode wrenching, it can be very helpful to be able to point out that I accomplished this thing at the end of the day. Carpentry or other hands-on work can help as well for the same reason: there's something concrete to point to.

This was my story too.

[AngryScientist]

i dont know anything about depression, but i have always said that at then end of the day, when your head is ready to hit the pillow, it is always best to be more physically tired than mentally tired.

particularly for people with "desk jobs" i think it's hugely important to have some outlet to make the body work hard regularly, that's what our bodies are meant for.

put another way: a tired dog is a good dog.

[8aaron8]

I was never diagnosed, but I think I had some mild intermittent depression in my teens and into my late twenties.

Cycling and running helped immensely. Even just the commitment to get out the door and train / do something helped.

In academic work (and most white-collar office work), it can be very difficult to see the results of your work on a day-to-day basis. Whether a bike ride, a run, or an episode wrenching, it can be very helpful to be able to point out that I accomplished this thing at the end of the day. Carpentry or other hands-on work can help as well for the same reason: there's something concrete to point to.

I can relate to this thread, but this line all to well describes what I seek at the end of the day, not always easy to find.

[Clean39T]

..........depression is like a ubiquitous cloud that you just can’t quite shake. ....... Nothing chases away the blues more handily than steadily pacing myself up a huge hill............

Cycling is a good complement to other forms of therapy but it is not a substitute for them and is not something that one who is suffering from depression should rely on to get through the day. Flat tires and broken bodies happen - and if you are predicating your ability to cope with life on your ability to be active, that is a recipe for ending up in an even deeper darker place. Ultimately if one is struggling with clinical depression, the way out is to seek qualified help, seek connection with people who will understand and support you, and seek to build a new way of being in the world that fits your unique needs.

[charliedid]

I can relate.

[flying]

cycling is my meditation

This is what I also say ;)

Especially since I always ride solo.
Those hours most days alone with thoughts or no thoughts is definitely meditative

[edsteck]

Cycling has to be one of the greatest antidepressants.

[Onno]

I realized I was clinically depressed and needed to seek help when over the course of a month a couple of years ago I noticed that I was still really unhappy even while I was on the bike. It just didn't make any sense at all, and I thought--this is what it means for there to be something wrong in your brain that you can't just fix by thinking differently.

And I sought help. And it worked. Still, biking (and xc skiing) are crucial ways of raising my spirits.

[martl]

I appreciate the physical benefits that cycling confers, but it’s the mental health aspect of cycling that matters more to me. I have low-grade chronic depression. I hesitate to use the word “suffer” because many people endure a much more debilitating strain than myself. But still, depression is like a ubiquitous cloud that you just can’t quite shake.

Unless I’m on my bike. Nothing chases away the blues more handily than steadily pacing myself up a huge hill. It’s mentally liberating. Nothing to think about but reaching the crest.

Not a lot of research on nuerotransmitters (seratonin and dopamine) and cycling but there’s bound to be some correlation. It’s the same phenomenon that results in a “runners high.”

I hope that there’s a large contingency of people who’ve experienced the mental relief that cycling provides, particularly during the Pandemic. For my money, it’s the best anti-depressant out there. Bar none.

A recent article I read that promoted the thread:
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/5932/how-cycling-can-help-overcome-depression

”Cycling also puts you into a meditative state without you having to make a conscious decision to sit down and meditate. It’s rhythmic, but you need enough focus on what you’re doing to block out your worries.”

can realte, thanks for posting. Cycling definitely can give a "runners high".

It is not about the "black dog" but i found Matt Seatons "The Escape Artist" an interesting read about cycling as a means to deal with mental stress.

[barnabyjones]

Mental illness or morbid obesity. Pretty much everyone I ride with has struggled with both. Cycling can be a life saver. Although I do know one guy who got into shooting heroin and drug dealing/distribution because he began to shoot up PEDs. He'll be in state prison for the next 2 years. Double edged, me thinks.

[Hilltopwalters]

I had some pretty intense depression in my late teens and early twenties and after a lot of my own research conducted some....chemical experiments...on myself over the course of a week. Eventually a memory surfaced of being a young lad and riding my bicycle round and round the neighborhood block. After a time, one of the other neighborhood kids came out and asked why I was doing that and I didn't have an answer but I understood that it made me inherently happy and just kept riding. I took that memory and ran (or rather pedaled with it) and devoted myself to cycling and to bikes. In a large way it fundamentally changed my life.

[XXtwindad]

I read somewhere depression hit a significant number of cycling specialty climbers.
Cycling may keep depression at bay but it´s not a treatment. In the long term it should be treated. Depression is dangerous and a waste of life.

Cycling is an escape for me. For pro riders, it's their job. If I had to do it professionally, I'm sure it would be a lot less enjoyable.

[XXtwindad]

i dont know anything about depression, but i have always said that at then end of the day, when your head is ready to hit the pillow, it is always best to be more physically tired than mentally tired.

particularly for people with "desk jobs" i think it's hugely important to have some outlet to make the body work hard regularly, that's what our bodies are meant for.

put another way: a tired dog is a good dog.

Not all movement is created equal. Gyms are temples of monotony. Anodyne and sterile. I say this as a long-time personal trainer. No one has ever written an "Ode to the Stairmaster." At least not that I know of.

[kingpin75s]

I find that mountain biking works best to clear the mind for me as it is more consistently in the moment than other genres of cycling.

[XXtwindad]

https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a20048039/seeking-zen-by-bike-in-japan/

"Descending in the rain terrifies some people. But I’ve had some of my most spiritual experiences while guiding a bike down a wet road. Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna once said that he “saw God” while racing in the rain. On this long descent to our hotel I, too, feel guided by forces larger than myself, as if I have a supernatural intuition for my limits. I tuck my head to keep the rain out of my eyes, but my shoulders are. I have the sense that I know exactly what to do. Despite the chill, I arrive in Uwajima feeling elated."

One of the best articles on cycling I've ever read. I read it a few years back. Thanks for refreshing my memory. The lede just nails it. There's a synagogue right across the street from me. Same affiliation. Different temple. On Saturday mornings, I get dressed in my weekend best. My prayer shawl (reflective vest) tefillin (bibs) and, most importantly, yarlmulke (helmet).

The other congregants are nodding their heads to the melodic intonations of the Cantor. I'm hearing the rhythmic cadence of my breath and the smooth murmur of the chainring as I head up into the hills to seek my solace.

[XXtwindad]

Cycling is a good complement to other forms of therapy but it is not a substitute for them and is not something that one who is suffering from depression should rely on to get through the day. Flat tires and broken bodies happen - and if you are predicating your ability to cope with life on your ability to be active, that is a recipe for ending up in an even deeper darker place. Ultimately if one is struggling with clinical depression, the way out is to seek qualified help, seek connection with people who will understand and support you, and seek to build a new way of being in the world that fits your unique needs.

This is undeniably true. The flip side: mild (not clinical) depression is an inevitable - and perhaps instructive - part of life. The striving for perpetual happiness is silly. Most great art comes from a place of darkness and introspection.

[colker]

Cycling is an escape for me. For pro riders, it's their job. If I had to do it professionally, I'm sure it would be a lot less enjoyable.

I didn´t express myself really well here. It may be that cycling attracts those of us who are inclined to melancholy and depression. It may trigger anti depressant chemistries but it can also push the sadness into overdrive. Pantani...

[Clean39T]

The striving for perpetual happiness is silly. Most great art comes from a place of darkness and introspection.

Disagree. The lobster can be considered, and the water found, without the tragic ending. We are raised to take our selves entirely too seriously. There are alternatives.

[tv_vt]

Low-grade depression has a name: dysthymia. You can have it your whole life. Or just temporarily. Either way, it can affect your life in harmful ways.

Don't ignore it. And don't think just because you ride a bike, you can beat it. Talk to your doctor about it. A good therapist can be helpful, too, but bottom line is that your body has a chemical issue. It's not your fault.

[MarinRider]

Andrew Solomon’s book, “The Noonday Demon”, remains the seminal work on depression. One of the chapter examines the role of exercise on the treatment of depression, emphasizing on consistency and its long term modulating effect on the mind. The book won the National Book award and was short listed for the Putlizer in the early 2000s.

In some ways the entire healthcare field is finally coming around to this integrated approach. After all, one cannot achieve “health” just by treating “the body” while disregarding “the mind.” Now we talk about the medicine that is “important for you” (the pharmacological) and the medicine that is “important to you” (the personal). It’s the attention to both the pharmacological and the personal medicine that will enable you the best outcome. I guess a good physician has always known this but had been deemphasized in our increasingly specialized world.

[XXtwindad]

Disagree. The lobster can be considered, and the water found, without the tragic ending. We are raised to take our selves entirely too seriously. There are alternatives.

Well done. Took me a minute and change. I prefer “The Girl With the Curious Hair.” His take on Alex Trebek is hysterical.

Clinical depression is an entirely different animal. For mild depression, cycling is fantastic therapy. There’s nothing like it.

[Fixed]

I'm hearing the rhythmic cadence of my breath and the smooth murmur of the chainring as I head up into the hills to seek my solace.[/QUOTE]

Some call that Yoga
Nicely put
Cheers

[ultraman6970]

Cycling... the way i can disconnect from anything going on.

Antidepressant? maybe...

Meditation therapy? maybe...

Looks like im not the only one with up and downs here. Sucks... my bio rhythm chart is going down lately :(

[BlueFly]

https://youtu.be/oUGy1-C7ahc

this gets the blues out of me and onto the dance floor.

Thanks for that!

[oldpotatoe]

Cycling... the way i can disconnect from anything going on.

Antidepressant? maybe...

Meditation therapy? maybe...

Looks like im not the only one with up and downs here. Sucks... my bio rhythm chart is going down lately :(

These are tough times. Daily political hogwash and a pandemic that makes some(me) afraid to be around ANYBODY for any reason(=isolation)...

[retropean]

Fellow depression sufferer here. Great reads in this thread.

In high school I got introduced to antidepressant medicines, and the doctors never mentioned anything about fitness or health. I was spending most of my waking time in front of a computer and eating candy daily. Then one day I borrowed my Dad's bike for a spin and the rest is history.

The best things I've found to ease my depression and anxiety are to bike in the morning, lift weights in the evening, and eat properly in between. At least 8 hours of sleep, more is better. Limit social media. It's not foolproof and it helps to allow myself days where I'm going to be in a funk, but all said it's way better than where I started.

[reuben]

https://youtu.be/oUGy1-C7ahc

this gets the blues out of me and onto the dance floor.

I've never been much of a Led Zeppelin fan, but for me, today, this one wins the internet.

How old is the singer? Nine years old? Maybe? Good Lord, she can sing. Nothin' wrong with the bass or drums, either, especially given the muddy recording.

And I so, so, so, dig the little girl in the audience with her pink guitar.

Purely awesome.

[Alstra]

Cycling is a good way to get rid of negative feelings, I've been also practicing this when the times weren't the best. This makes you detach from all the problems for a short period of time, but unfortunately this is only a temporary solution, once you get home, your anxiety is already waiting for you. I have had hard times falling asleep because of this, the only thing which could help me was kratom https://kratommystic.com. I used it before going to bed, in order to relax and drive away all the bad thoughts from my head.

[XXtwindad]

Cycling is a good way to get rid of negative feelings, I've been also practicing this when the times weren't the best.

As others have mentioned (particularly Clean39) there is no substitute for actual therapy and counseling. That’s one of my top New Year’s resolutions.

That being said, in nearly a decade and a half as a personal trainer, I can safely state that the people (and clients) I know who are the most successful with fitness do it primarily for how movement makes them “feel” rather for how it makes them “look.”

[Clean39T]

As others have mentioned (particularly Clean39) there is no substitute for actual therapy and counseling. That’s one of my top New Year’s resolutions.

That being said, in nearly a decade and a half as a personal trainer, I can safely state that the people (and clients) I know who are the most successful with fitness do it primarily for how movement makes them “feel” rather for how it makes them “look.”

From a cultural perspective, it makes me happy to see the declining stigma around therapy. Who would have thought five years ago that we'd have Michael Phelps doing a commercial for online therapy on national TV nightly? I don't have any experience with that modality but I do find it encouraging that it exists....

https://www.betterhelp.com/

And while I'm at it:

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ - 1-800-273-8255

It's no fun to talk about but we lose too many friends, colleagues, and families each year not to.

[bking]

While I am fortunately one who only suffers from those normal periods of depression most all of us experience, 2008 through about 2010 with the collapse of the economy and my business was a period I can say with absolute certainty that the bicycle carried me through what would have been a prolonged period of much deeper despair. Out the door every morning at 4:30 where I found a couple of hours of absolute relief from all the crap that was coming my way later in the day, then looking forward to the next morning throughout that day would get me through that!
The bicycle is darn near a panacea, for me certainly.

One of the best books I've read in years on any subject really opened my eyes regarding depression and the brain, and I recommend it highly: The Noonday Demon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=noonday+demon&crid=2GDG23A10WCV3&sprefix=noon+day+de%2Caps%2C208&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_11

[RWL2222]

Good thread. This is all definitely an issue for me and riding and wrenching help. I miss riding with other people my style and speed.

[kiwisimon]

good thread.

I've done drugs , prescribed and others, as well as counseling. The latter didn't do much for me, I should have found another.

Teh dog jumps on and off me and sometimes all it takes is a word to trigger him up. BUT he eventually gets off.

Be kind is my best advice and usually that begets a lightening of the load. I get more pleasure from helping others and that increases my self worth no end. So I often wave at other cyclists but usually say hello and when I see a guy that is struggling I'll offer a friendly word or mechanical help.

[OperaLover]

Thank you everyone for sharing. For all of us who live with depression it is always nice to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

[XXtwindad]

Kudos to John Fetterman for being up front about his depression: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/17/us/politics/fetterman-mental-illness-stigma.html

For someone in his position, the admission couldn't have happened even a decade ago. This is NOT a political thread. I would extend kudos to any politician, regardless of their political persuasion who brought much needed attention to this affliction.

FACT: 1 in 4 Americans will suffer some form of depression in their lifetime.

FACT: During the Pandemic, middle-aged men were among the populations most affected by depression.

FACT: That describes many of us here. Myself included.

[bikeboy1]

I have found the bike to be very helpful not only for depression but for my Hypothyroid affliction. If I train in the morning it helps me avoid the brain fog that certainly follows in the pm and if I dont train in the am then I will suffer the rest of the pm until later dinner time unless I can squeeze in a nap. Also the winter is difficult as I cant get out on the bike as frequently but the trainer is the next best thing to combat depression and brain fog.
In my early years I used soft drugs and alcohol to deal with what I didnt know was depression and whats worse is all my sisters and brothers were alcoholics but most recovered from that. Drinking was not a trap that I fell into luckily enough.
I did some form of training all through the years but I did get tired of being tired from all the partying and drugs that exercise just became the best way to deal with everything and I am somewhat introverted so it was easy to spend time on my own training.

[Tz779]

Yes, I have/had (somewhat better now) severe clinical depression & anxiety; still struggle with anxiety. Depression got a bit better after my divorce (I did not talk to or be physical with my partner for *years*). Plus my ex was an alcoholic….I did not drink or do drugs. The only thing that got me out of bed was our daughter. I had to step up to care for *her* no matter my problem.

The hard part is following thru with an idea….I would decide I was going to go buy a book/magazine, only to turn around bc I would think “this will not make me happy.”

Its quite lonely.
-Robin

[bigbill]

I am thankful for cycling. I chose to retire from full time work last summer at 57. I was a Chief Engineer at a factory, and the stress was slowly killing me. They paid me a lot of money for the area, but after a while, that wasn't enough to keep me there. I am a retired naval officer, and my son graduated from college last May, so there was no reason to keep working. The new stress is the loss of income and the adjustment to spending habits. I make well more than the median income in pensions. It's just that I used to make so much more. After six months, I'm starting to relax a little because there is enough to live on and still do the things we want to do. Cycling is my outlet, we are in southern AZ this weekend, and I'm heading out shortly to ride. Tomorrow I'll hook up the trailer and head back home. I'm sure that while I've been gone, people have been on my lawn, and the clouds have gotten a little upity.

[XXtwindad]

Anyone who has ever sought out a personal therapist (without the benefit of a recommendation) knows that's it's like the worst dating experience ever. It's almost comical.

Case in point: when I began my "therapist serial dating" a while ago, I started off with a counselor whom I told my biggest issues was my loving but volatile relationship with my deceased Mother. I said that I really wanted to focus on coming to grips and healing from that relationship.

Half way through the session, the therapist looked at me and said "how would you characterize your relationship with your mother now?"

After a long pause, I looked at him and said "Well, we don't argue nearly as much now that she's dead."

The other big issue: cost. Therapists have seen an absolute boon in business since the start of the Pandemic. It's similar to the bike industry in the Spring of 2020. Except the boon never ended. I finally found a counselor I liked but he couldn't countenance the $125 fee we agreed on and finally offered to see me (remotely) every other week for a three month period of time.

I have more means than some people, but I'm not rich. I also undertstand that many therapists have exorbitant student loans to pay back and office rents to pay (if they're not training remotely). And they're definitely entitled to make a decent living. It's hard work. But still. The mental health industry is broken. It needs to be fixed.

[ripvanrando]

Riding my bike has always alleviated stress and anxiety for me but physical issues have interfered with my riding medicine.

So, based on what I thought needed training, I sought a therapist out with those skills/expertise and waited for an opening. 4 months into it, therapy is helping. Initially, I thought 2 months and I'd be cured. Then, I realized that sort of improvement would be like someone 100 pounds overweight hiring a coach and asking, "Hey coach, will I be at 4 W/Kg for the summer races?" When I shared that analogy with her, she laughed and agreed. I would say that step was the hardest thing in my life to do but hopefully sharing that might give someone else the courage to take a similar leap.

Yes, professionals are not free and for whatever reasons, they like to be paid cash and you deal with your insurance. So, maybe they charge $150-200 for 45-50 minutes, your insurance might cover half that and you pay the rest or you might be on the hook for all of it. A real limitation. Some cost much higher than that.

[Hilltopwalters]

The number of people I hear express how frustrated they get when they're not "cured" in two to four months is pretty large. In my experience it took about five years to get a place where I felt "cured". But the nature of depression, sadness, ennui, deep-seated crisis/trauma is an evolving one. For me, much of the help came from a lot of well-executed and extensively well researched psychedelic drug taking. It was actually in these experiences where I found cycling which in turn helped stave off different kinds of depression.

[witcombusa]

I appreciate the physical benefits that cycling confers, but it’s the mental health aspect of cycling that matters more to me. I have low-grade chronic depression. I hesitate to use the word “suffer” because many people endure a much more debilitating strain than myself. But still, depression is like a ubiquitous cloud that you just can’t quite shake.

Unless I’m on my bike. Nothing chases away the blues more handily than steadily pacing myself up a huge hill. It’s mentally liberating. Nothing to think about but reaching the crest.

Not a lot of research on nuerotransmitters (seratonin and dopamine) and cycling but there’s bound to be some correlation. It’s the same phenomenon that results in a “runners high.”

I hope that there’s a large contingency of people who’ve experienced the mental relief that cycling provides, particularly during the Pandemic. For my money, it’s the best anti-depressant out there. Bar none.

A recent article I read that promoted the thread:
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/5932/how-cycling-can-help-overcome-depression

”Cycling also puts you into a meditative state without you having to make a conscious decision to sit down and meditate. It’s rhythmic, but you need enough focus on what you’re doing to block out your worries.”

Yes, cycling is a 'great escape' to be sure. I also find dirtbike riding does the same thing, a bit differently. Well actually, downhill skiing also promotes a good mental outlook too!!!

I guess it just must be an activity that commands you full attention... or else!

[dddd]

Low-grade depression has a name: dysthymia. You can have it your whole life. Or just temporarily. Either way, it can affect your life in harmful ways.

Don't ignore it. And don't think just because you ride a bike, you can beat it. Talk to your doctor about it. A good therapist can be helpful, too, but bottom line is that your body has a chemical issue. It's not your fault.

True, dat, especially as medical conditions manifesting as "depressive" symptoms can be highly varied.

With regard to medications, I myself found myself frequently "under-medicated" on the cortico-steroid (prednisone) I was taking for an auto-immune condition (one symptom of which is hypo-adrenalism, which mimics depression or could perhaps even be described as one form of it).
So my fear of that drug's side effects may have bitten me in some ways at various times (although the "relaxing" effect of reduced adrenal function also seems to benefit some aspects of my memory and logic).
Adding that such depressive effects can be particularly sneaky, so that self-adjustments of one's medication dosage may not track one's needs well at all in real time (although my rheumatologist has long been ok with my setting of my own minimal dosage).

For sure, everything medical, chemical and physical are highly intertwined at the individual patient level, and too much intensity during exercise (as when attacking climbs competitively) can itself perhaps be a source of metabolic and mood instability between racing and training events.

One thing I've noticed over many years is the way that doctors seem to treat the patient who is in "athletic condition" (with great BP and cholesterol #'s, and low body fat). A frequent response to my questions too often seems to reduce to something along the lines of "keep doing what you're doing", even as I am there for some specific problem.
Thank goodness then for the education that I can get online pertaining to any (of the very many) conditions that might afflict me as I continue to age, as seemingly it is too much to ask for the average GP to do much more than perhaps refer me to a specialist(?).

[dddd]

Fellow depression sufferer here. Great reads in this thread.

In high school I got introduced to antidepressant medicines, and the doctors never mentioned anything about fitness or health. I was spending most of my waking time in front of a computer and eating candy daily. Then one day I borrowed my Dad's bike for a spin and the rest is history.

The best things I've found to ease my depression and anxiety are to bike in the morning, lift weights in the evening, and eat properly in between. At least 8 hours of sleep, more is better. Limit social media. It's not foolproof and it helps to allow myself days where I'm going to be in a funk, but all said it's way better than where I started.

Testify!

Things like dietary control and social activity level can hugely affect one's "stability" and "balance" in life, improving motivation during the day and improving sleep at night.

If only I could control the weather!

[climbgdh]

Cycling certainly helped me get through a really rough period of time during my divorce 14 years ago. My doc diagnosed "situational" depression (or at least that's what I think she called it). I was on medication for a period mostly to help me sleep but there may have been other things I took... don't really remember. Regardless..... for a couple of years the only times i was truly happy and content was on my bike or in the winter ski touring. I rode A LOT during those couple of years & ski toured A LOT and those 2 activities undoubtedly helped get me through that dark tunnel. Physical activity has always been important to me but at that time it was as essential as the air I was breathing. It certainly gave me an appreciation for people that suffer their entire lives with depression.

14 years later.... I'm happy, content, have a fantastic partner in my life and seriously looking forward to retirement in 12-16 months.

[bironi]

https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a20048039/seeking-zen-by-bike-in-japan/

"Descending in the rain terrifies some people. But I’ve had some of my most spiritual experiences while guiding a bike down a wet road. Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna once said that he “saw God” while racing in the rain. On this long descent to our hotel I, too, feel guided by forces larger than myself, as if I have a supernatural intuition for my limits. I tuck my head to keep the rain out of my eyes, but my shoulders are relaxed. I have the sense that I know exactly what to do. Despite the chill, I arrive in Uwajima feeling elated."

Or you might feel elevated!

[RWL2222]

This thead’s enough to make me go n+1, so I did. Picking up a rim brake stigmata Tue.

[XXtwindad]

This thead’s enough to make me go n+1, so I did. Picking up a rim brake stigmata Tue.

Oh, the irony. My "Blue Periods" coincided with major bike purchases. Go figure.

[fiamme red]

I feel exhilarated and happy after doing a long, hard ride, but the next day, if I'm not out riding again (especially if I'm at work), I'm usually listless and depressed.

[XXtwindad]

I feel exhilarated and happy after doing a long, hard ride, but the next day, if I'm not out riding again (especially if I'm at work), I'm usually listless and depressed.

Ain't that the truth? It's always disheartening to know that so many people don't move for the sheer pleasure of moving.

When people comment on how difficult it must be to prepare for a long "exercise" regimen, I say "I'm not exercising. I'm riding."

Although, truth be told, I really enjoy getting on the stationary bike as well. All about the endorphins.

[jasonification]

Therapist here.

Depression is a funny thing. Symptoms are often antithetical to what makes us better, including anhedonia (loss of pleasure in usually enjoyable hobbies), fatigue, and isolation. Sometimes it's about distancing oneself from the depression and doing an opposite action.

Personally, I love the rhythm of the bicycle. I often find that being attentive to the pedal strokes allow my thoughts (both depressive and anxious) to play out in my head without taking center stage. This often lets me feel sorted out by the end of the ride.