"Just go for a walk..."

[LittleMissUnreasonable]

Why does this always seem to be one of the big solutions for people who are suffering from poor mental health? Maybe if I lived in Southern Spain having a nice sunny walk would be very pleasant. But the weather being so miserable and grey ends up making me feel worse. The thought of putting on waterproofs to trudge through the grey endless rain, only to end up in a condensation filled cafe that smells of damp coats just doesn't seem very appealing

I’m sorry you’re struggling OP.

I'm just here agreeing with the OP as another person bothering to take time out of my life to try to help.
I don't think societal gaslighting around mental health helps clinically depressed people.

Societal Gaslighting? A bit too strong, but there are a lot of platitudes uttered in response to hearing someone has Depression. I think a lot of the trouble stems from the mistaken impression that it is one condition, rather than several illnesses for which Depression is an umbrella term. Just as physiological illnesses need different treatment plans, so do different depressive conditions. Thus someone whose particular condition was helped with one thing is likely to push that one thing for someone else. Something that seems to help many sufferers is Buteyko but I haven't suggested that to the OP because the question was about walking and I don't think it would be helpful to go off track.

OP, I’m so sorry you feel this way, where nothing can bring pleasure. I’ve been there. It’s awful. I even had a suicide attempt, and it was really only after that I had any proper help from the psychiatric services. That was a year ago. The help has worked. Things can and do change. I’m back at work and even enjoying myself again. Make yourself take the drugs, force yourself to do exercise and engage with the talking therapies. I’m only thankful I’m in a safe place now where I am able to reduce medication and once again have a life of my own.

Exercise is massively effective. You could go to the gym instead.

I agree, walking in the grey pissing rain does nothing for me.

Walk on a treadmill then....

To the depressive mindset, walking and walking only to stay in the same place seems like a pretty good metaphor for the meaninglessness, aimlessness and ultimate futility of life.

I read that in some countries, doctors can prescriibe people to spend time in nature
Eg
forest bathing

I love to go for walks
You never know what you will see along the way

I agree, it is silly. If you live in a nice area then perhaps it would help. But if you don’t you’re just wandering around looking at depressing things like boarded up windows and pound shops and dog poo and cement box houses!

What I want to know is why, when this kind of thing comes up, so few people mention psychomotor retardation, leaden paralysis, depressive stupor, catatonic depression — all those aspects of depression that can make it impossible to move quickly enough to get any physical benefit from it, and too exhausting, gruelling and sometimes painful to really derive much mental benefit. Even if depression didn't frequently make it impossible to take interest or pleasure in any experience or sensation, even if depression didn't sap your ability to decide on a course of action and take it, and regardless of whether you live in a slum or a national park: how are people managing to go for all these walks, when depression so often makes it physically extremely hard or impossible to do so?

So many posters seem to be contributing during the night, unless some of you are overseas. OK, both on MN and in the real world, why don't we mention .....? Simple answer. Unless we have medical backgrounds or have done extensive research we're unlikely to use all these technical terms @off. That doesn't mean we're not aware of the huge challenges posed by such a horrible affliction. Yet positive suggestions are all anyone has to give. If a sufferer makes their disability known, then it's human nature to try to help. It's a myth that slow walking is of no value. Any exercise is better than none and just being outside in the light, even on a dull day, is of benefit.

Idontpostmuch, I don't necessarily mean using technical terminology 🙄 I'm talking about any kind of acknowledgement of the slowing effects of depression that make every thought or movement more difficult, stiffer, sluggish. I mentioned it, a few pages back (but without the terminology), but it so rarely seems to come up, even though it's a very common symptom that's often considered one of the core features of depression (though obviously not always present — and sometimes you get the opposite instead).

Why is the time of day I posted relevant to this observation?

I had an unexpected three mile walk yesterday, long story, and ended up practically running the last mile as I needed to get back to my house for kids getting home.

Yes, it was exhilarating I suppose, and I felt better after it - briefly. The problem with positing exercise as a depression treatment is that the mild high it brings is pretty short-lived. All the things that depress and annoy and worry you soon come crowding back into your life again. So it's not like drugs, is it.

@AInightingale the thing is about it is consistency. It's meant to become a habit. Regular exercise changes the dopamine receptors in the brain so it does actually change your brain. You can't expect a one off walk or run to change things but there is plenty of evidence that over longer term it changes the brain. From Berkley.edu website:

"Over time, regular exercise remodels the reward system, leading to higher circulating levels of dopamine and more available dopamine receptors. In this way, exercise can both relieve depression and expand your capacity for joy."

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_surprising_ways_exercise_changes_your_brain

And more from that article

"Courage is another side effect of physical activity on the brain. At the very same time that a new exercise habit is enhancing the reward system, it also increases neural connections among areas of the brain that calm anxiety. Regular physical activity can also modify the default state of the nervous system so that it becomes more balanced and less prone to fight, flight, or fright."

So many posters seem to be contributing during the night, unless some of you are overseas.

How is that relevant?

This is exactly how I see it. I get depressed for months every winter (bipolar II with SAD) and the time passes regardless.

Walking and staying busy makes it easier to cope with.

People experiencing that level of depression would probably be in hospital, and not too receptive to people talking to them, let alone a friend suggesting they go for a walk.
And even in an inpatient setting, staff would be trying to get them moving anyway.

Not necessarily. Psychomotor retardation comes in all levels of severity, and besides which, the threshold for psychiatric admission is probably a lot higher than you imagine.

And there's a difference between trained staff attempting to implement therapeutic behavioural techniques (or even nice people suggesting it might help, or encouraging a depressed friend to meet for a stroll), and people banging ON about going for walks and the evidence base and so on, occasionally almost to the point of bullying, at people who might well agree, but who are struggling with a symptom of depression that's deeply physical as well as mental. I'm not saying that's what's happening here on this thread, but I've seen dogged insistence about going for walks (or runs!) aimed incessantly at people whose every motion is slowed and who can't experience interest or enjoyment.

I don't think anyonestelling you yo "just" go for a walk or that a walk will solve everything, but it is proven to help. Walking in the rain is wonderful therapy IMO.

Speaking as someone who's just got back from a walk in the rain and hates being rained on, this is definitely subjective - I feel better for the walk, but mainly in the sense that I'm so relieved to be back in the dry now! 😄

It does actually help though. It’s just a case of getting out of the house and breaking the cycle of sitting around at home driving yourself mental really. The physical exercise is great for your mental health too, releases endorphins.

Worth pointing out that a lot of people are depressed because they have (multiple) caring responsibilities and can't even get out to take exercise. A housebound cared-for person cannot safely be left. And if there is night-time care required, the carer gets tired more easily, less inclined to be active. It's a vicious circle.

@TorqueWrench Good idea, since some people don't like walking outside. However, 2 problems: some people can't afford gym membership, and gyms can be intimidating as a newbie, and even moreso as a Depressed newbie. I only joined a gym when I broke my leg skiing and was advised by my physiotherapist to use an exercise bike. The first few times I was very hesitant and self conscious because everyone looked fit and knew what they were doing. After a while I started to enjoy it, although I cancelled membership as soon as I was able to get back on a real bike. Joining a gym might be a difficult hurdle for a Depressed person to clear.