where are the other runners here?

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Hello, looking to reach out to other runners who may be going through the healing process! Am curious in how you managed to keep running, or how running helped you in the long-term. I've had a hell of a several few months with health conditions, and recently took benzos for a sudden bout of insomnia out of the blue. I am been having a tough few weeks with a lot of different things going on, but recently started running again - with no data (no heart rate monitor, watch etc) just to run, and at the very least, it helps my mood. I had a moment of bliss running in a forest yesterday! I am super passionate about running, and especially, in the idea of running as a healing source for people overcoming mental illness and addiction. Now I am thinking even more about how it could potentially help with benzo withdrawal and healing, too. 

 

Look forward to hearing from other runners. I am big into trail running (and hiking) and am so motivated to do more long-distance running...ultramarathons to be exact. Anything longer than a marathon (26.2 miles). 

[[Tr...]]

I've never done long distance so your ultra marathon sounds like it's quite an ordeal! I wish I could do trail running but living in the city means I'd have to go for a long drive to get any trees. Consider yourself lucky.

 

I was running during my taper and found it helped a lot. Actually the worst times I had was when it snowed and I couldn't go out running. I've slowly increased my distance and just this weekend did a 2.25 mile run without a break. My goal is to do a 3 mile run, something I haven't done in about 10 years.

 

I've lost about 30 pounds since coming off Zoloft and find it helps make my runs easier. It's a cycle; running helps me lose weight, which makes running easier, which helps me lose weight, etc.

 

Sounds like you're getting back into it and hope it helps your healing!

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Thanks so much for your reply!!! The slow increase in distance is a great idea, and I know you'll be up to 3 miles in no time!!!

 

Congrats on the weight loss! I am back on zoloft recently, but am not sure how long I'm going to last on it because right now I do NOT like the way it makes me feel. I do know what thing, running is a great therapy tool no matter the issue it's addressing!

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Zoloft is strange when you first start out. It makes anxiety worse for a few weeks before they get better. Hopefully you'll get over that hump quickly.

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Thanks, Travis! Do you think it's normal for me to still get this random increased anxiety/restlessness/revved up feeling/insomnia close to 3 weeks on? It will be 3 weeks Friday. I'm trying to see if I notice any positives, so far I have noticed my health anxiety isn't as strong (although now it's all about sleep anxiety, lol) and I can get myself unstuck from negative thought patterns more quickly, I think... i.e. I'm not perseverating on things as much, except for the sleep problem and anything related to benzo w/d and the zoloft. Haha. I'm going to try to give it a month to see improvements/changes.

[[Bh...]]

I am a runner.  It's my passion too!! I'd be lost without it.  I started running after I finished acute (2 months).  My body really struggled with it...I started out with 2-3 miles.  Then I worked myself up to 9-10 miles 4-5 days a week. I feel so much better after a workout!

 

Exercise intolerance is something I've been fighting all along.  My mind doesn't seem to want to exercise, but once I get going,it's just fine! I also have thrown myself into a wave or two from doing too much.  I miss being able to do any type/amount of physical activity.  Now, I just listen to my body.  On the days I don't run I'll do  a workout video. 

 

I do believe that exercise promotes any type of mental healing. I wish it would heal my depersonalization/derealization. Maybe it will one day.  It's great that you run so much....an ultra marathon! Very impressive!!! I'm shooting for a half marathon  Keep up the good work!

[[Tr...]]

Sounds like things are working a little better after 3 weeks but it's probably on the cusp of things getting noticeably better. Give yourself another 3 weeks and I bet you'll forget all about the side effects. Hang in there!

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I am a runner.  It's my passion too!! I'd be lost without it.  I started running after I finished acute (2 months).  My body really struggled with it...I started out with 2-3 miles.  Then I worked myself up to 9-10 miles 4-5 days a week. I feel so much better after a workout!

 

Exercise intolerance is something I've been fighting all along.  My mind doesn't seem to want to exercise, but once I get going,it's just fine! I also have thrown myself into a wave or two from doing too much.  I miss being able to do any type/amount of physical activity.  Now, I just listen to my body.  On the days I don't run I'll do  a workout video. 

 

I do believe that exercise promotes any type of mental healing. I wish it would heal my depersonalization/derealization. Maybe it will one day.  It's great that you run so much....an ultra marathon! Very impressive!!! I'm shooting for a half marathon  Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks so much for your reply!!! Your progress is amazing! It is so important for mental healing. Whether its the endorphins, or the feeling of accomplishment, or a combination of both.  I also think there's something therapeutic about spending time outside, in nature... especially if you're out on a trail or in the mountains. I am a big fan of trail running, I have a trail half marathon saturday. I will not be "racing" this, but will just get out there and enjoy it. I'm so out of shape for a variety of reason, including the past few weeks. But I'm aiming to get back there!

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Sounds like things are working a little better after 3 weeks but it's probably on the cusp of things getting noticeably better. Give yourself another 3 weeks and I bet you'll forget all about the side effects. Hang in there!

 

Thank you Travis! I hope so. Hopefully I am slowly getting there.

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I'm a fan of running too, not a marathoner by any means (though I'd like to get there one day), but I'd been doing 5-6 miles per day 4-5 times a week before my taper. Since the taper, I've been struggling to keep my exercise regiment regular, which previously included bike riding, weights, push-ups and occasional gym visits. This week I've only ran twice, for instance, and the second time (on Wednesday), I was hit by tinnitus when I was finished and breathing hard. That was the first time I'd experienced actual bad tinnitus, and it freaked me out. Tomorrow I'll exercise but am weary about inducing side effects. Sometimes I'm so anxious, or unusually fatigued, that I cannot whip myself into shape to workout. This was unusual before my taper. Sometimes now all I can do is lay in bed and cower.

 

Days that I exercise almost always result in a calmer mind and far less anxiety when I'm relaxing at night. So far, I wouldn't say I've had a single "good day" since my taper, but I have had days with a relative calmer mindset. However, when I actually do my running, my dp/dr is horrendous. Not only does everything seem unreal, fake, and plasticine, but running provokes intrusive existential thoughts that I often can't shake during my workout. I used to *enjoy* working my body, and the thoughts that would accompany that. Now, I am struggling to keep my mind at bay while I run. Often times I can't even feel my body.. last week I ran 8 miles without feeling sore, and then this week I felt severely sore. I think this is due to depersonalization. Does anybody else experience this, bad dp/dr while exercising?

 

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I had my trail half marathon today! It went great. I wasn't "fast" by any means because it was a tough course but I had so much fun, and just kept moving forward. A great metaphor for life! Exercise definitely helps me to relieve anxiety for sure. And when I'm in an endorphin high, I forget about the things that are bothering me, like my sleep anxiety/sleep issue, the current main thing I worry about (besides money and work!)

[[Tr...]]

Congratulations on your run! Sounds like it's worked out great.

[[Ri...]]

Nemo dynamo- I have the same problem with running at times. I think it initially increases cortsole? (I think that's right but i may be wrong) and so at first it makes you feel revved up thats why its important to do it while not feeling bad and to take it easy. I have the same dissociation with running at times and the whole not being able to feel your body I think its due to anxiety maybe. Ive had it before benzo withdrawal too at times

 

Im trying to get back into running and working out now but since starting again have had pretty bad fatigue which is only just starting to slowly lift now so I have  dialed it back to 1 or 2 small runs a week. I definitely feel its effects especially afterwards and the next day. I really really hope running helps healing im going to keep it up

[[ho...]]

Zoloft makes anxiety worse period it doesn't get better you just tolerate it trust me I've been told give it 4 weeks then 6 weeks then oh g higher I think its bs I stayed on my last SSRI for 8 weeks and stopped

[[te...]]

Zoloft makes anxiety worse period it doesn't get better you just tolerate it trust me I've been told give it 4 weeks then 6 weeks then oh g higher I think its bs I stayed on my last SSRI for 8 weeks and stopped

 

I hear you! Last week I went in, it had been between 2-3 weeks and my doctor said "give it a month." I told myself I would wait another week or so and see, and here we are. My strong gut feeling is the Zoloft is NOT helping me, and may be making things worse. Some moments of the day I feel okay, and I wonder "is this the zoloft?" but then when I can't sleep, and I'm up in the middle of the night weeping and hyperventilating for no apparent reason, and the next day get that awful restlessness feeling... yeah, that's NOT me. And my "old" anxiety was never like this! I regret going on it, but I thought it would help. I'm going to see about going off it. (he also told me I needed a higher dose, like you said!).

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Thanks, all, for responding! It makes me so happy to hear from so many others who use running as a coping skill!

 

My half marathon race was amazing, and it made me so motivated and I was on a "high" from it for a few days! I had a few nice runs on Monday and Tuesday. However, I'm in either a wave, or a hormonal thing, or its the zoloft, but last night I didn't really sleep... okay maybe I got an hour... and all day I felt crappy, hopeless, restless again. Back to my doctor tomorrow! I will get my running groove back. I thought maybe the zoloft was working when I was so happy on saturday, but i think it was because it was such a great day!!