Success in fighting depression and anxiety with exercise/motion

[[Tr...]]

Hello guys.

I cold turkeyed 1 benzo, 1 snri and 1 ssri at the same time. Doctor gave the evil trifecta cocktail for 3 years until I couldn't afford her fee anymore. She messed with more than 1 neutrotransmitter. Awesome.

So basically I am 89 days off all brain drugs and the depression and anxiety combo are my main symptoms now. It doesn't help that my body keeps bracing for impact that never comes (gut clench, bracing tight muscles, holding my breath) so it feeds the anxiety loop. I've NEVER had this scale of depression and anxiety before. My life problems pre-benzo seem puny in comparison. 

Since a doctor I trusted fully got me into this mess, I am very reluctant to take any more brain drugs for depression and anxiety. I feel like I have trauma with drugs, doctors, mental health topics.

Have any of you controlled depression/anxiety with exercise? I've read accounts and studies where exercise actually wins over drugs. 

[[Th...]]

You are wise to avoid future "brain drug" use.  All brain drugs only mask symptoms and never really treat or cure any underlying causes for depression or anxiety.  I never had depression nor anxiety prior to coming off of Benzos.  I had a psychiatrist tell me I had General Anxiety Disorder and some other mental illness conditions.  She wanted to poly drug me.  I refused and everything eventually went back to normal.  I've been healed for about 5 years now and not once have I had any anxiety or depression since that time.  It was always the Benzos that caused the symptoms and withdrawal.

[[jo...]]

Exercise is the best solution, however in early withdrawal it can make symptoms worse.  I was a regular gym / exercise buff my whole life.  After my cold turkey from short term use in March this year, I was unable to exercise without aggravating my symptoms.  The past two days I have been able to work out and walk 3 miles. I'm hopeful I can repeat that today.  They key is to go easy at first.  If your symptoms increase then take some time off and try again when you feel better. 

[[Tr...]]

On 7/25/2023 at 10:05 PM, [[T...] said:

You are wise to avoid future "brain drug" use.  All brain drugs only mask symptoms and never really treat or cure any underlying causes for depression or anxiety.  I never had depression nor anxiety prior to coming off of Benzos.  I had a psychiatrist tell me I had General Anxiety Disorder and some other mental illness conditions.  She wanted to poly drug me.  I refused and everything eventually went back to normal.  I've been healed for about 5 years now and not once have I had any anxiety or depression since that time.  It was always the Benzos that caused the symptoms and withdrawal.

I super wish I could hyperspace myself to the "healed" part. This chemical depression and anxiety is brutal. 

I am happy to hear that you're 5 years healed, and that once healed, those mental symptoms disappear. 

[[Tr...]]

On 7/26/2023 at 12:24 AM, [[j...] said:

Exercise is the best solution, however in early withdrawal it can make symptoms worse.  I was a regular gym / exercise buff my whole life.  After my cold turkey from short term use in March this year, I was unable to exercise without aggravating my symptoms.  The past two days I have been able to work out and walk 3 miles. I'm hopeful I can repeat that today.  They key is to go easy at first.  If your symptoms increase then take some time off and try again when you feel better. 

I cannot even remember much of what happened after I cold turkeyed. I did not know those brain drugs caused awful withdrawals.

Yes... there are people who have exercise intolerance. I've "met" people who get revved up even when just getting off the couch. 😔

I have been mostly housebound/bedbound + sedentary since these brain drugs. It took a lot to just walk... music helped to distract. 

I am now reading John E. Spatey's book "Spark." Recommended by 2 people on Success Stories. He talked about a research by Duke University in 2000(!) where exercise beat Zoloft, but it somehow got buried. 

[[Gl...]]

 

Exercise has been a miracle cure for me in the past.  I would often go on 10-mile plus hikes or very long bike rides, like 30–50 miles, and I'd feel like a new person afterward.  Since I have a chronic illness now, I can't do it, but it helped so much when back then.  If you can, I would go for it.  

 

I'm sorry you are feeling so depressed.  I've had some very dark days this year, but feel stronger for having survived them, and you will too.

 

Edit: Oops, I wrote this before I had read @[jo...]'s post, so take his advice about exercise.  I didn't know how it would affect you during withdrawal.

 

[[Tr...]]

Thank you @[Gl...] Every day I just pray I survive. I've never had depression this heavy and relentless. I am sure it is the withdrawals from the different drugs I CT. An endurance test I never signed up for and if I fail, it's eternal damnation. So cruel.

I can only do slow walks for like 2 miles. And 30 minutes, super slow, on the elliptical. Kinda embarassing 🤧 I try to be positive and hopeful that I can also build endurance. The way I whine on here, yes clearly I have low pain tolerance and I give up easily.  

I did read a lot of Success Stories of people who healed without exercise. Absolutely bedbound. 100% healed. The brain is indeed amazing, complex and mysterious. 

I just feel that with my triple CT case, I've got the odds against me so I need to do extra 🤧😭 and I NEVER wanna go on brain drugs again.  

I pray we all heal completely, permanently and speedily. God have mercy on us.

[[Th...]]

One caveat with exercise is that it can ramp up symptoms and symptom intensity for some.  It did for me during the thick of my WD, so I stuck with walking when I was able.  Especially intense exercise.  I couldn't do that the first 2 years after my CT.  Today, I am a gym rat and do very intense workouts. Good luck.

[[Gl...]]

11 hours ago, [[T...] said:

The way I whine on here, yes clearly I have low pain tolerance and I give up easily.  

I'm the same, i.e. low pain tolerance and giving up easily.   In my opinion, there's nothing worse than depression.  Before benzos, I hadn't had depression.  

You are so brave for going CT.  I am not that brave.  Anyone who is willing to go CT is incredibly brave.  I think you're amazing for going through it.

[[Tr...]]

4 hours ago, [[G...] said:

I'm the same, i.e. low pain tolerance and giving up easily.   In my opinion, there's nothing worse than depression.  Before benzos, I hadn't had depression.  

You are so brave for going CT.  I am not that brave.  Anyone who is willing to go CT is incredibly brave.  I think you're amazing for going through it.

Oh nooo... not very brave at all. I cold turkeyed 3 meds because I could not afford doctors anymore. I got drained by the one wjo polydrugged me. And i was not informed of dangers. It took me 6 months of suffering and akathisia before I found BB. Devastating. 

 

[[Gl...]]

22 minutes ago, [[T...] said:

Oh nooo... not very brave at all. I cold turkeyed 3 meds because I could not afford doctors anymore. I got drained by the one wjo polydrugged me. And i was not informed of dangers. It took me 6 months of suffering and akathisia before I found BB. Devastating. 

Well, you are much braver than I am.  I remember reading your intro post and that what you went through was so extreme. I'm going to read it again.  I'm sorry for what you've been through, and you're still going through it.  After this, I'll never, never, never, never touch a benzo again.  

[[PE...]]

Insomnia 

Im so tieard my eyes pouring. And these small made up flies 

[[PE...]]

16 hours ago, [[T...] said:

Oh nooo... not very brave at all. I cold turkeyed 3 meds because I could not afford doctors anymore. I got drained by the one wjo polydrugged me. And i was not informed of dangers. It took me 6 months of suffering and akathisia before I found BB. Devastating. 

I tried tapers many times but it felt like a never ending story. So i ct 8 days ago. Haunted by wolfs. But they will be tired eventually 

[[mi...]]

We have to make it easy for our body to trigger it's natural healing process, it's called Homeostasis. Our body will put more resorces to heal what is wrong if not distracted taking care of other things we do wrong like eating the bad stuff, no moving or stressing too much. We are at war not only with the drug it'self but mostly with what it induces in our body and mainly in our minds.That's why is essential in my opinion to have a plan and push ourself out of the 'I can't do it" zone! Come here to BB helps but is not the the only source of solutions to our problems. In some cases it even can agravate the situation reading other people horror stories.Exercise, eat healthy and have a true experienced partner are fundamental. 

If you can walk is the minimum and the easiest exercise to do without altering or trigger sysmptoms. If you have green spaces arround even better. Of course our body is going to react if we push further like running but it helps to test the limits and push to cross them a bit more next time. 

I'm luky, I can ride my bike, walk and use the stairs to exercise. And yes somtimes I feel like crap or I don't want to do it. That's what this drugs make us think but guess what next time I know how much I can do or not. Normally I feel better with a sense of acomplishment . "Not pain no gain".

Antother thing I noticed that help exercising or not is to keep our body hydrated. Too much water too soon is not good but taking the right amount of  slowly during the day helps a lot!

For those that are more corageous I recomend cold exposure. I take cold showers since my ordeal started and they've been a life saver for me. Even at night when I can't sleep taking one relax me and then I sleep better and a  must in the morning after getting up. I know is not for every one but give it a try.

Hope my experience help!

Mice

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

[[Tr...]]

3 hours ago, [[m...] said:

We have to make it easy for our body to trigger it's natural healing process, it's called Homeostasis. Our body will put more resorces to heal what is wrong if not distracted taking care of other things we do wrong like eating the bad stuff, no moving or stressing too much. We are at war not only with the drug it'self but mostly with what it induces in our body and mainly in our minds.That's why is essential in my opinion to have a plan and push ourself out of the 'I can't do it" zone! Come here to BB helps but is not the the only source of solutions to our problems. In some cases it even can agravate the situation reading other people horror stories.Exercise, eat healthy and have a true experienced partner are fundamental. 

If you can walk is the minimum and the easiest exercise to do without altering or trigger sysmptoms. If you have green spaces arround even better. Of course our body is going to react if we push further like running but it helps to test the limits and push to cross them a bit more next time. 

I'm luky, I can ride my bike, walk and use the stairs to exercise. And yes somtimes I feel like crap or I don't want to do it. That's what this drugs make us think but guess what next time I know how much I can do or not. Normally I feel better with a sense of acomplishment . "Not pain no gain".

Antother thing I noticed that help exercising or not is to keep our body hydrated. Too much water too soon is not good but taking the right amount of  slowly during the day helps a lot!

For those that are more corageous I recomend cold exposure. I take cold showers since my ordeal started and they've been a life saver for me. Even at night when I can't sleep taking one relax me and then I sleep better and a  must in the morning after getting up. I know is not for every one but give it a try.

Hope my experience help!

Mice

   

Just finished a consult with my neurotoxicologist. I insisted NO MORE MEDS. She was quite supportive saying that it might be best to let the system heal and balance out without adding more chemicals. She doesn't believe i am still in antidepressant/benzo withdrawals tho 🫠. 

I get extreme physical symptoms of anxiety (body braces for impact that never comes) and depression (heavy gloom and doom with evil ideation, especially in the morning). I understand that feeling of "i can't do it." I have to fight and crawl out of the room or else the evil thoughts will win. I don't wan't to go to hell!

Doctor said walking 1hr and elliptical 30mins is not enough. I should find some more things to do for the "excess energy." So I have to find something not so stressful, maybe creative, or add minutes to physical activity. I have to tire myself out so that sleep will be easier. And she said I should stop reading about benzos, even the success stories with scary timelines. Go do something physical instead. 

I agree. Hydration is very important. And I will try to get out in nature. It is typhoon/hurricane season in my country. Very challenging to get sunlight now. I have not tried cold bath. I only shock myself with cold water for 1 minute after hot bath. It does really help!

[[or...]]

Oh yes, I have been on nutrition that has worked for me and exercise!  I was glad to see your post, I am a believer and can't tell you how much I have been helped in this weaning process.  I'm doing a slow taper, very slow, but I'm doing very well as I go, I'm into it now 4 -5 months.  I was so foggy at first I can't be exact on the dates, but I'm very much sure since March 25 when I found BB

I had already changed my nutrition intake, and about 3 months into that I felt so good I started a gym membership doing weight-training, including some body-weight training (Mark Lauren's basically) and I had always been walking for exercise, but not consistent, I am now though for the last 2.5 years.  I think it's had a lot to do with my lack of wd sxs. 

I can't recommend more doing anything you can to move your body, but more than that, check your nutrition intake, what are you putting in your body.  The info is out there, but we have to weed out the good from the bad.  I like the Pubmed studies, and I watch Diet Doctors, Dr. Ben Bikman, and several others on Youtube.  I take what I'm willing to try, and leave the rest. Whenever I use the word "diet" I mean nutrition, not some unsustainable nutrition plan that can turn out being living like a yo-yo, physically, and mentally.

I can't agree more because I know this works for me, thank you @[mi...] and thank you @[Tr...]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:32 PM, [[m...] said:

We have to make it easy for our body to trigger it's natural healing process, it's called Homeostasis. Our body will put more resorces to heal what is wrong if not distracted taking care of other things we do wrong like eating the bad stuff, no moving or stressing too much. We are at war not only with the drug it'self but mostly with what it induces in our body and mainly in our minds.That's why is essential in my opinion to have a plan and push ourself out of the 'I can't do it" zone! Come here to BB helps but is not the the only source of solutions to our problems. In some cases it even can agravate the situation reading other people horror stories.Exercise, eat healthy and have a true experienced partner are fundamental. 

If you can walk is the minimum and the easiest exercise to do without altering or trigger sysmptoms. If you have green spaces arround even better. Of course our body is going to react if we push further like running but it helps to test the limits and push to cross them a bit more next time. 

I'm luky, I can ride my bike, walk and use the stairs to exercise. And yes somtimes I feel like crap or I don't want to do it. That's what this drugs make us think but guess what next time I know how much I can do or not. Normally I feel better with a sense of acomplishment . "Not pain no gain".

Antother thing I noticed that help exercising or not is to keep our body hydrated. Too much water too soon is not good but taking the right amount of  slowly during the day helps a lot!

For those that are more corageous I recomend cold exposure. I take cold showers since my ordeal started and they've been a life saver for me. Even at night when I can't sleep taking one relax me and then I sleep better and a  must in the morning after getting up. I know is not for every one but give it a try.

Hope my experience help!

Mice

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

[[In...]]

On 27/07/2023 at 21:51, [[T...] said:

One caveat with exercise is that it can ramp up symptoms and symptom intensity for some.  It did for me during the thick of my WD, so I stuck with walking when I was able.  Especially intense exercise.  I couldn't do that the first 2 years after my CT.  Today, I am a gym rat and do very intense workouts. Good luck.

How can u do to cover exercise intolerance 

now my sleep is better 60% i can sleep 5-8 hours but not every night 

but i can't exercise or walk too long 

when i do i got hot flashes and insomnia 

am so sad coz i love running 

please let me know what did u do to back to do intense exercises without any symptoms 

[[Th...]]

There isn't much you can do, IMO, except to take it very slow and keep the intensity down so it doesn't cause insomnia.  Slowly build the intensity the same way you might do a slow taper.  There are no "magical" supplements or workout plans or ways to intensely exercise without the possibility of ramping up symptoms.  Enough time will allow you to increase your exercise intensity.  Good luck.

[[Si...]]

I think exercise is amazing for depression and anxiety, but in my experience it doesn't do anything for withdrawal depression and anxiety.  I think that's one way to know if your symptoms are "you" or withdrawal....try normal things that would normally help, like hugging an animal, exercise, a hot drink, a hot bath, a distracting tv program or puzzle, a walk....if those things do nothing or make it worse, it's withdrawal.  At least I hope so for my own sake. If it's not withdrawal for me then it's irrecoverable.  

[[To...]]

On 25/07/2023 at 08:05, [[T...] said:

You are wise to avoid future "brain drug" use.  All brain drugs only mask symptoms and never really treat or cure any underlying causes for depression or anxiety.  I never had depression nor anxiety prior to coming off of Benzos.  I had a psychiatrist tell me I had General Anxiety Disorder and some other mental illness conditions.  She wanted to poly drug me.  I refused and everything eventually went back to normal.  I've been healed for about 5 years now and not once have I had any anxiety or depression since that time.  It was always the Benzos that caused the symptoms and withdrawal.

Why did you originally take the benzo @[Th...]