Dear Dave,
I'm submitting this to you because I think you can answer it best and treat it with a sense of delicacy. I know you aren't a doctor what I'm looking for is your thoughts on this question. I have heard that heavy training has been linked to some instances of depression. Now I have had some personal struggles with depression and am coming to a point where I have some kind of a handle on it which is more than i can say for a lot of my life. The thought of doing something in my training that is exacerbating the problem is very troubling. Is there a legitimate link between the heavy training involved in strength sports and depression?
- Jeff
Jeff,
Honestly I don't know the answer (maybe someone else can help?), but can offer some of my thoughts from being on both sides of the fence on this issue. Having the same problem as well as dealing with stress levels that are through the roof, I can honestly say with 100 percent certainty - training is better than any of the drugs I've ever used.
{STOP: I'm not saying to stop meds if you are on them. This is between you and your doctor. }
Some thoughts.
1. I don't get caught up in strength and beating PR's etc. When I competed it was a different story. When I had a bad day it SUCKED! PISSED me off, etc. This didn't help me deal with stress or depression at all. It made it worse because it just added to it. While there are many great days and PR days, there are always bad ones.
It comes with the territory.
I had to get to a point where I didn't give a shit (which was hard to do with my personally type). My focus now is on the muscle - not the movement - and getting in the best session I can for the day. While they aren't always great sessions, I can say a good day (even a poor day) in the gym is better than NO day in the gym. This isn't to say that I don't care or didn't bust my ass. In many ways I'm training harder now than I ever have in my life. What I'm saying is I now focus on the process, not the destination.
**I'd like to interject and say something here. I'm not saying strength sports can cause depression (as medically defined). ALL sports have ups and downs and that's part of what makes them so GREAT. There's nothing better and more inspiring than breaking a PR or winning after facing adversity.
This is not what I'm taking about at all.
What I'm talking about are those who already have MEDICAL issues with depression and how those bad days to them are 100000000 times worse than they would be to someone else. These people need to understand that THIS is part of the game. A HUGE part of the game and they need to learn to accept and enjoy it for what it is and what it can and will lead to. If they can't, then they should change their training and/or attitude.
What I'm expressing with myself is when the process became non-competitive, it also became less important in my life. It went from being my first priority (yes, even over my business and family) to my third. This made it easier to accept the bad days and not being able to do certain movements because of past injuries, etc. Thus a changing of my attitude. **
2. I train more often. If I could recover and had the time, I'd be in the gym seven days a week. The more I train the better I can control my stress, blood pressure and other issues. It also allows me to think better and work longer. Lastly, it gives me time "away" from all the "shit" that's going on in my life...
Let's face it, we all have shit going on and nobody's pile smells better or worse. Regardless of the size of the pile - it all smells awful! If you get close enough, it can make you vomit, let alone what can happen if you spend all of your time muddling around in it.
If I have my time "away" and just "bust my ass" for a while, when I get back to the "shit," it doesn't smell so bad. Thus I'm better equipped to deal with anything that gets tossed my way - even willing and waiting to catch it - WANTING to catch it. WANTING it tossed my way instead of in any other direction. In some ways I HAVE to have it.
I can't begin to express the difference this has made with family and business issues over the past few years.
Thinking this over, if I count cardio, I do some form of training every single day of the week.
3. My nutrition is 100% better. If you want to be extreme try pulling all sugar, corn, wheat, artificial sweeteners and dairy out of your diet for a few weeks and let me know how you feel and how your joints feels. Having done this I know it's very hard to do and unpractical, so just limit all these items as much as you can and watch the difference. For me I took them all out for a month and then added only one back in to see what the reaction would be. Personally, corn, sugar and artificial sweeteners don't bother me that much but wheat and dairy can wreck my world. Wheat up to a point is OK. Dairy is a disaster at any level. I used to laugh at these people, but the difference for me has been huge.
4. Finally, depression is real. It is and can be a medical issue that can and has ruined lives. I highly recommend you see a doctor if you think you have issues with this, but one thing to always keep in mind is you always have a choice. By this I mean you can accept it and find a way to move forward in a positive way and use it to your advantage to drive you, push you and motivate you to achieve more and work harder.
OR, you can use it as an excuse as to why you can't do something, anything.
There are people who fall on both sides of this fence. This is a choice...