What Role, If Any, Does Exercise Play For You?

[Panda Bear]

Just what the tittle says. Does exercise, if any, play a role for you in dealing or managing your PTSD or similar disorders?

Mostly curious. My T is big on any sort of physical movement to help manage symptoms. We often utilize walking during our sessions as means to calm and relax me.

When I was younger(middle-high school years) I used to swim to manage my anxiety and suicide tendencies...probably to an unhealthy point. 2x a day...6x week. But I'm still alive.

When life gets hard to manage, I tend to let the exercise go and always end up suffering on the other end. Even though I'm a bit fluffy :D, there is simply no way I could manage life with out some sort of movement, even when I feel like hurting myself. But, I can't do people, so no gym!

 

[shimmerz]

I used to play Wii Tennis. I could do it at home and it kept me in my body. I definitely understand not being able to do people.

 

[Mallaky]

Excercise became my most important tool in dealing with PTSD and symptoms.

To me its one of the three things that truly help, and the most important one. I still cannot believe that I am doing so much of it. There were months in my life in which I moved less then now in a normal week. It just helps with everything. I do cardio, weights and yoga. 5 years ago I took a 20 minute walk and nearly fainted, that is how out of shape I was. I then learned veeery slowly how to excercise.

I am still proud that I learned to start excercise even when I feel very bad. Took me years to learn that. Its anti-depression, anti-dissociation, anti-worthlessness and plain anti-ptsd. From meltdown to excercise at first took months, then weeks, and now just hours.

When it starts getting really bad for me I will do nothing else but focus on starting excercise. Can take hours, but finally I will end up on my hometrainer or with my weights and, without exception, feel much much better afterwards. There were times I cried though, because I just did not want to do anything. Working through that I learned was just a skill, and I get better at it.

I am now working on learning to do excercise first thing in the day. Progress is non existant so far, haha. Thats okay though.
Looking into the mirror, seeing some muscles is the most "f*ck you PTSD" feeling I know. My whole life I wanted the look of a muscular teddybear (its a gay thing) and now I am starting to get there and its very empowering. My own body and fitness is becoming a symbol of me succesfully dealing with PTSD and my daily exercise has become the fundament for all progress I am having.

I have to be carefull to not stop longer then a few days, because starting again is a massive bitch. So difficult. I am on disability right now, so I have a lot of time to focus on that. Soon my full time therapy will start, and I will do everything I can to not let go of my excercise then.

I just cannot feel bad about myself or dissociate too hard when I feel the good muscle soreness from a good workout the day before. There is a thread here, in "Social." Log your daily excercise. Was very helpfull for me for a time.

 

[watundah]

Huge!! I get antsy when I sit too long. Im like a working dog that twitches if it doesn't get a work out. Definitely hooked on endorphins and the chill bwhen the anxiety wanes.

 

[Chava]

I can't afford a gym. It's also not necessary. I need movement too, so I walk, do some yoga and some Pilates and resistance training. When amped up (angry or panicky) it helps to do slow but more resistance-based stuff, like pushing or more tiring leg work. Works almost instantly if I do it right...has even settled arrhythmias. For me, the right kind of movement is much more helpful than a benzo!! I'm glad I have a therapist who has supported me in exploring this.

When just a little ungrounded or scattered, a walk helps. If I'm exercising regularly my mood and ability to also control big shifts seems to be better. I struggle more when I'm injured or sick and either can't exercise or have a hard time finding the right adaptations to my helpful forms of movement.

 

[oasis2003]

It makes me feel so much better mainly walking the dog, swimming, but have now started pilates and yoga although these sometimes trigger body memories through the movements.