Some mornings for Owen Kole Jr began with heavy lifting. But it wasn’t at the gym, or in his home with free weights. It began with just lifting himself out of bed. The weight he struggled against was the invisible heaviness of depression.
One day, he had the energy to try something new. He had the idea to go to a gym. His friends often told him that they felt refreshed and energized after working out and that he should try it. Although he was nervous
about his abilities, he trusted his guts and said he felt an eagerness to lift himself out of his funk. That moment and experience changed the direction of his mental health. He felt a “release” and a surge of energy. It felt “good”.
He went back.
At first with his friend, and then on his own. It felt better. Soon he realized working out was a physical release for the emotional and mental pressures. “The gym became a place where I could release what I felt into something more powerful, myself. As I get physically stronger”,” I feel more mentally and emotionally resilient.”
Kole doesn’t use the gym to shred his body; he uses it as he says “for therapy” to shed and shred mentally and emotionally. And he’s not alone. Many health care professionals and experts recognize the ability of physical activity as a way to reduce the pressures and anxieties of our hectic lives. Scientific studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins which decrease stress hormones. But what is more important than just exercising is that the gym is a place, a community, and that does more for people than exercise alone.
The gym is the new therapist—many people like Owen who are struggling with the heavy weight of depression and anxiety. In a world of impersonal technology, mental health struggles can feel isolating. The gym is not a place of privacy. Although it is a public and social space, it can also offer anonymous escape. After a while, escape becomes a habit, and habit becomes a lifestyle. Often becomes a cure that many discover unexpectedly. For some, the unexpected discovery can become a healthy addiction.
At first glance, engaging in exercise might seem intimidating or unappealing, but once overcome it can quickly becomes addictive. Research shows that physical activity not only enhances overall physical well-being, but also is powerful in combating depression, and aids in the creation of a reward cycle that becomes a tremendous outlet for those in need.
Jr David Jones mentions how that cycle started for him. “I found myself through the gym, I never really felt I had much of a purpose or had a passion towards a hobby until I picked up the weights. This would give me something to look forward to all day. I couldn’t wait to lock in and all my thoughts would go away, pushing my body to the limits,” Jones said. The mindset of purpose is something that therapists work on with patients, while some people find this through the gym. Jones continues, “I believe the gym completely changed my view on being down or sad because I could just relieve it all through the pain of my muscles tearing and building back bigger and stronger. The gym changed my life for the better.”
The link between depression, anxiety, and exercise isn’t completely connected. However, physical activity can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety, leading to an improved mood. In the Mental Health Foundation UK report it states “Being active releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good – boosting your self-esteem and helping you concentrate as well as sleep well and feel better”. Additionally, exercise may contribute to preventing the recurrence of depression and anxiety and benefit health. For Owen and James, the weights they feel and burden themselves with are now of their choosing. They set the hours they spend getting “therapy” and it is something they look forward to and are proud of the results. The gym may just be a place for not only increasing your physical strength but also your emotional and mental resilience.
