I'm autistic and have struggled with depression. Recently I have started doing long runs. I've found I feel the best when I run for as long as possible focusing on duration not speed. I've built up to over 7 miles now and I feel so much better doing regular long runs. Only downside is the time it takes to do it but I feel so much better so it's worth it. My wife and kids really have noticed the difference too.
Five minutes of Skipping (using a skipping rope) is the equivalent of half an hour of running mabe you could spend less time skipping everyday and feel good so you don't have to run as long, PS Bruce Lee loved skipping as a warm up.
I had no car for 7 years. Then I moved to a bigger town, had a new job and got a car. I fell ill and got depression, because I lost my everday walking or going by bike, which was my kind of exercise. It took me a while to realise the connection.
Sending love to everyone else who has a lot of struggles around physical self-care. My history includes distorted thinking around my body and a lot of significant illness and injury. It's a lot and I'm sure others have a lot too. I'm very fortunate to have recovered, but it does leave an aftermath both physically and emotionally. What's worked for me is gentle rehabilitation with the guidance of a great physiotherapist, slowly and surely building up and making it all nurturing and careful with lots of attention paid to how I feel and making it all about embracing myself, not rejecting or judging myself. It is not easy, all the trauma woven in, autistic inertia and a lot of emotion and frustration. But commitment to self, a little growth and a little learning is enough, that's enough to heal with. 💗
I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your videos. For my entire life, I've always felt different than everyone. Trying to live a normal life is difficult. Basically, what is easy or difficult for me seems like the exact opposite of what is easy or difficult for everyone else. I realized about six months ago that what I've been experiencing throughout my life goes beyond ADHD symptoms. I've been struggling pretty bad with anxiety and depression, and for the first time in my life, I started seeing a therapist. He seems to also think that it is autism. I'm in the beginning stages of obtaining a diagnosis. I had been listening to a podcast about ways to cope with ADHD, when they interviewed an adult woman that had been recently diagnosed with autism. And her experience was very much like mine. She talked about the AQ test, which I took afterwards and scored a 39/50. I talked with my wife about it, and she also started researching. She stumbled upon one of your videos discussing and explaining criteria from the DSM-5. She said, "This guy reminds me of you. He seems like someone you would be friends with. And so much of the stuff he talked about was exactly you." So you've actually played one of the larger parts my finally beginning to understand myself. So... Sorry, I tend to be rather wordy, but I just wanted to say thank you.
Yep, me too. I need the exercise; but I walk and bike... and when I was unable to exercise and was depressed, I went on a minimum dose of anti-depressant, which helped some... God bless you, Paul. And God bless all of you who have had the same experiences.
I have a lot of trouble switching from one thing to another. I tend not to think about it consciously so much, but this video made me realize I really need to investigate routines that will help me do that, even if in my case it's a 15 minute walk outside. I get angry with myself when I can't move on to the next task - I need to start noticing the transition needed and finding ways to help myself. Thank you!
I took up swimming last year. I never really liked swimming pools for various reasons, since I was a kid. But me and my EX used to do it now and then, it was OK, and it just occurred to me why don't I go there myself? It became a regular thing and now it's part of my physical activity regimen. It has had a really great effect on my overall health. I want to go to the Gym at least 1-2 times a week but it has been inconsistent for a while, partly due to Covid, life stuff, and these days my body and mind seems to prefer more gentle activity. Maintenance, just keeping it consistent. I go for walks as much as I can, on the days where I don't have swimming or the gym, it's amazing what a simple walk can do for health when you keep a routine. Aside from that I do Qi-Gong about 20min every day, to start my day off, it's great for mind and body. In summer I like to be outdoors mostly and go hiking, which me and a friend do each year.
I just realized the other day that exercise was the reason I could make it through out college and all that social stuff. Also, I used to get very debilitaling migraines for 20+ years. Eight months ago I removed certain foods from my diet, and it worked!
@@linnaem.5542 Thank you 😊. I removed all processed food such as foods with a very long list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce. I stay away from sugar, with the exception of raw honey and I try (when possible) to buy organic. I also reduced dairy consumption.
My outreach workers take me for a 5 km walk three days a week. I find it much easier to talk to someone if I'm walking and so there's heaps of space to look in all directions so I don't have to make eye contact.
I’m so happy you’re starting to feel a bit better, Paul! Thank you so much for sharing this. I just want to share w/ everyone, coming from an autistic & recovered eating disorder perspective, that nobody NEEDS to exercise every day to be healthy and happy. Autistic people are more susceptible to eating disorders and obsessive exercise and dieting can be dangerous for us. I really like the intuitive eating & exercise approach promoted by Abbey Sharp on RU-vid if anyone is interested. That said, gentle exercise can be very good for mental health & anyone can find a form of exercise that *actually feels good* & is sustainable for them, no matter how it compares to what is promoted by popular wellness culture (which is often trying to sell you something w/ no evidence or individual consideration).
I have been learning Tai Chi for nine years then when I started thinking about it its the perfict thing to do, for mind and body and the repeated movements are enjoyable, I would recommend it to anyone no matter what age or fitness, you can even do sitting down Tai Chi.
It took me having to quit my job, sell my house, move back with my parents for a while (in my late 40s FFS), and starting over again in non-management positions to reorder my life. I “compulsively” rode bicycles from age 5 through college. I understand now why. Without that outlet, my mental health deteriorated badly over two decades. Cooking for me and a dog, and walking the dog has limited my time so I can’t go overboard on exercising. Now I’m able to appreciate just taking leisurely evening ebike rides to enjoy the simple feeling of being on two wheels. Although I have severely damaged ties with my own family even more with the whole life redirection, I had to make changes in order to continue to exist. In addition to removing a bunch of stress, adding back exercise that is beneficial for me has been one of the main changes. I mostly avoid the really strenuous activities now-did enough of those for five people haha. Now it’s more about the joy of being able to appreciate the movements my body makes and the sensations of scenery, weather, movement, and smells.
Exercise is equal to life for myself. I have tried many kinds of physical exercises, all brings me a lot of benefits. but biking on the mounts close to the nature for my body, is the bestone! 👍👍👍
Great video! A few thoughts. I was able to leverage my repetitive personality to my advantage. Now, a daily morning jog/run is one of my daily repetitive steps before going to work. Be careful of a health club if you are shy and have social issues. Gyms can be crowded, loud, and people may have to compete for equipment. It led to me blowing off workouts when I felt burnt out(when I most needed a workout). On the other hand, if you really get into a type of exercise, it can be a bridge to make friends with others that share the same interest. Some research is suggesting that exercise not only can help improve the quality of your deep sleep, but help your brain function better during insomnia(significantly increased blood flow to the brain). Finally, a 20 minute outdoor walk/jog/bike ride is a bit like light therapy--especially for those that stay indoors most of the time(that bright light burning the back of your retinas is actually good for you;). Paul, thanks for another great video and best wishes for continued progress.
I can relate to the lack of motivation. Exercise doesn't do it for me. I tried it for a while, but it was actually quite annoying, and it stressed me out. I never felt good afterwards - just exhausted or bored. My feeling is that I am missing input there. I enjoy taking a walk though. Or just working on simple projects with others. Just this week, I had a large boost in mental health being part of a fantastic event that combined me giving a public lecture in front of hundreds of people and an orchestra playing music in between. Yes, preparing it took a lot of work, but I enjoyed it. And you can't replace the adrenalin surge you get during these events. Loved it.
I have to put dumbbells right next to my bed so when I wake up I have them right there. Its honestly a real struggle to grab them tho. A tip, if you are a gamer, every time you die you must drop down and do 5 push ups, really works.
Exercise and regular physical activity quite saves me, and always picks me up when I've fallen off. I always hated trying to play organized sports but found that physical activity does wonders for my mindset and is essential for the career path I've chosen... but even if I didn't need to be fit for my career I'd still be working out just to stay feeling ok. Being independent and solitary much due to being on the spectrum, I work out alone but that's what works for me! Great advice here. Hope working out continues to work out for you!
I would urge caution around taking anti depressants. I went to several different surgeries and saw at least 6 different GPs (In the UK) and could not find one that would be open and honest about side effects. The side effects can be very distressing, depressing and dangerous, so not having that honest support is a real problem. It has devastated my life. If you see a GP don't assume that they will give you good advice. It's my experience that they know very little about mental health issues, but may be the only medical professional some seriously ill people will gain access too. My advice is to ask lots of questions and don't hand over control thinking that they are experts. If they skirt around the issue of side effects you will know that they are prepared to put patients at risk rather than be honest. I don't know why they do this but after raising this issue on forums I can see that not all GPs in the UK behave in this this manner. It is my understanding (please do your own research) that anti depressants only help about 50% of people and some of that is placebo. Good luck.
Antidepressants have also saved the lives of thousands of people around the world. Having said that, I know that you can't just take an antidepressant and that will be all. You need to look at mental health as you do heart health. If you have a heart attack, a doctor will typically recommend cardiac rehabilitation, where you learn about healthy eating habits, healthy exercise, and the rest. So, a person might need an antidepressant, a change in diet, regular exercise and a few other things in combination.
I do Jumping Rope and Star Jumps 3days per week(Mon/Wed/Friday) on my balcony @ home and I also ride my spin bike @ home inside 3days per week(Tues/Thurs/Saturday) for my Mental Health and I am finding these types of exercise helps manage my depression and anxiety better than if I did not do these types of exercise. I alternate these exercises from one week to the next week.
This came at the perfect time for me. Was just going over my problem of "get up sit in lounger watching tv, doze off watching tv, go back to bed and sleep 2-4 hours, repeat, repeat". To me it just feels like "ennui", and because I am Aspie, just part of the on-going "communication with others" problem. Looking forward to working on the movement/exercise issue, for which I can muster hope as opposed to "relating to others" issues. Thank you deeply for your clarity and sharing.
This video resonates with me at my current state. Exercise and the discipline to work it into my life has been a struggle of mine. I have been taking martial arts for 3 years but miss alot of classes due to the excuses you talk about. The biggest one is "I'm tired from work", true I don't sit at a desk. My job requires me to move alot and leave wiped out and depressed that I am in this job. Then on the weekends I am so drained that I don't exercise. So the part about excuses is so real to me! "I'm exhausted" or "it's late out", what don't I get that martial arts can literally save my life one day! I need to start taking this more seriously, but I need the discipline to be constant(okay maybe one day of rest lol)
It's amazing how effective exercise is for mental health. This was a helpful reminder! I once shadowed the Nedley Depression and Anxiety Recovery residential program (which has an incredibly high success rate, over 95%, for those who stick with the program), and exercise is a major component, along with several other key lifestyle factors.
I have found zumba on youtube. Which i do for about 20 mins. Then jump in the pool and swim for the same. Getting hot, then cooling down is great. It is actually part of a diet regime but i love the powerful feeling in my body when i finish. Endorphins..and also blood going everywhere in me. Also..i am totally focussed on the task. No more bad mind wandering. You sound like you are on a good path. Keep it up. Thanks for sharing😁👍
Thanks Paul, exercise is the number 1 area I struggle with even though I know it will help me (maybe that is added pressure as a PDAer lol) I've noticed that what's stuck for me is if I make things fun and enjoyable, activities that don't feel like they are taking away from fun I might be having otherwise (even if I am just in bed in reality). Bed yoga is the best solution I've found for stretching as I still get to be in my safe space while experiencing body sensations (which are icky for me) AND I think walking to the playground and playing there might be my best shot at body weight stuff! Fingers crossed!! Thank you for talking about this, I really need to see autistic people talking about it so I feel safe and like I can exercise without pushing my body too far. So I appreciate this video a lot ❤
I layed around yesterday, and started feeling depressed & anxious, which led to confusion. But guess what? I went swimming, and all of a sudden I didn't have anymore depression, anxiety or confusion. Yaay!
Thank you for doing this video and talking about your depression and the benefits of exercise. It was a good reminder for me to restart my exercise goals
Thank you for this, I really relate to everything you said here, especially how sleeping more makes me feel worse, and reminds me of how good I felt when i used to run regularly before the pandemic. All the best to you
Thank you for sharing about this! Exercise is incredible and I'm trying to get into it again. Something I've been doing for two years now is seeing a NUCCA chiropractor - that might help with your migraines, it's made a MASSIVE difference for my mental health because it supports a healthy nervous system!
Awesome channel, whole heartedly agree, ive been managing my symptoms with 3 days a week at the gym, since my mid 20's, although mis-diagnosed until late 40's, & have trained Consistently, science is in the consistency....
Thank you for this video. I am so happy for you that you are getting into good, healthy habits. I hope you continue on your upward spiral because your videos really help me understand more about autism and Asperger's.
Yes, exercise, being in nature is a big positive, plus diet. I am on a glutenfree, low carb, dairy free diet, no sugars or sugar alcohols, little fruit, lots of veggies, avocado,some organic egg, some wild caught fish, nutritional yeast for b1, b3. I also do mental exercises like vagus nerve and somatic exersises (Stephen porges book about vagus nerve), we get in fight or flight mode, from masking too and with these simple exercises we can make to feel the body safe :) Also see Dr berg, or Dr eckberg videos about how gluten, high carb, grains, sugar etc effect our body.......
For daily exercise I would recommend walking to work if your work is between 1 and 3 kms from your home, or cycling if it is between 3 and 10 kms. Also the keto diet is great for giving you more physical and mental energy.
For me the bush is where I’m most at peace. I really enjoy looking for gold. I think it’s gentle sounds of a running creek and the wildlife that is around. Plus it’s a dam good workout, if you want it to be.
I have on line counselling and it has been great, I don’t even leave the house 🏡.I just go to my email click the link and wait for my psychologist, it is so convenient,I recommend it.
A good news story, Paul! I get dismayed, but not depressed. I used to go to SARA at La Trobe University, in Bundoora. I used to swim laps of the pool. I do a lot of walking. When I was 12 years of age, I learnt to play tennis. I played 4 competition matches.
Paul, as someone who used to have daily migraines - avoid caffeine, dairy, sugar, onions and garlic (yeah the good stuff, I know) and also maybe look into chiropractic care. I now gets migraines very very rarely and my life is so much better.
Now I understand why I sometimes feel lazy in bed during the day unable to get up although not tired. At worst times this was mostly related to my underactive thyroid gland which has ben brought under control now through medication. However I still get these spells of laziness in bed in the evening which I think are Asperger's related and signs of depression. Psychologists have recorded mild depression in me in the past. So I understand the feeling of depression well. I think for me depression triggers from a lack of human contact. bulling and a feeling of getting old although I feel much younger and get complemented for looking fantastic at 46. I say age is just a number just as I told one children's charity fundraiser outside the supermarket yesterday. I enjoyed the conversation. I am also becoming more confident with the lades now as I start up conversations when I am out and about in the park shops, supermarkets etc. So I guess interacting with people especially with the ladies is another form of energising myself, I think it especially stimulates most people when it happens with the opposite sex. Years ago I also used to do high intensity exercise after which I enjoyed sleeping like a baby in the afternoons.
I can relate a lot to this but I'm at an earlier stage in my life. I defintely had a similar experience going from uni to the world of work. I think a lot of it was the lack of control - while undiagnosed, I had free will to go about things how I naturally wanted which allowed me to do things which likely helped managed my autistic needs. I agree that regular exercise makes a massive difference but I think other aspects need to be addressed too. Personally, I always find work incredibly draining due to the mental tax it takes out of me in addition to the unavoidable social interaction. I can get through a working day so drained that exercise is either rediculously hard to do or just feels impossible as I'm so spent. I can take the various draining aspects of work in isolation but after a while the constant onslaught just drains me to a point where I end up doing less exercise. Seeking professional help is a good idea and I think medication can be too. I've experienced long wait lists personally and found that some counsellors in particular have been little to no use - they seem to expect me to know what the problem is but I normally found that really hard, especially when I was undiagnosed. I've had good experiences though and highly recommend finding someone who understands autism well.
@@ZTRCTGuy I think it's neurology. The world for work is geared up for neurotypicals for the most part. There's a massive focus on the social aspect which makes sense as that energises most people. If it does the opposite to you then you'll end up drained afterwards.
I wonder if working out in the morning (even just a walk and/or stretching) might be better and help with the draining work days. I’ve found it’s much easier to workout in the mornings for me than after work.
@@linnaem.5542 I've heard people doing that and finding it energising, never understood how I could do it myself as I'm quite drained in the mornings and then gain more energy later on in the day. I've tried midday exercise as a means of recharging away from large groups of people which works well for me (although not possible for me currently unfortunately). I prefer evening exercise now as it's convenient for me to fit in and helps me with sleep too.
For me starting regular personal training during pandemic was the best happening to me. It really helped me to understand movements much better, my trainer can regulate exercises up and down to provide best outcome.
Excellent video. Sorry you are struggling. Karate and swordfighting on a regular basis help me with the excersize for mental health aspect. Martial arts are the way to go :)
I fixed my migraines with diet… basically all i eat is meat and fruit and greens, i use olive oil for all cooking needs… i cut out all diary, grains and processed foods, and junk foods, anything with preservatives or ingredients with number codes and candy etc…
It's difficult to exercise when you have fragmented sleep and food addiction issues. You eat so much that you do not feel like doing anything. It affects your sleep and then when you feel terrible, you want to eat even more. It's a terribly vicious cycle.
This will not work for everyone, but something that has helped me a lot with anxiety and depression has beenn magnesium supplements. Check with your doctor ofc and start with a low dose and up it if needed (again, doctor or pharmacist can advice). People with autism have a tendency to have gut problems and it can also mean one doesn't absorb certain nutrients very well , and also stress can deplete magnesium. For me, I have noticed the difference in less than a week and I also notice it pretty fast when I stop. It has helped me to start get moving a bit more, which also has helped. I recommend give it a try along with Paul's advice.
something that works for me is "wiggle your big toe" lol not actually that but i do pretty much my own version of that scene from Kill Bill. it can be just breathing more deliberately or swinging at an imaginary speed bag. as long as i consistently increase the effort required i can acclimate myself to 'work mode' so to speak. its either that or i will literally jump out of bed and basically just resume yesterday like it was a savestate lol. that one creeps people out but its been a minute since my last slumber party so i don't see it as a problem. even just light stretching makes a significant difference in my attitude and energy. sometimes it feels like a super power lol or like im cheating/hacking reality. doesn't mean as consistent as it is that i do it consistently but it works when i do. maybe i should do that more often. i guess im afraid that if it ever once doesn't work, that it will lose its magi foever. so for now its for those days where i just really really need to get my youknowwhat outta bed lol
it is when I can't turn on the kettle that I need 10-15 minutes of just putting one foot in front of the other-literally! Our puzzles often require novel solutions. Keep trying!
It really depends on the person wether exercise will do things for your mental health, speaking from personal experience, exercise does very little for me. I basically only feel drained after exercise. ( I train 3 times a week, cycling and weightlifting) Of course your physical fitness will improve, same here, but that's about it. Also ,the measures for covid were more harmfull than covid ever was, and ever will be. And you Australians especially should hold your government accountable.
Felicidades, es un buen ejemplo. 443 sentadillas son unos X18TINDER.Uno muchas y un buen ejercicio. Se deja ver que hay muy buenos resultados 😍👍 Saludos desde la Cd.. de world 🌹😉💖 los mortalesu abian apreciado tan hermosa mujer.k
Why don't you change the name of your channel. The terme "asperger" is harmful and should not be used anymore. I live you videos but this upset me a lot...
I'd love to start seeing the frequency of that name with a lower frequency than Kann's. I endorse your suggestion for sure. I think Paul named the channel right before the research and its veracity was able to be widely known to the community. Still does not take away from all the thoughtful and great content from Paul. Tho it might scare away some potential viewers that know about Dr Asperger real actions.
@@stevenr5149 I love Paul's content but the name of the channel is not ok anymore. It is never too late to change the name, it s easy to do . He could name it "Autism from the inside" ! :D
@@2xmachine woke commies don't like it or anything else from history. They hate Dr. Asperger because of his nationality and time period. He was a 'nazi' that saved people like us from death. I'd rather be studied than dead. So say what you want.
