alt Hacker NewsI'm a non-competitive athlete, and yes exercise can help depression, but no, it will not be sufficient for anything but your mild to average case of it.
Exercise is a crucial part of dealing with it, but it is not a panacea.
Replies
True. I ran my but off in 2025 but it was mainly holding my anxiety over finding a job at bay.
>> I'm a non-competitive athlete
Honest question, but what do you mean by this?
I've played competitive team sports my whole life and have a very competitive drive. If its not team sports, its rock climbing where I feel like I'm competing against myself or my brain trying to solve a route. If I'm hiking, I'm competing against the clock or how far I can go. If I'm lifting weights, its about how many sets I can do and what weight in order to push myself.
So even in what most people deem "non-competitive" activities I'm still competing against a clock, or my body, or my brain.
I'm just curious what you meant is all.
EDIT: Typical HN. Ask a question and get downvoted. Logging off the day - thanks.
Depression is an umbrella term that covers lots of underlying biological conditions.
Exercise forms the foundation of a biologically healthy brain which is required for all conditions. For some conditions it’s all you need for others it’s not enough