Mental Health

As someone who struggles to manage mental illness, yeah people have become really knee jerk opposed to lifestyle change approaches to managing mental health. The research is really unambiguous. In DBT they teach you to exercise as part of the PLEASE skill for attending to your physical wellbeing, because its hard to be mentally alright if you feel like crap physically

Moving won't fix your mental health, but your mental health is unlikely to improve if you dont go physically move, its a really important part of taking care of your body

That being said, how you deliver a message has a huge bearing on whether its receieved, and the reason your message is one people are guarded against is because people constantly talk down to mentally ill folks and tell them how to "solve" their issues from a place of presumption. As a part of that, people frequently present exercise as a cure, and as someone who exercises every day it very much is not. Empathizing with that is worthwhile, as invalidating people also promotes poor mental health outcomes :)

Personally I think it should be viewed from a heirarchy of needs. Exercise is a basic need like other food security, physical safety, sexual safety.

I think satisfying basic needs is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for mental health.

Is it raining? Go reenact a famous old movie.
Is it snowing? Find someone to throw snowballs with/at.
Is it sunny? Go take a nap in a hammock or find an ice cream bar.

By experience, I totally agree, doing outdoors activities is great for the mind. Also, the same as darker seasons make people depressive, I'd imagine spending all of one's free time in a dark room has a similar effect. Furthermore, there may even be cases the source of the person's mental issues is within the walls of his/her home aside from the darkness, so taking strolls, doing activities, etc. may serve as a moment to take the mind out of such issues.

I needed to hear this; thanks!

and can help more than medications would alone

I would argue that this advice is more relevant for people who don't require medication.

The community did not like that.

Yes because because people who require medication don't benefit from "wellness" practices the same way as people who don't require medication.

whatever it may be that gets you out of your current location and allows you to reflect and think.

This is the crux of your misunderstanding. People who receive medication for example, a genetic Serotonin imbalance, can't simply reflect on it and make it go away.

I am here again to remind you

Could also be how arrogant you sound.

the user you advised that to uses lemmy as their personal venting diary, they're a regular. people probably didn't like the way you wrote it because they missed the latter word "just" in your post, misinterpreting the meaning entirely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pohlbx17suI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDYJCwLGqmo

I need to hear this for sure. I got 3 hours of sleep last night and had to go into the office when I’d usually work from home today. I’ll be exhausted when I get home and not want to do anything. There’s still snow blocking the trail and many sidewalks. Even the dog is staying at my ex’s so she’s not pushing me for a walk

Great to hear that you found something that is working for you!

But not everyone has the same issues as you. For some it might be even contraproductive to reflect even more, because its their issue that they do it already too much

While it's helpful (and important for most people) to ALSO do physical activity, many (most?) people still need their medication.