Cruisers and anti-depressants

I suffer from chronic depression. I have tried various
anti-depressants over the years and hated what they each did to my
mental processes so I stopped taking them. I decided to ride the
black dog bareback so to speak.

Anyway, time and again since getting my cruiser I have noticed how
riding it just blows away any depression I have been feeling.

Yesterday was a good case in point. I wasn't feeling great and it was
difficult to decide to go for a ride, but once I was on the road all
of that changed. I was soon grinning from ear to ear. I've even got
to absolutely loving the footboards on the thing.

But there's a slight Catch-22. When the depression is realy bad,
it's also really difficult to get motivated to do anything, including
getting on the bike, so that's the biggest hurdle, but once I'm on the
machine, it's not all that long before the WOO HOO thing starts.

I never had that feeling with my previous bikes, so I feel it might be
a cruiser thing. Or something else... Senility ???

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Well it looks like it's anti depressants for me for a while:
Don't own a cruiser!
Can't ride a big bike, at least not for a while!
I'm finding that the pills work well enough - they've put a stop to
late night "thinking sessions", and that's a good thing.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:03:01 +1100

It may well be a cruiser thing, depending on your other bikes.

The upright riding position and the way that you know you don't have
to push or go fast or do anything but ride.

I get the same feeling on the Old Girl, a big lazy relaxed bike
meaning I can just sit back and feel.

Zebee

 

On 12/19/11 9:03 AM, Diogenes wrote:

Good. I am happy to hear it works for you.

The footboard business is a bit of a worry, but, each to his own.

The bike riding business, I find, also works for physical stuff.

I have often been sent for a ride, by Angie, "for medicinal purposes
only".

Could be. ;-)

Almost any bike that I can comfortably fit on manages to make me feel
better.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

I was going to point to the Ural, but your next comment cancelled
that. :-(

Bummer. Hope things change for the better real soon, George.

Yes, they work diffeerenet on different people. Also, I'm very strict
about whant mental side effects I'm willing to tolerate. Long topic,
we won't go there.

Often that's an anxiety thing. At least it is in my case, and I've
managed to treat it with valerian tea. It tastes like engineers'
sweaty armpits, but it works for me. A couple of years ago I read
that they used valeran tea to treat WWI veterans who had shell shock
or battle fatigue (called PTSD these days.) That's when I decided to
try it, and it helps me get to sleep after anxiety attacks and when
the brain just won't stop "chattering". Takes about 45 minutes to work
though.
=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Yep, that's it...

I also love the way it handles. Very stable, plenty of
lean-clearance, doesn't do weird things when encountering bumps whilst
leaning (as long as you keep the tyre pressures and suspension
settings right.) Love the thing !!!

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Yeah, but you don't suffer from panic attacks whilst cornering.

You've had your fear gland removed. ;-)

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

I'm suffering depression but refuse to take ani-depressants. I have
seen the consequences of them so many times including my gf committing
suicide in March. There is no way she would have done that if she
wasn't drugged up.

I find ways of not curling up in a ball in bed. Mine at the moment is
music as I don't have a motorbike right now. I'm doing sound and
mentoring a lot of young musos and it is fullfilling and keeps my mind
off things.

Keep riding that bike.

 

I will, thanks, Kev. Have a good one.

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Thanks. I believe they are doing just that. Certainly the last MRI was
quite encouraging.

I must protest. Engineers'sweaty armpits taste the same as anyone
else's sweaty armpits.

I have spoken

 

I reckon it's helpful to find things that can be achieved or have been
put off for a while and in the first case doing it but the second case
just doing it even though there is no sense of pleasure or confidence.
Once that particular thing has been completed the old subconscious kicks
in and brings relief.

Rheilly P

 

fOn Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:07:50 +1100, GWD

That's good news.

Taste??? Taste??? You lick them? Yuck...

=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Sounds like reasonable advice. Thanks. I'll try and apply this
Really Foul wisdom as often as I can.
=================

Onya bike

Gerry

 

Ok, another really foul thing that works probably better, is to help
others in any way. I'm inclined to think the effects last longer (like
the OP with the muso's).

Rheilly P

 

Don't own a cruiser!

Postie bike.

Hoon it, lean it, skid it, in the residential streets to your hearts' content.
They're cheaper than the pills and counselling, too.

 

Suffered a bit of that myself in the past. The garage filled with toys,
bikes, boat etc. but couldn't bring myself to get off the lounge and
make the effort to do the few preliminaries before setting off. Putting
the fishing gear in the boat or checking the oil and tyres on the bike
was a monumental task.

It's very hard the first few times but you've gotto force yourself.
Check the bike over the night before and put your helmet and boots next
to the front door so there's no excuse.

Stay off the alchohol, it only makes things worse, get outside in the
sunshine whenever you can and see a doctor ASAP.

 

I have been told about females, cruisers and good viabrations.

 

Indeed, I've found some amazing young talent and it picks you up and
gets you going. It's great watching these guys move up the food chain.

 

Road therapy is wonderful - it almost always short-circuits my anxiety (on some rare occasions, when I'm in a bad way, it might take a couple of hundred kilometres, but usually it works far sooner than that.) Best 'medication' ever.

betty

 

I find all bikes have the same effects (motor or human powered), but
some more than others. If it's uncomfortable or too serious, the fun
is harder to find.

Getting past the Catch-22 is the key. It's *very* easy to say "meh, I
couldn't arsed", and sit on the lounge, getting even more depressed
because you couldn't be arsed doing something you love. :^(

I don't have any reliable suggestions for beating Catch-22,
unfortunately.

Tony F