Cycling gives me time alone to think through my problems, and there's an undeniable link between exercise and relaxation. When I ride with 2-3 friends, our resting time often turns into a sort of group therapy. On a Monday recovery ride, my buddy and I usually talk through the whole ride. Sure, it's best to deal with real problems head-on if you can. But some problems can only be coped with, never "fixed". The IBS I've been dealing with for the past year has gotten much, much better since riding seriously these last few months.