Lack of commuting causing depression
 

So I have been sick for the past month, the doc told me I had walking pneumonia. Finally I am starting to feel somewhat normal, although breathing really deep is still somewhat difficult. Even though i feel like i could get back on the bike, i am scared to encounter major breathing issues, so i am giving it another few days.

Commuting and riding around town make up most of my miles, and not being able to ride has cause me to be seriously depressed. Combine that with the fact that i bought a new bike just before getting sick, and it is really getting to me. :(

I'm sure other have experienced this. I have no quetion and seek no advice, i just need to get it out there becuase it is eating me up inside, and need some fellow commuter support i guess.
Well, thanks for listening!

I get very depressed when I can"t ride Iam retired so I don"t comutte and being in Mi its to cold for me ! So I have to take it out on thegym bike a few more weeks .

Be really careful with what you had be sure your all better befor riding again or you could get even worse !!!

I can sympathize. I've been dealing with a cold/flu for two weeks, and our weather has been terrible, so I literally have less than 100 total miles under my belt for all of 2009 so far. I try to take up my time with working on my bikes, but it does get depressing when you are unable to get out and ride.

I can sympathize. After an asthma attack a week ago, I still can't breathe right and there's no way I can get back on a bike for at least another week. Sucks. Hang in there, your pneumonia will clear.

I was losing my s**t after my recent knee surgery and started riding maybe a little earlier than I should have so as not to kill anyone. Worked so far...:innocent:

Our winter here in MI hit hard and i got sick, had to stop commuting and riding, and i had just built up my new cross check. It only took a week or two until it started effecting me, been sick a few more times too this winter and I've nearly ceased commuting over the past few months. My body has just felt horrible and I've been depressed since the weather started. Only another month left till I'll be comfortable enough to get back out on the road as much as i was before.

Pump yourself full of strange chemicals, and see which ones work

I have found that riding my bike also helps me with my depression and Anxiety. I hope you can find a way to get pedaling again. I have one of those trainer things that you put your rear wheel on and can ride stationary. That might be a good thing to invest in. I got lucky and bought mine from a thrift store. If I lived somewhere cold it would be a must! Just put some tunes on or the T.V. and pedal!

I've been getting pretty restless and depressed too. The weather has been pretty crappy lately and now I have pulled a couple tendons in my foot somehow. Its pretty painful just walking so I haven't been on my bike in awhile.just hanging in there.

Wait the doc said you had "Walking Pneumonia". Not "Riding Pneumonia", yer all set now go ride!!

But seriously take it easy, pneumonia is way bad JuJu. Spend time planning out some routes, picking out new accessories and whispering sweet nothings to your new baby. You'll be up and at 'em before ya know it.

I'm a teacher, and have some experience with pneumonia. I know you didn't ask for advice, but here it is anyway: Don't f*ck around with this. These infections actually kill people. If you push your body too soon, you'll stay sick. Rest is really important. Start off with slow, measured walks in the neighborhood, and go from there. Also, depression does sometimes affect people recovering from influenza and pneumonia. Sometimes it's best to simply remember that you can't always believe what you think.

This is my first winter bike commuting, and I have to say that it's totally changed my life. In high school, I ran almost every day, and was perfectly fine, emotionally. Once I hit college and started to be more sedentary (especially in the winter) I started getting bouts of depression that the doctors labeled as SAD. This year, I've had no depression, I'm not as pessimistic, and even my students can see a change.

Heck, they can see a change from day to day, if I bike one day and not the next. They'll even tell me to go for a bike ride so I'll be in a better mood! lol.

It really is amazing at how we as a society seem to have forgotten just how important exercise really is. All those peoiple out there being put on mood enhancing drugs probably only need to exercise a little bit.

I'm sure the drug companies would disagree, however. :thumb:

I get that. Antsy when I don't ride, I mean. I also got walking pneumonia, a couple summers ago. Biked through it for weeks wondering why it was getting harder to climb this one particular hill. 5 days in bed w/ antibiotics fixed it. Good luck, get better.

I find I really have to ride to blow off enough stress so that I can do quality work when I get to work in the morning.

I have been taking it easy, although I walk a lot still because my patience with the bus is short (but I don’t consider that exercise really). Riding the bus around here can lead to depression also! Monday I will go to the doctor for a follow-up to make sure I am all good, so I will probably wait until after that to really ride hard again. If the weather is nice this weekend I might take a very slow and easy ride along the bay, but I will make sure I do not get my heart rate up or start breathing heavy.

Sometimes I wrap my hands around the handlebars and imagine what it is like to be free again, to have the wind blowing through my hair, to hear the hum of the wheels. I think I am starting to forget what it is like :o

i get REALLY miffed if i can't get to where i want to go without my bicycle for whatever reason (distance too far, no safe walking/biking route, in too much pain from overdoing it, too cold, snow/ice/slush)... and then riding bus/subway in this mental state, even worse.