Lack of Exercise Negatively Affects My Schizoaffective Disorder

My current lack of exercise is hurting my mental health. As I write this, it’s the end of February with no end in sight to a particularly brutal Chicago winter. We’ve been pummeled with snowstorms and numbing cold almost daily. I know I need to get outside and walk or do some kind of exercise, but when I look outside at the l drab and gray landscape and the snow keeps falling from the thick blanket of clouds over the sky, I just can’t find the motivation. And this lack of exercise is having a very negative impact on my mental health.

Lack of Exercise Is Bad for My Schizoaffective Brain

I realized that a lack of exercise is detrimental to my schizoaffective disorder when I exercised last week and, as always, it lifted my spirits. One sunny day, I walked home from therapy—nearly a mile. And the next day was filled with sunshine so I simply took a walk around the block.

I used to run every day and I was doing really well at that time. I stopped because I felt so pressured to run every day that it began stressing me out instead of relieving stress. I dearly wish I hadn’t stopped running. But I just don’t feel like I have it in me to start again, even in the spring. My plan is to stick to walking and go on lots of long walks.

I prefer long walks to running because I can wear street clothes and because I can carry things I need like a purse or an umbrella. I also prefer exercising outside to going to a gym. Something about being out in the elements, with the sounds of nature really buoys me up.

Lack of Exercise Aside, I am Still Proud of Myself

I am not doing very well with my schizoaffective disorder right now. You’d think that if I know going outside for a walk, even in the snow, would make me feel better, I would just do it, right? But I can’t right now and I don’t know why.

Still, I’m proud of myself. I got up this morning, bathed, and kept myself busy. Believe me when I say that bathing can be no small feat for me. And, I’m writing this article to you—always a mood booster.

I think a lot of people can relate to knowing that something would be good for them, but we can’t push ourselves to do it. Lack of exercise is what's hurting me. But I am grateful for my victories. I stopped smoking, and I push myself away from unhealthy food choices. But if I think too much about the food I eat, I’ll just get even more stressed out.

I am proud of myself that I quit smoking—by the time this article publishes, I’ll have celebrated my seventh-year anniversary since quitting. I don’t think I could quit smoking now—I’m so glad I quit when I did.

But I didn’t go out for a walk today. There’s no point in beating myself up over the lack of exercise. Who knows—maybe it’s a good thing. When I went for my walks last week, I almost slipped several times on the ice. Excuses aside, I can always do better tomorrow.