Anxiety and exercise

[I am a cat]

Has anyone with anxiety disorders, found that exercising helps reduce anxiety or panic?

I am wondering whether I should risk joining a gym (anorexic background) but I really would like to find something that reduces anxiety other than medication, or if anyone has any other tips, that would be awesome too :)

[HopeRises]

I found it helps with depression and stress.
Instead of joining a gym can you find a weekly aerobic class or something to keep control on the amount of time you exercise for?

If you do decide to join the gym try and get a program written up (most gyms should do this for free) or get a personal trainer.

[Serendipity.]

I agree that it can be really helpful; honestly, I swear that for me, exercise is one of the most important things in getting & keeping my anxiety under control. Maybe something other than joining a gym would be easier for you - I like dancing, zumba classes etc, might be helpful as it feels less like 'traditional' exercise. Or what about something like yoga?

Do you have any support at the moment? If so, I think it would be a good idea to talk to your team, or otherwise your GP, before you start anything, to make sure it would be healthy for you at the moment.

[Laura2.0]

I find exercise helpful when I'm anxious before a test or something. It helps to lower the energy lvl of anxiety

[Heidi Tiger]

What about yoga? The breathing can be very calming, you strengthen and improve your suppleness, but you can't really get into over exercising as much as you can with cardio.

[Morpheus]

I find yoga helpful. Its physical challenging but we also have relax exercises and breathing exercises. I too, have a background of anorexia, but keeping it to a certain amount a week was helpful for me. I went to class so i also got out and i didnt feel too anxious as people have their eyes closed most of the time. But this way i didnt over do it, like i usually would with exercise. I made a rule to only do it in class.

I have t been able to do yoga for a long time because of physical issues and i can definitely feel it on my anxiety which has somewhat exploded lately.
Right now i go swimming once a week and do exercises in water that my physio therapist recommended and that calms me as well. It has a good mental effect on me and helps me sleep as well. Just being in water feels good and i think its fun so a lot of it feels like play which makes me less likely to over exercise as i have done in the past. I keep it to once a week as i have a lot of trouble eating lately and have been losing weight so not doing too much is essential for me right now.

That would be my recommendations.