Hmmm...

Without going into too many details as that I used to work for a bike company and I am sure some of those folks frequent this board....

There was a time when my Doc put me on Xanax/Zoloft because I was miserable in the job I was working.

The truth was that I didn't need that stuff at all- my feelings were natural- the job sucked and was bringing the rest of my life down with it.

Well, I took myself of that stuff because it only made me feel detached anyway. To make a long story short, due to politics, I got sacked from that job.

It was also my great luck that I am an IT person and I got sacked in this lovely market of ours (US) and have not been able to find a full time gig since.

Now mind you- I feel depressed as hell now because I can't find a good job. Still, I have my bike, I have me, I have what I can make my body do. I may not be able to control how others treat me. If I can find a good job or not. What I can control is if I get my butt out and make sure I sweat.

So I do. I bike. I run. I swim. I lift weights. If I go more than two days without working out, I get mega depressed and I start to hate myself even more (I'm not the type of person who likes to be out of a job for almost 3 years).

My bike has been the only thing that has kept me from totally losing it. Honestly. Now, someday, I would like to compete and maybe someday I might do that. But for now, just to be able to ride by the lake, feel my heart pumping, feel the sweat, and have that time to myself to think- that is enough of a boost to give me a little bit of hope . So yeah... cycling/running/swimming helps me where the drugs do not.

Good luck. =)