Some Pastors imply you aren’t praying hard enough to heal your mental health. They suggest asking God to fix your mental struggles, and it will be done. There’s also the gym-bro mindset that suggests you should focus on crushing your workout instead of addressing your head issues.
It kind of works.
The endorphins you get from working out and the release that comes from trusting in God are both head-clearing. Exercise and faith are powerful, but they don’t always address all mental health issues. I’ve seen this through my friend’s suicide and my brother’s lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder.
Healing your mental state often begins by acknowledging that weights, prayers, or both may not be enough.
The Role of Exercise for Mental Health
Exercise is a powerful way to boost mental health. It lowers anxiety, combats depression, and can even enhance cognitive function. Studies show that aerobic exercise, like walking, cycling, or swimming, can be as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression. Weight training, too, has been linked to reductions in depressive symptoms.
On the surface, it seems logical, and the science supports it.
When you move, your brain lights up because it dedicates large areas to controlling movement. Exercise increases blood flow to the hippocampus, which is the center for memory, emotional regulation, and learning. It also boosts mood-regulating chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, and provides a sense of accomplishment when everything else feels chaotic.
That’s why the gym became my sanctuary.
It was my go-to method for managing stress, clearing my mind, and releasing frustration. The weights didn’t care if I was angry, sad, or lost; they wanted someone to play with.
But exercise isn’t therapy.
It can’t heal trauma or rewrite damaging thought patterns. It won’t unpack childhood issues, mend broken relationships, or stop you from spiraling when anger takes over.
Some gym bros and religious leaders get stuck here. They assume that if we work out and pray harder, grind longer, or rub some dirt on it, we’ll outrun what’s in our heads. But you can’t out-train what’s in your head. Exercise helps manage the symptoms, but it doesn’t always treat the cause.
The Role of Faith & Mental Health
Faith is a lifeline.
Prayer, scripture, and spiritual practices bring hope and provide comfort and a sense of purpose when nothing else seems to make sense. It connects to something larger, and that connection benefits your overall well-being, including your mental health.
Being part of the church often means receiving support from like-minded people. When you face difficult times, knowing you’re not alone is crucial. Studies have shown that people who feel connected to a faith-based community often experience lower stress levels, improved emotional regulation, and increased resilience.
However, in my experience, faith alone isn’t enough.
Prayer can soothe your spirit, but it doesn’t heal trauma, chemical imbalances, or destructive thought patterns. Being a person of faith, I’m unsure that God removes life problems, even with therapy.
Because without struggle, there is no growth.
But it is our mission to navigate through it by doing the internal work. My not doing the internal work and thinking God had it covered didn’t help.
Losing a close friend to suicide was devastating, and watching my brother struggle with bipolar disorder still hurts me. Faith provided me comfort, but it didn’t stop dangerous thoughts.
Once, I sat through a sermon next to my autistic son, and the pastor claimed that mental issues were a weakness of the mind, and you need to pray harder. I had to explain to him that his autism wasn’t his fault and that the pastor was wrong. But that’s what happens when religion meets misunderstanding.
Faith is beneficial for mental health, but its impact is more pronounced when combined with action. You wouldn’t pray for physical strength and then skip the gym; you’d show up and lift weights.
Mental health works the same way. Here are some signs that you need more than prayer and weights to manage your mental health.
The Signs You Need More
Mental health challenges sneak up on you. I felt that if I kept training and praying, I’d be fine, but I was avoiding the deeper work. Here are a few warning signs you may be doing the same.
You’re Always “Fine”… But You’re Not
You’ve mastered the art of putting on a front, while inside, you’re falling apart. You show up for work, hit the gym, pray, and tell everyone you’re okay, but you’re not. If the effort of holding it together feels heavier than your bench press, that’s a warning sign.
It’s Your Only Escape Hatch
Exercise is incredible for stress relief, but when every workout is about avoiding instead of facing the crap that’s in your head, it’s a red flag.
You’re Stuck
You pray, train, and meditate. You read the books, listen to the podcasts, and say all the right things. But it still leaves you feeling flat, disconnected, or as though something’s missing.
Anger, Anxiety, or Numbness Lingers
If emotions come out of nowhere or don’t come up at all, that’s another warning sign. I’ve simmered with rage I didn’t understand. No amount of lifting or positive thinking helped until I sat down with a therapist who unpacked my issues.
Relationships Suffer
Maybe you snap at your kids, or your spouse says you’ve “checked out.” Perhaps you avoid friends because it’s easier than pretending you’re fine. These are the kinds of cracks that no amount of prayer or PRs in the gym can patch up on their own.
What Mental Health Support Looks Like
When nothing seems to work, it’s not because you’re weak—it’s because you’re human. Mental health support goes beyond the gym and prayer, emphasizing your well-being and healing.
Here’s what that can look like:
Therapy and Counseling
Therapy isn’t about lying on a couch while someone nods. It’s about unpacking the root causes of what’s driving your stress, anger, anxiety, or depression. For me, therapy provided the tools to organize my thoughts, communicate more effectively, and gain a deeper understanding of myself.
Professional Help Beyond Therapy
If you know you’re dealing with chemical imbalances, mood disorders, or trauma, targeted medication can play a crucial role in resetting your mental baseline. There’s no shame in needing extra support, just like you wouldn’t rehab a torn ACL without medical care, your brain deserves the same attention.
Having a Support Network
Isolation deepens pain. Whether it’s family, friends, or a faith-based community, being around people who “get it” can make a big difference. You need folks who’ll listen without judging, check on you, and remind you that you’re not alone.
Letting Go of the Stigma
Did you know that almost 700 men in the USA die by suicide weekly? Do you think that if one of them had picked up the phone or talked to a buddy, it would’ve saved their life? Society has conditioned us to “tough it out,” especially in the gym, but mental health isn’t about powering through. It’s about facing your issues and getting help.
How Therapy Transformed My Mental Health
Seven years ago, I was rock bottom. I’d lost a close friend to suicide, my marriage grew strained, and my relationship with my boys wasn’t great. I was irritable, stressed, and angry, and I struggled to cope with these emotions through exercise and prayer, but it wasn’t helping.
I was a simmering pot of frustration and anger, and after much deliberation and a few tough conversations, I started therapy.
Like most men, I didn’t like the idea of opening up to anybody, let alone talking about my feelings I’d spent years burying. But week after week, therapy became my safe space where I could unpack my thoughts, understand my triggers, and develop tools to dull the anger sword.
Therapy didn’t just help me manage stress and anger; it reshaped my perspective. I learned to organize my thoughts, which made me a better communicator, not just with my family but also with my coaching clients. I developed more compassion and empathy, realizing that everyone carries battles we don’t always see. And I learned to let go of control, giving myself and others room to breathe.
Exercise and faith still play a massive role in my mental health. It keeps my mind clear, reduces anxiety, and helps me manage everyday stress. But therapy filled the gaps that exercise and faith couldn’t touch. It addressed the root causes, helped me heal, and allowed me to show up as a better husband, father, coach, and human being.
Putting It All Together
You wouldn’t expect to build strength by skipping leg day, yet many neglect mental health while focusing only on physical or spiritual gains. A better approach to mental health doesn’t mean replacing the gym or abandoning prayer. It means weaving the tools that work best together:
Move your body: Use exercise as your stress valve and brain booster, knowing science backs its benefits
Feed your spirit: Whether it’s prayer, meditation, or community, faith provides meaning and hope when life feels chaotic.
Free your mind: Therapy, journaling, and honest self-reflection address the deeper patterns behind anxiety, anger, and depression.
Build your support system: Healing isn’t a solo act. Friends, coaches, therapists, and communities create the net that catches you when you fall.
When you bring these pieces together, enhanced healing can begin.
Wrapping Up
Strength doesn’t always come from muscle, or from grinding harder or praying longer. It’s in the courage to ask for help, to admit you can’t do it all on your own, and to take care of your mind the same way you train your body.
Asking for help is not a weakness; it is a sign of strength.
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