Exercise Treatment For Depression Essay

The Effects of Exercise as a Treatment for Depression

Millions of people across the United States suffer from mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, the most common type of mental illness is depression, affecting more than 26% of the U.S. adult population (Murray, 1996). It has been estimated that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability throughout the world, trailing only ischemic heart disease” (Kessler, Chiu, Demler, & Walters, 2005). There are a wide variety of treatment options for those that are struggling, including many different types of medication. Some of these medications bring undesirable side effects such as weight gain or increased risk of suicidal thoughts. Some medications work better than others depending on the chemical makeup of the individual, which can lead to a long and difficult process of trying to find the correct medication regimen to ease the depression. Others prefer to not be medicated and look for alternative options. For those patients, some doctors are looking at remedies as basic as vigorous aerobic exercise.

Studies on Exercise

It reduces risks of cardiovascular disease, improves mood, and decreases risks for many diseases. According to Potter and Perry, “A program of regular physical activity and exercise has the potential to enhance all aspects of a patient’s health” (Potter, Perry, Stockhart, & Hall, 2016, 787). Over the last few decades, many studies have been done on the correlation between exercise and mental health, and how exercise might be able to help patients recover from depression. (Stathopoulou & Powers, 2006, para 1). While evidence that exercise can work in lieu of medications as well as in concert with medications to help ease the symptoms of depression in the clinically depressed is mounting, there is no guarantee that exercise will be the magic cure for which patients are