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

Exercise has long been touted as a panacea for many ailments.

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

searching.
Challenges with Implementation
Exercise, if it is meant to treat depression, must be monitored. Patients must exercise regularly at a moderate intensity, and doing this alongside depression can be extremely challenging. Although many studies seem to have a positive correlation with exercise and decreased depression, these studies do have certain drawbacks that might impact their results. Since all studies must have willing participants, the studies are potentially biased towards individuals that are inclined to exercise. Secondly, there is currently no standard for the amount of exercise to be prescribed. Studies range from 3-5 days a week and from low to high intensity for varying amoutns of time. (Trivedi et al, 2011). The exercises also varies depending on patient willingness and availability. Patients must feel confident and capable in the prescribed activity.
Conclusion
Exercise has always been an important part of a healthy lifestyle and an increasing amount of evidence shows that exercise can augment or fully replace medication for depression. Evidence is mounting that exercise could effectively treat depressed patients who are willing and able to exercise (Blumenthal et al, 2007), but the evidence is not definitive. However, for patients who are safely able to exercise, negative side effects are very low, and exercising brings other positive health benefits such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, exercise is a cheap alternative to additional medications, and under the supervision of a doctor, could be a good addition to, or replacement for a patient’s medication regimen for depression.