Mental Health: Exercise "Therapy" for Depression and Anxiety

Americans are a sedentary lot. Research shows that 40% of Americans have a sedentary life style. A meta- study published in May of 2010 reconfirms what most everyone has known for quite some time - exercise helps, and can be an almost magic drug, for many persons who are diagnosed with depression and anxiety. The study goes as far as to say that exercise should be used more often as a prescription by mental health care providers.

A meta-study is a scientific process for analyzing the results of existing population-based studies, clinical studies and meta-analytic reviews of literature. Dr. Jasper Smits, Director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program located on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, says that the more therapists are familiar with exercise therapy and trained in how to support this kind of intervention, the better off patients with depression and anxiety will be.

Mental Health: Traditional Therapy for Depression and Anxiety

Everyone responds differently to different kinds of mental health interventions related to depression and anxiety. Some people respond positively to what is called cognitive behavioral intervention . This method of mental health intervention focuses on the impact of how people think related to how they feel and what they do. Pharmacotherapy is another often applied intervention to help people with depression and anxiety. This intervention focuses on treating mental health issues related to depression and anxiety through the use of drugs.

Both of these kinds of mental health interventions may be cost prohibitive to some people who do not have health insurance, or if they do have health insurance, it does not cover behavioral health issues. Another issue that may make the traditional approaches to mental health treatment not a viable option is related to the negative perception many people have about needing "mental health" services. There is a pervasive perception that mental health issues are closely associated with being "crazy". In these kinds of situations, exercise therapy may be an effective and functional approach for treatment of depression and anxiety and can fill the gaps. Severe depression and anxiety often require pharmacotherapy because of the risk of suicide, but exercise can also be prescribed and will have positive effects .

Mental Health: Reasons to Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

The major finding of this study is that persons who exercise report less depression and anxiety symptoms. Exercise has the effect of an anti-depressant on the body. This is because exercise causes a change in the brain. An important advantage of exercise is that it reduces the production of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is called the stress hormone because when you are stressed and have a high level of anxiety, the body produces more cortisol to combat the stress. Too much cortisol, over an extended period of time, works against the body and can have a negative effect on blood pressure and heart functioning.

Mental Health: Exercise Regime

Mental Health providers should encourage their patients to exercise not because of the health benefits only but explain to them that only 25 minutes of exercise is needed to improve their mood, to make them feel less stressed and to give them more energy. When these immediate benefits of exercise are talked about and experienced, there is a greater chance that persons with depression and anxiety will be more motivated to exercise the next day too. Patients with mental health issue related to depression and anxiety should be helped to understand that a negative mood is not a barrier to exercise; it is the reason they should exercise.

Before starting an exercise program, be sure and talk with your doctor to ensure your body is healthy enough for exercise. If you have the green light to exercise, consider using the public health recommended weekly dose of exercise -150 minutes/week for moderately intense activity or 75 minutes/week for vigorously intense activity.

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