Exercise and depression studies all conclude that exercise is a good way to prevent or treat depression; that it should be considered as a primary treatment for depression. Many other treatments are made available to people who have depression. The most popular, as well as the most advertised treatment is the use of antidepressants. Results show that antidepressants have a high success rate in treating depression. What the pharmaceutical companies fails to advertise is that exercise has been proven to be an equally, if not more effective way to treat depression. Exercise and depression studies show that depression symptoms are decreased in patients that follow an aerobic exercise plan. Actually, the benefits of exercise on depression are not being questioned, what researchers are trying to establish is whether the benefits are biological or psychological in nature.
Exercise is prescribed for numerous medical conditions. For example, it is recommended that people with cardiovascular problems, diabetes, osteoarthritis, etc. follow an exercise plan. More recently, exercise and depression studies have found that depression is another medical condition that can be treated or improved by exercising. This form of treatment is beneficial both on biological and psychological levels. Depression and exercise studies also show that theses benefits are long term. Additionally, exercise can help prevent the onset of depression.
STUDIES ON EXERCISE AND DEPRESSION:
Many research endeavours have concluded that exercise is an effective treatment against depression. A research conducted by Dr. Michael Babyak et al. evaluates a sample of 156 patients diagnosed with major depression disorder. For the purpose of the research, the sample is randomly divided in three (3) groups. One group, the exercise group, followed an aerobic exercise plan where the subjects train 3 times per week, for 50 minutes per session and with a heart rate reserve of between 70 and 85%. The second group was given pharmacotherapy treatments (SSRI antidepressant Zoloft). The third group underwent treatment that combined the exercise plan and the medication. The subjects were followed for 4 months (16 weeks) and were re-evaluated 6 months after the end of the 16 week treatment sessions. Immediately following the 16 week program, all 3 groups showed similar results:
- 60% of the subjects in the exercise group were no longer diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
- 65% of the subjects in the medication group were no longer diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
- 68.8% of the combined treatment group were no longer diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
When evaluated 6 months later, the results differed depending on the group:
- 30% of the exercise group were diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
- 52% of the medication group were diagnosed with major depressive disorder
- 55% of the combination group were diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
Hence, results from this depression and exercise study show that:
- Exercise is an efficient treatment for depression.
- People who exercise are less likely to relapse.
Another study on exercise and depression showed that people who exercised all their lives were less likely to be depressed than those who didn’t. Also, results showed that people who exercised in the past but didn’t anymore were 1.5 times more likely to be become depressed than those would still exercised.
THEORIES ON EXERCISE AND DEPRESSION:
It is established that there is a link between depression and exercise. It is also established that exercise helps treat depression. Many studies are conclusive on the benefits of exercise on depression but the question remains on WHY exercise helps reduce depression symptoms.
BIOLOGICAL REASONS:
On the biological level, exercise helps increase levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the mood. People with lower levels of serotonin are more likely to develop some form of depression. In fact, the most popular antidepressants prescribed for treating depression are SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor). Studies using intracerebral dialysis have shown that exercise increases extra-cellular serotonin. In fact, exercising raises the levels of serotonin during and after exercising.
PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS:
Various hypotheses have been put forth regarding the positive link between exercise and depression.
- Self-Mastery: Exercising gives you a sense of personal mastery. It gives you a sense of achievement that will improve the mood the same way achieving a goal does. When someone treats depression with exercise, they beat the illness, they conquered over the depression. It is psychologically very rewarding to attribute a success to your own doing. Conversely, someone who treats depression with antidepressants cannot attribute the success to themselves but rather to the efficacy of the medication. The self-mastery theory can explain why depression patients who exercise are less likely to relapse than those who don’t.
- Distraction: Many psychologists believe that exercising helps reduce depression symptoms by the simple fact that when someone is exercising they are not thinking of whatever makes them depressed. By taking your mind off the problem, you reduce its importance. When you constantly think of something, over time it consumes you. Exercising can serve as an escape to your everyday routine.
- Social interaction: Social interaction is an important factor that influences one’s well-being. Social isolation is very closely linked with depression. People with a social support group are less likely to be depressed. Exercising offers you the possibility to interact with others and create social bonds. Moreover, being part of a team can increase your self-esteem and your self-worth. It also allows you to meet people that share the same interest and go through the same difficulties.
On top of these advantages, exercising as a depression treatment has minimal side effects (soreness, exhaustion, muscle pain due to over-exercising) as opposed to medication. Additionally, studies show that to benefit from the the positive effects of exercising, people only need to exercise 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes during which your heart rate reserve is between 70 and 85 %. Furthermore, psychologically speaking, the benefits are long term. Exercise and depression studies show that the results last since the patients continue to exercise even after the depression is gone. They adopt this lifestyle and therefore increase their well-being and levels of happiness. On the other hand, when patients treat depression with anti-depressants they are plagued with many side effects that they would rather do without. Anti-depressants are very efficient in treating depression but they do permit you to fight it on your own. If you or a loved one is affected by depression, please contact a health care professional and inform yourself on which treatment is better for you.