Exercise is at least as effective as pharmaceutical therapy in treating depression

Almost everyone experiences depression at some point in their lives. For a lot of people this can be a fleeting occurrence and based on situational circumstances such as a relationship break-up, the death of a loved one, losing a job etc.

Unfortunately, about one in every five New Zealanders will have a severe mental health episode, possibly leaving them unable to perform their daily jobs or live a normal life around their friends and family.

Living with a condition that appears to have no physical cause can be exceptionally frustrating. It can often feel very lonely and as though you are completely and utterly stuck in a rut with no way out. However, there is a way!

Exercise is at least as effective as pharmaceutical therapy in treating depression.

It is one of the best things you can do to help prevent or manage your depression and its associated symptoms.

Unfortunately, it is often what people least feel like doing particularly when they have a list of debilitating and seemingly unexplainable symptoms.

In addition to this, as exercise has a dose-response relationship with mood-related benefits it is often hard to know how much or how hard you need to be exercising in order to reap the benefits while also being careful not to over-do it. This highlights the need for an appropriate programme prescription from someone who has appropriate training and experience in the area. If exercise is prescribed correctly and with the correct focus it can be the best method in gaining control back.

If the above sounds familiar and you are feeling like your symptoms are preventing you from living a normal life, then an exercise-based mental health management programme may be the best thing you can do to help yourself.