According to the World Health Organisation, major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the United States and across the Western Hemisphere.
Walking
Sally Brampton, a successful British journalist, who started her career on Vogue before going on to set up her own magazine, the now highly successful, Elle, suffers from bipolar depression and in her highly moving book, Shoot the Damn Dog, she extols the virtues of walking for improving her mood.
“Even small achievements help…going for a walk, particularly first thing in the morning, which is when my depression is always at its worst.”
Aerobic Exercise
Research has shown that exercise can be extremely beneficial for people suffering from the illness.
A pilot clinical trial at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, found that adding exercise to antidepressant medications significantly reduces depressive symptoms.
Patients in the study were prescribed a 12 week aerobic exercise programme of at least thirty minutes daily. Each week the severity of depressive symptoms was evaluated. The results showed a marked improvement in each of the patients suggesting that exercise along with antidepressants could be effective for the treatment of major depression.
Ms Brampton adds “Walking has yet another benefit to me. It is as if, by going through the motion of walking, I can convince myself that I am still a part of the motion of life.”
Prescription Exercise for Depression
The health service in the UK has recently seen doctors prescribing exercise on top of medication as an effective way of helping people across the spectrum from mild depression to those recovering from mental breakdowns.
There are a range of reasons why exercising helps: it helps people get active and meet new people; it can provide a focus for someone; can boost self esteem .
Many doctors will prescribe exercise as part of a treatment programme so to find out more ask your doctor also check out
Getting started
Even getting out of bed when you are suffering from depression can be hard so exercise might seem like a mammoth task but the easiest way to tackle it is in small steps.
- Start off simple and aim for walking around the block or for five minutes then gradually build up everyday.
- On a good day try walking further and for longer
- Do what you enjoy whether it be a session at the gym, walking, soccer, yoga then you’ll be more likely to stick at it.
- Try to make some of the time social so you are talking to someone for a little while which decreases the sense of isolation.
For information and support on depression visit DepressionTribe.com.
References: Shoot the Damn Dog, Sally Brampton, Bloomsbury, 2008.
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