Mental Health Providers Should Prescribe Exercise More Often for Depression, Anxiety, Research Suggests
ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2010) —
Exercise is a magic drug for many people with depression and anxiety disorders,
and it should be more widely prescribed by mental health care providers,
according to researchers who analyzed the results of numerous published studies
"Exercise has been shown to have tremendous benefits for
mental health," says Jasper Smits, director of the Anxiety Research and
Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "The more
therapists who are trained in exercise therapy, the better off patients will
be."
Smits and Michael Otto, psychology professor at Boston University,
based their finding on an analysis of dozens of population-based studies,
clinical studies and meta-analytic reviews related to exercise and mental
health, including the authors' meta-analysis of exercise interventions for
mental health and studies on reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. The
researchers' review demonstrated the efficacy of exercise programs in reducing
depression and anxiety.
The traditional treatments of cognitive behavioral therapy and
pharmacotherapy don't reach everyone who needs them, says Smits, an associate
professor of psychology.
"Exercise can fill the gap for people who can't receive
traditional therapies because of cost or lack of access, or who don't want to
because of the perceived social stigma associated with these treatments,"
he says. "Exercise also can supplement traditional treatments, helping
patients become more focused and engaged."
The researchers presented their findings March 6 in Baltimore at
the annual conference of the Anxiety Disorder Association of America. Their
workshop was based on their therapist guide "Exercise for Mood and Anxiety
Disorders," with accompanying patient workbook (Oxford University Press,
September 2009). For links to more information see www.smuresearch.com .
"Individuals who exercise report fewer symptoms of anxiety
and depression, and lower levels of stress and anger," Smits says.
"Exercise appears to affect, like an antidepressant, particular
neurotransmitter systems in the brain, and it helps patients with depression
re-establish positive behaviors. For patients with anxiety disorders, exercise
reduces their fears of fear and related bodily sensations such as a racing
heart and rapid breathing."
After patients have passed a health assessment, Smits says, they
should work up to the public health dose, which is 150 minutes a week of
moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity
activity. At a time when 40 percent of Americans are sedentary, he says, mental
health care providers can serve as their patients' exercise guides and
motivators.
"Rather than emphasize the long-term health benefits of an
exercise program -- which can be difficult to sustain -- we urge providers to
focus with their patients on the immediate benefits," he says. "After
just 25 minutes, your mood improves, you are less stressed, you have more
energy -- and you'll be motivated to exercise again tomorrow. A bad mood is no
longer a barrier to exercise; it is the very reason to exercise."
Smits says health care providers who prescribe exercise also must
give their patients the tools they need to succeed, such as the daily
schedules, problem-solving strategies and goal-setting featured in his guide
for therapists.
"Therapists can help their patients take specific, achievable
steps," he says. "This isn't about working out five times a week for
the next year. It's about exercising for 20 or 30 minutes and feeling better
today."
