Home

Exercise Helps Keep Your Psyche Fit


Research Shows Exercise to be a Viable, Cost-Effective Treatment for Depression and May Help in the Treatment of Other Mental Disorders

Washington - A new review of psychological research shows that exercise is an effective but underused treatment for mild to moderate depression. The review, published in the June issue of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, a journal published by the American Psychological Association, also shows there is some evidence that regular exercise may help in the treatment of schizophrenia, alcohol dependence and as a singular treatment for some anxiety disorders and for people suffering from body image problems.

The authors reviewed studies since 1981 in which exercise was used as an intervention in treating individuals with the following clinically diagnosed psychiatric disorders: depression, anxiety, developmental disabilities, schizophrenia, psychosomatic disorders and substance abuse.

The review of research concludes that regular exercise is a viable, cost-effective treatment for mild to moderate depression and may be useful in the comprehensive treatment of more severe episodes of the disorder. Nonaerobic forms of exercise such as strength training are as effective as aerobic exercise in treating depression. The researchers also found that less strenuous forms of regular exercise, such as walking, may be sufficient to demonstrate significant treatment effects, however they note more research is needed to confirm this initial finding.

Other findings from the review include the following:

    • Evidence that exercise is an effective short-term treatment for the reduction of disruptive behavior and for increasing work performance in some people with developmental disabilities
    • Regular exercise appears to be a necessary ingredient in behavioral treatment programs that effectively reduce pain frequency and intensity in people with mild to moderate chronic pain
    • Regular exercise is more effective than placebo pills, but not chlomipramine, in reducing symptoms of anxiety in patients with panic disorder
    • Case studies suggest that regular exercise may be an important part of treatment programs for people with schizophrenia, although more research is needed to confirm that finding.

As for the role exercise may play in the treatment of alcohol dependence and smoking-cessation treatment programs, the evidence was inconclusive. The researchers say there was some limited evidence that regular exercise may be an effective tool in the treatment for alcohol dependence, but more research is needed.

Considering the evidence that exercise is a viable, cost-effective treatment for depression and chronic pain, the researchers say they are somewhat surprised that it has not become a more popular treatment alternative and suggest that it be more commonly used as part of a therapist-structured treatment program.

Article: "Exercise Therapy for Patients With Psychiatric Disorders: Research and Clinical Implications," Gregg A. Tkachuk, M.A. and Garry L. Martin, Ph.D., University of Manitoba, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol. 30, No. 3. Full text of the article is available from the APA Public Affairs Office or at http://www.apa.org/journals/pro.html

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare.


Send this page to a friend.
Enter recipient's e-mail address:


Back to Previous Page





Email:  garson@hiwaay.net

Home


Pick Up
Or Send
E-Card


WebDex
Addictions
Aging
Autism
Books
Child Abuse
Children
Cults
Death & Grief
Depression
Disabilities
Disaster
Dissociation
Divorce
Domestic Violence
Dreams
Eating Disorders
Family
Fitness
Free E-cards
Gender Issues
Homeless
Human Rights
Learning Disabilities
Medical Reference
Medications
Memory
Men's Issues
Nutrition
OCD
Panic & Anxiety
Personality Tests
Psychology
Reaching out
Recovery
Relationships
Relaxation
Schizophrenia
Self Defense
Self Esteem
Self Help
Sexual Abuse
Sleep
Spirituality
Stress
Suicide
Support
Therapy
Tourette's
Trauma
Violence
Women


About Site
Email
Contributors
Submissions
Archive
Awards