Can Exercise Improve Mental Health?

The medical model of treatment is an objective assessment and outcome-driven approach to recovery. This method recognizes mental illness as a disease, caused by an underlying physical condition. According to Beecher (2009), this physical element may be attributed to a disorder of the brain or central nervous system. Providers diagnose mental illness utilizing standardized classification systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), after assessing the patient’s symptoms. The management of these symptoms remains the primary focus of recovery efforts. Pharmaceutical medications and psychiatric medical care are the most commonly prescribed treatment option in the medical model (Beecher, 2009).

Our progress in learning the causes and treatments for mental illness has been steady as we build on the medical model of mental illness, which Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman (2010) describe as a model that, “views emotional and behavioral problems as a mental illness, comparable to a physical illness (pp. 341). Only in modern times have we been able to effectively treat mental illness with behavioral therapy, social support, medicine, and other research-based programs. However, there is still much work to be done in regard to access, proper facilities, policy and a host of other challenges that affect this issue.

Physical activity can be of therapeutic use as it encourages individuals to relieve their stressors by expending their energy into something positive. In addition, physical activity induces normal sleep and allows patients to channel any frustrations of sorts. Being able to respond to stress by regulating and increasing resilience to stress is optimal to health. (Hegberg & Tone, 2014) Mental health nurses can educate patients and collaborate on therapeutic and recreational activities. Although exercise is the least suggested health promotion despite numerous research bases on its effectiveness, nevertheless it plays a vast role. Physical activity allows one to get distracted thus alleviating boredom or anxiety. It is considered a healthy way

Throughout the centuries mental illness has been treated by countless treatments. Modern treatments have created an argument over which treatment options are best. the most debates treatments today are medication and therapy. the argument of medication versus therapy as treatments for mental illness is fairly new. Yet, proponents of both sides have strong arguments stating the advantages of their treatment option. proponents of medication believe pharmacogenetics, tailored treatments, and medication's ability to treat severe disorders makes medication the better treatment option. proponents of therapy believe drug addiction, suicide prevention, and need adaption establishes therapy as the better treatment choice.

Some hypothesize that moderate levels of exercise will decrease the symptoms of mental health conditions (Blumenthal et al., 2007; Diaz & Motta, 2008; Motta, Kuligowski, & Marino, 2010; Rosenbaum, Nguyen, Lenehan, Tiedemann, van der Ploeg, & Sherrington, 2011) and therefore be used as an alternative or complimentary treatment option for mental health (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 2012).

Those in the intervention group reported a higher satisfaction in their quality of life than those in the control group. Physical health benefits such as an increase of VO2max and minutes engaged in physical activity. Overall, the results suggest that exercise can potentially be used to increase the quality of life, physical fitness level, and improve mental state.

Since 1990s, many scientists agree that exercise has positive impacts on people’s physical health and mental health (SIME WE, 1987). From Morgan and O’Connor’s research, people can reduce stress and state anxiety by doing physical activities; also gain emotional pleasure from the process (Morgan and O’Connor, 1988). Later in 1997, Landers states that physical activities can reduce people depression after weeks of regular and routine exercise. In addition, people can benefit from more

In 2012, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported an estimated 9.6 million adults in the United States had a Serious Mental Illness. Of this 4% of the population, 4.9% were female, 3.2% male. Race varies greatly with about 8.5% of the population being American Indian/Alaska native. Hispanics, whites, and those identifying as two or more races make up about 4.3% each. Black is 3.4%, Asian 2%, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander is 1.8% (Serious Mental Illness (SMI), 2012.). Of the individuals that have a mental illness, not all experience disparity in treatment access..

Statistical data reveal that 25% of adult Americans have a mental illness, and more than half of the U.S. population will develop a mental illness at some point during their lifetime (CDC; APA). "Major Depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability for ages 15-44. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year” while anxiety disorder affects …40 million…adults ages 18 and older…” (NIMH; APA). Comparatively, cardiovascular, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity, cancer, and asthma, and other chronic diseases are surfacing with increased frequency among the mentally ill (CDC; APA). The aforementioned finding elicits question about medical

For many people dealing with depression and anxiety, exercise might might not seem like the easiest of treatments. Exercise can make a difference in that far outlast that of most prescription medications.

James et al. (2007) noticed exercise has showed similar effect like antidepressant medication in reducing symptoms of depression in over 156 older MDD patients in his research study. They used graded treadmill exercise testing to check the fitness levels of all the patients before treatment . Researchers compared the effect of exercise on the symptoms of patient’s depression by involving participants in 4 groups .One group is under supervision and the other group involved in a home based program. The other two groups were under antidepressant medications Both exercise groups participated in 30minutes aerobic session such as walking or jogging on a treadmill including 10mins warm up at the beginning and 5 mins cool down at the end. james also mentioned that all the participants were monitored 3 times during their exercise session by checking their heart rates manually via radial pulses, along with ratings of perceived exertion and the home-based exercise group have been followed up by an exerxise physiologist monthly and taking feedback via phone calls every week in the first month and therafter

In today’s society, quickly turning to the use of prescription drugs and/or psychotropic medications to help individuals who are struggling with their mental health conditions is an unfortunate act society continues to demonstrate. Unfortunately, most of society view prescription drugs and/or psychotropic medications (Anti-depressants, Antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications) as the quote-on-quote magical solutions to cure immediately individuals’ mental health conditions. In my own words, “Here is the magic pill or pills to immediately cure your mental health condition or conditions! There is no need for you to return to the doctor’s office to help address your mental health conditions in the future.” However, the quote-on-quote magic pill to cure individuals’ mental health conditions should not be the final solution.

Improvement in quality of life for people suffering from mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression) has recently been shown to have a correlation with increased levels of physical activity (1). Treatment approaches have begun to favor increased levels of physical activity to assist in symptom management as well as emerging evidence for an improvement in physiology (1). A major barrier for this approach however, is the motivation of people suffering from mental illness to participate in increased levels of physical activity. When compared to the general population, people suffering from mental illness have a

Chronic mental disorders are associated with abnormally low physical fitness levels and premature death rates. One of the most common issues that people with mental illnesses face is unhealthy self-management (Kilbourne, 2017). Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity are some of the conditions that challenge this population (Arbour-Nicitopoulos, 2017). Physical activity has been shown to promote blood and oxygen flow to the brain, increase nerve cell growth, and decrease blood pressure and resting heart rate. These physiological effects have been proven to reduced stress, anxiety and depression levels, and promote better cognitive functions, such as more concentration and improved learning ability (Watson, 2017). With the

The goal of this paper was to show the benefits of exercise on emotional health and to show how it can effectively be used to help people with mental issues. Through various studies data was collected and while the results may have varied slightly they all told the same general story: exercise is good for your emotional health. This paper explored the impact of exercise on people with various physical issues that had negative consequences on patients mental health. This made for a great analysis of the various ways that exercise can help improve your quality of life. Not only was the impact of exercise examined but the proper amount was also investigated in order to provide as much information as possible to help make the process as easy as possible for the people that are trying to use physical activity to help them.