Exercise and Depression – On A Positive Note…

Beating depression can require a bunch of different strategies. Some people prefer not to swallow antidepressant drugs, with their potentially unpleasant side-effects, and seek natural alternatives. Others supplement drug treatment with other measures. It’s well documented that exercise can be helpful to people suffering from depression and for some it is the answer they’ve been looking for. In fact, some studies suggest that it is just as effective as drug therapy and should be tried first, with prescription drugs the last resort.

How Exercise Helps Fight Depression:

• Scientific studies have shown that exercise releases brain chemicals that regulate and lift mood and counter the negative effects of stress.

• Many sufferers from depression are plagued by a lack of energy. Exercise and increased physical fitness boost energy levels and make getting on with life that much easier.

• Increased physical fitness can lead to weight loss and other improvements in physical appearance. Since many victims of depression feel worthless and unattractive, this can clearly boost their confidence and self-esteem.

• Depressed people often tend to withdraw from relationships with other people and from the world. An exercise program that gets people out of the house can make a world of difference. A sport or exercise regime that involves social interactions can be affirming, diverting and all-round rewarding.

• Exercise helps with the sleep and appetite problems that sufferers from depression typically experience.

• Depressed people often lose sight of what is important to them. Everything seems difficult or unachievable and motivation levels plummet. Taking up a sport can help with setting goals and, when they are reached and surpassed, with helping people to feel motivated again and more satisfied with themselves.

• Sometimes depression arises in part from a preceding unhealthy lifestyle. Getting enough exercise and optimizing physical health is a lifestyle overhaul that has preventive as well as remedial value.

Exercise is beneficial for more than just looking good. It can elevate endorphin levels and your mood.

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Much has been made of ‘happy pills’, with drugs such as Prozac becoming a household name in the 1990s. Antidepressant drugs have been around for half a century, with new types regularly being developed. They are as controversial as they are widely used.

Apart from potentially unpleasant side effects, they have been described as overrated and over-prescribed. A key criticism is that they target the symptoms of depression without addressing the causes. That is certainly true, but antidepressants have their uses in modern medicine and mental health treatments, although many professionals no longer use them as a first line of defense against depressive illness.

Types of Antidepressants

Although there are many classes of antidepressants, three are most commonly used. All work in much the same way, by affecting the chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Those chemicals include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine (noradrenalin), which are all implicated in mood regulation.

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)

are the oldest kind, dating back to the 1950s. They have largely been replaced by newer kinds with fewer side effects and lower overdose potential. Imipramine, clomipramine, trimipramine and amitryptiline are all TCAs (brand names include Anafranil, Tofranil, Surmontil). They are still occasionally prescribed when the need arises.

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

These are now rarely prescribed because of negative interactions with other drugs and with foods containing tyramine (including red wine, some cheeses, Marmite/Bovril/Vegemite).

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The most used these help to build up serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is linked to mood as well as appetite, and low levels have been implicated in chronic pain syndromes. Well known SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil/Seroxat) and sertraline (Zoloft).

Antidepressants are often in the headlines due to real and supposed side effects and questions about their effectiveness. Some argue that they are little better than placebos. Anyone opting for antidepressant drug therapy should discuss the pros and cons with their doctor. Antidepressants alone may not solve the problem and are often taken as one arm of a wider-ranging treatment program that can include counseling and lifestyle changes.