Medication Vs Exercise: The Rx Reality

I'd say about 1 out of 3 people I talk to about mental health refer to antidepressants, anti-anxiety and other medications for mental disorders as a "crutch" or a "sign of weakness," probably because they think that I am against them.Yes, I use exercise now as my antidepressant, anti-anxiety, focus-enhancing drug, however, I am still very open about the fact that I am not anti-medication. In fact, it helped me get to a state at which I could pull myself out of bed to actually face the day, let alone the work I would have to do to reconstruct my life in the way I wanted to create it.Without the use of medication throughout my recovery, my compulsions (from OCD) were out of control–they took over every thought in every second throughout the day. If I was worried about something else, it would make the compulsions and panic-inducing thoughts even worse.This medication allowed me to establish a homeostasis in my brain that gave me enough silence and space to work on the new habits that would become my key to recovery. I don't know if I ever would have made it to the gym at all without them.There is nothing wrong with using medication as long as you do so ALONG WITH ACTION-TAKING to develop those habits and mindset reframes that will support you should you ever decide to taper off–and please, always do this under medical supervision. I've heard way too many stories of people brought to the edge of darkness trying to do it themselves.Now that I've gone through the healing process, I turn to movement for relief, and as you know, I'm an activist for others using it in their own lives as A tool (not THE tool) for recovery. But why is that? What exactly does exercise do to help? How much and what kind should you do?There are so many questions around this topic, and I just wanted to take today to clarify the facts. I've been researching for years on the subject of exercise and mental disorders so that you don't have to think about it. You just do it. :)So let's get to the science, shall we?First off, give Run It Out a read if you haven't yet–I give a brief overview of all this good stuff.Read it? Cool. Let's add more facts to your inner encyclopedia!

Facts about exercise and...

Depression

• Makes serotonin more available for your brain by binding to receptor sites like SSRI's do. [source]
• Boosts self-esteem and self-efficacy (basically, you prove to yourself that you can move physically, so your brain gets more confident that you can fight mentally... it's kinda the whole foundation of The #SIOTour) [source]
• It helps distract our brains from negative thoughts. [source]
• It doesn't promote the same stigma as medication or therapy does, perhaps motivating people who struggle with depression to stay consistent. [source]
• Exercise gives us a feeling of control when the rest of our lives may feel out of control [source]
• Promotes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, which prevents brain atrophy (a cause of more intense depression symptoms) [source]
• Is as effective as antidepressants if not more so, and reduces chance of relapse by 78% over antidepressants alone [source]
• Treatment-resistant major depressives may respond to exercise even if they do not respond to any other kind of treatment [source]

Anxiety/Stress

• The first 5 points from the Depression facts apply to anxiety, too.
• Taking positive action (instead of self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, or sitting in solitude) is a healthy coping strategy. [source]
• Exercise activates inhibitory neurons that help reduces stress and excitability (i.e. stressful events won't be perceived as such a big deal) [source]

Ok, so how much & what kind should I do?

This is where studies start to get a little murky. It's been proven that doing the public health recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate intensity every week alleviates depression (or 75 minutes/week of vigorous activity–the equivalent of burning 17.5 kcal/kilogram of bodyweight/week). Low energy-expending activity–the equivalent of burning 7 kcals/kilogram of bodyweight/week–did not create a huge positive response (though it did a little). There's quite a distance between those two points!Researchers have gathered, however, that the more you work out, the less likely you are to suffer from depression or stress, and the less likely you are to relapse if you have struggled before. For every 50 minutes of exercise you do over the public health recommendation, you decrease your chances of relapse by 50% [source]. That's huge!While the science is still out on exact recommendations, one thing should be extremely clear by now: movement is a legitimate treatment for mental disorders and stress.More and more psychiatrists are prescribing exercise in place of or along with medication. I've seen the changes first-hand in my own clients and my friends'.And the wonderful thing is you don't have to start at the recommended amount; start slow and light and work your way up! Just do what feels good. That's gonna be the most beneficial form of movement for any of us.'Til next time, my Strong friends...Stay strong,Amy