Shayaan Zaidi
Depression, a global condition, affects people regardless of their culture or ethnicity. Symptoms include low mood, decreased interest in most or all activities of the day, decreased motivation, insomnia or hypersomnia, cognitive impairments, and suicidal thoughts. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed and, can be hit or miss for treatment. Recent studies, however, have brought forth the claim that physical activity can protect against incident depression (depression coming after a traumatic or distressing event) as well as reduce symptoms for people with depression. Physical activity (PA) can also be used to prevent depression. Studies that compared individuals who had incident depression and who had no depression at baseline showed that PA significantly reduced the risk of depression. This is true across all age groups, and countries In adolescents, the odds of incident depression were decreased by 10%. In adults, it decreased by 12%. In older adults, it decreased by 21%. For countries it was found that in Asia it decreased by 24%. In Europe, it decreased by 17%. In North America, it decreased by 14%. In Oceania, it decreased by 35%. The odds for the people who did moderate to vigorous PA per week were decreased by 22%. Research indicates that PA can significantly benefit individuals with depression as treatment. Response rates of approximately 40% (for those not undergoing any other treatments) and 50% were observed and a remission rate (individuals no longer met the criteria for Medically diagnosed depression) of 28% was recorded. Determining the optimal exercise dosage for these individuals is considered biological, clinical, psychological, and social factors. Overall, most people experienced some degree of benefit from physical activity in managing depression.
Depression can seem like a condition that is impossible to prevent or recover from without medication, but according to countless studies, this is clearly not the case. Whether it is as a preventative measure or as a treatment, exercise significantly reduces the risk of depression and can even bring those who have depression into remission regardless of their ethnicity or unique situations.
References
Schuch FB, Stubbs B. The Role of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Depression. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2019;18(8):299-304. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000620
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