Run instead of pills?

Running out of excuses?

Depression and anxiety are common issues and many people will suffer mental health issues at some point during their lives.  Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the frontrunner (excuse the pun) in the prevention and treatment of these conditions with drug therapy remaining a much used and valuable alternative.  Those readers who have suffered from depression and/or anxiety may also have been advised to take some exercise.  This is valuable advice as it turns out….

Another reason to give lifestyle advice?

“Lifestyle” advice like eating healthier, losing weight, exercising more are seemingly a panacea to cure all illness so it is easy to shrug your shoulders and say “well doctors always say that don’t they?”  However it makes sense to give such advice as suffers of depressive or anxiety disorders are at increased risk of significant physical ailments such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes (and are at higher risk of being obese).  But there’s more…..an increasing body of evidence suggests exercise is comparable to antidepressant medication for treating anxiety and depression.  Yes really, if you can find the motivation to exercise you have an equal chance of feeling better as if you had pills. 

The big difference between Pills and exercise

All medication has the potential to cause side effects

Bad luck all you sceptics because a new study has been published to add to the body of evidence:

Does this mean I won’t get medication to treat me if I’m depressed? Absolutely not, what it means is if you sit down with one of our doctors they will take the time to go through all the options and devise a plan that is most likely to help your particular circumstances.

Meantime if you can, keep exercising!