The adoptability and adaptability of a human being (both emotionally and spiritually) in facing the challenges and demands of life requires a state of positive mental health and wellbeing. The man who sustains a positive outlook and strong belief in his abilities will live in dignity and with feeling of worth. “Mental health may be central to all health and well being….. [it] has a significant impact on physical health”. Therefore, the positive and sound mental health of individuals redounds to the overall strength of the mental health of an entire community and even a nation. (Faulkner and Taylor, 2005)
If the mind is in negative state, one feels a diminished self esteem. The person experiences amongst other things anxiety and/or depression. His mental health is in need of stimulation to achieve a better state. Exercise is “related to positive mental health as indicated by relieve in symptoms of depression and anxiety”. Depression establishes a sense of hopelessness or defeat. It makes a person feel “down and blue”. Anxiety incurs self-doubt, apprehension, worry that results to low self esteem. The signs are told by the heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance, muscle tension.
(Landers, 1997. ) People in the United States between the ages 15 to 54 are affected with anxiety (by 17%) and depression (by 11%). Such mental health problems are part of the 30% hospitalization incidences. This amount of health costs of about US$45 billion. All through lifetime, anxiety can recur by 25% and depression can recur by 20%. By 2020, the World Health Organization has reported that depression could be the 2nd leading cause of death and disability. (Weinberg & Gould, 2007) To counter this negative state of mental health, people have sought recourse through counseling or drugs.
However, it has been recommended and proven that achieving physical health through exercise will likewise redound to achieving mental health and psychological well being. There are so many self-help books, articles, magazines, lectures, training, researches, studies that pinpoint the many help that exercise can do to mental health. The U. S. Surgeon General has already reported once in 1996 and as published in the Research Digest of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports that “physical activity appears to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve mood” (Corbin & Pangrazi, 1996).