Exercise is rarely the first treatment that comes to mind in regards to mental illness. Research is still in its early stages but, based on encouraging results, some clinicians are beginning to alter their perspectives. A prescribed exercise regimen, as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy, can be an effective therapeutic tool. This has important implications for the wider population beyond those with diagnosed mental illnesses.
If exercise is beneficial for the mental health of those with diagnosed conditions, we can infer that it has a beneficial preventive effect for the mental health of the wider population. A society that fully recognizes and takes advantage of this fact can succeed financially and in every other way. The drawbacks for exercise as a therapy are few. The costs are minimal and availability is widespread. Exercise alone may or may not be an effective treatment for some mental health issues, depending on the individual.
A better understanding of the mental benefits of exercise would better equip therapists to use it effectively. With such high potential, further research into the effects of exercise on mental health is fully justified. The Mental Health Landscape In an age where more is known about mental illness than in the past it is not surprising that the incidence of these conditions is on the rise. High-level mental illness is still relatively rare. More common are anxiety disorders of various kinds and depression. To say these are lower level mental illnesses is not to diminish their dangerousness or cost to society.
All mental illnesses are potentially dangerous. They are distinguished by the ability, or lack of it, to continue functioning in society on a daily basis. Depression is an under-reported psychological condition that affects millions of people worldwide. The impact of depression on the individual and on society is often not treated seriously by society. In reality the impacts are substantial and widespread. If current growth rates continue, depression will become the single greatest cause of disability within the near future (Cripps, 2008).
The societal cost is already enormous and expected to grow. Depression is the leading cause of suicide. Worldwide, there are about 850 million suicides each year (Donaghy, 2007). The lack of access to treatment is known to increase the risk of suicide. The lack of mental health treatment is often a financial issue but there are also cultural barriers and other reasons people do not seek help. Mental health treatment is not guaranteed to work. There is an over focus on treatment by medication.
In addition to sometimes creating over-expectations in patients, this phenomenon is producing a large societal cost. Anti-depression drugs are consistently among the highest selling drugs in the United States. The same is true worldwide. Even when people seek help: … the limitations in the current treatment repertoire must be understood. First of all, there are economic limitations; with the cost of anti-depressive medication in the UK totaling nearly ? 400 million, a colossal sum which has increased by more than 2000% over the past decade (Cripps, 2008).