Depression has now been considered by psychologists as more of a mood disorder as opposed to just a moment synonymous with the phrase “feeling the blues. ” As more and more research studies are now being conducted into understanding the roots and causes of depression, so too are the studies being conducted in seeking for a treatment for this mental illness which is now considered as one of the most common forms of mood disorders afflicting individuals in the United States regardless of their age groups.
This paper would present how exercise training is an alternative form of coping with depression apart from the ingestion of prescription medications. The paper would provide information regarding depression as a behavioral problem. It would also look into how exercise training can be an effective alternative treatment to depression by looking into studies conducted on the elderly. Definition of Depression In order to fully comprehend how exercise training can be an effective alternative treatment for individuals coping with depression, an overview of what depression is should first be established.
Depression has now been seen by medical professionals to be more than just an emotion experienced by both men and women. Depression has now been categorized by medical professionals as the most common disorder diagnosed among men and women regardless of their age group. In the United States, it is estimated that one in every ten men would be diagnosed as depressive. Depression has been seen to be more common among women with one in every five women are suffering from depression in the United States (Klein & Wender 2005, Tsang & Fung 2008).
There are a number of reasons as to why depression is experienced by an individual. One of this is that it is based on the genetics of the individual. Previous studies and research have shown that individuals that belong to a family where a close family relative, such as a sibling or parent, was diagnosed and treated with clinical depression, the chances of this individual to become clinically depressed is about 20-25%. Another factor for an individual to become depressed is the environment surrounding the individual while growing up.
Domestic violence and constant criticism brought about by the parents as the individual grows up may cause the individual to become depressed later on in life (Klein & Wender 2005). Illness has been considered as another cause for depression to arise, particularly among the elderly. Individuals who have been diagnosed with chronic medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, cardiac disease and diabetes have been known to be more likely to become vulnerable to depression as compared to those who have not (Tsang & Fung 2008).
The primary concern of many medical professionals that conduct studies with regards to depression is the consequences faced by an individual when the condition is left untreated. Depression has not only been classified as the cause of destructions of relationships between the individual and the people surrounding him or her. Studies have shown that as much as 30% of the individuals that commit suicide within the United States alone are triggered by depression (Klein & Wender 2005).