Fried by Joan Borysenko

Author:Joan Borysenko
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Hay House, Inc.
Published: 2011-01-12T16:00:00+00:00

Exercise as an Antidepressant

If SSRIs don’t always work, what alternatives are there to treating depression? The best are cognitive-behavioral therapy (as previously discussed); regular exercise; and a newer treatment called “hope therapy,” which helps people set goals and take reasonable steps toward accomplishing them.

My favorite alternative treatment is exercise. Studies of individuals with mild to moderate depression— many of whom were doubtless suffering from burnout in the first place—have demonstrated that regular physical activity is superior to SSRIs in ameliorating depression. My personal experience is that if I don’t exercise, I’m much more likely to suffer from moodiness and low-level depression.

In a study comparing Zoloft to working out, volunteer patients who were between the ages of 50 and 77 were divided into three groups. The first group exercised only: they rode a stationary bike, walked, or jogged for 30 minutes three times a week. The second group received the drug alone and didn’t exercise, and the third group exercised and took Zoloft. At the end of 16 weeks, all three groups showed significant and equivalent improvement, suggesting that consistent physical activity can relieve depression all by itself. And its side effects include better health and a longer life.

It’s vital to keep in mind, however, that what alleviates depression in one person may not help you. You need to find out what works best for you, as “Phyllis” did, who is a dear friend of mine and an accomplished artist and philanthropist. Anxious and depressed for most of her life (as was her physician father before her), Phyllis self-medicated with alcohol for many years until addiction finally brought her to AA. Neither antidepressants nor psychotherapy, unfortunately, were of any use in treating her depression, and she could never mobilize herself to exercise regularly. At the end of the day, only my friend’s strong spiritual belief in a Higher Power and working the 12 steps have kept her going.

There are many people like Phyllis for whom unexplained biological factors seem to be the primary cause of depression. But childhood experiences, stress, diet, and different levels of social support can affect the expression of genetic potential for better or worse. Some of the major predictors of both burnout and depression, it turns out, are adverse childhood experiences.

Let’s turn our attention to these, and take a closer look at the ways in which they predispose us to feelings of helplessness and wanting to give up.

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