“ANXIETY STATE: […] He may be constantly worried and tense, lose his appetite and suffer from insomnia and general fatigue, […] DEPRESSION: Psychotic depression begins with feelings of dejection and discouragement […] MANIA: […] As the illness progresses he becomes unable to keep still vocally or physically; he sings and talks incessantly, paces back and forth, bangs himself against walls,” (Wilson, 58-61). These examples of mental illnesses are only a few of the hundreds that could be positively impacted by the effects of exercise. Physical exercise should be incorporated into anyone’s plan that is attempting to overcome a mental illness. Exercise has been linked to enhance mood. Physical activity can also combat sedentary behavior due to medication prescribed by doctors. Lastly, fitness often causes an upward spiral, meaning that the more a person exercises the more encouraged they will become to continue exercising. Exercise has plenty of evidence to prove that it could be extremely beneficial to those who struggle with mental illnesses.

To begin, simple exercises, such as running, walking, and hiking, have been proven to positively enhance the moods of those who take part in that physical activity. For example, when a person exercises it causes the brain to release endorphins that make a person happier. This finding can be reflected in this quote, “Regular exercise may help ease depression and anxiety by: Releasing feel-good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being,” (“Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms”). This quote explains the chemical reaction that occurs in a person’s brain while exercising. In addition, fitness can be seen to scientifically improve a person’s mood, but how does exercise affect the mood of a real person suffering from a mental disorder? Characteristically “fun” exercises such as dance can motivate a more accepting environment towards exercise and build confidence in those who participate. For instance, “Dancing a reel to the rhythm of an improvised percussion band, patients acquire a new ease and confidence in their relations with others. Often fearful of other people at first, the patients learn to relax as a volunteer worker coaches them in their performance,” (Wilson, 72). This quote shows the positive effects of dance and music demonstrated by patients seeking treatment for their mental health. Mental illness depends a lot upon a person’s emotions, if that person’s emotions are angled towards positivity, that person may see lessened signs of their illness. In summary, physical activity has been shown to directly elevate a person’s mood and improve their mental state, if only temporarily.

Furthermore, most medications come with many negative side effects, that while may be helping the main mental issue, may not encourage the person to continue taking the prescription. These meds combined with physical activity may be the most productive way to help combat mental disorders. For example, in this list of common side affects found in many anti-psychotic drugs, some may be preventable though continuous exercise, “Drowsiness […] Muscle spasms, Restlessness and pacing, Slowing down of movement and speech, Shuffling walk […]” (“Drugs That Treat Mental Illnesses”). This quote lists side affects of anti-psychotic drugs. These negative effects of the drugs a person must take, to lessen symptoms of their mental illness, may further the potential pessimistic mindset that person has. With exercise and fitness routines a person will be more likely to work through these negative effects and continue to improve their mental state. To add on, side effects from medications prescribed to metal patients may lead to a sedentary lifestyle. This new lifestyle could detrimentally impact the patient’s physical capabilities, but also their mental ones. To demonstrate this information, this quote provides data from different studies related to sedentary lifestyles and mental health, “The combination of the physical and mental impact to health makes a sedentary lifestyle particularly problematic. One study with 10,381 participants associated a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity with a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder. A recent review that included data from 110,152 participants found a link between sedentary behavior and an increased risk of depression,” (Kandola, “Sedentary Lifestyle: Effects, Solutions, and Statistics.”). This quote explains information found in studies that correlate with mental illnesses. Physical activity can prevent the development of a mental illness and reduce the symptoms of an existing one. To summarize, exercise can help treat the preventable effects of a sometimes forced, sedentary lifestyle.

However, on the other side of this argument, opposing claims may state that physical exercise or fitness can actually worsen the mental health of those diagnosed with mental disorders. For instance, exercising while injured or sick may mean that a person has developed a new disorder. To clarify, this quote shows examples of possible negative effects of using exercise to treat mental illnesses, “Compulsive exercise can be linked to psychological illnesses such as eating disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder. For example, feeling driven to exercise because of extreme concerns about your weight or body shape might be a sign of an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Or exercising because you fear that something bad will happen if you don't (such as a loved one might pass away or you might have a car accident) could be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder,” (“Are You over-Exercising?”). In contrast to this point, if exercise is well moderated and approved by certified caretakers or doctors of their mentally ill patients, many improvements and leaps forward in the progress of these people can be shown.

In conclusion, physical activity and exercise has been directly correlated with positive developments in patients who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. For example, fitness and exercise regimens improve the mood of those who participate in the activity. Also, medication prescribed by doctors combined with physical activity has been beneficial to many patients. Finally, fitness is encouraging to the patients that partake in it and inspires them to stick with the exercise. So, to conclude, exercise can be beneficial to anyone, especially those with mental health disorders and should be encouraged as a normal treatment just as medication is.

Works Cited

Wilson, John Rowan. Life Science Library: the Mind. Time Incorporated, 1967.

“Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Sept. 2017.

“Drugs That Treat Mental Illnesses.” WebMD, WebMD.

Kandola, Aaron. “Sedentary Lifestyle: Effects, Solutions, and Statistics.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International.

“Are You over-Exercising?” Exercise and Eating Well | ReachOut Australia.