Exercise tops for beating depression
Exercise is now regarded as the major factor for Australians in beating depression, according to a recent study by the Black Dog Institute.
The Institute’s study showed that people who have suffered clinical depression believe that of all the therapies and techniques (not including drugs and psychotherapies) it is exercise that helps the most, followed by yoga/meditation, relaxation and massage.
Acupuncture and homoeopathy returned moderate ranking scores, while the various drugs, herbal preparations and omega 3 fatty acids returned the lowest ratings. The study, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, is based on an anonymous online Australian sample of individuals who had received treatment for clinical depression.
The Institute’s executive director, Professor Gordon Parker, said the study sought to determine from individuals who suffered from clinical depression, how effective they judged a number of antidepressant treatments and strategies.
In total, 2,692 individuals over the age of 18 participated in the study. The majority of the participants had been to a general practitioner, a psychologist and a psychiatrist, resulting in 73.6% being prescribed one or more antidepressant medications.
The study looked at the use of different antidepressant medications, psychological therapies and ‘other’ therapies and techniques (such as exercise and yoga) and created scores for the different treatments (‘very effective’ 3; ‘moderately effective’ 2; ‘slightly effective’ 1; ‘not effective’ 0).
Examining individual therapies and techniques, the most commonly trialled strategies were: exercise (79.5%); relaxation (71.0%); a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI: 62.9%); counselling (65.5%); yoga/meditation (45.1%); cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT: 45.4%); other psychotherapy (43.9%); and massage (39.3%).
