Mental Illness & Exercise

October 5-11 is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), so I thought I would write my next blog on the subject of mental health and exercise.  Then I starting wondering what I would actually write about and realized this is a really big topic to cover and a single blog entry would not do it justice.  But its good to start the conversation.  

Mental Illness covers a wide spectrum of disorders ranging from depression, anxiety, anorexia, bulimia, obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and many others.  The effect of these disorders on the individual, their families and society also ranges from mild to severe.  And the suggested course of treatment for such illnesses may include all or some of the following: therapy, counseling, medication and healthier/holistic living environments, including the role of exercise. 

Here I plan a simple discussion on the latter: the healthier holistic living environment, and how it can help some people living with some cases of mental illness.  

Before I begin, I want to clarify that I am not a medical professional able to diagnose or prescribe treatment for mental illness. However, I am a certified personal trainer that has seen the positive effect exercise and healthy living can have on those with certain types of mental illness.  

Depression is one of the most commonly recognized mental illnesses and can be helped significantly with exercise. Cardiovascular exercise in particular can help combat depression as it increases endorphins, neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, that are released in the brain which contribute to feelings of well-being, self-esteem and motivation.  Cardio acts as an anti-depressant in your brain.  In some cases a good intense cardio session can have the same effect as popping a pill (but never stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first please!).  

Most forms of exercise, whether it be a jog, swim, boxing session or yoga class all help relieve stress, anxiety and help clear the mind of negative thoughts and help you relax.  Many people have used exercise to help deal with anger issues.  Children with ADHD have often found their high energy levels help them excel at more adventurous sports such as snowboarding and waterskiing, and are then more focussed in school as a result.  Exercise is a healthy outlet for mentally ill people who need an outlet or coping mechanism that helps them when they are feeling overwhelmed or struggling with feelings of anger, agitation, even fatigue. 

I also know individuals who have bipolar disorder and have found that training for triathlons and marathons has helped them cope with their mood disorder, in particular the periods of increased energy they experience when manic or hypomanic.  They have also found that maintaining regular training helps prevent future depressive episodes by maintaining levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, 2 neurotransmitters that are key factors in that mental illness. 

Finding the right balance of exercise is key for helping those struggling with mental illness.   When beginning a new exercise program, care must be given to start slowly so that a vulnerable person does not feel any worse if they can’t meet overly ambitious fitness goals, or is surrounded by other people that may compound feelings of insecurity or inadequacy.  Start slow, give re-assurance and listen to their feelings and opinions as progress is made in their fitness program, ensuring they are more likely to stick with it. 

While cardio may be great for the many types of depression, anxiety and mood disorders, it may not be healthy intervention for all types of mental illness. Care must be taken for individuals who suffer from disorders such as OCD or eating disorders (e.g. anorexia/bulimia) as they may be prone to over-exercising which could exacerbate their illness and make matters worse. Always consult with a medical doctor or psychiatrist in these cases, ensuring the patient is able to follow healthy exercise patterns and nutritional advice. 

However, in most non-severe cases of mental illness, exercise does wonders to keep the mind and body healthy, in a natural way, and should be encouraged as part of a healthy living program. Healthy environments foster healthy minds.  

Its also important to be aware that although a person may suffer from mental illness it does not mean that they can not achieve great things or athletic achievements. In fact one of the greatest Canadian olympic athletes of all time, Clara Hughes, is very open about her own struggles with depression.  During ‘Clara’s Big Ride’ across Canada where she cycled 12,000km across Canada to help defeat the stigma of mental illness, she points to her six olympic medals as to what can be accomplished with dedication to training, hard-work, proper diagnosis, support and proper therapies are applied.