Exercise - report from BBC

[Dollit]

This was on the BBC website today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7234303.stm

Any views anyone?

 

[sandybob]

hmmmm

i think its a cop out personally ...

easy enough to dish out pills and say "do some exercise"

fair enough . the report speaks of referral schemes etc, but thats another post code lottery type situation .

 

[Dollit]

If they were doing it in your area Sandy, would you? I think I would.

 

[midnight]

I must say I totally agree with this although I think its limitations need to be understood

I exercise 4 times a week most weeks , I do it because I love the way it makes me feel afterwards but ( and maybe becuase I am seasoned at it) the 'high' only lasts a couple of hours if that now

Socialising - yeh I socialise to some extent but its not deep meaningful chat, its more a kinda "hiya" inbetween exercises

 

[Fedup]

Doctors are increasingly prescribing exercise for people with depression, mental health campaigners have found.
In a survey of 200 English GPs, the Mental Health Foundation found 22% suggest exercise to help people with milder forms of the condition.


So are they only recomending ........... mild cases of depression?
How do they define " mild "??!! . In my opinion any form of depression is a big issue for the person.

I notice they say scheme's are run in my area ............. if i remember next time i speak with my shrink i will ask

 

[daffy]

Bet they dont know anything about it!

 

[Mad Hatter]

Exercise is great for me and lifts the gloom but, how do you motivate a really depressed person to exercise at all???

 

[Dollit]

That's why it's recommended for low to medium grade depression. Around half the people (if I can remember the stats from the psych right) at any time that suffer from a mental health problem have low to medium grade depression which is why there is this move to try to repair people other than by medication. It's quicker and cheaper and looks good on graphs. High grade depression is another matter all together - I've certainly been the immovable object in the corner many times.

Discussing different types of depression with a student recently I did say that when I'm beginning to get depressed I know if it's the type I can shift or the type that has to be left to run its course. If it can be helped on its way I do what I can to get rid of if otherwise it's a painful process for however long it lasts. Not everyone has this insight though.

But if I was offered exercise and I thought I cold benefit from it then I would do it - I was very sporty when I was younger, football, volleyball, badminton, aikido.

 

[sandybob]

i'm not disputing that exercise has benefits for health (mental and physical) but the report seems to suggest they've come up with the answer to cure depression

yes they "suggest" exercise as well as dishing out the pills (in my experience) , but if you lack confidence, have body image issues, social anxiety issues for example , its not gonna be so easy to take yourself off to the gym ..

referral is a different issue .. my first gp (who left) tried to refer me to gym .. unfortunately it was only available for residence of southwark and i reside in lewisham (my gp surgery is on the borders) .. hence the postcode lottery .

 

[Dollit]

We know there's no overall cure as no two days are the same - treatment of depression has to be, for want of a better word, "organic" but certainly holistic. I think they understand the reticence in Dursley which is why the sessions are done in the health centre but it's all a lottery when it comes to postcodes. In this small area I live in I get fantastic service from my psych and my GP. A mile away and I'd get a different psych (who is actually really good because I've had him before) but a different GP who could be useless. i guess it's a matter of exercising the choice if you get the choice.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Hows about inventing a grant to buy exercise equipment to use at home, I fancy one of those treadmill thingies. It would be better than having to put up with a bunch of posers in a sweaty gym.

 

[Dollit]

Springy floors that could double as a trampoline!

 

[Mad Hatter]

Now you're talking!!! But seriously how about if you're suffering with agoraphobia can't get out depressed about the situation how you gonna get any exercise?

 

[Dollit]

That's where exercise videos and DVDs come in I think. But you do need a bit of space to do them and so if you live in a small place or a flat (all that noise going down to the flat below) they're pretty much out too.

 

[Fedup]

Doctors are increasingly prescribing exercise for people with depression, mental health campaigners have found.
In a survey of 200 English GPs, the Mental Health Foundation found 22% suggest exercise to help people with milder forms of the condition.


So are they only recomending ........... mild cases of depression?
How do they define " mild "??!! . In my opinion any form of depression is a big issue for the person.

I notice they say scheme's are run in my area ............. if i remember next time i speak with my shrink i will ask

I asked my OH ot today about this ........... yeah the know about it she said ask your therapist about it next week