Impacts and Benefits of
Physical Exercises on Mental
Health Conditions
Make a presentation on the following topic, so you just need
to explain those individual topic with how populations that
benefit and effects on mental health symptoms.
*Populations that benefit and effects on mental health
symptoms
a. Depression
b. Anxiety
c. Low self esteem
d. Eating disorder
e. OCD
f. Schizophrenia
g. Special populations eg older, disable, younger adults
Impacts
Depression: Physical exercises modulate the stress mediating HPA
axis and increases the concentration of monoamines.
Self-Esteem: Physical exercises help achieve desired body shape
and increase chances for social interactions.
Anxiety: Physical exercises reduce level of endorphins and
increase levels of Brain-derived neurotropic factor .
Eating disorder; In bulimia nervosa, excess body fat is converted
to glucose and utilized during physical exercises.
OCD: Physical exercises are alternative engagements other than
focusing on compulsions and obsessions.
Schizophrenia: physical exercises reduce the incidence of drug
and substance abuse which cause psychotic symptoms.
Special populations: Physical exercises increase the muscle and
bone strength, therefore improving number of activities the
disabled can perform.
Benefits
Depression: Physical exercises increase chances for social interaction,
reduces weight gain as side effects of sedentary life and improves stress
coping mechanisms.
Self-Esteem: Physical exercises improve feeling of self worth and positive
self image.
Anxiety: Physical exercises reduce mortality rates, the risk of developing
comorbid conditions, reduces the severity of cognitive symptoms and
improved memory.
Eating disorder; in bulimia nervosa, physical exercises reduce weight gained.
OCD: Physical exercises distract patient from stressors, and reduce severity of OCD
symptoms.
Schizophrenia: Physical exercises the risk of comorbid cardiovascular conditions
which Schizophrenia and weight gain side effects of antipsychotics.
Special populations; Exercises lower the limitation to of activity participation among
the disabled and elderly.
References
Knapen, J., Vancampfort, D., Moriën, Y., & Marchal,
Y. (2015). Exercise therapy improves both mental
and physical health in patients with major
depression. Disability and rehabilitation, 37(16),
1490-1495.
Rosenbaum, S., Tiedemann, A., & Ward, P. B. (2014).
Meta-analysis physical activity interventions for
people with mental illness: a systematic review and
meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry, 75(0), 1-11.