The number of people getting treated for depression, a
serious illness that causes a person to feel very
downtrodden and hopeless about life has seen it's numbers
triple in the last ten years. One becomes even more
concerned when you consider the availability and
development of new drugs and a more general acceptance of
depression as a "real" illness and something that shouldn't
be taken lightly.
Depression in its early stages has symptoms that include a
loss of energy, apathy and sadness. Other signs of
depression are a loss of appetite, a disinterest in
friends, family and hobbies and the use of alcohol and
drugs to "dull the pain" or self medicate. Depression can
lead to suicide in its worst cases. If you don't personally
suffer from depression, you probably know somebody who has
or who will. Up to 10% of Americans have a depression
related episode in the course of any year.
Although depression can always return to a person, and
likely has genetic components that pass it down in
families, it can almost always be alleviated with proper
treatment and care. Traditional care has always included
therapy and medication (primarily antidepressants),
preferably with a combination of the two. To get the
combination right, the process can take a lot of work
because not all medications and types of therapy work the
same for every person.
However, there is more that can be done than paying
exorbitant bills for therapy and medication. In fact,
simple changes in your lifestyle such as becoming involved
in athletics and exercising can greatly improve your mood,
both in the short and long term. This is linked to the fact
that exercising causes your body to release endorphins (and
other feel-good chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine).
Endorphins are your body's natural painkiller and also
contribute to feelings of elation and joy.
Many people describe what is known as a "runner's high"
after a period of intense and strenuous exercise. This can
be achieved not just by running but through playing other
sports as well. While the runner's high, a very intense
feeling of euphoria closely related to an actual drug-high
actually occurs only in rare circumstances, endorphins are
always being released when playing sports and exercising.
Involvement in sports will have an affect on your
depression in many ways. By participating in sports will
get you into better physical condition and physical health.
This will get you feeling better about your body and how
you look and provide you with more confidence. By getting
up and moving, athletics will help prevent or lessen
depression. This is especially good if you have been
sitting still all day such as at a desk. Additionally,
sports may lead to increased socialization and interaction
with people. Positive interactions with other people,
whether through organized sports or anything else will lift
your spirits.
While medication and therapy can be helpful, they may not
be right for everybody and you may not want to let your
depression get that far. Getting involved in sports can
help relieve depression as well as prevent depression from
occurring in the first place.
----------------------------------------------------
Scott Becker is an expert author mostly writing on sports
health and nutrition and depression. He is an avid golfer
and is the author and creator of
http://healthfitnessvitamin.com . If you found this
article helpful you can visit his blog now at
http://healthfitnessvitamin.com for more articles like this
one and to receive your FREE REPORT - 7 Little Known Ways
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