- Vol 43, Issue 4
Spring Into Action: The Importance of Physical Activity
Key Takeaways
- An international scientific consensus supports exercise as a core psychiatric intervention, demonstrating moderate to large improvements in depressive symptoms, psychotic symptoms, cognition, and quality of life.
- Real-world uptake remains poor, as patients with depression or bipolar disorder are up to 50% less likely than peers to achieve sufficient physical activity.
Exercise boosts recovery in depression and psychosis, and improves cognition and quality of life; clinicians can now use the 5A model to make movement a routine psychiatric tool.
An international team of scientists has recently called for physical activity to be recognized as an integral part of psychiatric treatment. Their results show that exercise leads to moderate to large improvements in depression, psychotic symptoms, cognition, quality of life, and more. Despite this, individuals with depression or bipolar disorder are up to 50% less likely to be sufficiently active than their peers.1
This review also describes how psychiatrists and mental health clinicians can integrate exercise into care using a new model: the 5A model (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, Arrange). This model helps identify patient inactivity, assess patients’ readiness to change their behavior, provide personalized recommendations, support motivation, and organize progress checks.1
Fitness has always been a passion of mine. As spring and the warmer months commence, this is the perfect time for both you and your patients to be more active. Whether it is walking, swimming, aerobics, or another activity, the research is clear: movement affects our mental health. So let’s spring into action!
Share your fitness passion with us via email at
Mike Hennessy Jr
Chairman and CEO, MJH Life Sciences
Reference
1. Stubbs B, Ma R, Teychenne M, et al.
Articles in this issue
about 2 months ago
Sex Hormones and Eating Disorders: An Evolving Relationship2 months ago
Paraganglioma in the Organ of Zuckerkandl2 months ago
The Curious Story of Sigma-1 Receptors
