EXERCISE AND DEPRESSION: A Critical Review

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Date
2006-12
Authors
Suleiman, M. A.
Venkateswarlu, K.
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Abstract
Depression is not restricted to individuals with psychiatric illness. Generalized, non-clinical depression is experienced by almost everyone at some point in life. Traditional treatments for clinical depression have been primarily psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions Unfortunately, these therapies have not always been effective and in some cases, they have side effects Practitioners and researchers have therefore started to examine possible alternatives in the treatment of clinical depression. The preponderance of available research evidence suggests that exercise has the potential to play this role. This paper examines the potential of different exercise types to decrease depression, the relationship between length of exercise programme and its effects on depression , and the effect of intensity of exercise on depression. Several hypotheses have been advanced to explain the relationship between exercise and depression, however the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its effects have not been extensively investigated nor well understood. It is therefore suggested that more studies should be conducted with strict controls on (he different modes of exercise and the severity and duration of depression.
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Post-print Journal Article
Keywords
EXERCISE,, DEPRESSION,, Critical Review
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