Depression affects so many people, and in various different ways.  Some people go and get treatment, others don’t, but regardless of what you do, when you are in the throws of depression, you are miserable. You just find it hard to see the positive and the happiness in things, and you feel like you never want to get out of bed…as I look out the window now, depression is like today: cold, wet, rainy, and you would do anything to not have to face it…to hibernate in your own world.  But guess what??  For those of you who are undergoing treatment for depression with SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), that are still clinically depressed, there is some hope for non-medication adjunct therapy!

What are the Symptoms of Clinical Depression?
Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Unexplained crying
Loss of interest in activities that normally bring you pleasure
Decreased sex drive
Either significant increase in eating gaining weight or not eating and losing weight
Changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or tons of sleeping)
Fatigue, feeling sluggish all the time
Easily distractible, unable to concentrate
Unexplainable aches and pains
Thoughts of death, dying, suicide
*If feeling suicidal, you need immediate treatment and to be brought somewhere safe- call your emergency services (911 in the US) or call a suicide hotline 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433). Please get to immediate safety and tell someone how you are feeling.

How is depression treated?
Many times depression is treated using medication therapy, such as an SSRI along with psychotherapy (talking about depression symptoms and how to make changes).  The medications can take weeks to months to getting to a level of your medication that you start to feel better, and less depressed, and it may take many different doses, and sometimes your HCP will add on a second medication to help you see the benefits of treatment sooner.  On average 50% of patients report feeling a difference in 2 months when they take an SSRI and use psychotherapy together.  If a second medication is added, there is another 20% improvement in symptoms, but then there are still medication dosage changes and frequent assessments and possible blood draws (if you need medication levels checked).  Medication therapy along with psychotherapy, has pretty good results.

What’s the other option?
There is a new option for people who prefer to take less medication, or prefer only to be on one medication to treat their depression: exercise.  A recent study from the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center showed that a “prescription” for exercise helped to boost moods and decrease depression symptoms.  A large group of patients newly diagnosed with depression who were started on SSRI’s within the last two months, but still had symptoms of depression, were either told to exercise by walking or cycling at a slow-ish pace (3 miles per hour) or at a little brisker pace (4 miles per hour), 7 days a week, and reassessed for symptoms.  The results were amazing: after 4 months of being on an antidepressant and exercising briskly, 29.5% of patients achieved remission, as in they were no longer clinically depressed and had no symptoms.  The biggest group that did not see a response to the SSRI and exercise treatment were women with a family history of depression (genetics may or may not play a role).

How can this affect me?
Well, it doesn’t mean that you should stop taking antidepressants and start exercising instead, but it is a great option to assist your treatment with depression.  Plus, the best part of this as an adjunct therapy as opposed to adding a second medication?  There are NO bad side effects from exercising and actually it is all benefit: it helps improve your cardiovascular system (decreases blood pressure), helps maintain your weight, can help to stabilize blood sugars, and it’s free!  No co-pays for exercise!

While I don’t think that this will “fix” everyone’s depression, I think that it is a great boost for moods and helps with depression symptoms.  Clearly more studies ned to be performed, but I think it is worth a conversation with your HCP if you are someone who does not like to take a lot of medications or feels the side effects from antidepressants, and you feel like you can make the commitment to exercise 7 days a week, as a part of your therapy.

Yours in Good Health
B