They reveal which is the most effective and completely natural antidepressant

Australian researchers are calling on health authorities to prioritize physical exercise as a key approach to managing depression and other mental health problems. They claim that it is more effective as an antidepressant than psychological counseling or main medications, they explain in an interview.

Are you depressed, anxious or distressed?

The most effective way to relieve these discomforts is free, accessible, very simple, completely natural and acts as an antidepressant: physical exercise, practiced in moderation and regularly.

In addition, it does not require going to the pharmacy. You just need perseverance, determination and a little movement, as well as water to hydrate the body instead of taking a pill or tablet in cases where it is not entirely necessary.

This follows from research by the University of South Australia (uniSA), according to which “physical activity is 1.5 times more effective than counseling or main medications to improve the symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress.

Distress, also known as anguish or negative stress, is a state of psychological discomfort or suffering, which causes symptoms such as overwhelm, nervousness, inability to act or decide, fear, irritability, lack of memory or concentration, pessimism, frustration and hopelessness, which in turn can lead to anxiety or depression.

Different therapeutic approaches

Depression, anxiety and distress are treated with different approaches, such as lifestyle management (exercise, sleep hygiene and healthy diet); psychotherapy, counseling or pharmacotherapy, which are considered “main, complementary or alternative” initial treatment for these mental health problems, according to the clinical guidelines of each country.

The ‘counselling’counseling or counseling focuses on exploring and resolving specific problems or aspects of the personal, emotional or relational sphere, with a more directed and short-term approach, through a series of dialogue sessions in which a counselor provides support and assistance the person to face and solve their difficulties.

In psychotherapy, also based on dialogue sessions, the psychologist addresses the patient’s behavior in depth, applying structured and scientifically supported methods, such as cognitive-behavioral, psychoanalytic or neuropsychological therapies, to help the person develop holier habits. and effective and solve your problems.

The uniSA study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, covers 97 reviews, 1,039 trials and 128,119 participants.

More effective than medication

This review shows that “physical activity is extremely beneficial in improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress” and concludes that in some cases exercise is more effective as an antidepressant than medications to control mental health.

Specifically, the review showed that exercising for 12 weeks or less is the most effective intervention for reducing mental health symptoms, highlighting the speed with which physical activity can generate change, according to this Australian university.

The greatest benefits were seen among people with depressionpregnant and postpartum women, healthy individuals and people diagnosed with HIV or kidney disease, they explain.

Dr Ben Singh, lead researcher on the UniSA review, says physical activity should be prioritized to better manage rising cases of mental health problems.

“Physical activity is known to help improve mental health, but despite evidence, it has not been widely adopted as a first-line treatment,” says Singh.

The doctor points out that his review shows that interventions consisting of physical exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, acting as an antidepressant, in all clinical populations, and some groups show even greater signs of improvement.

Higher intensity exercise produced greater benefits in cases of depression and anxiety, while longer duration exercise had lesser beneficial effects compared to exercise practiced in ‘bursts’ of short and medium duration,” says the expert. .

They also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise such as walking, resistance training, Pilates and yoga, according to Singh.

“Research shows that it doesn’t take a lot of exercise to make a positive change in mental health,” he points out.

Protective and preventive effect

“While all forms of exercise showed benefits, we found that resistance exercise was the most effective for depression, while yoga seemed to be the most effective for anxiety,” says Singh, in an interview.

The specialist adds that the greatest benefits in depression and anxiety were observed when exercising over a period of 12 weeks. Additionally, exercising for 30 to 60 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week, seemed to produce the greatest mental health benefits.

“Overall, higher intensity physical activity was associated with greater improvements in symptoms. This was maintained in different populations and types of exercise,” the doctor points out.

Physical exercise also has a protective effect on mental health by preventing its alterations, since, according to the expert, the study revealed that some of the most significant benefits were observed in healthy adults, without a diagnosis of depression or anxiety.

This protective effect is probably due to the fact that physical activity increases the production of brain substances associated with mood regulation; raises self-esteem, provides a sense of achievement and offers opportunities for social interaction; reduces levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol; and improves sleep quality and cognitive function, according to Singh.

“Our findings underline the importance of promoting physical activity not only as a treatment for existing mental conditions, but as a crucial preventive strategy to maintain good mental health in the population,” highlights the expert.

Additionally, Carol Maher, lead researcher on the review and professor at UniSA, points out that examining these studies as a whole is an effective way for clinicians to easily understand the body of evidence supporting physical activity in the management of health disorders. mental.

(With information from EFE)

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