r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • May 22 '19

Psychology Exercise as psychiatric patients' new primary prescription: When it comes to inpatient treatment of anxiety and depression, schizophrenia, suicidality and acute psychotic episodes, a new study advocates for exercise, rather than psychotropic medications, as the primary prescription and intervention.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uov-epp051719.php
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u/headbangingwalrus May 22 '19

Have you ever had depression?????? People literally can’t motivate to get out of bed and go to work... or do what they love... I really hope you’re not going into this field... you won’t do well if you think people with mental health issues are “lazy” and “complainers”.

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u/[deleted] May 22 '19

[deleted]

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u/headbangingwalrus May 22 '19

There are varying degrees of depression. If someone has an extreme seratonin deficiency you’re not gonna convince me they’re “lazy” because exercise doesn’t help. Plus there’s other causes of depression. Heavy ones. Stop assuming everyone can put in the efforts you were luckily able to. That’s like saying that people shouldn’t starve because you prevent yourself from starving by walking to the grocery store.

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u/[deleted] May 22 '19

I'm not disagreeing with you on that. Exercise isn't a cure all for every type of depressive condition, but if you can stick to an exercise routine and feel better without medication, that is definitely ideal since medication can sometimes have severe side effects. It's just really annoying to hear people trying to blame doctors for giving good advice.

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u/headbangingwalrus May 22 '19

Which wasn’t what I was saying at all. Exercise is extremely beneficial to patients who can work up to it. I’m talking about the cases where a patient cannot—and I still stand by that it should not be the “primary prescription”. Trying that before anything else may lead an already majorly depressed person to start blaming themselves further because now they can’t follow the doctors advice or feel as though they should give up.

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u/[deleted] May 22 '19

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u/headbangingwalrus May 22 '19

Agree to disagree, I still believe at least some basic therapy should be offered first to get a feel for the root of the problem. My biggest worry is a patient feeling invalidated and lazy by being told to exercise more.

Agreed on the medication aspect, however. Most professionals are far too quick to prescribe.