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Easy living with
mental problems During my psychiatric
rotation at a tertiary care hospital, I was assigned on a 25 years
old male admitted with the complaint of aggression, disturbed
interpersonal relation, poor self esteem, labile mood and
depression. He belonged to a low socioeconomic class and was
unemployed. At the hospital he was found isolated and most of the
time lying on his bed alone. He was living sedentary life style;
his whole day activities consisted of going for three times meals
only, rarely participated in any activities individually or group
but at home he was physically active. The patient showed concern
that he is having body ache and feeling low because of drug
withdrawal and does not like to meet people. Thus, by viewing his
sedentary lifestyle, I found exercise to be an appropriate approach
towards promotion of his mental health after having literature
review on the relationship of exercise in mental health promotion.
I was able to apply it and it does improve the patient condition
that is the reason I wanted sure it with you in this article about
the role of physical exercise in mental health promotion.
Human development is the scientific study of systematic
psychological changes that occur in human beings over the course of
their life span. According to Okonski (2003) define exercise as any
type of physical activity, aerobic or anaerobic, with the means of
interacting the mind, body, and spirit. It includes from simple
stretching, deep breathing to strenuous exercise. An importance of
physical exercise is well known in healthy people but in mental
health it is also equally important and has many prime reasons.
Firstly, exercise and physical health are interconnected and
interdependent to each other. One of the easiest ways to maintain
physical health is through proper nutrition and regular exercise.
People who are able to do regular exercise have more physical and
mental energy, good sleep, and are often able to enjoy physical
activity into old age.
Secondly, mentally ill people are at risk of developing physical
problems. Researchers have revealed that the rates of previously
existing illness like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and
respiratory problem and heart problems are 60% high among mentally
ill people. Reason for these illnesses are sedentary life style,
poor dietary, and weight gain as a result of medications.
Thirdly, Exercise helps in dealing with metal problems and
alleviation of social withdrawal. Research has shown that exercise
also aids in emotional wellbeing. Depression and stress can often
be relieved by an exercise, as doing physical exercise it releases
some chemicals in brain, which stabilizes and helps to improve
mood. It also decreases common symptoms such as lack of energy,
depression, anxiety and psychological withdrawal. According to
McDevitt & Wilbur (2006)” …it also appears to improve brain and
cognitive functions”.
In Pakistan 10-66 percents suffer from mild to moderate mental
illnesses. Keeping in mind the socially isolated behavior and
depressed feeling of the mentally ill people, exercise has gained
most attention related to mental health as well as physical health.
It also helps in promotion of positive perception about the
individual body and himself, which increases the person self
esteem. Therefore, I would suggest people should adapt mild
exercises to moderate exercise in their daily routine and promoting
exercise in child hood will be more helpful.
By: RAZIA BANO
Karachi.
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