Exercise as a treatment method for depression, anxiety, and addiction makes sense.
We hear it everyday… exercise more… you’ll feel better… you’ll live longer…
But I’m not sure many people know that exercise is a proven solution for many of our daily woes.
Research has proven time and time again that exercise is more successful than any anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication. So why aren’t doctors prescribing gym memberships instead of Xanax by the ton?
Depression and anxiety often go hand-in-hand with addiction. Because these all deal with the same neurotransmitters in the brain (serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, et al) and these are the neurotransmitters that work a bit differently in an addicted person’s brain.
As you skim the graphic above, it is clear that the smallest amount of exercise can treat depression and anxiety. And when you take the edge off the depression and anxiety it definitely makes sobriety more achievable.