Exercise vs Antidepressants: A Comparison

What do most depressed people look like?

If this question reminds you of those annoying college exam questions that could have a number of correct answers besides what the teacher had decided… well, you would have a point. There are many good answers for this question. But the answer I’m looking for is “sedentary.”

By the very nature of the condition, depressed people don’t move much. Seriously depressed people just want to lay in bed.

This is unfortunate, because exercise has notable benefits for mental health. In fact, some research showed that exercise works just as well as taking antidepressants or seeing a therapist. The research study “Is Exercise a Viable Treatment for Depression?” reached the following conclusion:

[Exercise] appears to be an effective treatment for depression, improving depressive symptoms to a comparable extent as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Observational studies suggest that active people are less likely to be depressed, and interventional studies suggest that exercise is beneficial in reducing depression. It appears that even modest levels of exercise are associated with improvements in depression, and while most studies to date have focused on aerobic exercise, several studies also have found evidence that resistance training also may be effective. While the optimal “dose” of exercise is unknown, clearly any exercise is better than no exercise. Getting patients to initiate exercise —and sustain it – is critical.

This upholds my position that mental health symptoms can arise due to a lack of self-care.

Let us now compare the pros and the cons of taking antidepressants versus exercising.

Benefits of exercise

1. Natural mood boost. Ever hear of a runner’s high? It is possible this phenomenon is caused by the release of endocannabinoids during exertion, not endorphins as previously theorized.
2. Better sleep. Sleep problems tend to go hand in hand with depression. Regular exercise helps people sleep better. According to Charlene Gamaldo, medical director of John Hopkins Center, “We have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality.”
3. More energy. Lack of energy is a common issue for depressed people, and perhaps counterintuitively, exercise improves this issue.
4. Look better. Depressed people tend to be overweight, even obese, therefore exercising as a means to relieve depression will solve two problems at the same time.
5. Move lymph. I’ve mentioned before that lymph, the fluid our bodies use to to clean up cellular waste, needs movement in order to circulate. The implication is that not moving will result in a build up of toxins.
6. Tones and builds muscle. Who wants a flabby, weak body?
7. Improves long term health and prevents chronic diseases. To function optimally, our bodies are supposed to get a certain level of exertion regularly. Exercise cuts the chances of getting chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular issues, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, and osteoporosis.

Benefits of antidepressants

1. Feel better after waiting 4-6 weeks for it to kick in. The average antidepressant takes 4-6 weeks to start working, and part of its effectiveness can be attributed to the placebo effect.
2. Convenient, little effort involved. One literally just swallows a pill.

Cons of exercise

1. Exercise takes time. With today’s hectic schedules, many people have little time to spare.
2. Takes effort and motivation. Even people who are not depressed may find themselves lacking the motivation to exercise. This difficulty is compounded with depressed people, who tend to experience problems with motivation.
3. Health problems and conditions may limit one’s ability to exercise. A person who is bed-ridden with a health problem will obviously not be able to exercise.

Cons of antidepressants

1. You become dependent on a chemical to feel better. It doesn’t matter if said chemical (antidepressant) does not produce physical dependence — you’re still taking it with the expectation that this is the only thing keeping you from going off the brink. In other words, you are dependent on this chemical to stay functional and sane.
2. Cost of going to a psychiatrist. If you don’t have good insurance, psychiatric care can be costly.
3. Side effects. Antidepressants come with a potential for many side effects. Sexual dysfunction is a well known side effect, and serotonin syndrome is a rarer but very serious possible complication.
4. Stigma. Despite a push to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, it still exists and can have a long term impact on a person. It’s interesting that the stigma of mental illness seems to arise when people get a professional diagnosis. Any random person can experience low periods (which most people have), and this stigma won’t necessarily be in effect until he or she goes to a psychiatrist or psychologist.

You might think of some other pros and cons to add to the lists above. Overall, the cons of antidepressants outweigh those of exercise, and the pros of exercise far outweigh those of antidepressants. Exercise is clearly the superior option also because it is an activity that is essential for the body’s health and maintenance, whereas no one has ever had a Zoloft deficiency.

Will exercise work for every case of depression?

I don’t think so. Depression could have a variety of causes, and exercise is obviously not going to fix all of them. I have even seen research showing a null effect for exercise on depression, thereby contradicting the study I quoted at the start of this article. It actually makes sense that exercise does not always work. For example, if your depression is due to a vitamin deficiency, how is going for a jog going to solve the problem? The deficiency must be corrected by an improved diet or supplements. Or if your depression is caused by a traumatic life event, exercise probably will not be of much help. In my case, I suffered from 20 years of on-off depression, and the only thing that brought me lasting relief was doing repeated deliverances in Jesus’ name for approximately 1-3 months back in 2020. Therefore, my condition was spiritual in origin. I would venture to say it is in everybody’s interest to figure out why exactly they are depressed. That said, a little exercise doesn’t hurt one bit.

References:

1. Blumenthal, J.A., Smith, P.J., & Hoffman, B.M. (July 1, 2013). Is Exercise a Viable Treatment for Depression? National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3674785/

2. Exercising for Better Health. (n.d.). John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep

3. Luppino, F.S., de Wit, L.M., Bouvy, P.F. et al. (2010). Overweight, obesity, and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20194822/

4. Siebers, M, Biedermann, S., & Fuss, J. (Jan. 26, 2022). Do Endocannabinoids Cause the Runner’s High? Evidence and Open Questions. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10159215/

5. Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389

6. Ruegsegger, G.N. & Booth, F.W. (July 2018). Health Benefits of Exercise. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6027933/

Relevant articles:

Cured of Depression

Psych Meds No Better than Street Drugs?Turns out They Have a Lot in Common

“The Psych Meds Are Not Working” – This is Why (If You Did Drugs)