Evidence Based

COVID-19: National PTSD Screening Programme ‘Urgently Needed’

• Researchers say exercising for 150 minutes a week can help ease mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
• They said people who exercise outdoors get more benefits than people who exercise indoors.
• They added that there are mental health benefits to both team sports as well as individual activities.
• They cautioned that more isn’t necessarily better, so a moderate amount of exercise is best for most people.

A bill introduced to Congress on May 1 could make outdoor recreation an official treatment option for veterans suffering from mental-health disorders. It’s a huge opportunity for vets—and our public lands.

Read the full article on Outsideonline.com by Wes Siler and see how “outdoor recreational activities can provide powerful therapeutic and healing benefits as well as camaraderie for veterans struggling with combat-related injuries or post-traumatic stress”…

Why does walking make us feel good? We all know that a satisfying stroll changes our outlook. Perhaps we realize it all the more today, when so many of us are hunkered down and this simple activity is a challenge. But walking is especially important now, with gyms and team sports shut down. It’s one of our few accessible forms of exercise but also one that is directly affected by stay-at-home orders. What we usually do automatically now takes serious intention…

“(Patients) welcome the humanizing effect of taking therapy outdoors and are typically hoping to multitask by incorporating their therapy session with exercise. “The power dynamic shifts in a walking session versus an office setting,” Udler said. “If you’re the client and you’re coming in to see me in my office, it’s my space. It’s my chair. You have your chair. It’s my decorations. It’s my family photos. Outside, it’s our space.”

The lack of sunshine in the winter increases the risk for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a form of depression.

“In the winter and fall months, some people are prone to have depression,” psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Okpaku said.

While the exact causes of SAD is unknown, the reduction in sunlight in winter can throw your biological clock out of whack and reduce levels of serotonin — a brain chemical that influences mood — and melatonin — a chemical which regulates sleep and mood.

“The further you are away from the equator, the more likely you’re going to have Seasonal Affective Disorder,” Dr. Okpaku said.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder are:

• feeling blue or depressed
• fatigue, low energy
• Trouble concentrating
• appetite, weight changes
• lack of interest