Essay Example on Stress in Modern Life: A Growing Prevalence of Mental Illness

Introduction

The prevalence of mental illness and psychological conditions have increased over the past decades. While this rise is an artifact of diagnostics, the rise is attributed to modernity. The pathogenesis of depression has been attributed to a range of lifestyle factors (Beiter et.al, 2015). Stress is an inevitable part of life. In America alone, seven out of ten adults experience anxiety and stress daily. Those who experience such anxiety and stress have said that it mostly interferes with their lives moderately. Stress cannot be eliminated, but it can be managed. While it only affects the brain, the impact can be felt on the rest of the body because of the many nerve connections. Many of these factors can potentially be modified, but little consideration is given in the contemporary treatment of depression. Psychological intervention and medication remain the first-line treatment of these conditions (Lubans et.al, 2016). While the judicious use of medication and psychological techniques are mainly advocated for, emerging evidence encourages modification of lifestyle as part of preventative and treatment efforts. Given this, this paper aims at discussing how regular participation of aerobic exercise, reduces overall tension, improves sleep and stabilizes mood.

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Exercise offers therapeutic and preventative psychological benefits. Medical practitioners recommend exercises to improve diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. However, it is not a common regimen in the treatment of diseases such as anxiety and depression. Generally, people understand that exercising is good for their physical well-being. New research points out benefits on mental wellness. Exercising offers psychological and preventative benefits. It reduces the risk of chronic pain and depression. It also reduces the risks of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases (Pederson, 2015).

Impact of Exercise on Stress

When exercising, a person takes their mind away from their worries. This leads to focus on the body rather than the mind. Through repetitive motions and concentrating on rhythmic movements, a person experiences the benefits of meditation while working out. Focusing on a task which requires physical energy leads to a sense of optimism and energy. Consequently, this leads to clarity and calmness.

Exercising also heightens the responses on stressors, a person will become less stressed by the stressors like when they are in a fit condition. Brain cells also become more resilient in a process called stress inoculation, building resistance for future stressors, by making anti-oxidants for our enzymes. The enzymes help in building and repairing proteins while improving the waste disposal in our bodies (Skead & Rodgers, 2016).

Physical exercise also improves mental health through increased blood flow and the ability of the body to use oxygen. These factors positively impact on the functioning of the brain. Exercising also increases the production of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals produced by the brain, and they are associated with a good mood (Hearing et.al, 2016). The increase of the neurotransmitters re-energizes the brain helping it to adapt to the new changes. These neurotransmitters are responsible for the 'runner's high', the coveted feel good. Exercising leads to some euphoria and well-being experienced by people after exercising. Exercise leads to the breakdown of muscle tension; this leads to a decrease in physical pain, improve a person's sleeping pattern and interrupts rumination and negative thoughts.

Impact of Physical Exercises on ADHD

Many factors lead to ADHD and exercising immediately elevates norepinephrine and dopamine, and keeps them up for a while, acting as Adderall and Ritalin. It helps with impulsivity and wakes up the executive function of the frontal cortex. These changes allow for delay and better choices gives a person more time to evaluate consequences. Exercising is the easiest and most effective way of reducing the symptoms of ADHD. It also improves the mood, memory while increasing concentration. When a person exercises, the dopamine levels are increased immediately, the serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals affect the focus on attention. Exercising has been seen to have the same effect as medication.

On a learner with ADHD exercises their senses become heightened improving their mood and focus on improving their motivation and invigoration. It also improves a state of mind, increasing the capacity of the brain to process information. Exercising creates an environment which allows the brain to wire together thus increasing the brain's efficiency. Exercising increases neurogenesis, increasing the making of new neurons (Craft & Perna, 2004).

Impact of Physical Exercises on Anxiety

Anxiety and stress are a normal part of life, and it's the most common psychiatric illness in the U.S, affecting at least 40 million people. Naturally, exercising treats anxiety. It boosts physical activity, relives tension and enhances the well-being through the release of endorphins (Pumar et.al, 2014). According to the research by Matos, physical activity reduces anxiety and depression in non-clinical and clinical patients. Physical activity is considered as an adjunct to psychotherapy and psychological effects of exercise (Rhodes et.al, 2017).

Conclusion

Like all forms of therapy, the effects of exercises differ in response from person to person. In other people, the moods can improve, while others will get the short term benefits of exercising. Researchers are not very clear on particular exercises effective for specific conditions. However, aerobic exercises in general and weight training have the same benefits. Given the little side-effects, compared to medication, it is a safe option to consider when looking at improving mental well-being. Nonetheless, the benefits are not in dispute, and people should be encouraged to stay physically active.

References

Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S.

2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of affective disorders, 173, 90-96. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25462401

Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Primary

care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 6(3), 104. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/

Hearing, C. M., Chang, W. C., Szuhany, K. L., Deckersbach, T., Nierenberg, A. A., & Sylvia, L.

G. (2016). Physical exercise for treatment of mood disorders: a critical review. Current behavioral neuroscience reports, 3(4), 350-359. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423723/

Lubans, D., Richards, J., Hillman, C., Faulkner, G., Beauchamp, M., Nilsson, M., ... & Biddle, S.

(2016). Physical activity for cognitive and mental health in youth: a systematic review of mechanisms. Pediatrics, 138(3), e20161642.

Pedersen, B. K., & Saltin, B. (2015). Exercise as medicine-evidence for prescribing exercise as

therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 25, 1-72.

Pumar, M. I., Gray, C. R., Walsh, J. R., Yang, I. A., Rolls, T. A., & Ward, D. L. (2014). Anxiety

and depression-Important psychological comorbidities of COPD. Journal of thoracic disease, 6(11), 1615. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255157/

Rhodes, R. E., Janssen, I., Bredin, S. S., Warburton, D. E., & Bauman, A. (2017). Physical activity:

Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. Psychology & Health, 32(8), 942-975.

Skead, N. K., & Rogers, S. L. (2016). Running to well-being: A comparative study on the impact

of exercise on the physical and mental health of law and psychology students. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 49, 66-74.