The Value of Exercise on a Psychiatric Hospital Unit
Abstract
A number of reports in the literature have shown the value of exercise programs in reducing depression among psychiatric patients. Most of these papers have dealt with outpatients; this paper recounts a study of hospitalized inpatients who elected to participate in a six-week exercise program. After six weeks, participants showed significant decreases in their levels of reported depression, and nonsignificant trends toward a decrease in anxiety and an increase in their sense of accomplishment. The program did not ameliorate many disturbing feelings, such as anger and fear, nor did it elicit a wide range of positive affects such as cooperation and feelings of acceptance. However, the authors conclude that a well-designed exercise program has enough potential benefit to make it a regular part of a psychiatric inpatient program.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
