Jack Juniper in Physiotherapy Theory & Practice: The lived experience of exercise in persons with depression: a journal to finding a sense of contentment
Lay summary:
It is understood that an overwhelming number of people are affected by depression, and through the completion of this research, it was identified that exercise can play a huge role in the building of resilience and finding contentment. As a physiotherapist I feel we are always driving exercise as something to be utilised by all, and I hope this research can give some further insight to others of what potential it has in aiding them with their mental health. This paper aimed to explore the lived experience of exercise in persons with depression. The aim of this was to reveal the meaning of exercise for these participants. The participants described a journey to finding a sense of contentment through exercise. This was described as a trial and error process where they developed an exercise identity, changing sense of self and building of resilience. The past 2 years have been extremely challenging for us all, and it is likely that there are even more people that are struggling with their mental health within our community. Drawing upon some of the Trust values, we should all remember to be bold and have a can-do attitude, and consider using exercise as a tool for your mental health. Every person counts (including yourself) focus on your own health and wellbeing as well as those we care for. View full text
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