Physical Activity, Mental Health Problems, and Mental Illness

Question 1

Name the 3 types of anxiety

Answer 1

> Broad Description Anxiety
Non-clinical anxiety
Clinical anxiety

Question 2

Does physical activity have an effect at reducing anxiety?

Answer 2

Studies do not provide evidence that PA is associated with reducing anxiety.

Question 3

Can PA be offered as treatment for anxiety?

Answer 3

Findings suggest that exercise is linked to a moderate reduction in non-clinical anxiety

Question 4

What is depression?

Answer 4

• Range from episodes of unhappiness that affect most people
from time to time, to recurrent low mood and inability to find
enjoyment
• If feelings persist over time and interfere with our ability to
work or relationships, may be classified as ‘clinical’
• May be secondary to other medical conditions (e.g., alcohol
addiction) or chronic diseases (e.g., Type II diabetes)

Question 5

Name the criteria for defining depression

Answer 5

• Problematic in existing literature as researchers have
adopted different criteria
• Classification systems (e.g., DSM V) provide a
common language
• Assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory II
• Need to consider both ‘sub‐threshold’ and ‘major’
depression

Question 6

Does physical activity have an effect on reducing depression

Answer 6

Weight of evidence suggests a positive and clinically
meaningful reduction in risk of depression when
people have been active

Question 7

What are the NICE (2009) guidelines for recommending PA to depressed patients

Answer 7

Structured, supervised exercise programmes three times a week (of 45 minutes to one hour) over 10‐14 weeks for mild to moderate depression

Question 8

Name 5 symptoms of depression

Answer 8

• Depressed mood
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities
• Significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt

Question 9

Describe PA recommendations for Anxiety patients

Answer 9

• Research suggests moderate‐, rather than high‐, intensity exercise can have an anxiety‐reducing effect
• Suggestions that many potential benefits exist to include physical activity in programmes for drug dependencies (e.g.,
individuals typically have high levels of anxiety)
• Promising evidence that a single bout of physical activity can help people who are attempting to quit smoking