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Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

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Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#101
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That just about broke my heart. I can imagine how awful and hopeless I'd feel in that situation, at least as a first reaction. Great. Just I'll just plan on not planning until I can get the doctor to send a new prescription, which they might not do because FDA. There's a reason I pick up my refills exactly on time, even if I still have some of the old prescription left. That little overlapping buffer gives me great p…

The healthcare system in the United States is deeply, horribly broken. Recently, my wife was going to be out of the country about a week-and-a-half. Her prescription for a medicine to manage arthritis would run out at the very beginning of that time. But insurance company policies refused to allow her to fill it even a little bit early. As a result, her only option was to go without the medicine for several days. Pol…

> her only option was to go without the medicine

She could've gone to her provider to discuss adverse side effects. Sometimes they will prescribe a new medication that could be filled immediately.

She could've got a pill cutter and cut the tablets in half, or space out the doses, or otherwise take less than the specified dose for a few weeks.

She could've asked the pharmacist about OTC treatments which could be safely substituted during the gap time.

She could've gone to the emergency room or urgent care in the destination country, and tell the provider "I have run out of medication!" This would be covered by the traveller's insurance that you purchased for the trip.

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#102

I've always thought the hard cure to depression was to rip the person completely away from their lifestyle and give them an entirely new, physically active job, witness security program style.

> rip the person completely away from their lifestyle and give them an entirely new

This is how mental hospitals show results. A hospitalized person is ripped out of their daily non-routine, detoxed, given constant social interactions, and given a lot of structured routines, including sleep/wake, medications, provider visits, meal times, group sessions, and designated free time.

A person who can get with the program, or a person who does not violently kick against the goads, will get increasingly healthier evaluations, because our drugs are working, right?

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#103
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The healthcare system in the United States is deeply, horribly broken. Recently, my wife was going to be out of the country about a week-and-a-half. Her prescription for a medicine to manage arthritis would run out at the very beginning of that time. But insurance company policies refused to allow her to fill it even a little bit early. As a result, her only option was to go without the medicine for several days. Pol…

> her only option was to go without the medicine She could've gone to her provider to discuss adverse side effects. Sometimes they will prescribe a new medication that could be filled immediately. She could've got a pill cutter and cut the tablets in half, or space out the doses, or otherwise take less than the specified dose for a few weeks. She could've asked the pharmacist about OTC treatments which could be safel…

You sound like you would be a great patient advocate. His wife would have been lucky to have someone like you help navigate that situation, but it would be even better if people didn't need to waste their brainpower coming up with these tips and tricks to work around this fucked up adversarial system in the first place.

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#104
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The healthcare system in the United States is deeply, horribly broken. Recently, my wife was going to be out of the country about a week-and-a-half. Her prescription for a medicine to manage arthritis would run out at the very beginning of that time. But insurance company policies refused to allow her to fill it even a little bit early. As a result, her only option was to go without the medicine for several days. Pol…

> her only option was to go without the medicine She could've gone to her provider to discuss adverse side effects. Sometimes they will prescribe a new medication that could be filled immediately. She could've got a pill cutter and cut the tablets in half, or space out the doses, or otherwise take less than the specified dose for a few weeks. She could've asked the pharmacist about OTC treatments which could be safel…

Or we could have healthcare that doesn't profit off human misery such that his wife could take her full, prescribed medical dose.

The idea of someone cutting pills in half because their insurer is reporting record profits drives me nuts.

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#106

Surprisingly I've found some stigma attached to it - because people can get "preachy" about exercise I guess.

As evidenced by multiple examples already in this discussion. Food, exercise, willpower, mental health, all examples where randos without a problem feel entirely comfortable preaching to the victims that they just aren't trying hard enough.

i think calling them "victims" and not "patients" or something similar is part of the problem; your framing of the issue and the people is terrible

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#107
post #23

There’s a good argument for making joining a gym or buying exercise equipment prescription only. A lot of people can injure themselves if they don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe we could use flock cameras to enforce prescriptions for walking on the sidewalks.

> A lot of people can injure themselves if they don’t know what they’re doing

30 minutes of youtube vids could fix that.

and they're buying a treadmill or a bench, we're not talking anything crazy here.

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As evidenced by multiple examples already in this discussion. Food, exercise, willpower, mental health, all examples where randos without a problem feel entirely comfortable preaching to the victims that they just aren't trying hard enough.

i think calling them "victims" and not "patients" or something similar is part of the problem; your framing of the issue and the people is terrible

That's true, they are perps. Guilty of their own problems, morally culpable. No circumstance beyond their control. Simple!

Quibbling about the terminology is very on point, good job.

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#109

> When we look at higher-quality evidence and direct comparisons, exercise performs similarly to, but not dramatically better than, established treatments. Overhyping it risks damaging credibility in this important area of mental health. I get where he's coming from, but at the same time, if we can achieve even roughly the same result with exercise as with medication, that's a ridiculously huge win. Side effects of a…

The problem is that most people will reach for a pill before they will exercise, when given the choice.

I'm not sure this statement holds up to any scrutiny? Surely the number of people doing any kind of sports vastly outnumbers people on any kind of psychiatric medicine?

Re: Exercise works for depression. So why isn't it treated like real medicine?

#110
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, more like cringe. They'll get over it. You'll also get better.

> Eh, more like cringe. Yeah, true. > They'll get over it. Has not been my experience. > You'll also get better. Ditto. I am not gifted at music but my affinity for it and ability to play music is above-average (not hard, most people just don't ever even try) but if I try to dance, somehow where I think each movement should start or end is entirely wrong, like, to such a degree that it's like I'm trying and wonderful…

Yeah me too.
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