Stress

Definition:

These are terms in common use and there is considerable overlap between the two and in the way people describe their problems. 

Cause and scope for prevention:

It is easy to blame modern life for these conditions but they have always been common and aggravated by deprivation and financial difficulties. What is clear is that regular exercise is an effective means of prevention as well as being effective in reducing the impact of these conditions on the person’s ability to function and on their quality of life.  

Diagnosis:

There is no definitive test.

Standard medical therapy:

Until recently the standard treatment was pharmacological, by the prescription of ‘anxiolytic’ drugs like   Benzodiazepines but the standard response now is to offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

The NHS set up a project called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies), which allows individuals to request CBT directly without having to see their GP first.

The NHS App called the Stress & Anxiety Companion is for people with mild to moderate anxiety or   stress and uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help change the way people think and feel about things.

Benefit of exercise therapy:

Professor Cary Cooper, the adviser to the NHS on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, has stated:

Exercise won't make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly.

The NHS website also explains how getting active helps you feel better and has a useful list of Do’s and Don’t’s 

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

• raising your self-esteem
• helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them
• causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood

Key references:

Exercise as Treatment for Anxiety: Systematic Review and Analysis.

Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – a systematic review and meta-analysis 

Key organisation:

Mind.