I have
been an athlete since I could walk, so this topic was my favorite to teach. I
am passionate about physical fitness and knew this kind of enthusiasm was
necessary to connect with the consumers. The daily anxieties and hardships
regarding their mental conditions oftentimes places exercise at the bottom of
the list of priorities. Research shows, however, that physical activity is even
more beneficial to the psychiatric client. Exercise stimulates cognitive
function and improves mental capacity, mood, and energy. It also maintains a
healthy weight to combat the weight gain associated with many psychiatric
medications such as antipsychotics and antidepressants. The benefits of getting
active are widespread and include reducing disease related risk factors and
increasing immunity.
We also
taught the group some useful information about the types and different
components of exercise. Stretching is an important part of a workout, and it is
also essential to vary the activity to include muscular endurance and aerobic conditioning.
Many mentally ill consumers think it’s impossible to obtain physical fitness,
so we offered some great tips to get started:
1.
30-60 minutes of moderate-vigorous exercise most
days of the week is recommended.
2.
Talk to your doctor about what you can and can’t
do based on your diagnosis.
3.
Choose activities you enjoy. I like to listen to
my favorite music while I run.
4.
Recruit a partner for support and encouragement.
You will get into conversations and 30 minutes of walking will fly by.
5.
Set realistic goals and listen to your body.
To reiterate a positive attitude
toward exercise, I finished the class with a little physical activity of my
own. I played some always-loved Michael Jackson and got the consumers up and on
their feet! Together we completed body squats, arm circles, calf raises, and
high knees. The group enjoyed the movements and were glad to find out they were
capable of physical activity.
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