Being Physically Fit During Teenage Years Reduces Risk of Suicidal
Behavior Later in Life
July 12, 2013
Story at-a-glance
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In a new large study, those who were in poor physical shape at
the age of 18 were nearly twice as likely to commit suicide as
an adult
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A prior study that found those in good physical shape as a teen
had a decreased risk of severe depression later in life
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Physical activity may help make your brain more resistant to
different types of stress and often works as well as
antidepressants at treating depression
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A person who appears suicidal needs urgent professional help;
help the person to seek immediate assistance from their doctor
or the nearest hospital emergency room, or call 911
By Dr. Mercola
Exercise is most often viewed as a tool to improve your
physical fitness, but it actually has profound benefits to your
mental and emotional health as well.
In fact, the influence of exercise on brain function may rival
its impact on your heart and other muscles. In the latest recent
study to investigate this connection, Swedish researchers even
revealed that getting in shape in your teenage years has a lasting
impact on your future emotional health.
Fit Teens Are Less Likely to Commit Suicide in Adulthood
In a large study of more than 1.1 million Swedish men, those who
were in poor physical shape at the age of 18 were nearly twice as
likely to commit suicide as an adult.1
The research builds on a prior study that found those in good
physical shape as a teen had a decreased risk of severe depression
later in life,2
although researchers noted:3
“But even when we exclude individuals who suffer from
severe depression in connection with suicide or attempted
suicide, the link between poor physical shape and an increased
risk of suicidal behavior remains."
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting neurochemicals like
serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some
of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of
depression. So it can certainly be used as a daily tool to
immediately enhance your frame of mind, reduce stress and feel
happier.
However, as this latest study demonstrates, exercise also appears
to be a useful tool for protecting your mental health in the long
term, via methods that are still being uncovered. For instance, it’s
thought that physical activity may help make your brain more
resistant to different types of stress.
You Can Change Your Brain for the Better with Exercise
One reason why exercise is so beneficial for your brain is that
it lowers the activity of bone-morphogenetic protein or BMP, which
slows the production of new brain cells. At the same time, exercise
increases Noggin, a brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist. The
more Noggin present in your brain, the less BMP activity there is,
and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis (production of new
brain cells) takes place.4
In addition, it’s known to treat depression, a major risk factor
for suicide, as well as, or better than, antidepressant drugs. This
is important, as the knee-jerk conventional treatment for depression
and suicidal tendencies is almost exclusively prescription
antidepressants.
Yet, more and more studies are confirming that
antidepressants intensify violent thoughts and
behaviors, both suicidal and homicidal, especially among children,
often making them a counterproductive solution to a very serious
problem. Exercise, on the other hand, will certainly not harm and
only has the potential to help. As
Dr. James S. Gordon, MD, a world-renowned expert in using
mind-body medicine to heal depression has said:
"What we're finding in the research on physical exercise
is that exercise is at least as good as antidepressants for
helping people who are depressed… physical exercise changes the
level of serotonin in your brain. And it increases your
endorphin levels, your 'feel good hormones.'
And also—and these are amazing studies—exercise can
increase the number of cells in your brain, in the region of the
brain called the hippocampus.
These studies were first done on animals, and they're
very important because sometimes in depression, there are fewer
of those cells in the hippocampus. But you can actually change
your brain with exercise. So it's got to be part of everybody's
treatment, everybody's plan."
Suicide Rates Are on the Rise: Could More Exercise Help?
It's estimated that a person commits suicide every 15 minutes in
the US. For each of these suicide deaths, an estimated 8-25 people
made suicide attempts.5
Taken together, the latest preliminary 2010 data from the US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists intentional
self-harm, or suicide, as the 10th leading cause of all death in the
United States. More Americans now commit suicide than die in traffic
accidents.6
So, if you have a family history of suicide, have been exposed to
suicidal behavior (such as from other family members or friends) or
have suffered/witnessed physical or sexual abuse or domestic
violence, your risk of suicidal behavior increases. And typically
it’s a combination of factors that leads to this desperate act.
However, the primary risk factor for suicide is
depression in combination with substance abuse, which could include
alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs. It's estimated that
more than 90 percent of those who end up taking their own lives fit
into this category.7
Exercise may certainly help in this area, as it frequently
outperforms antidepressant drugs in relieving depression, and is
also useful for alcohol and other addictions.
When you drink alcohol, for instance, it chemically alters your
brain to release dopamine, a chemical your brain associates with
rewarding behaviors. When you exercise, this same reward chemical is
released, which means you can get the same "buzz" from working out
that you can get from a six-pack of beer, with far better outcomes
for your health.
The challenge lies in getting a severely depressed or suicidal
person to gather up the energy and desire to exercise, but once it’s
started it can be an invaluable help. In the immediacy, however, a
person who appears suicidal needs urgent professional help. Help the
person to seek immediate assistance from their doctor or the nearest
hospital emergency room, or call 911. Eliminate access to firearms
or other potential suicide aids, including unsupervised access to
medications.
Encourage Your Teen to Stay Active for a Lifetime of Benefits
Leading a physically active lifestyle is a good habit to instill
in your child from an early age because although it’s
never too late to start exercising, the sooner you do it, the
better. Keeping kids active at school is a superb way to increase
learning, focus and even test results. As many of you reading this
have likely experienced, if your mind is feeling cluttered or you're
having a mid-afternoon slump, a brisk walk or a quick workout can
give you a renewed sense of clarity and focus. This is certainly
true for kids and teenagers, too.
There's absolutely no doubt that kids need exercise and that most
kids aren't getting enough. Less than one-third of kids aged 6 to 17
get at least 20 minutes of daily exercise in one form or another.
This is tragic, considering the multitude of short- and long-term
health benefits your child can gain from a regular exercise regimen,
in addition to a decreased risk of suicide, including:
Reduced risk of diabetes and pre-diabetes |
Improved sleep |
Stronger bones |
Reduced restlessness or hyperactivity; helps decrease
symptoms of ADHD |
Improved immune system function |
Improved mood |
Weight loss |
Increased energy levels |
Exercise for Teens: What Works Best?
Your teen does not need to log 30-60 minutes in the gym or in a
specific exercise class, unless that's really what they want to do.
Allow your child to choose activities that appeal to them, and which
are age appropriate. Remember that the trick to getting kids
interested in exercise at a young age is to keep it fun. Also keep
in mind that spontaneous bouts of exercise throughout the day is
actually the ideal way of doing it.
Short bursts of activity with periods of rest in between is not
only perfect for building your fitness level—this
is actually the way your body was designed to move! Kids will
typically fall into this behavior quite spontaneously, as long as
they're outdoors, and not cooped up in front of a TV or computer
screen, but as they get older they may need more organized
activities to take the place of active childhood games like tag.
Like adults, kids also need variety in their exercise routines to
reap the greatest rewards, so be sure your child is getting:
- Interval training
- Strength training
- Stretching
- Core-building activities
This may sound daunting, but if your teen participates in sports,
sprints around the backyard after the dog, rides his bike or
skateboards after school, he's covered. Also remember that acting as
a role model by staying active yourself is one of the best ways to
motivate and inspire your kids, teenagers included. If your child
sees you embracing exercise as a positive and important part of your
lifestyle, they will naturally follow suit.
Important Suicide Signs to Watch For
I know firsthand that depression and suicide is devastating. It
takes a toll on the healthiest of families and can destroy lifelong
friendships. Few things are harder in life than losing someone you
love, especially to suicide. If you think someone is suicidal, do
not leave him or her alone. Most suicide attempts are expressions of
extreme distress, not harmless bids for attention.
If you are feeling desperate or have any thoughts of
suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a toll-free
number 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or call 911, or simply go to your
nearest Hospital Emergency Department.
Also be aware of the following red flags that someone has a high
risk for self-harm. Besides straightforward or "sideways" comments
about not wanting to live any longer, suicide signs to watch for in
your teen (or anyone) include:
Acquiring a weapon |
Hoarding medication |
No plan for the future |
Loss of interest in extracurricular activities |
Changes in eating and sleeping habits |
Begins to neglect hygiene and personal appearance |
Declining grades in school and loss of interest in school |
Increased risk-taking behaviors |
Does not respond to praise |
Trouble concentrating or paying attention |
Frequent complaints of boredom |
Emotional distress leads to physical complaints of fatigue,
migraines, pain, etc. |
Putting affairs in order |
Making or changing a will |
Giving away personal belongings |
Mending grievances |
Checking on insurance policies |
Withdrawing from people |
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
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