Posted by morganator on November 28, 2009, at 14:21:07
In reply to Re: I'm an exercise skept, posted by mtdewcmu on November 28, 2009, at 8:13:26
>However, since bridge doesn't directly affect the brain, whatever benefits it has could be considered placebo effect.
Actually, pleasurable social interaction has been shown to have healing benefits that are NOT placebo.
> The reason people get better when taking a sugar pill during antidepressant trials is presumably because they believe they are doing something about their depression, being in a clinical study might make them feel important, the study doctors may be especially charismatic, etc. That's the sort of thing that is termed placebo effect, and it has been shown to be powerful.
I understand what placebo effect is and how it works. I just don't think that this sugar pill placebo effect would last continue to be successful as long as the medication that has the same success rate. Now I sound like I'm just trying to argue.
I still think that unless you have tried all forms of exercise- including meditative yoga and bikram yoga(this is expensive), and you stick with it for at least a few months, you cannot say for sure that exercise/stretching/yoga(yes now I'm including yoga) will not benefit you. That is, unless you are suffering from major depression and you don't have the support system and medication treatment necessary to give you the strength to exercise or the base to benefit from it.
Scott, I agree with much of what you said. I still think that everyone should exercise if they can. And if they can and do it for a while, just feeling good after a workout and feeling good about being in shape may at least give temporary or mild relief from one's depression. Now I think I'm being redundant.
poster:morganator
thread:926857
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091127/msgs/927291.html