Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects millions of individuals each year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, 39.8% of Pennsylvanian adults struggled with depression in 20211. While the best way to treat depression is by talking with a therapist, there are several outdoor activities to fight depression that you can do in addition to therapy. There are plenty of reasons why spending more time outdoors is helpful, as it is a natural way to relieve stress and improve your overall physical and mental well-being.
Arkview Recovery Center is a fully accredited mental health treatment facility that welcomes people struggling with all types and severity of depression. When you arrive at our center, we will perform a full health assessment to determine the best therapies and medication to treat the disorder. You will work with a certified therapist in group and individual therapy sessions to uncover the root cause of the abuse and develop coping skills for managing your symptoms and triggers. For more information about our depression treatment center, call 717.744.0756 today to speak with our knowledgeable team.
How Can Outdoor Activities Improve Your Mood?
The great outdoors has many fantastic health benefits that many people are unaware of. The simple act of walking barefoot in the grass can reduce swelling and inflammation. Plus, the sun is a natural source of Vitamin D, which improves bone strength and blood glucose to energy conversion. Some additional benefits of being outdoors include:
- It promotes physical and mental wellness
- Improves focus and concentration
- Boosts your immune system
- Reduces the effects of aging
Joining an activity group that regularly does outdoor yoga, tai chi, or other low-impact exercises is an excellent way to reduce depressive symptoms, get some exercise, and build healthy new relationships.
At Arkview Recovery Center, we utilize several outdoor activities to improve your mood and greatly reduce the effects of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Our programs include a mix of private indoor therapy sessions and outdoor group therapy sessions led by experienced therapists who understand the positive effects of being in nature.
Outdoor Activities to Fight Depression
There are plenty of outdoor activities to improve your mood and prevent depression symptoms from worsening and leading to a co-occurring condition of depression and substance abuse. You can do these activities on your own, with friends, or through a depression treatment program, and they are appropriate for all activity levels.
Here are some of the best activities to help fight depression:
- Cardiovascular exercise – An easy way to spend time outdoors and get some exercise is by taking a walk around the block or along a favorite nature trail. These activities will get your blood pumping, reduce muscle pain and tightness, and help your heart.
- Meditative outdoor activities – Grab a comfortable blanket or chair some water, and head outside to do some beneficial mindfulness activities under the sun. Some easy meditative outdoor activities that you can do include journaling, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga.
- Gardening – Cultivating a garden and caring for plants is an excellent way to reduce depression, and digging your hand in the soil can be therapeutic and physically beneficial. You give the joints in your arms and hands a good workout. Plus, soil contains a natural antidepressant called Mycobacterium vaccae, which is known to promote serotonin production, which is responsible for helping you relax and feel happier.
The right outdoor activities to fight depression are unique for each person. Take some time and experiment with different outdoor activities to see which ones you like the most and which have the most significant effect on reducing your depressive symptoms.
Find Support at Arkview Recovery’s Depression Treatment Center
Arkview Recovery offers our patients several outdoor activities to help fight depression, addiction, and other mental health disorders. Our team understands how beneficial being outdoors is to recovery and will create a treatment program that includes outdoor hikes and other healthy outdoor activities.
Stop letting your depression keep you from living a whole and productive life. Call 717.744.0756 today or contact us online to schedule a tour of our facility and begin your recovery journey.
Kyle is Lead Therapist at Arkview Recovery Center. He holds a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has years of experience working directly with individuals who suffer from addiction and mental health disorders. Being in long term recovery himself, Kyle is very passionate about the recovery process. He is heavily involved in the local recovery community in which he enjoys his commitments to service and giving back. His specialty is in group therapy and developing clinical staff. Kyle brings to Arkview a holistic approach to recovery, specializing in mindfulness, reality therapy, and solution-focused therapy.
