Depression Clouds? Try the Start app and Exercise

If you or someone you know has a cloud of depression obscuring the joy of life, you often wonder...what is the remedy?  Is there an answer?

According to Thomas Goetz, the inventor of a mobile app called Start (which I'll describe in a moment), antidepressants are the most often prescribed medication for adults under 45.  Over 30 million Americans take antidepressants, even though there is a 50% failure rate.

A first step?  Exercise has been shown to be at least as effective for mild to moderate depression as the drugs.  So, go for a walk.  Or take an exercise class or go for a swim.  Find a way to move your body daily.

A second step?  If someone is taking an antidepressant, one way to test if the drug is effective is through the mobile app, Start.  The app is designed to create a "feedback loop between the medication and the symptoms, giving people a path through the fog ... to a better place as fast as possible." (Quote from Thomas Goetz)

Perhaps the same concept could apply to exercise.  For example, tracking your exercise (what you did, time of day, length of time, and intensity) and tracking your symptoms for the next 24 hours.  Through this, you may discover that a long brisk walk at lunch is most effective for you ... or that 3 shorter walks each day helps you more.

Keep your physician "in the loop" on what you are doing and about your symptoms.  Also, remember to seek counsel from a pastor and to talk with God about your struggle.  God does have an answer for you!

(Don't forget, the book Go Forward: 28 Days to Eat, Move, and Enjoy Life God's Way, available on Amazon, leads you through scriptures about health topics, including mental health.)