Exercise Proven Effective for Depression, Yet Rarely Prescribed as Treatment

Research consistently shows that physical exercise can be as effective as medication or therapy in treating depression. Despite strong evidence, exercise is rarely prescribed by doctors as a formal treatment option for mental health conditions. Barriers include lack of clinical infrastructure, limited physician training in exercise prescription, and patient compliance challenges. The gap between evidence and practice raises questions about how the medical system evaluates and integrates non-pharmaceutical interventions. Experts argue that exercise deserves the same structured clinical consideration given to drugs and talk therapy.