Virtual Running Groups to Prevent Depression Disorder

Virtual running groups
Student
Institution
Virtual running groups
Introduction
Depression is classified as a mood disorder characterized by feelings of anger, loss, sadness, and a general interference with one’s daily activities. According to Shimada et al., (2010), “Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” Virtual walking has been proven to be one of the most effective interventions for individuals undergoing depression in the communities. In its most comprehensive definition, virtual walking is a stress reedy where individuals come together on walk or run on local paths at a given time of the day and for a particular distance. Scientists have proven that group nature walks are an answer to a reduced depressive mood and participants can have go a long way in improving their mental health while at it.
Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
According to Eldridge (2014), one of the best methods of responding to common mental health diseases today is establishing a comprehensive lifestyle change, where a person decides to overhaul their usual habits in a bid to improve their mental health. Most of the individuals undergoing depression are at risk of developing other lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia, and even diabetes, because of their sedentary way of life. Increasing physical activity is one of the most effective ways of lifestyle change that an individual could establish to ensure they are always fit (Craft & Landers, 2018). Admittedly, healthcare professionals and patients alike still do not appreciate the role played by increased activity in their lives. However, extensive research has indicated that virtual walks and runs contribute substantially to a reduced chance of mental illness. They are generally characterized by an improvement in mood.
Once a person’s mood is improved, they are likely to feel depressed because of the influence of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the general increased blood circulation in the brain. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a major actor when it comes to the physiologic reactivity to stress (McCann & Holmes, 2014). Before this happens, there is a series of communication between different components of the brain that deal with motivation and control of a person’s mood. Some of these components include the amyglada and limbic system. The limbic system is responsible for control a person’s mood, the hippocampus has a substantial role in one’s memory formation, and the amyglada plays a vital role in the generation of fear in response to stress North, McCULLAGH & Tran, 2010). Therefore, it can be noted that an increased function of these parts of the brain can take one a long way to reduce their stress levels and avert depressive disorders.
Aside from the physiological processes that change when a person’s involves in exercises, there are the social changes that scientists have identified to be effective when it comes to improving an individual’s general mood. In this regard, scientists have posited that exercising improves one’s social int...