Exercise and sport for improved health and well-being
Sports programs for people with mental health disorders are an effective intervention to improve the health and well-being of this group.
At sport2live , since 2013 we have been developing health, exercise, and sports programs for people with mental health disorders and/or substance abuse and other addictions. Currently, more than 1,000 people train each week in the more than 50 programs we offer in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Castile and León, and Madrid. Since our founding, we have delivered more than 6,000 hours of sports programs for people with mental health problems and/or addictions.
The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise and sport per week for people over 18. People with mental health disorders do 50% less exercise and sport than the general population.
Angel Gonzalez Martin
Incorporating exercise and sports programs for this group is established as an excellent tool for improving both physical and psychological health (Vancampfort et al., 2015). When including exercise and sports in treatment programs for this group, they should be viewed as a health component rather than simply a leisure activity, since, in the case of people with addiction problems, leisure is often associated with unhealthy routines.
The incorporation of an exercise and sports program must be carried out under certain premises that will allow:
- Adherence to the sports program.
- Improved health.
- Improvement of the therapeutic alliance with the social and healthcare teams.
- Actively listen to their desires and expectations regarding sports practice.
- To create safe, non-heteronormative spaces that promote the empowerment of the participants.
The objectives of this type of program should be aligned with:
Improving health and providing a purpose in life
In many cases, people with mental health disorders lack a clear sense of purpose in life , whether due to the effects of the illness itself or the effects of medication. Exercise and sports programs should be designed to address or mitigate these deficiencies and become cornerstones in the recovery or remission of symptoms. Specific programs for this group are necessary to break down barriers to sports such as lack of social support, discriminatory environments, lack of confidence, lack of training knowledge, lack of information about the benefits of physical exercise (Pedley et al., 2018), and excessively heteronormative spaces that hinder access for the LGBTQIA+ community, among others.
Health and exercise programs created specifically for people with mental health disorders help generate adherence to physical exercise and bring about a change in lifestyle.
These types of sports programs should provide access to high-level sports facilities with adequate showers and changing rooms, as having proper personal hygiene spaces is beneficial. These spaces foster a sense of belonging to the sports program. Suitable facilities, where people can become members and feel a sense of ownership, provide a safe environment during opening hours.
Exercise and sports programs mitigate the physical, cognitive, and mental decline that individuals in this group may experience. People with less physical and mental impairment are better equipped to make informed decisions about their lives, their life plans, and their adherence to recovery programs.
It also prevents the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychosis (Rosenbaum et al., 2020).
Programs must be designed, directed, and supervised by qualified personnel with a degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, capable of developing programs with the safety and professionalism that these individuals deserve. People with mental health disorders often have injuries and pathologies that must be taken into account when implementing health, exercise, and sports programs. Knowledge of a sport, regular and prolonged practice, enthusiasm, or good intentions are not enough and, in many cases, are counterproductive. Law 3/2008, of April 23, on the practice of sports professions, states that only individuals with sufficient qualifications (INEF, CAFE, or intermediate or higher degrees in physical activity) can develop health, exercise, and sports programs for people with mental health disorders.
A purpose in life
People with mental health disorders sometimes lose their sense of purpose in life, and exercise and sport programs can be catalysts for regaining that purpose. Going to a workout every day, practicing boxing, or playing a game of soccer, basketball, or handball can connect with emotions from childhood and early adolescence, fostering a desire to " return " to the happiness of the past. There are thousands of examples of people who have reconnected with a life purpose through sport. Experiences such as street soccer , boxing programs, soccer and basketball championships, trail-running teams that facilitated a connection with nature, or the triathlon programs that sport2live developed between 2013 and 2018, all exemplify this. Erasmus+ research programs such as "Reintegration through Sport - The role of Sport in Addiction Recovery" provide evidence of the contribution of sport and physical activity as a vital element, offering a wide range of long-term benefits for the mental and physical health of people with mental health disorders. These are examples of how exercise and sport help create that vital purpose so important when it comes to developing a full, orderly and happy life.
Exercise and sports programs for people with mental health disorders have optimal cost-benefit ratios and should be incorporated into all approaches, in the programs of entities that work with this group or in public programs aimed at improving the health and well-being of people with non-prescribed substance use.
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