The Positive Effects of Running on Mental Health

Working as a team with patients who are also recreational runners and managing a running school in the City of Mostar had made us thinking on how recreational running affects the mental health in individuals. Previous literature is pretty old dated, so we found this even more interesting. We have wondered why there is no more recent literature on this subject. So, while working on this mini review and discussing on this subjects we came up with an idea on a research about self esteem and life quality of individuals pre and post running school experience. Previous studies show that consistent running results in a number of positive psychological changes among diverse populations. In a study of Kenneth E.C. ordinary nonprofessional runners were surveyed about the psychological aspects of running. Many of the respondents had started running to improve their health, and almost all noted mental and emotional benefits including relief of tension, improved self-image, and better mood. Considering therapeutic effects of running Greist et al. define running as not expensive, and unlike sorne other treatments, it has beneficiai physical side effects. Their results compare favorably with those of patients in psychotherapy and have persisted for at !east one year in follow-up. Taking in mind all of the previously published research it can be concluded that running can be a therapeutic tool for a sereies of negative psychological conditions, such ass depression, anxieta, tension, mood changes, low self esteem etc. Although, these research are a few decades old there is still no recipe or dosage for running, especially in the area of physical ilness prevention. There is much to research and to be discovered in this field.