Exercising with anxiety: A qualitative analysis of the barriers, facilitators, and psychological processes underlying exercise participation for people with anxiety-related disorders

Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018Source: Mental Health and Physical ActivityAuthor(s): Julia E. Mason, Y.Nichole Faller, Daniel M. LeBouthillier, Gordon J.G. AsmundsonAbstractA strong body of empirical evidence demonstrates the anxiolytic effects of exercise; however, translating these findings into an effective mental health promotion strategy for people with anxiety-related disorders (ARDs) may prove challenging as people with ARDs tend to report lower levels of participation in physical activity, including exercise. To overcome this barrier, research is needed to understand the psychological processes that fuel engagement and disengagement from exercise for people with ARDs. The purpose of this study was to use grounded theory to describe the exercise experience for people with ARDs, including the barriers and facilitators that they face. Participants were recruited via an online eligibility screener and 16 eligible participants, who met diagnostic criteria for an ARD and reported being physically inactive, completed individual face-to-face interviews. The model resulting from our study shows that people with ARDs frequently experience exercise anxiety or the cognitive (i.e., worries about exercise), physical (i.e., negative reactions to the physical sensations associated with exercise), and behavioural (i.e., avoidance) symptoms of anxiety when they think about and/or engage in exercise. The model also identifies several factors (e.g., social support, mo...
Source: Mental Health and Physical Activity - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research