To want to get gym membership on the NHS

[lucyellensmum]

Our local swimming pool does GP reffered memberships and fitness programs. I suffer with depression and anxiety - i used to love the gym but i cannot afford it or justify the time away from DD. If i could get this at a reduced rate i could ask my mum to have DD for a couple of hours a week just so i could get back on track - i want to come off of ADs but cant do so without an outlet. Has anyone any experience of this?

Yes but why should theNHS pay for it?

We have an outdoor trimtrail nr us it's free.
Guess how many people use it?
None.

since i had a subsidised gym membership which is a partnership between the local council and local gps i havent cost the nhs anything

i could have cost bthem a huge amount

how much do you think medical intervention costs

lifestyle management is much the most cost effective course of action

Should the NHS pay for people with severe depression to have counselling DoubleBluff?

Does it do any good?

I am slightly taken aback by all the brisk 'go for a walk because it's free' recommendations. I exercise. I exercise in the local swimming pool. It plays a very important part in my mental (and physical) health not least because it's the form of exercise I like most - I do as it happens walk a fair bit but I don't run and I don't want to, however lovely some of you find running. And actually I think LEM is being perfectly reasonable.

OTOH sweetie being in the open air would be very beneficial in terms of your mental wellbeing. I can dig out the studies on this if you like!

mental health is equally important as physical health

and it is sensible to offer beneficial intervetions

that saves the nhs money

there is a stigma and ignorance which costs the nhs more in the long term

Yes, studies have found that the most effective treatment for depression id Anti-depressants used in combination with counselling.

and yes being outside is excellent too

ive written lots on mn about exactly that

combining different things is best

Why is the gym so much better than the exercise you can do for free? And can you explain that to your GP so that she can feel that you have no alternative?
It could be argued that all those 'fat bastards' are suffering with compulisive eating disorders and depression and are in a destructive cycle.
Fat people are visible and a that means they are more of a concern to our politicians, only when depression hits the headlines will it ever be delt with.
I do appreciate where you're coming from and how you need to help yourself by going to the gym and not taking ADs and that sounds great, good luck.
What about a local running club???

I can't afford gym membership so to ensure my mental wellbeing and fitness I walk and run.
I don't expect anyone to subsidise my gym membership.
I have a stressful job and a busy homelife.
If you think going to the gym will help you, go the gym.
I just think the NHS is overburdened as it is. I know people who have had bbob jobs on the NHS cos having small boobs made them ' depressed'.
I just think too many people take the piss, tbh.

Oooh, this is so depressingly like all the brisk 'go for a walk with the buggy, the baby fat will just fall off you' recommendations...

Listen up. LEM is talking about depression. Getting your arse moving is quite hard when you're feeling depressed. The prospect of a Nice Brisk Walk can be quite unnervingly horrible. If a gym works for her, it works for her. Once she's up and moving a Nice Brisk Walk may be an option. Give her a break.

if you think the nhs is overburdened then you should be an advocatre of more cost effective approaches

there ashoiuld be mpre schemes to assist people to improve their lifestyle and if local authorities have gym space which is unused then it seems overwhelmingly sensible to use it

lem are you overweight as well as depressed?

i actually got on mine although i was only borderline heavy enough

I amnot having a go at LEm specifically, and good for her for doing something positive.
I just don't think the NHS should pay for everything and people should contrbute if they are anle. The NHS like other public services is trying to do too many things for too many people.

depression isnt being a bit down in the dumps

reading some of the comments on this thread and others on mn i am not at all encouraged to attempt to admit to mental health problems in real life ever

DB, the NHS is overburdened. So mental health budgets are slashed.

Counselling is very effective, but in many areas is not available on the NHS at all because they don't have the funds to meet the need.

For severe depression you may be referred to a Cognitive Behavioural therapist on the NHS, and after 8 months or so you might get assessed.

The best treatment is counselling.

It costs too much.

To offer a subsidised scheme along with local authority gyms is surely fair?

It costs a lot more in terms of incapacity benefit and possible hospitalisation to leave people to suffer.

just out of interest -
the NICE guidelines state
"For patients with depression, in particular those with mild or moderate depressive disorder, structured and supervised exercise can be an effective intervention that has a
clinically significant impact on depressive symptoms."

PosieParker, sounds like you might be surprised to find that depression is (and should be) a NHS priority. The government's 2006 White Paper on Health & Social Care named the improvement of mental health services as one of its 4 goals.

girl form mars, I hadn't looked at it like that, maybe I shall back down a little...

But in reality it's not, is it? If NICE says about exercise and OP isn't getting a gym membership then I can't see how it is a priority, counselling is very underfunded. Priority means money doesn't it?

for anybody reading who does have mental health problems..hard as it is i believe exercise really does help

and i have sever problems

i said earlier in this thread i have been hospitalised

if i can keep structure in my life and going to the gym is now a big part of that it m akes ahuge difference

it isnt easy its fucking difficult

but it does work

last week i didnt manage to go and i did get very depressed..its not quite the same as my moods are very volatile but the fact that i got started on this was through the gp scheme

i have carried it on myself and added to it

PP, unfortunately individual GPs might well be behind the times in terms of best treatments... I work in a MH service and it is a struggle for us to find time to read govt guidelines, so it is no surprise that GPs might not.

As patients though, we can make GPs aware of treatment guidelines. I had to do it when I had nipple thrush (urg) just after ds was born -GP didn't want to prescribe the recommended treatment, and tho I felt odd doing it, I ended up going to him armed with the evidence and he did prescribe.

Anyway, mental health IS a priority for the NHS, it is constantly referred to by the govt, and clinicians are expected to make themselves aware of latest guidelines. Which, in the case of depression, include exercise prescriptions, where supported by local councils & gyms.

Then Spink, that is the right way for the OP to get her membership.

since I qualified (10 years ago), the number of therapists has increased enormously, money IS being pumped into services. Obviously when the NHS as a whole has financial deficits and has to cut back, the mental health stuff loses out too.

sorry, x-posted, just wanted to add something to my last msg

I don't think gym memberships should be "on the NHS", which is at bursting point. If we took responsiblity for some aspects of health orselves (ie paid at point of service like the Australian medicare system) it would be better for everybody.

There is an argument too that once something is for "free" the value of it goes down...so I can see that for some people, because someone is is footing the bill for their gym, they may not go...