Can Exercise Be Your Therapy?

Have you ever seen those cute t-shirts that say: "Exercise is my therapy" or maybe, "My dog is my therapy"?

While I can understand this to a degree, the message is slightly flawed in my opinion.

Therapy: the treatment of disease or disorders, as by some remedial rehabilitating or curative process
(dictionary.com)

Coping Skills: any characteristic or behavioral pattern that enhances a person's adaptation
(medical-dictionary/thefreedictionary.com)

Real therapy gets to the root of a problem and really tries to solve it. It is working with a therapist, a licensed doctor, to treat your condition.

Coping skills help you deal with the problem. Developing healthy coping skills is very important because otherwise, a person develops unhealthy ways to cope. Hello, eating disorders, self-harm, drugs, etc. There are many unhealthy ways a person can "cope" and they seem to be much easier than healthy coping skills. Healthy coping skills include self-care, healthy friendships, hobbies, good nutrition, good sleep, and yes, exercise!

So I think a more accurate shirt would say: "Exercise is my healthy coping skill" but that is probably not as catchy. Oh well!

Tell me, what coping skills do you utilize? Would you like a more in-depth post on coping skills?

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