Exercise for Adolescents and Young People With Mental Illness

Abstract

Adolescents and young people face major challenges to their mental health and well-being, with the age of onset of most mental disorders occurring during the age range of 12–25years. This is a critical time to intervene to promote early recovery, limit negative consequences to social and vocational functioning, and maximize the opportunity to establish positive long-term health-related behaviors. With the current focus on youth mental health on earlier, safer, and potentially less complex interventions, interest in physical activity and exercise interventions has grown. These interventions have also shown to be highly acceptable and nonstigmatizing—factors that are important to young people ..