Is Hiking Good For Depression?

If you are suffering from depression, going for a hike can certainly help, so yes, hiking is good for depression. But what exactly do we mean by “Is hiking good for depression”?

Speaking as someone who has suffered dark bouts of depression on two occasions in my life now, I feel I am at least a little qualified to give my opinion.

I believe, speaking from my own experiences of getting over depression that hiking was definitely one of the main contributors to my getting back to a normal life, whatever that is in this crazy world.

Let’s look a little deeper into hiking as an aid for treating depression and I will hopefully be able to explain what I mean more clearly, and of course, how you too could use Hiking as a tool to help you get through an episode of depression if you ever need to.

Is Hiking A Cure For Depression?

Let’s get this straight, hiking is not a cure for depression, it is just one of many tools that you can use to help you get over or through a period of depression Hiking should be used in conjunction with other vitally important aspects of treatment such as Therapy (in my case Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)), Medication and of course Support (from Family, Friends and Health Professionals).

This is not any sort of Medical Advice. I am not in any way qualified to give Medical Advice. I’m just sharing my experience of how I have used Hiking in the past, twice, to help me get over depression. Read more...