Under the motto "personal - active - antidepressant" , we are investigating various offers in the Department of Sports Medicine to support people with a depressive illness in (re)engaging in healthy recreational sport. We accompany these support offers with questionnaires and measurements, e.g. on physical performance and activity.

Changing exercise habits towards an active lifestyle is a relevant but difficult goal to achieve. The symptoms of depressive disorders, such as loss of interest, reduced drive and self-confidence, increased fatigue and indecisiveness, make it difficult to engage in physical activity and start a sports program. Starting an exercise program would have a number of positive effects: an improvement in physical and mental health, greater participation and quality of life as well as a reduction in follow-up treatment costs and incapacity to work. The aim of the project is to improve the current deficits in the provision of sports programs for people with depression. Despite numerous research projects on the effects of exercise on depressive disorders, there is a lack of suitable forms of support and exercise programs. We have therefore developed a scientifically based intervention based on the needs of those affected using training science and psychological methods. The strengths and special features of the project lie in the individual face-to-face support, joint sports activities in the everyday lives of those affected and the brevity of the intervention with its function as a start-up aid in combination with the long follow-up phase to investigate sustainability.

We are currently in the evaluation and follow-up phase.