Citation

van Tulleken C, Tipton MJ, Massey H, Harper CM. BMJ Case Rep. 2018; 2018: e225007.

Affiliation

Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bcr-2018-225007

PMID

30131418

Abstract

A 24-year-old woman with symptoms of major depressive disorder and anxiety had been treated for the condition since the age of 17. Symptoms were resistant to fluoxetine and then citalopram. Following the birth of her daughter, she wanted to be medication-free and symptom-free. A programme of weekly open (cold) water swimming was trialled. This led to an immediate improvement in mood following each swim and a sustained and gradual reduction in symptoms of depression, and consequently a reduction in, and then cessation of, medication. On follow-up a year later, she remains medication-free.

© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Language: en

Keywords

mood disorders (including depression); sports and exercise medicine