You will stop doing this once you feel better. Write it on your list of things that help, so it is there next time instead of forgotten.

What the research says

A meta-review of exercise across mental and substance use disorders found benefit for a wide range of conditions, with the strength of evidence varying considerably by condition. Exercise is the useful comparison here for a different reason: it works, and people still stop doing it. Whether a practice keeps going is a separate question from whether it helps.

Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.