The other day I ran into my neighbor, whom I have encountered only a handful of times over the past 16 years. She was divorced shortly after we moved into the neighborhood and has kept to herself all these years. She was in a good mood this beautiful Friday morning in mid-summer, and was proud to tell me that she had made her last mortgage payment and had decided to use her 'new-found' money to landscape her home. She had made this rare visit to her front yard to instruct the landscapers as to where she would like her new tree planted.

Not having seen her for quite some time, I couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit older and much heavier. The dark circles under her eyes and pale skin color belied the beauty of a glorious summer day, the sun shining brilliantly and temperatures in the mid-70s. This was the first time that we had spoken for more than 5 minutes in the 16 years that she has lived next door to me. With her sad eyes and soft-spoken voice, she described her new landscaping, which included the removal of large bushes that blanketed her front windows and blocked out the sun and view of the world. I was so pleased that we had a chance to speak and felt an amazing rush of happiness for my dear neighbor. She lacked friends and visitors these past 16 years and never left her home unless it were in a vehicle.

People who are depressed, sad, lonely, and socially isolated can benefit from a daily regimen of physical activity. While exercise can't eliminate someone's depression or loneliness, it can help. Many researchers have shown that depression and loneliness can be reduced or controlled through some balance of medication and exercise. It won't necessarily make the mental pain go away, but it will give the person a sense of structure and harmony that often can't be obtained from a job or family member.

Read the entire column at http://www.ncpad.org/192/1371/2003-08~Issue~~Battling~Loneliness~and~Social~Isolation.