Americans seem to be in a hurry to find a quick fix to their woes. We seem to seek to escape the rigors of our fast paced, activity laden lifestyles through a variety of means. We consume the latest advertised products, watch the latest reality television programs that tend to focus on human humiliation; we drink to excess, take recreational and prescribed drugs and play video games for hours.

This need to exit from the harsh reality we have created has increased and exacerbated the nation’s mental health problems. According to The National Institute on Mental Health, approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety prevents us from being happy, can cause physical ailments, and keeps us from taking healthy risks that may improve the quality of our lives.

Another report from the National Institute of Mental Health states that nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. Suicide, closely linked to depression, is the third leading cause of death in 10- to 24-year-olds.

The focus on consumerism, entertainment and substance abuse takes us in the wrong direction; escapism rather than looking inward to understand what is troubling us. The answer to this problem is to develop a regular exercise program because exercise improves mental and physical health.