If exercise came in a pill, it’d be the number one prescribed antidepressant in the world. Think about it: it’s free, it’s accessible to almost everyone, and it has virtually zero side effects. As a pharmacist, I see patients struggle with medication side effects all the time. But here we have an antidepressant you don’t need to swallow and that only makes you healthier. Sound too good to be true? Let’s dive into the science and find out why regular exercise might work as well as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) for mild-to-moderate depression, and what that means for your mental health plan.