| Summary: | Backround: Many studies indicate that people with mental illness often suffer from physical illness. Many people with mental illness do not exercise even though they often have knowledge about the benefits of physical activity. Studies suggest that psychiatric patients have the desire to have an everyday life with more content. It is apparent in studies that healthcare professionals believe that it is the patients' own responsibility to keep themselves physically active. Aim: The primary objective with this study is to examine motivation and possible obstacles to exercise for persons with self-perceived mental illness and experience of psychiatric care. The secondary objective is to investigate how psychiatric care may be of importance to people with mental illness when it comes to exercise. Methods: Semi-structured interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used. Results: The results were presented in five categories; exercise as self-care, to make your day meaningful, not knowing your limits, mental illness and inactivity, how health care motivates exercise. Some of the categories contained subcategories. Discussions: The results of the study were discussed by Dorothea Orem´s self-care theory. People with mental illness may have difficulty with motivation and lack of initiative related to their illness, and by that unable to cope without the support to exercise or perform physical activity. The nurse may have a very important role to compensate for what is lacking in the patient´s knowledge and ability. The author believes that psychiatric care should implement exercise as part of treatment.
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