what are some natural treatments for depression?
Byi feel like dianne keaton in 'somethings gotta give', i'm always crying anymore. i can be at work, and i just crying. i think people think i have allergies, because i'm usually smiling. but the truth is i'm overwhelmingly sad, and it almost hurts to hear other people laugh. when i wake up, all i can think about is going back to bed. i'm an artist and i haven't done anything creative in a long while, i think this is one of the major reasons why i am depressed. i looked at my portfolio the other day and it just didn't seem important to me anymore, and that scared the shit out of me. art is my life.
i also moved into my first apartment this past september. it was exciting at first, but i'm literally on my own and it gets kind of lonely. i really don't like my job, it's a boring office job, there's absolutely no creativity involved. i'm not taking any classes. my friends and i hardly keep in touch anymore. i don't want to whine to them because i know they have their lives. i've tried making new friends but i think i have social anxiety or something because i find it so hard to talk to new people anymore… my ears ring, my hands shake, i get paranoid, i feel like such a loser.
my mom lives 4 states away, and i think my dad is mad at me because i didn't help him with a financial issue. my hair is falling out because of all of the stress, i'm only 23, my hair shouldn't be falling out. i feel like i'm wasting space anymore. i don't want to see a doctor because i'm afraid of being put on a depression pill, i hear people become suicidal while on them. (that would be the icing on the cake, right?)
does anyone know of any natural remedies or vitamins that i could take? please, only serious answers, i'm really embarrassed to be saying all of this.
You have been going through a lot of changes, and your lack of a creative outlet doesn't help. I have listed some natural remedies below, but it sounds like you could use some kind of counseling or therapy to give you a helping hand. Sometimes just talking things out or having someone give you some suggestions works wonders.
As you might know, St. John's wort has been touted as a help for mild depression. Perhaps higher doses can be useful for moderate depression.
A good deal of research seems to be pointing to the role of omega-3 oils for treatment of depression. Certain fish, especially salmon, are a good supply of omega 3. If you're vegetarian, you can take omega 3 capsules, especially flax seed oil. If you google for "omega 3 foods," you can find foods that contain lots of omega 3.
You can go into most vitamin or health food stores and find a whole aisle devoted to mood enhancing supplements or antidepressants. If the sales clerk appears knowledgeable and honest, ask for his/her advice on some of the best products.
Amino acids that may help depression include phenylalanine, tyrosine, GABA and theanine. 5-HTP, tryptophan and alpha lipoic acid might have some antidepressant qualities. The same can be said for folic acid and the B vitamins in general.
If none of the above helps, your best bet might be to go to an alternative health practitioner or MD who has done a lot of work in treating depression naturally.
If it is possible for you, I would seriously suggest as much exercise as possible, good nutrition, and some form of relaxation like meditation. These remedies have been the most successful for me in terms of natural treatments for depression. Best wishes.
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7 Comments
May 13th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Eat some chocolate. It's a natural anti-depressant. I recommend a Snickers bar lol.
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May 13th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
B-complex and St John's wort
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May 13th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Ok- a few things.
There are different causes for depression. If it's chemically based then there's nothing for it except medication. If it's situational there's several things you can do. I will make some suggestions and you should try them, probably in combination, but know that there's no guarantees. You may have to see a doctor. About suicidal thoughts and behaviors being a side effect of anti-depressants- this is not true for everyone. When someone is so depressed they are not functional (i.e. never getting out of bed, not eating, not showering ect.) then they are not considered at risk for suicide because they simply do not have the physical energy necessary to kill themselves. Once the anti-depressant begins to work the energy comes back, but there can be a delay between feeling more energetic and feeling less depressed. THIS is when suicide becomes a concern, because they have the physical capability of doing it. Not everyone gets to the point where they want to. I think you're probably at a place where medication would be beneficial but not dangerous, because you obviously are functioning at a high enough level to express your emotions, get on the internet, look for solutions, ect. When I first started meds myself I was super paranoid about them, but they're actually pretty good. I feel my quality of life has improved drastically, and you don't have to stay on the meds forever either.
That being said: make sure you're eating healthy. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish (for the omega-3). Avoid sugary food or processed foods. Exercise for at least thirty minutes daily to get endorphins flowing, even if you don't want to. Go outside for at least thirty minutes between 10 am and 2 pm for the sunlight, which helps boost mood. Take multivitamins. Force yourself to do something you used to find pleasureable like art even if you don't want to for a certain amount of time a day, like one hour. Reach out to people around you. Being socially isolated is really hard on your mental health. Join a depression support group. Take a night class. Tell your friends how you feel and that you need them to come through for you now. Get a pet. Do some volunteer work (this will help you think less about your emotions and boost your self-esteem, it really works).
If these don't help and/or you begin to get worse PLEASE see a doctor. Talk to them about your concerns. They'll be able to tell you more stuff, and more suggestions than anyone on the internet. A lot of what you hear about psychiartic medication is just plain not true. You wouldn't let your friends tell you what cancer meds you should and shouldn't take, mental health is just as complicated and needs a professional. It's the health of your brain. Don't let word of mouth keep you from being your own advocate. If you don't want meds, that's ok, you don't have to take them. But get educated and informed from a reliable source before making that decision. Good luck. I hope everything works out for you.
References :
May 13th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
You might want to take either St. John's Wort tea or Lemon Balm tea to help lift your mood.
Just exercise due diligence by researching on possible contraindications to these teas if you're using medication.
References :
http://www.teabenefits.com/herbal-tea-benefits/lemon-balm-tea-benefits.html
http://www.teabenefits.com/herbal-tea-benefits/st-johns-wort-tea-benefits.html
May 14th, 2009 at 3:16 am
Try signing up for some sorta physical activity like joining a gym or even Tai Chi classes. Lack or exercise is a common cause of depression. When u exercise and get ur mind off of ur worries even for a lil while theyll affect u less an d less. And if u sign up for something force urself to go and stick with it for 3 months and ull see a difference in ur mood.
References :
May 15th, 2009 at 2:14 am
You have been going through a lot of changes, and your lack of a creative outlet doesn't help. I have listed some natural remedies below, but it sounds like you could use some kind of counseling or therapy to give you a helping hand. Sometimes just talking things out or having someone give you some suggestions works wonders.
As you might know, St. John's wort has been touted as a help for mild depression. Perhaps higher doses can be useful for moderate depression.
A good deal of research seems to be pointing to the role of omega-3 oils for treatment of depression. Certain fish, especially salmon, are a good supply of omega 3. If you're vegetarian, you can take omega 3 capsules, especially flax seed oil. If you google for "omega 3 foods," you can find foods that contain lots of omega 3.
You can go into most vitamin or health food stores and find a whole aisle devoted to mood enhancing supplements or antidepressants. If the sales clerk appears knowledgeable and honest, ask for his/her advice on some of the best products.
Amino acids that may help depression include phenylalanine, tyrosine, GABA and theanine. 5-HTP, tryptophan and alpha lipoic acid might have some antidepressant qualities. The same can be said for folic acid and the B vitamins in general.
If none of the above helps, your best bet might be to go to an alternative health practitioner or MD who has done a lot of work in treating depression naturally.
If it is possible for you, I would seriously suggest as much exercise as possible, good nutrition, and some form of relaxation like meditation. These remedies have been the most successful for me in terms of natural treatments for depression. Best wishes.
References :
May 15th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety / Panic Attacks / Stress / Depression(Bereavment) / Mood Swings :-
ANXIETY / PANIC ATTACKS & STRESS :-
Sudden with restlessness and fear of death, Panic Attacks, Aconite 30X or 200X,1/2 hourly (3 Doses)
Prolonged with periodic and panic attacks Arsenic Alb.200X, 4 hourly (3 Doses)
With fainting spells; profuse sweating; worse in the morning Sulphur 30X or 200X 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Makes patient walk fast; due to anticipation Argentum Nit 200X, 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Worse lying in bed and closing the eyes Carbo Veg 30X or 200X, 4 hourly (6 Doses)
Anxiety aggravated by upward or downward motion; going in an elevator; worse till 11 P.M, Borax 200X or 1M, 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Anxious about business even when seriously ill Bryonia Alba 200X 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Full of apprehensions in the evening Causticum 200X, 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Anxiety and fears in the evening with restlessness and palpitation Calcarea Carb.200X or 1M, 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Anxiety worse while lying still. Sad music ameliorates the complaints Manganum Acet 200X 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Anxiety due to fright, fear,exciting news; stage fright; worse while appearing for examination or interview etc Gelsemium 30X or 200X 3 hourly (6 Doses)
Mood Swings, Anxiety due to grief or shock in the subconscious mind Ignatia 200X or 1M, 3 hourly (3 Doses)
Anxiety; better after eating Anacardium Or 30X, 4 hourly.
DEPRESSION & GRIEF(Bereavement) :-
Severe shock due to sudden death of loved ones; restlessness, anxiety and fear Aconite 200X. 10 min (3 Doses)
Prolonged mournings; cannot overcome the loss of loved ones and/or Mood Swings. Ignatia 1M or 10M, 6 hourly (3 Doses)
When the grief is in the conscious mind; patient weeps; does not like sympathy Natrum Mur.200X or 1M, 6 hourly (3 Doses)
For chronic grief and indignation Staphysagria 200X or 1M, weekly (3 Doses)
Depression with suicidal thoughts feeling of worthlessness(low self esteem), Aurum Met 30, three times a day half hour before meals.
Take the remedy which is similar to your symptoms. No side effects or complications if taken as directed, please do not exceed the given dosage and under any circumstances do not try to mix any remedies and avoid Chocolates, Mints, Coffee, Red Meat, Alcoholic and Carbonated drinks, Spicy Rich Food while taking any Homeopathic remedies, and keep the medicines away from direct sunlight, heat strong smells and perfumes and do not store them in the fridge. Curing without any side effects or Complications Thats the Beauty of Homeopathic Medicine.
Homeopathic remedies are available over the counter at most Health & Herb stores all over USA and EU.
Take Care and God Bless.
P.S To read more about how to treat Mood Disorders with Homeopathic remedies you can check this link too :- http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/mood-symptoms-treatment-cure.asp
References :
HOMŒOPATHIC PRACTITIONER