Dealing with Depression Naturally

I have to monitor my mood because I'm prone to depression so I have to nip it in the bud. This is what works for me.

1. Exercise, especially intense aerobic exercise or weightlifting.

2. High-quality canned tuna (due to the fish oils). If/when I get down just having a bit here and there can perk me up.

3. Sauna. It's difficult to be depressed when you sweat it all out. Also gives you time to meditate and get into a better mindspace.

4. "Doing" rather than thinking. For example, trying to get involved in a tasks at home or at work that keep your mind off things. Decluttering, cleaning, gardening, etc. Anything other than negative thought patterns.

addendum to my post about 5HTP- the info I shared from Julia Ross' book was for someone who is not on prescription medications for mood issues/anxiety/depression. You need to work with your doctor when adding supplements to your prescription regimen or trying to gradually move from prescriptions to supplements. Definitely don't do that alone. You want to avoid serotonin syndrome or other complications.

Julia Ross, who wrote the Mood Cure, recommends taking 5 HTP 50 mg pills, 1-3 pills at mid afternoon and 1-3 pills at bedtime. If you haven't tried it before, she says to start with 1 pill, if you don't feel any difference in an hour, take a second one, and if still no difference in another hour, take a 3rd. At whatever point you feel a difference, that is your dose. She does not recommend 100 mg pills, I suppose because it limits the ability to start low and gradually increase, only as needed. Obviously, if you feel weird on it or have some side effect, don't take it. Her book is a great resource for how/when/why and side effects to look for when taking various aminos and supplements for mood. She also distinguishes between the "Blues" type of depression and the "Blahs" type of depression and recommends aminos/supplements accordingly.

Niacinamide helps depression. Dr. William Kaufman pioneered niacinamide treatment for osteoarthritis more than half a century ago. He observed that this form of vitamin B3 can relieve both anxiety and depression regardless of whether you have osteoarthritis or not.

Years ago scientists from a major patent medicine company published an article about niacinamide research in animals. They compared niacinamide to the patent medicines Valium and Librium and found their activities were much the same.

Niacinamide is very effective for improving the mood, attitude, and mental clarity of those with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome. Some users also report that their thinking… or their head… is much clearer when using niacinamide.

I take only 500 mg once in the morning and feel better within a couple of hours. At night I take 1,500 because of its sedative effect in higher doses.

I used cayenne this past month as a remedy for tachycardia.However, I thought the same thing as you, that my mood was better. I put a little bit in my hot herbal tea such as chamomile or hibiscus.

Having a lack of Vit d diagnosis changed my life. I was thinking about ending it because of the lethargy and pain. Everyone should take this simple vitamin 🍀

A simple solution to big problems.

I am taking Chromium Picolinate for minor depression and it has made me feel so much better i've heard that it is good for weight loss too but i havent seen any difference. Magnesium is also good for constipation, depression and other problems that have a tendency to pop up it pretty much can cure what ales you since most people do not receive enough magnesium in their diets.

I'm so happy for you, Cynthia!

I feel I must caution those currently on antidepressants:

Combining St. John's wort and certain antidepressants can lead to a potentially life-threatening increase in your body's levels of serotonin

St. John's Wort is amazing for depression. And at least for me, it worked quickly. I had tried all kinds of supplements without success. I had crippling brain fog, lethargy, and a general feeling of wanting to give up. Work stress was overwhelming. I started taking 350 mg of St. John's Wort twice a day and the results have been remarkable. Brain fog is gone. I want to tackle my work. I feel interested in doing things that I had given up long ago, things like polishing my shoes, curling my hair, or cleaning out a cupboard. Energy, motivation, positive outlook!

There are lots of reputable brands available. Many people take 300 mg three times a day and for some it takes a few weeks to start working. For me, SJW is as powerful as any RX antidepressant.

For brain zaps I highly recommend cold showers, or at least, a cold shower just for the head (which you should be able to withstand better). For my brain zaps, it reduced them by at least 70%.

I found amazing temporary benefits from low dose iboga root bark for my depression. Low dose ayahuasca was also great.

But taking any substance isn't a long-term solution. A better approach that works instantly and costs nothing is metta (loving kindness) meditation. You imagine sending love to your inner child, then to someone you love, then to someone you like, then to a stranger, then to someone you dislike, then to someone you hate. Or you can do it impersonally and just send love in all directions. Ajahn Brahm has good guided metta meditation vids on youtube.

I started eating once a day, around 4-5pm. This means I do a 24 hour fast, roughly. It hasn't even been 2 weeks, but it has been very beneficial. I was 161 lbs and am already at 154. I can literally feel my body doing what it's supposed to be doing for energy. Sometimes I have so much energy that it feels as though I took an ADD medication, like Adderall. Definitely helps me feel hopeful and has the ability to get me out of that dark, horrible run. Good luck to you.

+1 to Leilanie... -1 to Tif .. Not to be mean but... yeah. even the people I encounter who advocate Rx now and then don't even get relief from them.. it's just an old program that people repeat out loud like parrots; that doesn't work anymore..

If anyone got the recipe of Oprah Winfrey's tea for depression containing Rhodiola can you please post it here on Earthclinic? I have been searching for it for a long time now. Thank you very much!!

Mary

i got a little carved box made from palo sainto, when in Mexico once and used to open it every day, just to smell it! I kept all my wishes written down in it. it really does have a healing smell!

For stress, anxiety or depression - Vanilla Bean Powder

Vanilla bean fine powder melts anxiety & takes depression away.

Add a teaspoonful to coffee or tea/or simply remove the cap and use it as an aromatherapy! Add a spoon full to cereal/ even swish with a bit of toothpaste and prevent tooth decay!

Yes, it's a fine powder, not a liquid. Of course U can find it on Amazon.com

Thank you so much for posting this, Ron. I ordered a small bottle after reading your post to test it out and found it is indeed a good mood enhancer. I have been applying it to the sides of my wrist once or twice a day. I don't have depression but can feel a happy shift about 15 minutes after application. That really surprised me! Doesn't smell great though, a bit like petroleum! I have read the same comment about other brands of this essential oil too.

An unbelievable cure for depression is an essential oil named palo santo.

I have an occasional bit of depression and using palo santo is like magic, I have recommended it to a couple people and they had the same result; one person came to me with bad depression and while we were talking she sniffed the palo santo a couple of times and a while later I asked her how was her depression she replied she had not realized it was gone.

I have found many herbal remedies are so subtle that you don't realize the condition is gone or lessened. I have seen the same result for pain remedies anyway I don't need to keep on, best wishes

Hi Veronicah S. from Switzerland

- I enjoyed reading your post about gratitude / self love / self compassion. It's always good to have a gentle reminder of how much we have to be thankful for - regardless of our circumstances in life. Another great book (there are so many) is "Attitudes of Gratitude" by M.J. Ryan. I read it many years ago and I have to confess that I used to write in a gratitude journal but stopped for no particular reason. Now I'm going to make it part of my daily routine . . .

Thanks again and best wishes.

Hi. Very good advice I start and end the day with prayers of thanks. I have cleaned my entire place from top to bottom. Got rid of tons of clutter and I did feel better and less fatigue. When you look at clutter everywhere it's defeating and makes you tired. My problem is keeping up with it and staying on an even keel. I do really good keeping the house in order and then after some days I crash. Too tired to do anything. I don't know if this is a form of chronic fatigue or depression, although I don't think negatively this is not new I've had I would call it poor stamina all my adult life. I have attributed it to having a damaged nervous system from prolonged (like years) emotional trauma in youth. I'll have to do some more research. Thank you everyone for your ideas.

I am grateful for your suggestion :) Cutting out the negative programming is good, too. No violent tv shows, no toxic relationships, no foul books or pictures. Get rid of drab furnishings, broken things, gifts people gave you that you don't really want, even photos of yourself you dislike; be ruthless, depression is serious business. Keep your house clean, metaphorically and literally. You think you don't want to clean because you are tired, but having a messy house can actually make you feel tired, too. Use nontoxic cleaning products like baking soda, vinegar, or yummy essential oils. Throw out those cheap probably toxic air fresheners, bath bombs, body care products, etc. Stale apartment air needs to be ventilated. This is not a time to be frugal, your life is at stake.

Practice gratitude, self love and self compassion and watch your whole world transform. I was utterly depressed until I learnt the power of gratitude. Gratitude changes the way we view life and ourselves. Difficult situations that were once intolerable and seemingly unchangeable, transform. The moment we feel gratitude, the situation begins to lighten, and then we can see the opportunities to create change. We feel better about ourselves and our ability to positively affect our environment and our world. Depression lifts, conflict turns to harmony, and stress releases to peace. When gratitude becomes a way of life, success, happiness, and health become the norm. Make it a habit of thanking everything along your path. I am thankful for my cat, I am thankful for my perfect health ( even though the reality is different). Be thankful to the people or situations that you don't like. It is one way to cut the cord and free yourself.

Otherwise they remain in your life through negative emotions. Be thankful thankful thankful thankful. Remember, being positive for ten minutes and compaining the rest of the day will not work. You have a job to do, cultivating gratitude until it becomes the default program . You mean I can be healthy by just repeating "I AM HEALTHY"? yes. You mean I can be happy by just repeating "I AM HAPPY"? yes. You mean I can be ...............by just repeating "I AM ............" ? yes.

Well, I did not know that either, now i know. It has worked for me. Earth clinic was my to go site when I was searching to cure depression, thyroid issues, hypoglaecemia etc. Unfortunately I did not find relief from the many good suppliments and herbs. I had to return here and say something as a part of my gratitude. Practicing gratitude to everything and all , being careful about what I was feeding my mind and practicing self compassion when I caught myself thinking or saying negative stuff transformed my life. Reading about the brain neuroprasticity and learning how to reprogram the subconcious mind was my first help. Abraham Hicks book "The law of attraction" transformed my life. Louise hay book "You can heal your life" and many other books are resources that will get you from here to there. You are not helpless, YOU ARE YOUR OWN RESQUE. It has to come through you to you.

I have not been able to find anything on Brain Zaps. From what I've read it is related to serotonin levels. People coming off of anti-depressants seem to get them. However my elderly father is now experiencing them and I'm wondering if it's due to aging and depletion of serotonin levels. I've read Omega 3 oils, b-6, b-12 and 5HTP are very effective. Has anyone had luck with these remedies?

Hello all it is early days but caught up with a friend who suffers depression and anxiety and is on different meds, twice a day. She was strangely severely affected by afternoons. She about 6 weeks ago started my suggestion of the spoonful of linseeds (flaxseeds) soaked overnight in water, consumed in the morning. As it had been awhile I asked her how she was doing on it. Apart from actually enjoying drinking the seeds, she grasped my hands to advise she no longer had the dark cloud over her head in the afternoon, and often didn't take her afternoon antidepressant because she didn't need it. We both had tears in our eyes at this development. Hope this encourages someone who needs it.

If you suffer from the occasional blues or even extended depression, St. John's wort is the herb for you. There have even been scientific studies that show St. John's wort to be as effective if not more effective than Prozac.

My wife and I have been using it whenever needed for years. Always great results. As with all herbal remedies, you probably want to pay attention to the quality and the place or origin. Personally I avoid everything from China. If you can get something locally, I think that is much preferred.

As I said in my recent comment, he was dehydrated and the doc said it caused his depression and water cured it. My whole point to that comment was to make people THINK about looking back at their eating habits as in do you eat alot of salty foods, drink alot of coffee, etc? If you do then it's logical to conclude that you might be dehydrated and need to drink water.

I just wanted to let everyone know that dehydration can cause severe depression. My boyfriend was depressed and was also dizzy. I took him to the ER and they ran tests on him and found that he was severely dehydrated due to exercise, eating too many salty foods, drinking coffee and soda, etc. His doctor said that the dehydration caused his depression, so they gave him 3 or 4 I.V. bags of water. After all that water, my boyfriend said he felt fantastic and his depression was gone!

I hope this info helps someone else because who would think something as simple as water could help depression!

Hi Gary, could you send a photo or the name of the exercise. I think most people don't understand your exercise.