★★★★★
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.
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
St John's Wort
Graviola Leaf
★★★★★
Random Thoughts
Random Thoughts
While I always enjoy your posts, your heartfelt thoughts about Robin Williams were truly inspiring. Everyone can benefit from kindness and compassion - both giving and receiving. So thank you, once again, for sharing with us. Take care, Bess
Random Thoughts
Random Thoughts
T.M. provides a direct method of centering the mind into deeper levels of the subconscious thereby preventing the fragmentation that occurs in an hectic, stressful, modern lifestyle or workplace. Michael Jackson fell into the same trap taking increasing amounts of dangerous pharmaceuticals until he collapse altogether.
After doing T.M. daily and w/ half an education the light of the fact that one is, during this practice, in the center of the universe. John Lennon revealed some of this type awareness in "I Am The Walrus" song.
Trade the destructive fragmentation of the self for creative Unity thru T.M.
OTC Natural Lithium
It also helps me to feel in touch with God when I contemplate the immensity of the cosmos. When your blues come knocking, contemplate the famous photo called "Pale Blue Dot." You can find it online. It puts your issues in perspective.
I'm not familiar with using gold. I never ran across any information on it. I do have much experience with Valerian. It works excellently for sleep. However if used regularly, Valerian can bring on depression. So I use it only as needed.
If you want to use your computer at night, just block the blue light waves that emanate from the screen. You can do that by wearing amber-lens glasses or covering your screen with an amber lens. (I got cheap amber goggles on Amazon, but pricier glasses are also sold for this purpose.) If you google "blue light waves and sleep, " you should find out much about this topic. I read an excellent book on the topic that you can get on Amazon: GREAT SLEEP! REDUCED CANCER! By Richard L. Hansler, Ph.D. The new energy-saver light bulbs that are everywhere now have more of these blue waves than the older incandescent bulbs, so they too are a problem, as is the light from cell phones. If you look up "Insomnia" here on the earthclinic site, there is an entry called "Block Blue Light, " that will tell you what you need to know.
Recently I came across information that Vitamin C is needed for the body to make neurotransmitters that are important for overcoming depression. Consequently I am now also trying a high dose of Vitamin C. Here is the quote which I found for Vitamin C made from tapioca:
"Vitamin C inhibits candida and promotes wound and gut healing. This vitamin is also important in the biosynthesis of carnitine, serotonin, and certain neurotransmitters, including norephinephrine."
I regret those feelings of desolation you have, and I will think about you. I hope that, day by day, your desolation will fade and joy and wellbeing will visit. Your new beginning may be just around the corner, and something of great value may replace your loss.
OTC Natural Lithium
OTC Natural Lithium
Dealing with the death of your wife, along with the stress of being a caregiver, has taken its toll on your physical, mental and emotional health. Take as much time as necessary for your healing. Be kind to yourself - there is no schedule to follow because grieving is such an individual process. I hope you find peace in the days ahead.
I just want you to know that I always found your posts on Earth Clinic to be generous, enlightening and uplifting. You write with warmth, sincerity and empathy. It's obvious that you put a lot of thought behind those words before you hit the “Submit” button.
Take care, Dave, my thoughts are prayers are with you. Bess
“Within our hearts and memories, those we love remain with us always.”
OTC Natural Lithium
OTC Natural Lithium
One can spend thousands of dollars on supplements, but health still comes down to these basics: good sleep, the right food, and exercise. That is the golden trinity of good health.
Here are a few more things I have found helpful for depression: Vitamin D, either from the sun on one's skin or from taking D3. (Avoid synthetic D2) Vitamn C--as I said before, it is needed by the brain. Eating lots of raw vegetables, alone or in a salad. Raw vegetables rarely fail to give me a boost.
Also, pay special attention to your digestion. A happy gut = a happy head. If you have digestive issues, look into cures, like the low FODMAP diet.
Weaning Off Medications
★★★★★
Blessings, Mary
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
I am very allergic to Sulpha drugs and about a half hour later I started to itch. I called the pharmacist where I live and explained to her what it had. She said it would only have a minute amount in it but to get benadryl if I had any side effects. I started to feel needle like picks all over my body and took care of it with the benadryl. Maybe it won't happen to you but be careful.
Exercise
★★★★★
Weaning Off Medications
Weaning Off Medications
Weaning Off Medications
Weaning Off Medications
Weaning Off Medications
Let me tell you my own personal story in getting off anti-depressant meds. I started taking both an anxiety and depression medications last year. They were doing me basically no good. I decided I was going to take this into my own hands. I came up with a plan along with the kind help of Bill here on the boards.
This plan involved mainly magnesium & niacin. I added a couple of other things myself. Those things have been 5-HTP and GABA. Let me say straight up that this isn't a quick fix like any medication is supposed to provide. It takes a while for this protocol to start working. Especially if you've suffered from long-term depression.
I will also say that NIACIN(B3) has probably been the biggest help. I take 500mg of niacin 3X daily w/meals. I take magnesium 250mg 3X daily w/meals. I take the GABA at 750mg(one dose) daily on an empty stomach normally first thing in the morning.
I take the 5-THP(100mg) once during the day and once at night(also 100mg) about one hour before bed. 5-HTP can be taken with or without food. I take it most of the time with food. The brand names to use are not really that critical. However, try to avoid any supplement with magnesium stearate added as a filler or any other fillers for that matter.
I personally use Doctor's Best and NOW Foods for most of these recommended supplements. It took me over 1 month before I started seeing any major changes. Now, it's been almost 5 months now and NO MORE ANTI-DEDRESSANTS! I had to wean off them slowly. I just cut back gradually. I cut back about every 2 weeks in dosage. I'm no longer depressed but I do still have some anxiety at times.
I'm allowing zapping & parasite cleansing to help with all the other leftover health issues I have going on. Hope this helps you out! Depression is tough! However, adding prescription meds only makes it worse in most cases. I'm thankful to God that I'm now no longer taking them! God Bless!
Medication Side Effects
L-Methylfolate
L-Methylfolate
Water
Serotonin Increasing Remedies
★★★★★
★★★★★
Multiple Remedies
Urine Therapy
★★★★★
Energy fields emitted by crystals can help balance weak chakras. (another proven cause of depression simply google it and you'll find plenty of evidence). Simply hold the crystal to your forehead (I use tape. The longer it stays there the better) and within a week you should start to feel better. Which crystal you use may depend on your zodiac simply research which crystals are best for you or you may want to use your birthstone (also good). Let us know if you try either or both of these suggestions and if they worked for you!
I listened to her tapes every night for 9 years and they helped alot. Another woman who became a doctor after being Agoraphobic for years has a hospital but sorry to say she charges too much for her programs and that's a terrible shame after knowing how bad these panic attacks and depression feel and most people I know who have it bad can not work. She geta a big lump of coal from me!!
I did a lot of research to help myself. GABA is a very important supplement to take because it relaxes your mind enough to let you sleep and find therapy to help you get through it. Magnesium for me is 700 mg daily but check for your size and weight this helps to keep your muscles loose and not tight. Exercise for depression is very important. Don't eat too many foods that contain MSG this spice can actually bring on anxiety attacks. If you can go and swim in the beach the salt water takes away many negative energies and relaxes you. If you cannot, take epsom salt baths. Laughter is very good for your overall health. I have bought movies that make me laugh or I look up jokes and keep them in a folder. When I am down I go for these things to cheer me up. God bless you all and may you heal and have very wonderful lives. Please don't forget to "pay it forward" and help others who are in a difficult place in their lives.
Blessings to all, Mary
Apple Cider Vinegar
I've done counseling, earthing high-level vitamin D like 10,000-30,000per day for months, taking probiotics, talking to the counselor, exercising praying trying to not stress, etc.
homeopathy has helped me quite a bit. homeopathy is a natural form of medicine that has been around for 200. Currently, I am taking phosphoric acid 200 once a week but you really need a professional homeopath to look at your symptoms and prescribe the best medicine for you. I truly believe that God can heal in different ways, and I pray that everyone can find the way out of their depression.
Multiple Remedies
★★★★★
Obviously it depends on what's really wrong, but here are some suggestions that have helped me. I scanned the list of titles on the right and did not see the following:
-adequate sleep
-quitting coffee
-massage
-tanning/sun bathing
-loseing weight/body image/new clothes
-doing things you've always wanted to but were too afraid to do
-jogging/runner's high - this works well
-fresh fruit and vegetable juices/smoothies/fasting on them
-clean water - not fluoridated/chlorinated tap water with additional mystery chemicals
-spending time alone with Jesus/getting close to Him
-church
-getting enough fiber in your diet - apples
- Drink 2 tablespoons of olive oil mixed with the fresh juice of a lemon and the juice or minced bits of a few cloves of fresh garlic.
-staying out of co-dependent relationships - love people the way Jesus did
-being honest with yourself about who you are, what you want, etc. For example, don't tell yourself you want to be married, if all you really want/need is fellowship. Be real honest with yourself about your wants and needs. Isaiah 58:4, Matthew 19:12
Bach Flower Remedies
★★★★★
Rose Oil
★★★★☆
I am on Citalopram 20 mg. a day. I exercise and eat mostly organic & avoid sugar & other no nos. Also, I take tons of supplements like magnesium & fish oil. Still, the depression has not all gone away. I heard that rose oil was an antidote for depression & decided to try it. All I did was put 1 or 2 tiny drops of rose absolut (the real stuff) on my upper lip, well massaged in, under my nostrils at my "droop time" at night. About an hour later I would also do a bit more aroma therapy by burning just one stick of good incense (not the kind that is made from cow dung, really healthy kind, any "flavor".) I waited an hour for the incense because I wanted my olfactory sense to get the full benefit of the rose oil by itself. (I also rubbed the left over bit on my finger onto my wrists.) The effect has been wonderful. Boy does it put me in a happy, even joyful mood. And this lasts about 24 hours! Also, I noticed it was helping me with attention deficit order, definitely. Well, at first I could find no one else saying that it helped A.D.D. But since then, I have found on the net that yes, people say it helps with A.D.H.D. (A.D.D. is sometimes lumped into that category.) per empirical studies. Now A.D.D. & depression go together commonly. No way I believe this was placebo effect. I didn't dream it would help with A.D.D. for example.
Rose absolut is pricey. However, I get it at a major discount vitamin site that sells everything for about 40% off. It could last me several months at the rate I'm using it, personally.
Milk Thistle
★★★★★
Dietary Changes
Dietary Changes, Exercise, Supplements
★★★★★
I've suffered from a moderate constant form of depression called Dysthymia since I was 14 (I am now 43). I've been on several different antidepressants over the years. The last one I took was Paxil CR (which I was forced to quit cold-turkey in 2005 after production of it was briefly stopped after a problem at the pharmaceutical lab). It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was a hellish experience and though I did get an appointment with my Dr. a week into the cold-turkey and could have taken regular Paxil to ease my distress, at that point I wanted NOTHING to do with these medications. The withdrawal symptoms showed me just how much they mess with your brain chemistry. I was getting all sorts of electrical "zappy" sensations, dizziness, tremors, and neuralgic pain that traveled all over my body. It took about 3 months for me to get over the hardest part of it. After that I joined a gym and started a simple EXERCISE program. Just 20 minutes of cardio (pick the machine of your choice) and another 20 minutes or so of weight training and stretching. Yoga classes are super helpful as well. Not only did this help me detox from the residual symptoms but my mood improved dramatically. I still have some 'down' days, but who doesn't? Overall I feel much more energized and balanced than I ever did on the antidepressants.
I've since made incremental changes in the quality of my DIET over the years and this has boosted my mood even more. I no longer eat any overly packaged/refined foods. I eat whole grain breads (sprouted & hemp mostly), and try to cook from 'scratch' as much as possible. Extra virgin olive oil is my cooking oil of choice (except when I am sauteing or using a relatively high heat, in which case I use sesame oil). I still eat meat, but not at every meal or even every day, and when I do it is no longer the "star" on my plate, it is about a 3-4 oz serving and the rest of the plate is filled with vegetables and whole grains. I've learned to love leafy green vegetables (so much so I pile them on my plate). I still 'allow' myself to have guilty pleasures, but after awhile you find you don't really want them because your body has everything it needs nutritionally (so you don't get carb cravings) and your mood is so good you don't cave in to the emotional eating binges. The only 'difficult' time is around that time of the month...I get a little hungrier and may have a slice of cinnamon toast or a little ice cream, but nothing like the pig-outs of the past :) For any emotional irritation during that time there is nothing like a good cup of tea (sweetened with agave so as not to spike your blood sugar...I've come to prefer it over sugar).
Finally, SUPPLEMENTS can be the icing on the good mood cake. I take a whole food multivitamin to fill in any nutritional gaps, a good Omega blend oil (something with borage oil in it is excellent too) and vitamin D drops in the wintertime (along with plenty of time under a sunlight simulator bulb - I keep one in my reading lamp).
Record numbers of people are suffering from depression because of the standard American lifestyle & diet. It doesn't have to be that way...you can feel good again without dependency on pharmaceuticals and by only making a few simple lifestyle changes (no need to go vegan or raw, though go for it if that makes you even happier).
★★★★★
If you live in the north, where there is less sunshine, at least 2,000 mg supplement is needed; doubled in the winter.
This helps enormously with depression, much more successful than any anti depressant prescription medication.
Give it a few weeks to see how you feel.
Don't take it if you are a surfer, outdoorsy type, or don't wear sunblock.
I had good Vitamin D levels per the doctor before supplementing it because I drank milk with Vitamin D. That is not enough, however, to help with depression. San Diego is known for its sunshine, but that didn't help me because I was depressed, rarely left my house, and would apply sunblock to my face and wear a hat in the sun for wrinkle prevention. (The one year I didn't do this, hoping to get more vitamin D, I got lots of new wrinkles on my fair skin.)
Vitamin D is CHEAP, especially at Costco where you can get 250 USP pills for $9.
Vitamin D
Magnesium
I took Xanax for a short time for anxiety and felt that it did make the anxiety worse, kind of like a rebound effect.
There is a good book called The Mood Cure that discusses neurotransmitters and depression, anxiety, etc. The author gives detailed instructions as to what nt to take for what condition.
I found that my anxiety and insomnia went away as I supplemented with large dose vitamins and minerals. Interestingly, vitamin C seemed to add to my problems of anxiety.
At night, I take zinc, magnesium, copper, and niacin, as well as tart cherry juice and sauerkraut and have minor sleep issues, if any.
Magnesium
There is a good book called The Mood Cure that discusses neurotransmitters and depression, anxiety, etc. The author gives detailed instructions as to what not to take for what condition. I found that my anxiety and insomnia went away as I supplemented with large dose vitamins and minerals. Interestingly, vitamin C seemed to add to my problems of anxiety.
At night, I take zinc, magnesium, copper, and niacin, as well as tart cherry juice and sauerkraut and have minor sleep issues, if any.
Magnesium
Grape Jelly
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
On the insistence of a friend, I started taking a high dose multiple vitamin from a health food store, plus a separate vitamin B supplement, separate vitamin C supplement, and separate calcium, magnesium, zinc supplement. I also cold turkey cut out all refined sugar, soft drinks, coffee, and refined flour. I ate about three pieces of fresh fruit a day and had three servings of fresh vegetables per day. I got my protein from meat and cheese, and ate whole grains like whole wheat bread and brown rice. I also exercised 20 minutes a day, five days a week which I had to force myself to do at first.
It worked for me and 35 years later I still follow this regimen, although not quite as strictly as before. I continue to be optimistic and I think I have a normal energy level for someone 65. Once I started to feel better, I experimented with dose levels, but I take well above the recommended daily allowances every day.
My own view is that medications just cover up the symptoms and may actually contribute to the problem. I hope you are able to change your life to one that you enjoy living; time keeps running out.
It worked and I continue today to be optimistic and have normal energy for a 65 year old.
