Dealing with Depression Naturally

Feeling extremely depressed, anxious, panicky, I first stsrted taking Magenesium Glycinate, which I thought worked well until I ran out read a little more about different types of Magnesium and went to my local health food store and bought Magnesium Citrate, 200 mg. I started taking 400 mg. in the morning and 400 mg. at night before I go to bed and I can't believe how much better I sleep on Magnesium Citrate! I just wanted to highly recommend it for depression and/or anxiety, it seems to relax your body and take you in to a deep sleep throughout the night.

I will try the magnesium I tried liquid mag, no luck yet tastes horrible. My chiro put me on homeopathic lithium, and also a combo of bacopa, for brain fog and a few other herbs. I am unbelievabley moody, rage attacks, deep frustration often cannot stop crying and terrible depression. I was on 300 mg of gabapentin for moods, about 3+ weeks ago went down to 250 with drs ok, and feel nuts. Am also on 100mg trazodone for sleep.

I will not go up again, but wonder why I feel so much worse on such a small dose change. My holistic md friend says they make it so that when you withdraw you feel awful and want to go back on it for relief.

I am alos on high doses of valerian, cal poppy, but sleep is awful.

Any ideas? Serach

Hi Serach, I'm not sure, but I think that Gabapentin is a drug that works by enhancing the effects of the GABA that you do have. The problem I see with this is that it doesn't give you more GABA so what happens when the GABA deficiency becomes so bad that it can't be "pushed" anymore? Suicidal tendency is also a side effect of this drug.(! )

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.

Hi Serach, I'm not sure, but I think that Gabapentin is a drug that works by enhancing the effects of the GABA that you do have. The problem I see with this is that it doesn't give you more GABA so what happens when the GABA deficiency becomes so bad that it can't be "pushed" anymore? Suicidal tendency is also a side effect of this drug.(! ) 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 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.

Serach from Jerusalem, I want to suggest a website for help with your anger. It is orthomolecular.org. On the home page hit Library and then click on the article Nutritional influences on Aggressive Behavior. Please read the complete article as it has much information. The site has helped a lot with our bipolar son. I wish you the best.

Have you tried eliminating glutamate/excitotoxins from your diet? MSG, aspartame, etc.? I feel much better for it. That and adding borax, vitamin C, and turmeric. This is a great site. :)

58 year old male with a former history of great health/runner/government worker who worked out doors. Forced retirement with foot/heal and hip problems. Those are tolerable but have self diagnosed and one doctor diagnosed depression. Absolutely cannot get out of bed...when awake seem to ruminate about everything wrong with the world or the economy. Sorry to dump on all but ...almost at a very scary point in my pysche. I am reaching out to all. Charles

Greetings Charles, There are many substances in nature that are useful to treat depression. Rather than try a hit or miss approach, I would suggest you find a book that will help you understand what is happening and what to do about it. An excellent choice is a book by Gabriel Cousens, a noted psychiatrist who uses natural means to cure depression.

http://www.amazon.ca/Depression-Free-Life-Gabriel-Cousens/dp/0060959657

Next suggestion, water... www.watercure2.com I think learning about the effects of water would be a solid foundation in any quest for better health, mental or physical.

All of the best Charles,

Hi: I am so glad someone brought up T3(liiothyronine) therapy and depression. A very common effect of both clinical and sub clinical hypothyroidism is depression. Sometimes people who are depressed are misdiagnosed as not having hypothyroidism because the blood tests are negative. A true test if you are depressed and want to see if it is a symptom of hypothyroidism is to take your temperatue under your arm, three hours after waking, then 2 more times every three hours. Average these and they should not be below 37 C. If below, could be cause of depression and a host of other symproms. see www.wilsonstemperaturesyndrome.com This has helped me greatly, Mary

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.

Just a word on Sam-e, it is amazing stuff. It has helped me more than any other supplement. I would like to share some information about it though. It should never be taken with any other substance that effects seratonin, such as rhodiola, 5-htp or even dextromethorphan wich is in Robotussin D.M. and many over the counter medications. And of course Prozac and other prescription medications. For me Sam-e has worked far better than anything else.

I found a good answer to my own post... From Dr. Ray Sahelian:

"I have personally taken SAM-e just to see what it would do, and it is quite a powerful mood lifter. Perhaps I'm sensitive to nutrients, but I notice the effects on 100 mg, sometimes even less. Almost all the tablets on the market are 200 mg. If you plan to take it under medical guidance, here's a few tips your doctor may not know. It's best taken in the morning before or with breakfast. I notice within one to two hours being more alert and more motivated to do things, and in a better mood. Many of the clinical studies have used several hundred mgs but in the long run this can cause side effects. The most common are overstimulation, insomnia, and headache. You can actually feel anxious and restless if you take too much. If you wish to take a small amount, bite off half or a third of a 200 mg tablet and use the rest the next day. You may need to adjust your dose down over the next few days since it can start building up in the system, or you can take a day or two off. Each person is unique in their response."

I have suffered severe depression and anxiety for many years. I have been hospitalised for several weeks and attempted suicide multiple times. During my worst anxiety, I was horrible to be around and developed extreme agoraphobia. I managed to get my condition under control using medications and CBT. However the medications had negative side effects including extreme weight gain of 50Kg and sexual difficulties. The meds also made me need to sleep 10 - 11 hrs a night. Several months ago, I bravely stopped medication and moved onto a combination of SAM-e and vitamin B complex. I feel even BETTER than I did on medication and the negative side effects are gone. I am sleeping well and my family have commented how wonderful I look. I am calm and collected. I need to take 400mg of SAM-e daily, as the 200mg dosage isn't strong enough. On 200mg, my anxiety and depression creeps back in slightly. I highly recommend SAM-e. Make sure to take the vitamin B's as well. This makes it work better.

I had tried a lot of things to beat depression, Including: St John wort and different traditional medications. Molasses worked - no side effects. It is just a healthy food to eat. I have about 1- 2 table spoons a day. TO make it easier to eat I made a made a molasses based taffy.

Hello everyone, I can't thank you enough for this great website, I love it and recommend it to everyone I know. I too am looking for a place where to buy sugar beet molasses. I have searched online and at some "fancy" grocery stores with no success. Does anybody have any ideas? Thank you so much!

I have been surching a lot on where to find Sugar Beet Mollasses. Still have not found anything....I do have a suspicion, if one goes into their local Chinatown supermarket, and say In Mandarin or Cantonese for Sugar Beet Mollasses they just may find it!!
Perhaps someone Asian on your staff or board will attempt this..
I did find:
http://www.answers.com/topic/sugar-beet
http://www.answers.com/topic/uridine

I am not sure if taking(5 grams per day) of yeast is healthy though so I thought I better post you first.
Thank you.
Good Luck to all.

I would recommend using Molasses from cane sugar and not beets. Most sugar beets are GMO and could have other side effects or make sure it's organic grown.

I had been getting bouts of severe depression. I tried various remedies incl st john's wort and 5htp, both of which gave me devastating results .Then I came across saffron . It really got me balanced into normality . I had it along with acv and magnesium supplements .Wonderful it makes you feel calm and relaxed .I just boiled a tiny pinch in hotmilk and sweetened with a bit of honey .I started 2x aday but now I have it only about once a week or less. It's non addictive .see for yourself.

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/mental-health/saffron-treat-depression-00913.html

I've been on different antidepressants the last several years, natural and pharmaceutical and have found DHEA supplementation to be one of the most effective for myself. I'm currently taking usually 150mg /day of dhea and 200mg of Zoloft. Added in deer antler velvet this last month. The jury's still out on the DAV. I aso just tried Saint John's Wart standardized for hypericin and hyperforin and can't say it did any good. D3 didn't help. Will probably try urine drinking last if at all. Rhodiola may be next and/or a trip to a sunnier climate. I just saw some info at Perlmutter Health Center (Naples Fl) web site about hyperbaric oxygen giving some people depression relief, so that will be in the future as well.

I get it! Imagine laying flat on the floor face down and then trying to raise up your torso or bend your head, shoulders and back upward and back as if you were trying to curl up backwards. Now picture how much easier that would be laying over the end of your couch with your hands touching the floor. You could just curl backwards as much as you could which might only be a little at first, but if you did it often you would gradually be able to bend further. I can see how this would strengthen back muscles, but I'm not sure how it works for depression, except to say if wiggling our toes works, hey, why not bending our backs? I've been depressed for several days, so, after reading about it on Earth Clinic, I tried just tightening my toes while I was walking around today. I'm not depressed now! :-)

Is this what they call planking? lol :-)

thanks :)

Actually, I don't think it is considered a mood altering herb. I have heard very good comments about it.

I sent feedback about a week ago about a rash as a possible side effect from Rhodiola (500mg for depression)but I was also taking St John's Wort (900mg). I did more research and found some people have had an itchy rash in response to St. John's Wort! I tried the St. John's again and the same thing happened. Now I'm on the Rhodiola and 5 htp (50mg)and so far so good.

I agree, for weeks I was in a horrible depression and the next day I was better (and physically stronger). I took Gaia Herbs Adrenal Support (has Rhodiola) + straight Rhodiola.

I'm pretty sure she meant that if your temperature is 78 then you are dead...

No one is going to die from a cold shower or quick dip in icy water. You can die from anything you believe in. Watch this on you tube. It is traditional to dip into an ice hole in january in Russia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQB2QBSmFW0.

Ted, i have been taking sodium thiosulfate in the form of an aquarium water conditioner, removes heavy metals and chlorine. Anyway, am I supposed to feel this good after taking it in my water/tea at the rate of about 7 - 10 drops per pint. Calls for 2 drops per gallon to condition the water, I am way over that. Anyway, within 30 minutes I feel great! Almost like an instant ant-depressant. What's your opinion, on the mode of action?

I had psychotic depression after my childs birth. I didn't sleep for days. A reflexologist told me this. You wiggle one toe, then the next one, then the next one and so on. Over and over. It works brilliantly, try it tonight!

I have been using St. John's Wort, a natural herb, to help my depression. I was diagnosed as clinically depressed a few weeks ago, and i soon decided that i would battle it naturally. Well, sure enough, the Lord has made a natural fix for it. After just a couple of days of using St John's Wort, I have been livelier, i've had motivation, and I am finally myself again! Thank the Lord! Chase

I have been taking B100 complex and Omega 3 (both three times a day) to help me being down day-to-day (depression, I guess).

I tried them separately, but only if I take them both works for me..

Tried 5-HTP for weight loss and saw it decreased my appetite considerably, improved my mood but also made me sleepy. So, I only take it once in the evening.

None of these were helping though with my aweful PMS moods. So gave ST JOHN'S WORT a try. Started taking 2 weeks before my expected period and saw improvements almost in a matter of days.

I had no side effects and now use it regularly 1 week before my period and following week to keep the bitch under control (additional to all above vitamins).

I take 2-3 weeks off and then repeat, so far I'm very happy with the results. It doesn't make me happy, just content but that is way better than being angry for no good reason.

My husband had a habit of waking up at 2:00am in terrible anxiety every night. The rest of the night was toss and turn, toss and turn. I started him on SamE and overnight, the pattern ceased. Now he loves it and takes it every night. No more insomnia, no more anxiety, no more depression. Good stuff!!

Day light lamp not only helps to relieve the symptoms of SAD, but it also works great for depression. Make sure the lamp has a filter that blocks UV rays. Also, the supplement Isocort helps to fight every day stress.This diet will help your mood swings and depression a big deal: avoiding diary products, sugar, caffeine, canned foods, red meat, roasted foods, and alcohol. Doing deep breathing exercise 3 times a day helps to fight anxiety, and, also, a good remedy for panic attacks. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day may help to relieve depression symptoms, too.

L Theanine in Black Tea cured my Chronic Anxiety and Minor Depression.

I have suffered the above symptoms for a large part of the past 15 years. Have been prescribed a host of SSRI's and other drugs during this time. For the past few weeks I have been drinking a lot of black tea (6 cups per day) and the results have been amazing. The depression has lifted and i am more relaxed than i have been in years. I drink the tea straight (no sugar or milk) and let it settle well before drinking. Interestingly i used to drink a lot of green tea but did not get as good a response. I'm very encouraged by my experience of black tea and hope it continues to work.

Man this is the ultimate website! thankyou for your story. It always inspires me!

I didn't know lemons treat the blues, but I found out accidentally one day when I was bummed out that I cannot live without lemons.

I have found journalling and painting really helpful in understanding the roots of my depression, which tends to be seasonal and occasional but severe. Making myself sit in the morning and blurting out whatever comes into my head without any censor (it's quite hard - try it!) is brilliant - as long as you do not show it to anybody - the more private you can make it the better it is for having a good old rant at the world without hurting anyone's feelings!! Also taking loads of rough paper and cheap paint and just doing the same with the paint, using colour and shape to express feelings. Learning to allow 'negativity' and 'mistakes' through these processes, is really helpful for moving through depression. Freestyle dancing is also excellent..Read Gabrielle Roth - 'Sweat Your Prayers' for in-depth information on dancing yourself through many states of mind and finding incredible strength. Good Luck! Oh and don't forget the positive thoughts and affirmations!! Phoebe.