The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Cold Showers
Posted by Jacklyn (Vancouver, Canada) on 05/03/2007
★★★★★
I've been living with depression for two years, I wanted to find a natural way to help ease the stress of life, cold showers every day have helped me feel better and have elevated my mood substantially, I feel less stress, I especially love taking a cold shower after a workout or jog, I am so happy to hear that cold showers have helped do many people, we have to get the word out!by the way, my hair is a lot shinier too!
5-HTP
Posted by Charlotte (Richboro, PA)
★★★★★
My 6 year old grandson was diagnosed with "Select Mutism" 2 years ago and rather than put him on "Prozac", my daughter did some research and learned about 5HTP and chose to try it first. He started on 50mg every night. His psychologist saw the same results with the 5HTP as children on prescribed drugs. It's been a miracle for him. I have since then also taken it since our family seems to have anxiety problems and ADD runs in the family and it has helped very much with these problems. I usually take 100mg to 200mg daily depending on my stress levels at the time. We are so grateful our little grandson did not have to take Prozac or a similar drug. I would highly recommend it as a first choice to try at least.
Methylene Blue
Posted by Jeff (WI) on 09/29/2024
★★★★★
Look, if your relative died or you had a great loss, that's one thing,, but if you have a true family history and a feeling since childhood or young adulthood that you can't be happy and a brain scan that shows dark areas,,,, You have genetic depression and that is way harder to deal with. So let's look at the most high powered substances that exist for that.'
OK .... Food grade methylene blue has proven to change electrons and alleviate depression of every order. Do your own research. People take a mild dose of 15 drops per day...
CBD oil needs to be mentioned here because of it's ability to calm you and raise serotonin but not a true High power option.
Now for the big one:
Clinical and lifelong depression has been completely or partly eliminated in one day, one week or one month with this incredible substance. Hallucinogenic Therapy
John's Hopkins and Harvard Med School is studying human subjects and has been studying this for years. It was featured on 60 minutes and is shown directly in brain scans to open up centers and structures in the brain that have been closed off for years or since birth.
LOOK it Up!!!! *** Hallucinogens against depression..... or PTSD and more.
Hopkins and Harvard administer it every day (Psylocibin..but others also work) and the results are beyond belief in many cases.
Don't think of hallucinogens as drugs. That is a political and economic tool to scare you....
It cured my Viet Nam combat stress... Do the Research and Blessings to All
It is not legal in most states, but the Psychology world is catching on fast.
Chlorella, Copper
Posted by Jeffrey (IDAHO) on 08/03/2023
★★★★★
Re: High Dose Vitamin B For Depression
hello world,
Chlorella has the best multi vitamin b complex out there.1000mg -3000mg per day. It's also considered a super food.
also see fulvic humic from vital earth. that will clean you out and get the gut moving again. probably get the minerals you need to revitalize your soul.
Most people don't know about 2mg of chelated copper per day. watch your soul come back to life. it's very inspiring to see it happen quickly.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Fish Oil
Posted by Martin (Ireland) on 07/28/2023
★★★★★
For depression, take 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar braggs in a glass of water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, wait half an hour before you have your breakfast. Fish oil 1000mg after breakfast. Magnesium citrate in the evening 2 hours before bed.stop drinking sodas coke etc and eating sugary foods they mess up the stomach.to much sugar in the stomach is posion.
If your tiredness has to do with depression, take vitamin C 1000mg after breakfast and also take b complex. The vinegar is to control the candidias in the stomach if you have that, your stomach will be depressed. The fish oil is for a depressed brain. It takes 3 weeks for the fish oil and vinegar to work. I still take all my prescription medication. But I was depressed on it, these vitamins saved me.i have been cured for 2 years now since taking all of this stuff.I still have to figure out something for sleep. I will edit later if I find something. Thank you god and earthclinic.
St John's Wort
Posted by Paracelsus (Orlando, Fl) on 09/16/2020 46 posts
★★★★★
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.
Ginger
Posted by BECKIE (OR) on 02/11/2025
★★★★★
That is great. I have putting in a teaspoon of ginger in my fruit smoothie for years and I have been in a great place. I just feel happy.
Flaxseed
Posted by Teena (Melbourne, Australia) on 05/24/2019
★★★★☆
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.
Lowering Homocysteine and Copper Levels
Posted by Timh (Ky) on 06/16/2016 2041 posts
Glad to see you have found a real cure and shared it with others as depression is quite common and conventional treatment option are limited and come with negative side -effects.
I would like to note that I find it unusual that Molybdenum was not recommended to reduce the Copper, and Vit-B-6 was not recommended to reduce homocysteine as well as a metabolic enhancer of Zinc. And also why B-12 & Folic Acid was not recommended along with the TMG as methyl donors in reducing homocysteine, or simply taking SAM-e as the ultimate methyl donor as well as a great mood booster.
Seems most folks have their own angle and pinpoint problems & solutions from their reference points, maybe it's most profitable for themselves this way, I don't know; but in many cases and especially extreme cases of disease, one's best approach is as broad and holistic as possible (which you have done with a your approach here).
Test for Hypothyroidism
Posted by R27 (Mexico) on 03/28/2015
★★★★★
My 30 years of depression ended years ago, the day I took the proper dose (for me) of dessicated (non synthetic) thyroid medication. To cure chronic depression, the first step is to determine if you are hypo-thyroid. From my experience, forget the usual blood test and read the book on hypothyroidism by Dr Broda Barnes, md, phd (deceased) -- after years of research, he found that basal temperature (underarm temp. first thing in a.m.) is best indicator of low thyroid---if below 97.8 f.
If you have low basal temp., search on web Dr Broda Barnes, and choose an M.D. who follows his protocol---an association exists of such physicians. If you follow this advice, it could change your life forever.
Niacin
Posted by Jo (New York) on 02/13/2014
★★★★★
My daughter suffered from depression and I found a doctor who advocated niacin we tried it, she was 20 and found that the flushing was painful and then she switched to non flushing Niacin. Now still on Niacin at 21, we have come to realize she must not go a day with out it and we have even increased the dose, she is vitamin B dependant! We have also noticed a remarkable difference when she adds Omega 3's it helps her even more and she notice a loss in weight. She might be bi polar, it runs in the family, but NIACIN has been a MIRACLE and EVERYONE should try it!!!!!!
Rhodiola
Posted by Mary (Sussex Corner, Nb Canada) on 07/14/2013
★★★★★
Third day of using Rhodiola, cannot believe the changes in me. So much more relaxed and slept like a baby for the past two nights. Wish I had seen this post five years ago. Anxiety attacks all but gone. I feel like a new person. Thank you and god bless. I have emailed all my friends and have advise this of this site.
Water
Posted by Alone53 (Cali) on 09/03/2020
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.
5-HTP
Posted by Andrew (Cambridge, England) on 02/09/2013
also mate.. St Johns Wort. Hypericum... Amongst other things, it's earth's natural antidepressant... Raises your serotonin levels as does 5htp. but St Johns Wort is more natural.
5-HTP
Posted by Amy (Los Angeles, Ca, United States) on 02/10/2013
Thank you very much for your advice! I am wondering: Do you take any other supplements to combat anxiety and depression?
Amy :)
5-HTP
Posted by Kelly (Cambridge, Ma) on 02/08/2013
You have to wean
very slowly - about 5mg's at a time with your anxiety med and about 10mg's at a time with your SSRI/anti-depressant. It's why dropping from the 60mg to 30 made you feel horrible. It's too quick a drop. The rule of thumb is, the slower the better.
Anxiety med - Instead of 2mg's, take 1.5 mg's/day for a couple of weeks by taking 1 tab as your first dose and a 1/2 tab as your second, or vice versa. After two weeks, go to 1mg - 1/2 tab am and pm for two weeks, then to 1/2mg per day for 2 weeks, etc.
SSRI/Anti-depressant - Since it's in capsule form, you could ask your MD to prescribe them in smaller doses, making it easy for you to wean down 10mgs at a time, or pick yourself up some empty capsules. You'll find them at GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe, etc. You can split your 60mg capsule into smaller doses. It's labor-intensive, but it will get the job done.
Start by opening the capsule and dividing its contents into 6 lines (eyeballing it to approx. 10 mgs in each line). Then, only put 5 of the lines into the empty capsules (25 each) so that you'll be taking a total of 50mg's per day for a couple of weeks.
After a couple of weeks, do the same - divvy up your capsules, except put only 4 of the lines into your empty capsules, then 3, 2, etc. taking each dose for a couple of weeks.
When you get to the point where you have weaned down to the final 10mg of the anti-depressant, make your last final two week dose 5mg/day and you should be good to go.
Hang in there. You'll do fine.
5-HTP
Posted by She (Richmond, Virginia, United States) on 10/23/2012
I'm on Effexor for depression and anxiety. I would love to stop taking it and try something more natural. But I know from previous experience that if I forget to take it within 6 hours I start having withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms are like having a really bad bout of the flu. Can't get out of bed, have really vivid dreams, etc. What is 5 -HTP and how could I start taking that and get rid of the Effexor? Thanks for any advise!
5-HTP
Posted by Juliette (Reston, Va) on 10/23/2012
Check out the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. Really lays out a plan for you, helps you identify what your mood type is. Very simple and easy to read. Has chapter on getting off anti depressants! Lots of information on 5htp and other amino acids... can get it used off amazon for pretty cheap. Good luck!
(fyi when I took 5htp I took it twice a day once in afternoon once at night really worked for me)
5-HTP
Posted by Wayout (Motown, Ca/ Usa) on 10/24/2012
Hi She! One of the major uses of ascorbic acid is its use as a detoxifying agent. It even is used on poisonous snakebite! It nullifies toxic effects, while enhancing drug effectiveness, so less is often needed - and doctor should be consulted first to be really safe about lowering dose, or titrating off. That said, all too often they just want to put one on $omething el$e... at least that's how mine was, though I was dying right in front of him.
Be prepared for a lot of toxic withdrawl symptoms if you do it without some good detoxifying agent. It was a nightmare the way I did it, a decade ago, and it doesn't have to be that way at all. --T.
5-HTP
Posted by Jc (Boston, USA) on 02/12/2012
★★★★★
Rachel, You are right on. The reason eliminating irritants to the gut like gluten help is that many hormones and neurotransmitters like seratonin are manufactuered in the gut. Take good care of your digestive track by eliminating junk food and highly processed foods. Personally, I have found that Tryptophan is more effective than 5htp. Good post and thanks.
5-HTP
Posted by Linda (Atlanta, Ga) on 07/01/2011
★★★★★
5HTP helps me very well when I have the Blues. I take only 50mg in the morning. It works very subtle. I notice when I do not take it. I also take PS (Phosphatidylserine). It helps me get up and do my work and it helps me with procrastination. I found with 5HTP that it works better in low dosages. When people take too much they experience anxiety.
Rhodiola
Posted by Kim L. (Kansas City, MO) on 04/05/2026
I'm aware this was posted 14 years ago, but like you I spent years looking for a quality place to buy wild crafted herbs not from China. The best places I have found to date are Spirit of Health KC located in Grandview, MO (all herbs can be purchased online). I happen to live close enough to buy in store.
If I can't locate what I'm looking for here, I go online to Mountain Rose Herbs or to Oregon's Wild Harvest.
It is hard to find quality Rhodiola and Licorice Root as well as many other herbs.
Best Wishes to All Seeking to escape depression and anxiety. Rhodiola has been helpful to me on several occasions. Quality matters!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Angelealaahna (Navarre, Fl) on 08/02/2009
★★★★☆
Well I'm back my depression has 65% gone since taken Acv June 10-09..update as of today I lost 1 more pound making it a total of 8pounds since june...WTG ACV
hips was a 40 now they are a 39
leg was a 24 1/2 now they are a 24
waist was a 34 1/2 now they are a 34
I'm still eatting the same food and excerise only thing changes is that I found out about ACV
5-HTP
Posted by Steve (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 12/11/2011
If the 5htp is a capsule you way want to try emptying it under your tongue for sublingual absorbtion. That way you don't have to process it through your digestive tract and avoid the nausea. I hold the 5htp powder under my tongue for about an hour or until I feel like I have absorbed it. This way has worked well for me.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Anna (Daytona, Florida) on 09/04/2011
★★★★★
I wanted to add my experience to the dietary reccommendations. My depression has vanished since I added more fat to my diet and since I have been taking a b complex pill everyday. I now eat a tablespoon of cocunut oil in my tea each morning.
Many people who have adopted a low carb diet with adequat fat and protein have been able to get rid of there depression. Protein is great but please don't forget the fat!! And no fat does not make you fat! In my opinion carbs do!
Hope this helps someone!
Anna
Fish Oil
Posted by Calista (Penang, Malaysia) on 01/03/2009
★★★★★
Fish Oil (Omega 3 Fish Oil) REALLY helps with depression. I have been battling severe clinical depression for over 2 years now. Though I'm emotionally & mentally better, I had problems with irregular sleep pattern, excessive sleepiness and lack of energy. I read that Omega 3 can help, so I tried taking it. After just 3 days on 3000mg a day (taken on breakfast, lunch, dinner), for the first time in years I noticed I slept less during the day and slept better at night. It's been weeks now and I continue taking 1000-3000mg a day, and I keep feeling better. I now wake up feeling more refreshed and motivated to do things. I have the energy to actually do them. My naps are short, or sometimes I can go without one. I feel sleepy after a certain time (at night) and can actually sleep throughout the night and wake up ONLY when it's morning. It has regulated my sleep cycle! I can't remember the last time I feel this great! It's amazing such improvement can be achieved with just a simple thing like Fish Oil. Do try it. There can be no harm, only good.
Rhodiola
Posted by Richard (Tallahassee, Florida) on 12/27/2008
★★★★★
Rhodiola completely eliminates feelings of depression and sadness. I feel happy and content for the first time in many, many years. I feel like a normal person must feel. Great, great stuff.
