Do you know a natural remedy for severe depression?

Question

I have tried many pharmaceutical drugs, but they have intolerable side effects for me (either severe headache, nausea lasting 24+ hours, swollen stomach and hands, or skin itching). How long should I try a natural remedy before deciding if it is actually working for me?

I'm just explaining the facts here, (not indulging in a pity-party). I am depressed because I have had Fibromyalgia for 18 years and am in pain every day, and can't get the pain under control. I am no longer able to do all the things I used to enjoy...even typing, writing or driving causes additional pain. I can no longer walk, but I've got a neat red, electric scooter. I was diagnozed with moderate to severe depression, but the psychiatrist didn't want to see me anymore, after I was unable to take the Rx he prescribed. I go weekly to a Mental Health group where I can share with others. I enjoy that. The depression is bad, though, because I've become very withdrawn and "paralized" mentally. I don't even e-mail my old friends anymore. I feel like I need something to help me "snap out of it" , so that I can become interested in life once again.

Answer 1

I experienced chronic, low-grade depression for many years. I also experienced chronic fatigue (which is similar and possibly even related to fibromyalgia). Since I did not want to take medicines for it, and I strongly believe in holistic treatment, I tried many more natural ways of helping it. This is what I found to be very helpful:

1. Cut back or eliminate refined sugar. Something about eating too many sweets has always caused me to feel depressed and anxious. I've heard this from other people too.

2. Cut back or eliminate white flour products. These turn to sugar.

3. Make sure to get enough protein - I try to get 1/2 my weight in grams of protein per meal and this really helps - try it for 2 weeks and see if you notice a difference. If you are a vegetarian (which I used to be) it can be very difficult to get your protein unless you eat a lot of the packaged fake meats out there. I found out about the protein connection through a book called Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program

4. 5HTP - I found this to be very helpful for times I would cry for no apparent reason - back when I tried to be a vegan, I wasn't getting enough protein and I had to take 3 tabs of 100 mg of 5HTP to function emotionally. I was on 5HTP for over a year - once I started getting enough protein, I was able to stop. I noticed that 5HTP works in about 20-30 minutes to help lift the mood. I now take it on those rare occasions where I don't get enough protein and my mood drops.

5. I believe I have blood sugar imbalances and have started making sure that I eat at regular times - I try to not let more than 5 hours go between meals - this seems to help with depression. It also helped greatly with insomnia.

6. Flax Oil - I started taking 2 TBSP of Flax Oil per day about a year ago and although the things I mentioned above helped my depression a lot, I still had ocassional bouts of it, it seemed to virtually disappear after adding the Flax Oil. The flax oil also helped with insomnia. The flax oil probably works similar to fish oil - I'd do a lot of research before taking fish oil though, due to the toxicity of fish. There is some controversy regarding flax oil and it's stability, so you might want to research that too - but it helped me immensely.

7. The book Feeling Good by David Burns - I noticed that others have mentioned this book. It is an excellent book that I tried and it works really well. I highly recommend it.

8. Avoid alcohol - alcohol turns to sugar. I've noticed on those infrequent occasions when I have a few drinks I have a little more depression.

9. 12-step groups - if you have any kind of addiction, try joining a 12-step group for it (alcohol = AA, food = OA, etc, if you know an alcoholic = Al-Anon, anyone = CODA ). There is a 12-step group out there for everyone and they do a lot to help build friendships, self-esteem and give more meaning to life.

10. Make sure you don't have a thyroid problem. I do and I think that at least part of my depression had been caused by that. I found no alternative treatment for thyroid that worked and did start taking Synthroid for that. I noticed when my levels were off, the depression would increase.

11. Evening Primrose Oil- I think this has been the thing that helped me the most with my chronic fatigue. After starting to take this and flax oil, my chronic fatigue is not almost gone. I've never read anything about evening primrose oil helping with fatigue, but it did. I started taking this and the flax oil based on recommendations in the book - The Fat Flush Plan - she recommends taking about 400 mg of GLA daily from either Evening Primrose, Borage Oil or Black Currant Oil. I take mine from the Evening Primrose. I switched to Borage once my fatigue came back.


I hope that helps and good luck to you. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. If you try any or all of the above recommendations, you should know within about 2 weeks of taking them if they help.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Find a different psychiatrist. Try a different antidepressant. There are many with very mild side effects.

Herbal remedies are unproven in medical trials for treatment of even mild depression, much less severe. There are a number of non-medical ways to cope with depression, however. Many of the suggestions listed by other answerers were valid (barring the ones that suggested more herbal cures, and especially that international healers person!) like exercise, being with friends, eating less 'junk' food. Activity often helps me with my own depression (and the meds keep my mood swings infrequent). So those 'natural' remedies would be okay!

Remember that these 'cures' like St. John's Wort all have chemicals in them. Just because they're 'natural' doesn't mean they're safe. Most of these products are not safety tested for long periods like pharmaceuticals. If you are surpised at how sometimes unsafe drugs can be on the market, imagine if there were no standards at all! Then you'd have the food supplement industry.

Answer 4

Obviously something with such horrible side effects isn't worth using. While I can't give you the best advice (considering that it's a matter of opinion), as long as you can endure the side effects you should be able to notice that you're depression has lessened, within three days at the most, or I'd switch.
In terms of it being natural, it's a dumb and cliche' answer but really the best remedy is to be around people and find things you like to do. You'd be surprise how often they adress this in anime and manga. Surprisingly, just working out, feeling confident, and getting a hobby is fantastic for depression.

Answer 5

There is a plant called St John's Wort which is said to be a natural antidepressant but should not be taken in conjunction with a pharmaceutical antidepressant or with the contraceptive pill.
Food can play a major role, through increasing an hormone called serotonin (which affects the brain). Patrick Holford has written a number of books where you can find all this in details: Optimum nutrition for the mind, Optimum nutrition bible, 500 questions, etc...
I believe that you need to try natural remedy for a few months before you decide it works for you.
Good luck

Answer 6

Hi! While I agree with St. John's Wort as a remedy, it should be used with caution internally because it interacts with so many different meds, and if any of them are still in your system it can be harmful. Flax seed oil can help stabalize your thought processes, but it seemd to me that one of the things you need to do is get your fibromyalgia under control. I have had some luck with neural problems like that by applying St. John's Wort as a poultice to the affected areas - if your whole body is affected, I would suggest doing one area at a time. Also, Chammomile essential oil is a wonderful antiinflammatory, and you can put this on the areas as well. This together with Reiki treatments has worked wonders on my clients. I am at windstarhealing.com if you have any questions, or you can contact me at me virtual office through Kasamba. Best wishes!

Answer 7

St. John's wart is a natural vitamin sold over-the-counter but is used in Europe for depression. Another good exercise is to get a camera and go outside and take pictures of things you find that make you happy. Print them and have them around you to look at. Make a collage of things you find in magazines that make you feel good and then put some affirmations on the poster as well. Things like - "I am no longer depressed when I think of _____." If you have just had surgery or some major catastrophic life-changing event your depression sometimes means your mind wants to jump ahead and heal you so fast that you become depressed. It sounds weird but just 10 valium (low dosage) taken for 10 days snapped me out of a deep post-surgical depression.

Answer 8

In this instance there is but one remedy,

Viagra. I prescribe two a week, hmmmm then I would like a glass of water to follow. It is a totally natural cure for you.

If that does not meet your approval (I feel a hand about to swipe me) I suggest two or three rations of humour per week, taken with a dose of fresh air, smeared liberally with sunshine. Laughter may not be the ultimate cure but it is a tonic for all ailments. How long should you take it for, why the rest of your life! Surf me the right question and I will provide my best, just for you.

Tim T

Answer 9

We often see hypothyroid symptoms totally reversed when commits to a plan that supports balance through nutrition and daily self-care. Learn here https://tr.im/P97xH

Consume foods naturally high in B vitamins, such as whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and iodine (fish, seaweed, vegetables and root vegetables).
Exercise daily, at least 30–60 minutes per day, 4–5 times a week.
Practice deep breathing and other techniques that trigger the “relaxation response” – such as meditation and guided visualization.

Answer 10

Try adding an Omga-3 fatty acid vitmin tor diet or a DHA supplement.I became pregnant 81/2 mo ago and substited these for my RX that i had been on for 10 yrs and it really works for me.You'll either notice a difference in a few days,or not.