What supplements can I take for depression so that I don't have to take meds?

Answer 1

Supplements can be dangerous, because they aren't regulated as strictly as prescriptions by the F.D.A. They don't have to go through the rigorous testing that prescriptions do. I would consult a doctor to find out what your options are. He can advise you on which ones you can safely take. Some of them also depend on your diet, certain foods can cause adverse reactions. St. John's Wart is popular for treating depression, but it is best to talk to your doctor first.

Answer 2

Hi, as long as the depression is mild to moderate, ie not with strong suicidal ideation you can try herbal remedies.
Am not sure if you are in the UK or whether these are available outside of the UK, but i have suffered from mild to moderate depression on & off for a long time.
I tried St Johns Wort, and for the first few weeks I did feel better, but to be honest I really think it was an placeabo effect which soon wore off, I tried Rhodiola (unsure of spelling) which is compared to a herbal SSRI type of anti- depressant (such as prozac), i found them fantastic, take between 1-3 each day, they took a bout a week or so to work, but you take between the 1-3 depending on how you were feeling. And within a few weeks i lowered the dose and then stopped taking them.

Also beware of taking St Johns Wort with ANY other kind of medication without first checking with a pharmacist as they are contraindicated with many other prescription drugs.

Take care.x

Answer 3

First off I will say keep an eye on the depression. Medication may be a good idea. If you do take medication, make sure you ask your doctor questions about the medicaiton they want you take. For istance what other options do I have and why do you recomend this one over that one.

Anyway, B vitamins work wonders. They can actually give you energy and calm you down all at once. Additionally keep tabs on what foods may make you more depressed and what activities make you less depressed.

Good Luck

Answer 4

5-HTP. Really expensive, but I take it for fibromyalgia and depression and it works really good. On the plus side it is supposed to help with weight loss too. I haven't had much luck in that area though. But when I forget to take it, I notice right away. My pain and depression get worse. You can take 2 to 3 a day. I take 2 in the morning, if you take them at night they can cause sleeping problems. You can buy about 5 bottles for about $100.00 on some websites. Well worth the money though! Please go to this website first to make sure that they do not react with any other medications you are taking. www.myvitaminguide.com

Answer 5

In general depression results from lack of confidence, will power and no work . In order to get rid of depression one has to take anti-dots for these root causes. The supplements may include:
- Keeping yourself busy with some work,
- Start helping needy people in making their life easier by whatever way you can;
- Try to increase your knowledge power and gain confidence;
- Start some social service work like creating environment awareness amongst the people;
- Fix some goal for your life and start working on it;
These way you will not have extra time to think of depression.

Answer 6

Try Sam-E.

It is natural, available over the counter and it doesn't have all of the side effects of traditional pharmaceutical anti depressants. It is actually good for joint health and Liver function. It compares to the effects of imapramine... without the side effects.

But if you are manic or Bi polar... Pass on it! It is not for people with either condition. If you have either one of those symptoms as a root cause for depression go to see a doctor who isin't fast to push medication on you. They are out there, hard to find but out there...

Round that out with more fluids, vitamin & mineral supplements with all of the B vitamins and amino acids and a healthy diet and you'll go right back to normal... and if you have never been normal. You'll finally find out what it feels like.

That is the best way to find out if you are manic too... If you hate the feeling of normalcy once you experience it. Chances are, you are manic.

Answer 7

There's actually a few you can take - Omega 3s are good supplements, and you can actually get them through tuna fish, I think avocado has high numbers, and nuts. St. John's Wort is a good one too. Also, try exercising - you'll naturally release endorphins that will improve your mood.

Answer 8

St John's Wort

Answer 9

keep yourself occupied and never be alone, remove all the depressing things around you. supplements won't help , in case you are not able to come out on your own, you have to take sedatives after visiting a psychatrist

Answer 10

I have a shrink who is big on this issue, so here is what I
know about it. vitamin B complex, and iodine liquid drops. St John wart is suppose to be good too, although I have not tried that myself.