My doctor is suggesting I take antidepressants. I don't really want to. Are there any other alternatives?

Question

I'm worried about side effects from taking drugs and I also don't want to be dependent on it. Does any one know of any alternative to medication/drugs? Anything else that has worked for you?

Answer 1

Hi I have been on anti depressants for many years and depending your illness and the kind you take , they are not all bad. But if you prefer natural, try one of these , St Johns Wart, vallarian Root or Kava kava all of these help calm you down and can help lift depression also excercise is a big stress reliver. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Vigorous exercise is a recommended treatment as well because it raises dopamine and seretonin into the blood stream. As is guided visual imagery (the whole - imagine you are beside a blue ocean and can hear the waves ...) for the same reason. Both of these are free. (The library likely has guided imagery tapes or books)

St. John's Wort is a herbal extract used for mild to moderate depression. It may be worth looking into however do not take it in addition to antidepressants as they work the same way and will cause problems. And don't cheap out - buy a standardised product otherwise you may be paying for an inconsitent product.

The other is grapefruit or bergamont oil as scent therapy - again don't cheap out - make sure it is real as neither of these oils are terribly expensive.

That is all I know in regards to herbal treatments.

I also know if things get really bad, the blackness becomes overwhelming, medication can literally save your life.

Answer 3

Most anti-depressants are not addictive. They do have side-effects, but more times than not the side-effects are MUCH more mild than the depression itself. So I wouldn't be so afraid of them. That said, it is worth trying some other things first. Exercise is the #1 option. 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, 5-7 times a week. The important thing is to get your heart pumping. This releases endorphins and stablizes your chemicals... but it only works if you stick to it! It can be running, biking, hiking, jumping jacks, tennis... whatever floats your boat. Try exercise and see if it works. If not, then try exercise AND therapy. If that doesn't work, do the meds. ANYTHING, even medication, is better than dealing with depression or any other mental illness. Good luck!

Answer 4

I'm not a doctor, but MY doctor worked with me to find medications with less/managable side effects. He also suggested certain supplements that reduce the need for medication and lessen side effects. Many vitamins and minerals available over the counter have been shown to improve mental clarity and effectiveness of existing medication.

I know the side effects can be a bit repressive, but once you are being medicated, you can work with your doctor to find an easier solution.

Answer 5

alcohol and sleeping pills gives you just enough buzz to numb your pain, and just enough sleep to make it through the day/night into a hopefully better tomorrow.

however, i assume if you already don’t want to take the pills, you probably wouldn’t like my suggestion either, especially if you’re under age so my other advice would be:

eat healthy foods - when your body feels good, your mind will too

exercise - one word "endorphins"

meditate/yoga/pilates/prayer - anything that inspires and/or gives you something to believe in, a higher power, etc.

join a group that does a recreational activity you might enjoy – you’ll make friends, learn something new, get your body moving and your mind focused on something other than your depression

read self help books or anything that can entertain you - once again, it’s all about the mind and sometimes a little silence and some words of wisdom from another's perspective can be soothing and enlightening. or you can do like me and entertain yourself with some good old celebrity gossip mags, trashy novels, and/or controversial biographies

listen to music - pick songs that relate to your mood, even if it’s negative but make sure it’s always healing. i got tired of sad love songs and began listening to other genres like jazz, instrumental, and even contemporary/new age stuff. sheryl crow always works too! oh and dance, dance, dance!!!

find out things you like to do and be selfish enough to double, if not triple how often you do them. for me, it's big bubble baths with tons of aromatherapy, candles, and wine, or cable tv and a favorite meal in bed ALL weekend. i've learned that without these things on a reasonably regular basis i can get a little moody.

comedy - buy/rent some dvd's and laugh your a$$ off

journal/diary – write it down and then let it go, or store it somewhere to be read at a later date just to see how far you’ve come and how much you've changed. and believe, things will be different and so will you. as they say, evolve or die!

therapy - see a counselor/psychologist who can help you without medication, or help you find ways to deal with your depression on your own

good luck!

fyi – I’ve taken antidepressants even though I was also worried about the same things and they actually worked really well. however, once I stopped the depression came back, so I just replaced them with the wine and sleep medication.

Answer 6

Therapy would probably be a good alternative, if you're not already seeing somebody. Excercise can help, too. What helped me was getting a proper schedule in place, because I would procrastinate so much because I was stressed, but then I just worried about what I was supposed to be doing while I wasn't doing it, which didn't help at all.

Answer 7

Depends on the reason for your depression. Your lifestyle is generally what is causing it, although sometimes it's dietary. So, changing your lifestyle and/or diet usually works. Can't change your lifestyle ? If that's the case, then the anti-depressants probably won't work either.
Remember, doctors are business men. They don't make money from curing people, they make money from return customers. The same goes for most people that are trying to sell you herbal remedies.

Answer 8

1. Request a referral from your doctor for a counselor. Psychotherapy should be able to help.
2. Ask your doctor about the side-effects of the anti-depressants he/she wants to prescribe. Knowing what they are may help you deal with them more effectively if you do decide to take them.

Answer 9

Antidepressants aren't meant to be long term. You might try it for 3-6 months just to get over a hump. Try Lexapro, it has the least side effects in my experience.

Answer 10

I know some have already suggested St. John’s Wort, and it does work, but be aware that it can make Birth Control Pills less effective. I only take St. John’s Wort during my “off” week. Another thing that works very well in Wild Yam.