Natural medicine for depression?

Question

I'm depressed almost all the time. Is there any stuff which can help me? No weed,or ecstasy..Something natural?

Answer 1

St. John's Wort is supposedly the best. Though natural it does have side effects for a few. Exercise helps. I write poetry about my feelings when I'm going through it. You go back later & read it & often you'll understand better what triggered it. Sometimes I get the answer while writing it.

But the best advice I ever rec. was getting outside of my own pain by volunteering to help others. There's a big wide world out there with more problems & needs than you could ever imagine. I became a volunteer youth counselor at my church & I got so wrapped up in helping others it did wonders to help my depression. I began to see how much others needed someone who had lived through their same kind of pain & help walk them out of it, instead of judging or giving pat answers.

It also helped me to see more clearly all I had to be grateful for. Everyone always says yeah, I got a roof over my head, a little money, clothes & food, so what? But it takes on a whole new meaning when you help a homeless family who literally have nothing but each other. Or someone who has no family or friends. Or someone dumpster diving for spoiled food.

We tend to turn off the desperation when it's in our face on TV all the time or blame them for their circumstances. But life is terribly unfair. I've known some who had it all & did absolutely nothing to earn or deserve it & greedy & self centered. I've known many more that despite their best efforts & always sharing what little they have barely keep their head above water & go under more than once.

It's when you get involved in the lives of this latter group that the depression in your own life lifts or at least eases. I truly believe it's in our DNA to make a difference that we lived and when we fail to do this our soul grieves, thus unexplainable depression.

Pills can numb it to a certain extent but it doesn't remove it entirely, only alters it's effects temporarily. Pain is what pushes you to find a cure. But it's also what makes you more equipped to help others & understand what they're going through.

It's never easy to reach out but well worth the effort. Take a afternoon & go to a soup kitchen to eat & observe others. Very few fit the lazy, welfare cheater you hear said so often. Most are just like you only with needs. Many work hard for very little just to survive. Some have lost everything due to no fault of their own. It's not easy being homeless & then suffering judgement & humiliation makes it even worse. I've heard the statement hundreds of times that "I don't help them as much as they help me". It's really true.

So no matter what you do to help it try this. It works much faster than a pill & you can do it as often as you want to.

Answer 2

St. John's Wart like an earlier poster said...and I have heard great things about a supplement called, "Sam-E" that you can get at just about any pharmacy type place (like Rite-Aid and Walgreens).

However, both are meant to treat mild depression. If you are suffering from a more severe form, you might not feel any improvement.

I'm on Zoloft and have tried quite a few different prescription types. Nothing can really compare to their effectiveness.

The only other natural option I can think of at this moment is exercise. It has a way of lifting the mood and works on just about everyone. The more active you are, the more endorphins are being released which bring on a feeling of contentedness.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I have been in a very similar situation myself. I suffer from major depression and really hoped I could solve my issues with natural remedies rather than prescription meds. You wrote that you "tried it all," but you have given a very short list of possible remedies for depression. There is also acupuncture, Aryuvedic herbs, Chinese herbs, homeopathy, biofeedback, meditation or visualization techniques, EFT, EMDR, etc. Plus there are many forms of psychotherapy that offer different approaches to depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has helped many people with depression. If possible, you might try to find an alternative medicine doctor or other professional who has worked a lot with depressed patients. I found little in alternative medicine that resolved my major depression. Finally, I had to take various psych meds to help deal with my symptoms. I am doing much better by combining alternative medicine with traditional allopathic medicine. If you don't find any help in alt med, you might start with a small dose of one psych med. If you don't like it, you can just stop it (gradually). You may have heard of Dr. Andrew Weil, a graduate of Harvard Medical School. He is an advocate of integrative medicine, that is, combining the best of alternative medicine and allopathic medicine. I think that is the future of medicine. If you finally decide to try psych meds, it is nothing to be ashamed of. You might as well use the best of both worlds---alt med and traditional meds. By the way, research shows that therapy plus meds is more effective than meds alone or therapy alone. Also, St. John's wort is generally for mild to moderate depression and it usually takes at least 3 weeks to feel any positive effects. I wish you well.

Answer 4

If you are depressed all the time, the best thing is meds and counseling (and I am speaking from personal experience). If it is just once in awhile, St. John's wort is helpful, but is toxic with long-term use.

It might be worth trying sunlight. The body develops vitamins in response to sunlight exposure, even as little as 10 minutes a day. You can also purchase full-spectrum lamps that simulate daylight and I have heard that they are helpful as well.

Herbally, chamomile is calming and soothing, and rosemary is centering and uplifting. They can both be used as tea, or in a tincture (look at your local health foods store).

Best of luck-

Answer 5

To remove the depression chemicals from the spinal fluid will take time or a counter chemical like endorphins from sex or the weaker endorphin from exercise. Mostly you need time for the fluid to clear itself. Just don't get any more expectations that are bad in the way.

Answer 6

St John's Wort is the best. Also use in conjunction with Aromatherapy (oils, scents and candles) to keep relaxed

Answer 7

Simply, spend more time out with friends and close ones. Avoid staying home alone feeling miserable. Good luck!

Answer 8

I could answer you better with a bit more information, like sex and age. But there are a number of holistic/homeopathic things you can take depending on age and sex and a few other things.

Answer 9

St. John's Wort. Talk to your doctor first.

Answer 10

You need to go talk to the doctor, about your depression. He or she is the only one, that can honestly tell you what you need.