Are there Different and Effective alternatives to Treating Depression , Chronic Anxiety & Panic Disorder?
Two Weeks ago, I was Prescribed Anti- Depressant med. Celexa.
To treat depression, anxiety and panic attacks.
But I seem to be breaking out with Adult acne now. Which I have not had in YEARS!
And…recently I have been feeling more irritable and moody, than usual, and more anxious…So Im not sure if this is rite for me after all.
Iv heard some positive results but im not seeing them.
Iv heard about Natural Supplement, alternatives that are better to treat these disorders..like Valerian Root, and 5-HTP???
Im thinking I may want to stop my medication and GO OH NATURAL, with natural supplements?
ANSWERS ANYONE?
Tagged with: Alternatives • anxiety • chronic • Depression • Different • disorder • Effective • Panic • there • Treating
Filed under: Acne and Anxiety
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OH NATURAL?
It’s not safe to stop your medication without your doctor’s advice. A depression is not something easy to deal with. You must be really sure that you can go on without meds.
Valerian is good to calm anxiety and to relax, also St John’s (not to be taken with other medication)
You could try to make some sports, yoga, etc. but it’s very important that you ask your doctor.
5-HTP is useless. You get plenty of it in meat. Not to mention is does not enter your brain matter directly. Its a precursor to serotonin.
Valerian Root; I don’t know much about it, but I do know ALOT about mental health and this herb isn’t well known.
Besides SSRI’s (Celexa), SNRI’s (Effexor, Cymbalta) and MAOI’s, the only remedies for depression are natural. There is one natural herb that has shown promise in treating slight to moderate depression. It is St. John’s Wort. Its is a SSRI, so its mechanism of action is similar to Celexa. Non-medication routes include improving one’s physical health, therapeutic treatments (raki, acupuncture), eating good, and yoga.
I would personally stick with Celexa. If your not impressed try a different reuptake inhibitor or an MAOI.
St. John’s wort is the only natural supplement that has been scientifically shown to effectively treat mild to moderate depression, and will not treat severe depression. Omega 3 fatty acids looked promising (fish oil pills) but more recent studies have not supported that supplement’s use for treating depression. We’re talking double blinded studies comparing the active ingredient vs. placebo here. A lot of people do benefit from the placebo effect, though, and that’s enough for mild depression. major depression will come right back after a couple weeks, though.
Best natural ways to treat depression: get lots of exercise, keep involved with your relationships with others, volunteer for things, stay busy, get enough sleep, eat right, listen to upbeat music, not sad music, and get extra sunlight. If that doesn’t work, counseling and/or medication are required. Also, learn meditation – there is a free guided imagery at healthjourneys.com. There are lots of meditation techniques & they are very helpful for dealing with anxiety. Learn deep breathing.
Ask yourself: “Why do I feel depressed, and when did I first start to feel this way: can I associate this with any recent change in my life?” (if so, it is probably reactive [situational] depression: counselling, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may be indicated, but most of life’s adverse situations are resolved within 16 weeks, yet the medical criteria for depression, and the prescription of antidepressants is only 2 weeks!). Or, was it a more gradual thing, with no apparent cause? (a nutritional deficiency, hypothyroidism, environmental toxicity, or reactions to some medications, etc., becomes more likely as the cause). Antidepressants work quicker than the following; 2 – 6 weeks, but you may have to adjust dosage, or types. St. John’s wort helps most people; tolerance doesn’t develop, and the few side effects don’t occur often, and even then are normally not severe (neither should be relied on as a sole treatment).
It doesn’t cause sleeping problems, or weight change, but usually takes at least 2, and generally 4 – 6 weeks to become effective, but can work quicker than antidepressants, sometimes. A recent, independent German double blind study showed it to be as effective as a commonly prescribed antidepressant, in cases of major depression, with far fewer side effects, and those were generally better tolerated, with a lower rate of discontinuation. Unlike antidepressants, where sexual dysfunction is a common side effect, it happens much more rarely with St. John’s wort (I have noticed no effect in this area). A multidimensional approach to treating depression without medication follows. All except for no. (7.) are safe to use with medication, but not St. John’s wort, because of interactions, and it’s sensible to check out anything else first with your doctor.
(1.) Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily: (certified free of mercury) it is best if consumed with an antioxidant, such as an orange, or grapefruit, or their FRESHLY SQUEEZED juice. If vitamin E is added, it should be certified as being 100% from natural sources, or it may be synthetic: avoid it. In the winter months, if not getting sufficient daily exposure to strong light, see http://www.mercola.com/ SEARCHBAR: enter: “vitamin D3″, & Go to a doctor and ask for a 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, blood test. When you get the results, don’t follow the typical “normal” reference range, as these are too low. The OPTIMAL value that you’re looking for is 45-52 ng/ml (115-128 nmol/l)”. The company which tests your levels has to be one of those using the correct form of test, and this topic is addressed via the searchbar at mercola.com – “vitamin D3; testing”. Also take a vitamin B complex which is certified as being 100% of natural origin; a deficiency in vitamin B9 (folic acid, or folate) is known to cause depression. Around 30% – 40% of depressed people have low vitamin B12 levels. Depressed females using the contraceptive pill may benefit from vitamin B6 supplements.
(2.) Work up slowly to at least 20 minutes minutes of exercise, daily, or 30 – 60 mns, 5 times weekly. Too much exercise can cause stress, which isn’t wanted when dealing with depression. (3.) Occupational therapy (keeping busy allows little time for unproductive introspection, and keeps mental activity out of less desirable areas of the brain). (4.) Use daily, a relaxation method* and/or yoga*, and/or Tai Chi*. (5.) Initially, at least, some form of counselling, preferably either Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavio(u)ral Therapy. (6.) Maintain a mood chart, and daily activities schedule**. (7.) As options, if desired, either a known, effective herbal remedy, such as St. John’s wort, (get a German variety, if possible; local ones may vary in effectiveness. Take with a meal) or supplements, such as SAMe, or Inositol (from vitamin and health food stores, some supermarkets, or mail order: view section 55).
If 5HTP is used to boost serotonin levels, (which are low in depressed people) it is best taken with a high carbohydrate, minimal protein meal, like pasta, with tomato & basil, and avoid protein for 90 minutes, before, and after, to maximise the amount crossing the blood/brain barrier. 80% of people in the Western world have low magnesium levels, and these are known to cause depression & anxiety. Try pharmacies & supermarkets for the magnesium supplement types shown in http://www.real-depression-help.com/ or magnesium chloride.