Natural Depression Treatment
Are you looking for natural depression treatment as an alternative to prescription antidepressants? We can help you manage depression with natural therapies.
Conventional Antidepressants Under Fire
Prescription antidepressants are coming under more and more scrutiny lately. While they can be effective for some, newer evidence is showing a very limited benefit to those that take them.
Not to mention, their side effects are intolerable for many. The most common side effects of antidepressants are weight gain and lack of libido (sex drive). In addition, people report not being able to ‘feel’ anything, emotion-wise. Others just don’t feel well in general on them, despite getting relief from depression.
Taking antidepressants is a personal choice; you have to decide whether they work for you or not. Some people need them for a short time, others need them longer. Regardless, we encourage you to consider natural depression treatment as it can help lessen symptoms of mild to moderate depression.
Neurotransmitter Balance
Depression is thought to be caused by a neurotransmitter imbalance or deficiency.
Neurotransmitters are basically the chemical messengers of our brains that regulate many functions. Mood is of course a big part of what these chemicals regulate. Prescription drugs work for depression by ‘damming up’ the neurotransmitters you have, so that more are around. They don’t help you make more of them; rather they preserve the ones you do make.
Because depression is primarily caused by a chemical imbalance, it makes sense to provide the raw materials the brain needs to make neurotransmitters. Natural therapies for depression are ideal for this, because they help to support your system, making depression and anxiety less severe.
Natural Depression Treatment
In people with mild to moderate depression, natural depression treatment can be quite helpful.
Here are some of the natural depression therapies we use:
5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a naturally occurring amino acid that supports the production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. It has been shown to have mood supportive effects.
Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight; low levels are associated with depression.
Mood Support is a powerful combination of several natural medicines for depression including:
- B vitamins (B6, folic acid, B12) can all support healthy mood. Low levels of these vitamins are also associated with depression.
- L-Tyrosine plays a role in healthy neurotransmitter production and balanced mood. Tyrosine is a precursor for the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine; it has been used historically to treat medication resistant depression and provides relief similar to that of prescription antidepressants, without the side effects.
- St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is one of the most thoroughly researched natural substances for depression. St. John’s Wort is often compared to antidepressant drugs with similar efficacy and a lower incidence of side effects.
In addition to chemical imbalance, there are several other parts of the puzzle of depression. We will address diet, lifestyle, nutrition, stress, hormonal and other functional aspects of your health to gain insight into helping you feel better.
Keeping the rest of your body healthy when depressed is important as well. Health is a cascade, in that what we do for one aspect of our health will improve others. Whether you are taking antidepressants or have recently stopped them, they leave certain parts of you in need of more health support.