Alternatives to antidepressants?
I'm looking for alternative treatments for depression. I've tried twelve different antidepressants over the past 3.5 years, and most have not worked, and the ones that did work had intolerable side effects that caused me to have to stop taking them. I have had success with medication for anxiety to a degree but nothing works for depression. I have also tried TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and it did not give any improvement. I am getting desperate and am looking for alternative treatments. I've considered ketamine treatment but that one makes me a little nervous because it's so new; but that'll likely be my next step if I can't find anything else. Honestly I'll try anything, I'm running out of hope here. (I have been doing psychotherapy for years and it helps but not nearly enough)
Answers ( 1 )
May I suggest to you, as someone who's not only studied alternative health treatments but who's suffered from depression since my teenager years, that you look into taking mineral supplements combined with the B vitamins. What I've found most effective is the mineral combinations of Calcium/Magnesium and Vitamin D, along with taking weekly doses of Stress B Vitamins - a high concentration of the B vitamins that has doses far above the regular B vitamins.
Almost everywhere if you search online, you will find references for taking the B vitamins. If for nothing else, the depression you suffer has put a significant strain on you mentally as well as physically, and the B vitamins are important since they are water soluble and the body can easily become deficient.
Now, as far as the supplements, Magnesium may be your best bet, but should always be taken in combination. But the problem with Magnesium is that it's not always absorbed easily, so adding magnesium-rich foods to your diet can prove very beneficial. The foods - spinach, avocados, nuts like almond and cashews which would be the highest concentration, seeds like pumpkin, walnut and sunflower; 100% orange juice; fruit - banana, blackberry, papaya, raspberry; beans of all kinds; and a personal favorite - dark chocolate has high magnesium, in fact it's very good to help sleep taking hot cocoa.
Now, diet can impact depression, so you might want to look at reducing the kinds of foods that are stimulating, like caffeine-rich or high sugar - those can contribute to highs and lows - you may feel good after a sugar boost, but it often drops lower after it's worn off. So reduce or eliminate sugar and caffeine.
And I suggest to that your sleep is important as well, and the hormones that control your sleep/wake patterns. So, what was once suggested to me was to get exposure to the sun first thing in the morning. It provides not only vitamin D to your body, but also helps increase natural serotonin levels in the body, and that deficiency is directly linked to depression. So, when you wake up - open curtains, go outside, let the sunlight fall on your face. It will help your body in a few ways, but it may also help you sleep better because the higher levels of serotonin will help your body produce melatonin - that hormone that the body needs to sleep.
All of this is about changing the balance of your body. And you're likely in a heightened state, so this is not an overnight solution, but a change that can help to get the body back aligned and hopefully reduce some of that depression. I took anti-depressants for a few years, and was in therapy, tried a number of techniques and none of those really relieved the problem, it's hereditary for me. And I've managed to cope, am no longer a victim of depression and don't struggle anywhere near what I once did. But my final suggestion is to find for yourself a method of meditation. that is one thing that made a big difference for me, and while I'm not regular with meditation practice, when I can settle down and meditate, it relieves a great deal of the mental anxiety and depression.
Now, a last tip - mind you it sneaks back from time to time, and it is important to know and recognize it, and when the dark thoughts start to come, distract yourself physically and mentally. Do a chore, go wash dishes, do laundry, pick up a magazine or book, look for something to do that distracts and diverts your attention from the darker thoughts and feelings. Even just organizing things on a desk or table will divert the mind's attention away from the depressing thoughts. Remember, the body follows the mind, so if you can distract the mind, you can relieve some of that destructive feeling.
https://mammothcomfort.com/melatonin-vs-serotonin-science-behind-good-nights-sleep/
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/depression/foods-that-fight-depression-add-these-12-things-to-your-diet/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15650-magnesium-rich-food
https://facty.com/food/nutrition/10-foods-rich-in-magnesium/10/