natural remedies depression/anxiety

BillieTheBot

Ive decided not to continue with Citalopram or the flupentixol because of the horrible side effects. Im feeling ok so far, but am wondering - in case i go downhill again, are there any good natural remedies?
Im think 5htp or rhodiola or something. What about homeopathy or st johns wort.

Im looking for something gentle to help me as and when i need it generally, but without the harsh side effects of conventional medication

Former Member

You'd better off just drinking water than using homeopathic medicine, because neither contain medicine. A healthy diet, regular exercise, abstaining from drugs and alcohol and getting a good night's sleep can help. St. John's wort is effective, so try that.

Former Member

How long did you stick with them, SCC? The side-effects to tend to subside after a little while...

Former Member

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-Hydroxytryptophan

I just remembered this- my psychiatric nurse actually recommended this to me, she said that she, and other nurses at the practice took it regularly, and recommended it to me, once i was off my meds, as a 'pick me up' lol .. so, it's worth a shot!

Former Member

Click to see more wrote: »

How long did you stick with them, SCC? The side-effects to tend to subside after a little while...

The first ooo... 3 SSRI's i tried, the side effects were so disabling, i couldn't even make it past the first 3 weeks, it was horrible! constant nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms, depression and panic attacks worsening etc - so I understand where she i coming from!

I found effexor the only drug so far i have been able to tolerate the side effects enough for it to kick in.

Former Member

Aye, I've been there myself. But they do tend to get better with time...

Former Member

2 weeks of not sleeping and bone aching fatigue.

I have 3 kids to look after. I couldnt manage it

Former Member

I used to use st johns wort for comedowns or when I had bad pmt. That always worked for me. I bought superstrength ones online and they're pretty cheap.
I've heard of 5htp bein good but thought that was just for clubbers to increase serotonin after taking pills.

Former Member

st john's wort, kalms tablets, calm life tablets (calm life i have found effective for sleep, when i take them in the evening i go into a bit of a trance/daydream and totally chill).

also.. when you can, do exercise, even just walking for 20-30 mins a day can work wonders.

there are loads of natural remedies to try out. maybe you could go to a health shop/boots/greens and ask an assistant. or do your research online and then go buy stuff. give them a few weeks to work if it's your first time on something though. :P

Former Member

type "fish oil" and "depression" into google.. there has been a lot of recent research that has been studying the efficacy of fish oil for depression

my ex would take 8000mg of fish oil (in capsule form) every day, i think it somewhat helped him.

i decided to come off my anti-depressants once and for all a few months back, too many bad experiences. had a few bad experiences coming off them but i'm glad i did in the end! i still have weekly therapy sessions which help deal with any problems

as for anxiety, well i'm still coming off the benzos (tried lorazepam, alprazolam and temazepam) my psych wants me to be completely off them because they're not good for long-term treatment.. i really dunno what i'm going to do to manage my anxiety! i'm not meant to exercise because i'm also struggling with anorexia and have been at a low weight for many years. that said, sex is a great stress-reliever and mood-enhancer, just do it safely!

trying to limit caffeinated beverages, especially in the evening, is meant to help regulate/decrease anxiety. there are also many forms of relaxation/meditation to practice, such as progessive muscle relaxation and breathing exercises.

i do think that to a degree, the side-effects of meds, especially anti-depressants, sometimes can outweigh the therapeutic benefits of the meds.

Former Member

guitargirl74 wrote: »

i do think that to a degree, the side-effects of meds, especially anti-depressants, sometimes can outweigh the therapeutic benefits of the meds.

I agree with that.
I actually feel lots better since I came off. Maybe I was just ready.
Ive started taking fish oils though and a B vitamin supplement

Former Member

I don't know if you or your husband have health insurance, but mine covers me for aromatherapy and massage. I find that they work better at lifting my mood than any pills- herbal or otherwise. St John's Wort is evil stuff IMHO.

Former Member

why is it evil stuff, just out of interest?

Former Member

I just used stuff like herbal tea, meditation and aromatherapy when I stopped taking anxiety medication. If you're starting to feel better maybe you could put a few drops of an essential oil onto a tissue and smell it if things are getting too much. Based on the experience that my mother had, and you probably already know this, I think for things like this it's important to know if the root of the problem is medical or due to the way your life is. Doctors don't usually acknowledge the difference and in my experience a stressful life and depression/anxiety medication are a really bad combination.

Former Member

i carry around lavender oil and arnica 30c strength for panic attacks, and it helps quite a lot.

rhodiola is good - but when its wearing off between doses it gave me awful mood swings and made me violently angry.

st johns wort works well for some and not others...

any chance you would be able to see a local herbalist? does a local college do courses? because you might be able to be seen there with a student shadowing the teaching herbalist.

chamomile tea before bed often helps, as does getting outside and getting some vitamin D - not so easy as we are now going into winter, do you have a light box?

i know how expencive aromatherapy can be, but see if you can access it on the NHS, or if they can refer you the the royal homeopathic hospital - loads of alternative medicines on the NHS!

has counciling helped?

up your intake of essential fatty acids as well - oily fish, nuts etc

according to the chart i have in my kitchen the following are good for depression - borage and vervain and chamomile for anxiety and insomnia

make sure you are getting lots of brightly coloured fruit and veg in your diet, and wholegrains

have you had your thyroid checked? that can make you severely depressed and anxious...

Former Member

Medications and psychotherapy are still the mainstays when it comes to treating depression and anxiety, says Glick, who is also professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. But alternative therapies can help. It depends on what you expect from them.

Also, the FDA has issued a warning on St. John's wort, saying it dangerously interferes with a long list of prescription drugs. Too many people don't recognize that herbs affect the body physiologically just like prescription drugs do, Leuchter says.I hope it will help you.