Natural Alternatives for the symptoms of Depression

MindSoothe : MindSoothe can help with depressed mood, disturbed sleep patterns (insomnia or hypersomnia), loss of libido, fatigue and loss of interest and motivation, irritability and anger, disturbed appetite (either loss of appetite or binge eating, depressed mood, anxiety and panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and other symptoms of OCD.

Nerve Tonic: Ensure systemic balance of biochemic tissue salts in the body, optimize health at the cellular level, relieve symptoms of disease, restore health and vitality, safely treat a wide range of symptoms without side effects, optimize the therapeutic effects of other remedies by improving systemic functioning and metabolism.

MoodCalm: - Homeopathic remedy temporarily calms emotional outbursts and reduces mood swings

SAD Sooother - Homeopathic remedy temporarily relieves feelings of sadness related to the winter season.

What is Depression?

Depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It’s feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time. more>>

Signs & Symptoms

Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed more>>

Treatment

A variety of treatments including medications and short-term psychotherapies have proven effective for depression. more>>

Treatment choices for resistant depression – STAR*D trial

Getting Help: Locate Services

Locate mental health services in your area, affordable healthcare, NIMH clinical trials, and listings of professionals and organizations. more>>

Related Information

Information on coping with traumatic events
Occurrence in:
Occurrence with other serious illnesses: Depression may coexist with other serious illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.
Information about medications
Depression Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español)
Some mental illnesses also carry an increased risk for suicide.

News

Publications/Resource Materials

Read, print, or order NIMH booklets, fact sheets, and other publications on depression such as:

Stories of Depression
An introductory easy-to-read booklet describing signs, symptoms, treatment options, how to get help, and how to help someone who may have depression.

Depression
A detailed booklet that describes major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder (manic-depression); lists symptoms; reviews possible causes; tells how depression is diagnosed; and discusses available treatments.

More Publications>>

Depression Research

Clinical Trials: Current Studies on Depression
Search MEDLINE's PubMed for recent research articles on depression.

Supplements and Herbs for Treating Depression

Depression can sometimes be caused by incorrect nutrition, an illness, emotional issues or other biochemical changes in the body. Types of depression can range from mild symptoms to very severe or chronic types. Whether you decide to treat your depression with traditional medicine which, by the way only treats the symptoms; or if you decide to try supplements or herbs for treating depression, it will all depend on the type of depression you have.

If you do decide to use traditional medicines it is a good idea to at least attempt eating a healthy diet which excludes processed foods like meat, and sugar based snacks. Researchers have found that people who consume mostly fruit, vegetables and fish were over half as likely not to get depressed. Another positive lifestyle choice, besides diet, is to consider exercise. Exercise will help manage your stress levels, and create the feel good brain hormones also helping to contribute to positive emotions and moods.

Herbs that treat depression are viewed as a whole body therapy and can be as strong as prescription medicines. Everyone can respond differently to herbal remedies as well as medicines for treating depression, so check with your physician before starting a particular supplement.

Even though you may be eating healthy there are some supplements and herbs for treating depression that you can try. These include;

--Omega-3 Fish Oil have been found to help with depression, mood disorders and even bipolar disorder.

--B complex vitamins help with stress but also low levels have been found in depressed patients.

--Probiotics have shown to help anti-inflammatory responses reducing depression and anxiety levels.

-- 5-HTP can help with depression related sleep disorders.

-- SAM-e helps your body use serotonin more efficiently.

--Vitamin D is necessary and is needed for many functions including immune system function. Inadequate amounts can affect PMS symptoms, depression and the winter blues (seasonal affective disorder). It also is necessary for building bones and working with calcium. Many women with osteoporosis are deficient in Vitamin D.

Herbs that treat depression like St. John’s wort have been used widely with fewer side effects and they have the same positive results as some prescription drugs. Passion flower and St. John’s wort work much more effectively together so look for this combination.

You may not respond right away to the supplements or herbs for treating depression. Three to five weeks is the usual time frame for people to notice a difference, but results can occur sooner. Eventually you can reduce the amounts you are taking and use maintenance doses as needed.

Supplements for Lifting Mood / Depression

Probiotics
Omega 3 Fish Oils
B Complex
St. Johns Wort
Chromium
5-HTP
SAM-e
Vitamin D

Certified Organic St. Johns Wort Tea and products