Depression

Defeating Depression Without Drugs

Laura was exhausted and tearful after the birth of her second child. Sharon had difficulty coping with her husband’s diagnosis of cancer. Elizabeth was anxious and had sleeping issues. Matt was having trouble adjusting to a new school. They each discussed their symptoms with their doctors—and all of them were given prescriptions for Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, or another selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant.

No doubt about it, these people were going through some hard times. But did they really have a disease that required treatment with powerful psychotropic drugs?

The Conventional Approach to Depression

Currently, 4 percent of American men and 10 percent of women are taking antidepressants—despite the fact that placebo-controlled studies show that, except for individuals with very severe depression, these drugs work no better than sugar pills.  Furthermore, SSRI antidepressants have very dangerous adverse effects. In addition to causing weight gain, sexual dysfunction, and increased risk of gastrointestinal and uterine bleeding, they also increase risk of severe agitation, disassociation, suicidal thoughts and actions, and violent behavior. Click here to learn just how dangerous these drugs can be.

So how do these drugs manage to generate nearly $17 billion in annual sales? According to David Healy, MD, author of Let Them Eat Prozac: The Unhealthy Relationship Between the Pharmaceutical Industry and Depression, it’s because doctors and patients alike have been sold a bill of goods. Drug companies have manipulated research, ignored adverse effects, and successfully sold the concept that any and all emotional distress can and should be chased away with a pill. Click here to read more about this dangerous deception.

Alternative Therapies for Depression

There is no doubt that major depression can be a staggering burden, and it should be treated seriously. But indiscriminate drugging is not the answer—especially when there are safe, natural therapies that have been proven to work as well as prescription antidepressants.

One approach that is often overlooked by conventional doctors is natural hormone replacement therapy. Every alternative medicine physician worth his salt tests the hormone levels of patients complaining of depression. And correcting imbalances in estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid can dramatically improve mood.

Nutritional Supplements for Depression

A number of supplements are also very helpful for depression. The best studied of them is St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), which is a leading treatment in Europe. Hundreds of clinical trials demonstrate that this herb not only relieves depression but is as effective as antidepressant drugs and much better tolerated.

Another excellent therapy is S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe, pronounced Sammy), an amino acid metabolite. SAMe produces significant improvements in mood. Furthermore, it works fast—most people notice a difference within a week.

Fish oil, B-complex vitamins, magnesium, zinc, DHEA: All of these inexpensive, over-the-counter supplements have been proven to relieve depression, nurture the brain, and enhance overall health. To learn more about these safe, natural therapies, click here.

Lifestyle Changes for Depression

Regular exercise and a good diet also improve depression. Make sure you include two or three weekly servings of omega-3-rich salmon and other fatty fish, which nourish the brain and reduce inflammation, a suspected link in depression. And go easy on starches and sugars. These quick-burning carbohydrates cause sharp rises and drops in blood sugar that adversely affect mood.

Finally, do not overlook the power of faith, religion, meditation, friends, family, and counseling in helping you deal with grief, worry, change, and other aspects of the human condition.