I’m Depressed – Are Alternative Depression Medications The Answer ?

The short answer is a resounding yes! Looking at my two depressed friends who have been on anti depressant medications for a lifetime, I am now more convinced than ever that the only way out for them is a comprehensive type of treatment which combines diet, exercise, therapy and medication, preferably herbal ones. That for me is the key to alternative depression medications.

I have seen too many people’s lives thwarted and stunted under the weight of anti depressant meds and their awful side effects. What a price they have to pay as men may become impotent and women gain weight and feel sorry (and even more depressed) that their societal body image is just not what they want.

Let us look at why people are depressed and the answer lies mainly but not entirely in the chemical neurotransmitters called serotonin, endorphin and norepinephrine. Serotonin seems to be the one which can determine so much in our daily routine and how we cope with life. It will affect not only our mood but also appetite, sleep, body temperature and even muscular movements. People who suffer from depression usually have a serotonin deficiency and that has been the key to all anti depression treatment. A lack of serotonin can lead to Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , anxiety and schizophrenia.

One of the best alternative depression medications is sunlight. If you are lucky enough to live in a sunny climate, you will be able to enjoy loads of sunlight. For those who do not, I would say that getting even ten minutes of sunlight can make all the difference to depression. It is no accident that the best possible treatment for SAD (seasonal affective disorder) which is a mild form of depression, is natural light therapy which can be in the form of special lamps for that purpose.

The second best of the alternative depression medications is exercise although it is not a medication in the strictest sense of the term. That is the best way of raising the serotonin levels in your brain and the endorphins which get activated are sometimes called the ‘happy chemicals’. Have you ever met anybody in a bad mood after exercise ? I doubt it .

Diet, while not strictly one of the alternative depression medications, is an essential element in any form of depression treatment. It is no accident that carbohydrates are called ‘comfort food’ because in fact they tend to raise the serotonin levels in the brain as opposed to proteins which tend to have the opposite effect. Go for the brown carbs rather than the white ones so brown pasta, whole wheat bread, fruit and nuts are in. The white carbohydrates tend to give you a sugar spike which can lead to mood swings.

That leaves us with medication and one of the best alternative depression medications is the herbal one because it has very few side effects and will let you regain your mood and serenity without any nasty surprises.

About the Author

Want to learn more about alternative depression medications ? Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.

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