Medication for mild depression

[FitChick]

S - You might be interested in doing this test from Dr Eric Braverman to see what neurotransmitters are the issue.

How chemically balanced is your brain?

He also has recommendations on diet and supplements that will help with a deficiency of each type. His book 'the Edge Effect' has excerpts online.

I took the test and WOW. I am GABA deficient so googled the foods. All things I used to eat on a regular basis and was never depressed or anxious. In the past couple of months, starting around the holidays, I stopped eating most of them or seldom did any more. I became irritable, tired and anxious. So this definitely works for me. I've gone shopping and bought most of the foods so I should see an improvement soon. So easy to do and doesn't cost as much as pharmaceuticals and no side effects. I truly believe nutrition and lifestyle are much more important to mental health than most people realize. Of course, most people are lazy and just prefer popping pills.

[ascendotum]

I took the test and WOW. I am GABA deficient so googled the foods. All things I used to eat on a regular basis and was never depressed or anxious. In the past couple of months, starting around the holidays, I stopped eating most of them or seldom did any more. I became irritable, tired and anxious. So this definitely works for me. I've gone shopping and bought most of the foods so I should see an improvement soon. So easy to do and doesn't cost as much as pharmaceuticals and no side effects. I truly believe nutrition and lifestyle are much more important to mental health than most people realize. Of course, most people are lazy and just prefer popping pills.

 

That's really good then that what you read fits in with your experience and now you can make the connection. I agree with your sentiments. I feel something like this non pharma program should be a a first step for someone to try for any mild/moderate depression symptoms. Its not like its a 'well recognized gold standard' protocol, but given there is no real science in determining what actual aspect of the patient's brain chemistry is faulty (at the local doctor level), to me its better than a 'lets give this a try' (new AD being promoted by big pharma) approach. Less side effects and the patient can take control of his well being, though as you say, many like to have that easier control through popping a pill. (Note - this last statement does not cover everyone with depression)

I'm dopamine & acetylchloline deficient.

[dichotomy]

I took a few different anti-depressants years ago and they all caused me to gain weight, which depressed me more. Seriously one drug caused me to gain 30 pounds in a year, while my doctor insisted it couldn't possibly be the drug. It was, of course. I had been slim all my life, then all of a sudden...?

 

I went off the drug and went on a heavy-duty diet...I've lost the weight but it was really hard to do.

 

Apparently Wellbutrin doesn't cause weight gain but it's bad for anxiety-related depression.

 

St. John's Wort just made me jumpy. Bach's Rescue Remedy didn't seem to do anything for me.

 

Ya - I had very similar experiences. Also certain meds would not allow me to orgasm. Frustrating to be going at it with a gal for an hour... and nothing.

 

Welbutrtin has amazing side affects - weight loss, increased sex drive....but as mentioned it is very much a stimulant so if your depressed and low drive it is great, but if you got any anxiety or anger issues with your depression it is not so good.

 

One last thing I learned from my doctor. All these meds work best on someone with an internal brain chemistry issue. That is their depression has no cause, it is just how they are. If you are experiencing depression for a reason (no matter small or large) they don't work so well and therapy and other things like exercise/social work best for that (depression for a reason)

Edited February 24, 2013 by dichotomy

[LadyAly]

I take an anti-anxiety medication to help my anxiety, and to help lessen the burden of my depression. It's actually working, I feel like I am re-gaining control of something I've had to deal with my entire life.

The medication I'm taking is a non-addictive anti-anxiety called Buspar. Now the side effects are that I notice more often is that I become tired within 3 hours of taking my first dose (I take 2 "half" doses through out the day) the other is that I am neither thirsty nor hungry, which caused me to be a bit dehydrated during the first week. Now I just have to remember to drink water every few hours and I'm golden. Other than that, no nightmares, no suicidal thoughts, no feeling of helplessness, and most of all no "chem" feeling- as if I'm no longer in control of my thoughts or feelings.

 

As always, it's best to consult with your physician to see what could be the best match for you. As long as you're honest and tell him/her what you're looking for, they should be able to find a proper match for you. Good luck!

[Feelin Frisky]

I urgently warn against taking any other-the-counter GABA supplements. Take the vitamin B-6 (pyridoxal phosphate) but not the GABA supplement itself. I caused a terrible theater of harm to myself using the GABA supplement which is marketed as nature's "natural" relaxant or tranquilizer. While it does give calming effects it can tell you body to stop producing your own GABA thereby creating a greater GABA deficiency and a dependence on the GABA supplement. Then the efficacy of the GABA supplement gets bad and you have to take it like every half hour or suffer the symptoms of general physical anxiety--almost like a withdrawal from narcotics. You'll feel pensive and nervous because what's happening in your brain is cellular biological processes are interrupted and by-products of chemistry gets trapped in the cells. Actually it is chlorine molecules. This can not return to normal for months and you may need other medications like gabapentin (Neurontin) and anxiety meds like Buspirone and/or an addicting benzodiazepine like Ativan or Xanax. Believe you me, this was a horrible time I would never wish on anyone. The sleeplessness alone knocks you out of normal competencies.

[FitChick]

Lots of natural ways to increase GABA with these foods.

[SmithWood]

Actually most depression will be helped without not medication. Try omega-3 or simply eat coldwater fish, a minimum of 20minutes select a get in peak hours of sun daily, and move to bed at identical time everynight.