Posted by Tomatheus on November 10, 2010, at 19:07:46
In reply to SO pleased to be off chemical rx drugs - whats 1st, posted by rculater on November 10, 2010, at 7:23:45
rculater,
I'm far from being an expert in alternative psychiatry, but based on my experience, the main difference between finding a supplement that works for depression and finding a medication that works for depression is that with supplements, you get to call the shots. Sometimes psychiatrists will recommend supplements, or naturopathic doctors will oversee a patient's treatment in much the same way that psychiatrists do, but in a lot of cases it's up to the patient to research potential supplements and to decide what to take, how long to take it, and what dose to take. I think that some educated guesses can be made as to what supplements may help, but largely, the process of finding a supplement that helps to alleviate the symptoms of a mental illness is one of trial and error.
So, what can I recommend? As I said in the previous paragraph, I'm no expert in alternative psychiatry, but I do understand that for depression, St. John's Wort has been shown to be particularly effective for mild and moderate cases of the illness and that there's also a lot of research to support the use of SAMe. Fish oil is also commonly used by patients suffering from depression. I'm not too familiar with the research on fish oil as it pertains to depression, but I do recall reading about a positive study or two. Another alternative treatment that may help to reduce the severity of depressive symptoms is l-methylfolate. Like SAMe, l-methylfolate is thought to be a "triamine modulator" that increases the levels of the three major neurotransmitters involved in mood: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. It is available by prescription in 7.5-mg tablets as Deplin, but it's also sold over-the-counter in doses ranging from 400 to 800 mcg.
Other supplements that may help with depression include Rhodiola rosea, 5-HTP (a direct precursor to serotonin), l-tryptophan (an amino-acid precursor to 5-HTP and ultimately, serotonin), l-tyrosine (the amino-acid precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine), zinc, B vitamins, and saffron. The list does not end there, though. A lot of other supplements may help ease depression, even though they haven't been scientifically studied for their effectiveness when it comes to mood disorders. One example I can think of is an herb that I'm currently taking, which is kanna, or sceletium tortuosum. As far as I know, it's never been studied for its potential to treat mood disorders, or any mental illness for that matter. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that it can be useful in elevating mood and reducing anxiety. Kanna is both a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor, and another PDE4 inhibitor (rolipram) has actually been shown to stimulate both the presynaptic and the postsynaptic components of monoaminergic neurotransmission. I've been taking kanna for four days now, and I have noticed some definite improvement in both my cognition and the severity of my depressive symptoms. The fact that kanna's benefits have lasted for four days for me is very promising because most treatments that I've tried lose their effectiveness after three days of use or less.
I'm not sure how well the information I've provided here will help you choose an alternative treatment for your dysthymia, but I hope that I've made you aware of some treatments options that you weren't previously aware of and that perhaps you might benefit from one or more of the supplements that I've mentioned here. There are certainly a lot of options to choose from when it comes to supplements, and I wish you luck in finding something that works for you.
Tomatheus
Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Currently taking 5 mg Abilify, 12.5 mg Lamictal, 2.25 mg Hydergine, and four supplements.
poster:Tomatheus
thread:969552
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100930/msgs/969692.html