[InfiniteSadness]

My background- i have major depression but also severe ocd and anxiety on top of it. But i feel like i can never try to add anything natural to my med because most docs are against it/fear of the interaction that could occur. And I sure dont feel comfortable completely stopping my Ad just to try a natural remedy. Id rather add something to it. But i feel ill be on a form of med forever given the Severity of my symptoms, not just depression. So a part of me feels like ill never know if anything alternative or "natural" would help

[Crazy Hitch]

Hi InfiniteSadness

I will be interested to see responses to this.

Thank you for asking.

I do not take anything particular per say that is natural just for depression.

But this is me personally.

I do take Omega 3 but this is more for overall mood stabilisation I think.

So I'd be interested in what others have to say.

[Bark]

St. John's Wort has antidepressant properties. However, it interacts with many medications, and if you are already on an antidepressant it raises the risk of serotonin syndrome (which can be life-threatening). Also, natural remedies can have side effects. SJW can cause photosensitivity.

Just because something is natural does not make it inherently better than something artificial. If you are stable on your meds then you've won the lottery and there's no use in changing anything.

Some food for thought: lithium salts can be found in some lakes, morphine comes from opium which comes from a flowering plant, and cyanide is a natural poison.

[vital]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

My background- i have major depression but also severe ocd and anxiety on top of it. But i feel like i can never try to add anything natural to my med because most docs are against it/fear of the interaction that could occur. And I sure dont feel comfortable completely stopping my Ad just to try a natural remedy. Id rather add something to it. But i feel ill be on a form of med forever given the Severity of my symptoms, not just depression. So a part of me feels like ill never know if anything alternative or "natural" would help

I think that the best treatments for depression are natural but are not herbal.
You could check with your doc, but surely he/she is not going to object to you getting more exercise, improving your diet, trying meditation, etc. I think you have nothing to lose by trying these things even on your Ad. If these things start to work for you, you can then decide what to do with your Doc at that point.

Here's what I think is the best overall plan:

http://forums.psychcentral.com/4262681-post105.html

- vital

I take vitamin D, melatonin and iron alongside my meds. Melatonin really helps my sleep which helps my depression, and i suppose so does vitamin D as i don't get enough sunlight.

[pinkflower17]

I don't know if you're male or female, but there are some studies that show zinc supplements in both men and women and folic acid supplements in women improve mood. Both are fairly safe if taken in the suggested amount and don't interact with a whole lot. I personally also take a good multivitamin and a B complex. B vitamins theoretically improve energy and they're water soluble, so any excess, you just pee out.
Be careful with many of the "natural" supplements, as a previous poster suggested, especially St. Johns wort, Kava kava, and many others.
Personally, I think if your meds are working, that's great and I'd consider myself blessed.
For me, exercise, eating well, good relationships, therapy, a good relationship with my doctor and a sun lamp have also been beneficial.
I think it takes a village.

[AncientMelody]

Fish oils (omega 3 fatty acids) can be very beneficial alongside antidepressants or other treatments. And in recommended doses it's quite safe with any psychiatric medication,

[InfiniteSadness]

I guess herbal remedies wouldnt work as well as prescription med for Clinical depression.. ? Sometimes with me though I cant tell if the med is helping enough

[i dont matter]

Do they work? I am not nearly smart enough to say.

I do "believe" they can alter the body so chemical "X" is increased/decreased allowing your body to function more normally. BUT, I also believe if something foreign (IE meds) change the body chemistry - the body will adapt and make changes to put you back into your original state.

Just my thought..... no science behind it.

[Bark]

Originally Posted by dont matter

Do they work? I am not nearly smart enough to say.

I do "believe" they can alter the body so chemical "X" is increased/decreased allowing your body to function more normally. BUT, I also believe if something foreign (IE meds) change the body chemistry - the body will adapt and make changes to put you back into your original state.

Just my thought..... no science behind it.

Supplements like Omega 3s are helpful if you are not consuming a varied diet and/or if you are deficient in vitamins and minerals.

As for a natural substance with antidepressant properties: they act like meds do, on neurotransmitters in the brain (and elsewhere, which is partly why you get side effects). St. John's wort is a monoamine reuptake inhibitor; it keeps serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine swimming around in your brain. You're probably familiar with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They mostly target serotonin. SJW is less targeted and thus has more possibilities for interaction. Unless you have mild depression and are not on other meds, you should probably stay away from herbal supplements unless approved by a doctor.

St. John's wort: MedlinePlus Supplements
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypericum_perforatum (pharmacological details)

As for your body adapting to foreign substances: that's homeostasis. It applies to anything entering your body.

I take 5HTP and saint johns wort. They both help my depression a lot. But they have not cured it. I cannot take meds bc the side effects are bad for me.

[InfiniteSadness]

Ive read people say OTC natural things for depression/anxiety dont really work- my doc says i can try Sam-E at a low dose with my med but not sure if its worth it? For anxiety, nothing "natural" really helps me that much

[vital]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

Ive read people say OTC natural things for depression/anxiety dont really work- my doc says i can try Sam-E at a low dose with my med but not sure if its worth it? For anxiety, nothing "natural" really helps me that much

I think you're making a mistake here, thinking that antidepressants are the only thing that might work for a "serious" case of depression.

You can think of it this way. Suppose you have a severe vitamin D deficiency or a vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism or a gluten allergy or any of the other common problems listed in my previous post. If you have any one of these, do you really think that antidepressants are going to solve your problem? You might be assuming that if there is something important that should be checked, your M.D. will check for it. This is a very reasonable assumption - it's just not true! You've usually got to specifically ask for these things. People sometimes think that because they've had a blood test, these things must have been checked. This is also not true.

For SAM-e specifically, see the huge effect it had on the poster ItGoesOn in the depression success stories section.

- vital

[JustTvTroping]

I take Saint John's Wort but not at the maximum recommended dose (I'm cheap like that). So far, it's helpful. I'm not cured or anything, but it does keep me from being at my worse.