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Alternative Depression Medicine

Your doctor or psychiatrist has diagnosed you with clinical depression and strongly suggests that you begin taking one of the widely prescribed antidepressants on the market, such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft or Celexa. He promises that taking one of these drugs will begin to elevate your mood and lead to a feeling of overall well-being after a relatively short period of adjustment. You aren't so sure. You've heard horror stories about some of these drugs, including side effects that have led to suicide and violent behavior. Are there alternatives?

  1. Side Effects of SSRIs

    • Whether they have merit or not, there have been some alarming reports about the side effects of the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). An inadequate supply of serotonin to the brain has been isolated as a possible cause of depression. Although most medical authorities claim that this class of drugs is usually successful in addressing the problem, possible side effects of SSRIs include agitation, insomnia, nausea, sexual dysfunction, increased body temperature and a reduction in perspiration. Even more worrisome are the unsubstantiated claims that these drugs have led to suicide and violence.

    Natural Remedies

    • In an article on the Women to Women website, nurse-practitioner Marcelle Pick writes that she sees poor nutrition and stress as significant factors in the cause of depression. Pick outlines a number of steps that people can take to elevate their mood naturally. These include strict adherence to a healthy, balanced diet that sharply limits the intake of carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates; a regimen of regular exercise; taking a nutritional supplement that includes high levels of omega-3 fatty acids; cutting back on stimulants such as caffeine and getting moderate sun or full-spectrum light exposure throughout the year.

      If these steps fail to fully address the patient's feelings of depression, Pick suggests supplementing a regular, healthy diet with 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), an amino acid that acts as a precursor to serotonin, or St. John's Wort, a naturally occurring plant substance, in combination with tyrosine, other amino acids, vitamins and minerals. She cautions, however, that "while supplemental 5-HTP, which is more easily converted into serotonin than L-tryptophan, can be especially effective, it should be used with caution . . . as it can cause increased anxiety in patients with high cortisol levels."

    Other Alternative Treatments

    • Also touted as a natural alternative to antidepressants is the amino acid derivative called S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), which occurs naturally in all cells. In a published report about a Yale Prevention Research Center study into SAMe's efficacy as an antidepressant agent, it was concluded that SAMe seems to play a definite role in the treatment of depression, although it was suggested that more study is needed to determine the mechanism by which SAMe works its magic. Other alternative treatments that have shown some promise in the treatment of depression include acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and meditation.

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