Natural Solutions For Depression

Clinical Depression is a mental illness that causes havoc in the lives of millions of people all over the world. Chances are that if you have not personally experienced depression you probably know a friend or family member who has. The effects of depression can be devastating and the treatment options can be complex, expensive and have serious side effects.

Nevertheless, there is cause for optimism. There are effective, non-pharmaceutical treatments for depression with the power to shine a light into the dark corners of your miserable brain and restore the twinkle to those bedroom eyes.

Just listening to the endless litany of side effects from taking selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, could inspire anyone to want to drop a stone on his or her chest.

SSRIs act on a chemical in the brain called serotonin, which appears to regulate mood, but it is also involved in other bodily processes, including digestion, pain and sleep. Thus, when serotonin reuptake in the brain is inhibited a broad range of side effects can occur. These include nausea, insomnia, tremors, sweating, anxiety , restlessness, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, loss of sex drive, dizziness, weight gain and headaches. SSRIs have also been associated with an increased risk of birth defects. One recent study suggests these drugs are so high risk they should absolutely be avoided by women who want to become pregnant.

To make matters worse, an abrupt cessation of SSRIs can also cause serious withdrawal symptoms. So if you're taking them, and you're having the sort of negative effects listed above, be sure to go off of them slowly, and under the care of a physician.

A lovely little yellow flower, St. John's wort, is a natural herbal product available in the supplement section of most health food stores. It has been used for hundreds of years to relieve moderate depression. St. John's wort has also been found helpful in cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a depression brought on by extensive darkness during winter months. It's been used as a sedative to relieve anxiety and promote sleep. It's even been found useful in the treatment of malaria.

But alas, like SSRI drugs, St. John's wort is also associated with a long list of side effects, including nausea, skin rash, fatigue, anxiety , sexual dysfunction, restlessness, headache, dry mouth, dizziness and/or confusion. When St. John's wort is combined with antidepressants, symptoms of nausea, anxiety, headache and confusion may intensify. In rare cases, St. John's wort may cause severe psychiatric symptoms such as suicidal and homicidal thoughts. People with fair skin must also take additional precautions, because St. John's wort can increase sunlight sensitivity. So if you have fair skin, and taking St. John's wort is otherwise alleviating your depression without provoking too many unpleasant side effects, be sure to apply a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and wear long sleeves and a hat when going outdoors. Sunlamps and tanning beds should be avoided.

If, after enduring life on the above-described medications, a glance in the mirror still reveals a face reminiscent of Edvard Munch's “Scream,” don't abandon ship. All hope is not lost. Powerful help is available via non-toxic, non-pharmaceutical means.

Recently a substance known as shilajit , which has been used by Ayurvedic medicine practitioners in India for thousands of years, has become available in the west. Shilajit is a black tar-like substance, which seeps from sun-warmed rocks at very high altitudes in the Himalayas during the summertime. It is thought to have formed over thousands of years from decomposed plants. Shilajit is a powerful adaptogen, which helps protect against and heal a long list of mental and physical ailments. It contains over 80 different trace minerals coated in fulvic acid, which chemically assists the bioavailability of these vital nutrients. Thus, some people consider shilajit to be nature's most powerful compost.

Shilajit is a potent antioxidant, immune booster and detoxifier, which are just a few reasons why it has lately become the favorite anti-aging remedy among the Hollywood elite.

As for how it helps win the battle against depression: shilajit strengthens the nervous system and promotes improved blood circulation, thus relieving depression, stress, mental fatigue and anxiety. It promotes improved concentration and memory. It is even used by ayurvedic practitioners to treat schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.

Shilajit is contraindicated for transplant patients taking anti-rejection medications and individuals prone to gout. However, it's always best to consult your physician before taking any medication.

Another powerful tool for the kitbag of anyone fighting depression is hemoencephalography (HEG) biofeedback. Biofeedback is a therapy whereby a patient utilizes visual and auditory feedback of the measurement of various body processes, such as heart rate or brain waves, to voluntarily control functions, which are ordinarily considered involuntary. In the case of HEG, it is brain blood flow that is measured.

In 1994, biofeedback pioneer, Hershel Toomim, discovered that, not only was the skull translucent enough to measure the light that penetrated, but also that he could easily create an instrument to measure blood flow in the brain. Prior to that time, all brain biofeedback had been conducted using electroencephalography (EEG), and measurements had to be taken from the top of the head, because eye movement created electrical signals, which interfered with the EEG measurement. However, with HEG, eye movement was not an issue, and Toomim discovered that blood flow could be measured in the prefrontal lobe of the brain by placing electrodes on the forehead. Because most mental illnesses are rooted in deficiencies in that area of the brain, HEG proved itself to be a very powerful tool in the treatment of depression, ADHD , schizophrenia, and various dysfunctions along the autism spectrum. HEG has even been used to heal brain injuries, and improve memory in elderly as well as Alzheimer's patients. Using feedback viewed on a computer screen in animation form or simple graph, patients use their own will power to increase blood flow to a deficient area of the brain, which results in an increase in synaptic connectivity and cell production.

Initial HEG sessions should be short, and no more than three sessions per week, since overdoing it can cause headaches. For best results, be sure to consult with a professionally trained HEG therapist. Some patients experience memory loss after the first few sessions, but this is temporary and will be followed by relief from depression, coupled with enhanced memory.

Pharmaceutical medications must be taken continuously and can result in serious long-term harm. By contrast, both HEG and shilajit are healing in nature, and their effects are cumulative. In other words, you can stop when you feel good, and there are no negative consequences, just great mental health.