[jwise0]

I applaud the idea of helping people with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and that cluster of symptoms and illnesses. We talk a lot about how it's prevalent, but we don't talk a lot about what to do about it.

That said, I don't agree with the advice of the original poster. Self-medicating, /especially/ when you're in the thick of depression, is dangerous; there really isn't a whole lot of data around with regards to either safety /or/ efficacy in patients with depression. It's important that you have a support system around you.

So the paragraph that's buried in the middle -- "discuss with whoever's relevant" -- I think is the crux of it. And beyond that, the most important thing is to begin. Talk to your primary care physician; if you don't trust them, talk to a close friend; find a referral to either a psychiatrist or a psychologist. There are forms of therapy these days that are grounded in evidence, and once you have a support system in place, you might well find that experimenting with pharmacological therapies that are outside the gamut of institutional medicine is something that you want to try.

But if you have pain every day, the most significant bit is that it doesn't have to be that way, and there are ways to treat it; and beyond that, there are tested ways, and it's probably worth going with those first, so that you have the highest probability of feeling better faster, with the lowest risk of feeling even worse or compounding your problems with other side effects.

[baccheion]

Yes, as I said in the other comment, I'm not suggesting all out self medication (or not involving a doctor), I'm trying to present a set of supplements and nootropics that many with these issues may have not heard about before. Maybe they can research each thing and/or talk about them with their doctor to see if they will help.

Also, I'm especially making these recommendations, as standard medications and advice from doctors didn't really help me, but when I tried these alternatives I had better success. That is, these are good things to keep in mind should traditional routes not work out well, or if the side effects from antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds grow unbearable.

[privateersman]

I can understand your viewpoint having gone through similar and fixed it on my own. If people want to cure their depression and anxiety through self help, my advice is to try adjusting your mindset before thinking about nutrients.

My theory is that having the wrong mindset for long enough sets in motion a process that ends up in physical illness, inflammation and nutrient problems - which make the mental illness worse. So people should try learning mindfulness, stoicism, CBT and giving them at least a few months (with a good diet/exercise) before trying this route.

Nutrient deficiencies can cause all sorts of problems - I read about it extensively when I was ill. At one point I was convinced I might have a magnesium deficiency but when I got a proper test done (not the standard one) it showed high levels of magnesium. So, it's not always the miracle that it appears.

[baccheion]

Yes, there are also other things like meditation and brainwave entrainment (Neuro-Programmer 3). Blood tests, urine tests, hair sample analysis, and assessing gene data are readily accessible (unless too expensive or not covered by insurance), so there shouldn't be anything standing in the way of at least getting those tests done to see if there are any immediately identifiable/addressable issues, deficiencies, or excesses.

[labrador]

Good ideas, but debilitating depression and anxiety have left me poor and broke. I don't have the luxury of shopping for a psychiatrist. I did go once when I had some money and she gave me her Abilify samples. It worked wonders, but she told me the samples she gave me would normally cost $800 US bucks a month. I'm on govt health insurance for the poor that doesn't cover that, so herbs are it.

[GFK_of_xmaspast]

It appears that there's been a generic abilify for about a year now and also that it's definitely covered under Medicaid in at least some states.

[labrador]

Hey thanks, I'll look into it