Antidepressants and Natural Alternatives
Some side effects of SSRI antidepressants:
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Sexual dysfunction
- Marked changes in appetite
- Weight gain or loss
- Panic attacks
- Insomnia
- Fatigue or sleepiness
- Drug interactions
- Increased risk of bleeding disorders, such as GI bleeding, bruising, and nosebleeds
For more information about antidepressants and more side effects, click here to read our article, “Common Antidepressant Medications.”
Aside from their short-term side effects, antidepressants can alter the biochemistry of the brain, and can be very difficult to discontinue. I have had several patients who wanted to get off their antidepressants but experienced disruptions in sleep, digestion, and neurological symptoms like tics, tingling, and “zapping” sensations in their brains every time they tried tapering off the drugs. One serious difficulty called serotonin syndrome can arise when there is excess serotonergic activity in the nervous system — while rare, it is growing more common and, unfortunately, is often misdiagnosed.
Down to the roots — a new view of depression
Nutrient cofactors to enhance neurotransmitter function and mood:
- B-complex vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D3
- Essential fatty acids (omega-3’s)
- L-theanine (amino acid)
- Cysteine (amino acid)
- Zinc
One of the first questions I ask women who talk to me about depression is, “Does your depression make sense?” In other words, what’s going on in your life, and in your physiology, that could be contributing to these feelings? There are often several compounding factors that contribute to a state of depression, and if we can get to root causes, women can many times feel much better without having to take an antidepressant.
Many forms of depression are natural, normal, and temporary. In fact, some researchers believe that depression may serve an evolutionary purpose as an adaptive response to affliction, and that pharmacological interventions may prohibit the body and mind from working through a needed struggle — much like a fever fighting off infection. The reality is that life is full of adversity, and many events can cause us to feel depressed (see list below). Women with postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, anxiety, and situational depression are too often embarrassed about the way they feel, and reluctant to seek help. But help is here for you, and antidepressants are not always the magic bullet.
One area that I see often contributing to depression is our past experiences. This is where your life story intersects with your biology. What happened in your early childhood, in utero, and even sometimes before conception, through epigenetic effects, can influence your innate biochemistry and cause you to be more susceptible to depression. It’s so important to remember that if life’s unexpected left turns seem to weigh heavier on you than on others, it’s not your fault. And there are certainly things you can do to make yourself feel better.
Good reason to feel down…
Too often normal dips in emotional state are perceived as the kind of depression that warrants an antidepressant. Here are some situations that may cause you to feel down, and to develop symptoms of situational depression, but not necessarily a more serious or entrenched affective disorder:
- Death of a loved one, friend, or acquaintance
- Health crises
- Financial woes
- Divorce or break-up
- Losing a job, underemployment
- Moving
- Children leaving for college
- Positive transitions laden with deep meaning, such as new jobs, weddings, births
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