Antidepressants and Natural Alternatives
For women who are mildly or even moderately depressed, we can look at depression as an opportunity to change the lens through which we view our lives. Research is now telling us that our thoughts have a biochemical manifestation in the body, and vice versa. We can use this intense connection to our advantage by enacting needed change in our lives.
There may also be very real physiological factors contributing to your depression. Perhaps your diet is off, or your sleep habits, or maybe you’re reacting to toxicity in your surroundings. Even certain forms of mold can cause some people to be depressed! Whatever the cause, it helps to step back and take a close look at your health, emotions, and environment as you examine your depression.
Brain chemistry — serotonin and much more
Serotonin, the neurotransmitter we hear most about when it comes to depression, may be affected by many different things in different people. Often women with intense cravings for carbohydrates notice they feel better after eating them. This is because the precursor to serotonin, tryptophan, requires the insulin we produce upon eating carbs to move it from the blood into the brain to be converted to serotonin. Studies suggest some women release more or less beta-endorphin, another feel-good neurotransmitter, after eating sweets or refined carbohydrates. But as everyone knows, a sugar high doesn’t last forever, and when women come down, they find themselves feeling even lower with more intense cravings — not to mention the extra weight and guilt that frequently accompany this cyclical pattern.
Our brain chemistry is also affected in powerful ways by stress levels. Today’s stressful, high-adrenaline lifestyles can increase the amount of cortisol produced in the body, which over time can lead to various forms of depression. One pathway that is often seen leading to depression looks something like this:
high adrenaline > anxiety > high cortisol > anxious depression > depression
Quieting down a major brain-hormone pathway called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is an excellent place to start, because production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, produced via this axis, prevails over other hormonal pathways, “overriding” balance everywhere else. Encouraging balance begins with finding ways to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. I’ve found that women are especially vulnerable when hormones are in major flux, such as prior to periods, during pregnancy, post partum, and around the perimenopausal transition. Some women respond well with bioidentical progesterone or phytotherapy to recalibrate imbalances.
New research also points to vitamin D as important in brain chemistry and mood. Research shows that vitamin D supplementation can help patients with seasonal affective disorder, suggesting a connection between vitamin D and normal neurotransmitter function. Vitamin D production is also inversely correlated with melatonin, the hormone produced in the brain that influences our sleep, cravings, and moods. Sunlight turns melatonin production off, while triggering the production of vitamin D.
Our brain chemistry is also strongly affected by whether we get adequate sleep, have healthy digestion, and partake in regular exercise. In the end, the way we think and feel is dependent on so many variables unique to each woman, so you may need to change many different aspects of your daily routine to find the particular combination that works for you. Explore our many suggestions and ideas below.
Alternative therapies for depression
Most women I talk with — even those who are on antidepressants — have questions about their options. In my experience, an integrative approach that draws upon the full range of potential treatment methods — including traditional psychiatry, pharmacological options in some cases, nonpharmacological options, and holistic approaches — offers better symptom resolution and long-term recovery than any one single effort. An integrative, functional health care practitioner or counselor will fully evaluate your history and physical, and coordinate your care to meet your individual needs. Here are some options to explore.
Talk therapy / counseling- Body work methods: Craniosacral therapy (CST), osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT), chiropractic, therapeutic massage
- Acupuncture, auriculotherapy
- Phytotherapy from the Western herbal compendium: St. John’s wort, passionflower, valerian; or from other ancient traditional paradigms, such as Oriental medicinal herbs
- Ayurveda, aromatherapy
- Targeted amino acid support: SAM-e , 5-hydroxytryptophan, GABA
- Nutritional supplements: Multivitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids
- Full-spectrum light therapy
- Emotional Freedom Technique, the Hoffman Process or The Work by Byron Katie
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