If you read anything I've posted in the past, it's clear that I struggle with clinical depression. I've even come out and said it. The problem is, almost all medications that I've seen for depression come with the warning that it could cause suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, I fall in the percentage of people that experience this.
Now, in case I haven't mentioned it (it's been a while since I've posted, so I don't know), I live in the middle of nowhere - now by myself since my fiance has a job that makes him travel. But he's happy and makes really good money, puts his degree to good use. Great benefits, nice secure job, and so on. We can afford things, fun stuff. We have some money to waste and we're not struggling. I should be happy. I am happy.
But the depression hits. And being in the middle of nowhere - alone - for months at a time starts to make the bouts of depression more frequent.
In fact, last week it was the worst it's been in a while. I exercised, ate an orange, made some tea, and was talking to a friend online. And then out of the blue, I couldn't be cheerful. Everything felt awful. It was a struggle just to eat, to sleep, to move around. It was hard to function. All I wanted to do was stare at the wall for seven hours with some music (which I've done a few times before).
I've been trying different natural supplements to help with that in lieu of the medication that only makes it worse. Here's what I've found...
St. John's Wort
It's this little yellow flower that is crushed up and put into these capsules that look like plastic. You know the kind I'm talking about.
❝A 2008 Cochrane review of 29 clinical trials concluded that it was superior to placebo in patients with major depression, as effective as standard antidepressants and had fewer side-effects. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) of the National Institutes of Health, it "may help some types of depression, though the evidence is not definitive," can limit the efficacy of prescription medicines, and psychosis can occur as a rare side effect. wikipedia.org
For some reason, it made it a little difficult to focus on something; I was slow to understand things like card games, seeming to be in a constant state of mild confusion. You can't spend a lot of time in direct sunlight when taking this, and that was irritating as hell. Not that I spend a lot of time outside, but when people are around (when someone comes over to visit on rare occasion, my fiance comes home, or I visit family - all likely at least once every other month), I spend a lot of time outside. It didn't seem to help too much, but after taking it for a while, it helped a little.
Time it took to start working: about 1 week.
Time it took to kick in: about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Side effects: couldn't be in the sun too much, mild confusion, difficulty focusing.
Effectiveness: 4.5/10
Conclusion: Good for days when the depression is mild, or on occasions when I can feel depression coming on.
Valerian Root/Tincture
This one is my most recent. I've taken it as a sedative for a long time because I have a lot of trouble sleeping. However, I just found out that if taken in higher doses than I've been using it, it can help with depression.
❝Valerian is most often used to treat insomnia. It can be considered an alternative treatment for hypnotic drugs. It is also sometimes used as an alternative for sedatives, such as benzodiazepines in the treatment of certain anxiety disorders. wikipedia.org
❝The psychotropic effects of "Hokkai-Kisso", i.e. roots of Japanese valerian, were compared with those of diazepam and imipramine. Both [...] significantly prolonged [...] sleep in mice.
[...]
[V]alerian extract (4.1 g/kg) and imipramine (20 mg/kg) significantly inhibited immobility induced by a forced swimming test in rats, but did not increase spontaneous motor activity during an open field test just before the forced swimming test. In addition, valerian extract and imipramine significantly reversed reserpine-induced hypothermia in mice. These results indicate that valerian extract acts on the central nervous system and may be an antidepressant. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
In short, it's a strong sedative that makes you lethargic and can treat depression. Kind of like weed, in layman's terms. Mellow, calm - but sleepy and not depressed. Not cheerful, mind you, but not depressed. Normal. It's been working well as a sleep aide for me, so I've recently started a trial and error thing with doses in my tea (always double checking and being very aware of the levels at which it becomes too much). I've found a dose that seems to be working for me. I can function normally. I'm not emotional or depressed. I'm not so lethargic that I sit and sleep for twelve hours. I take the dose before bed, get a healthy six to eight hours of rest, and wake up able to function like a normal person. I've even ordered a tincture - liquid extract (alcohol like vanilla extract or something of the sort). Just 30 drops under your tongue or in a drink to obscure the taste, taken before bed.
Time it took to start working: about 24 hours as an antidepressant, but I've been using valerian for over six months in much lower doses.
Time it took to kick in: about 20 to 30 minutes.
Side effects: sluggish brain, spacing out, daydreaming, drowsiness.
Effectiveness: 8/10
Conclusion: Good for days when the depression gets really dark, for times when I can't sleep, and for when depression lasts more than 48 hours.
If you have depression like I do, don't lose heart. There are alternatives out there, you just have to look around. Be aware of all substances: what medications they interact with, how much is too much, how often you can take it, side effects, etc. Please use all supplements/medications as directed and in a safe manner, and keep them out of reach of others. Remember:
❝If you don't think your anxiety, depression, sadness and stress impact your physical health, think again. All of these emotions trigger chemical reactions in your body, which can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system. Learn how to cope, sweet friend. There will always be dark days..." - Kris Carr
