Have you had bloodwork done recently? What are you currently using AAS wise?
Making sure your hormones are optimized is essential to eliminating them as a cause of the depressive symptoms you're experiencing.
Do you ever think about suicide? I don't mean to ask if you are actively interested in pursuing it, but I'm curious if you ever have thoughts of it, even if you feel like they are irrational.
I don't really have any issue against pharmaceutical options, as they've come a long way since the first prescription meds, but if you are against them, then I can suggest the following.
St Johns Wort - standardized for Hyperforin - Perika Brand - downside is that it can cause photosensitivity - you can burn easily in the sun.
Bacopa - can make people tired and groggy, but in the evening can help with sleep.
Holy Basil - good for anxiety
Ashwagandha - another adaptogen that can help with anxiety
Rhodiola Rosea - adaptogen that helps balance serotonin
Lithium Orotate - This has been huge for me. Just one tablet a day equals 5mg of elemental lithium, which has been shown to be an essential trace mineral, and helps ease anxiety, depression and increases growth factors in the brain, increases B12 transport. Look at amazon.com and you will see some people's reviews that are nothing short of miracles for them.
Inositol - Useful for OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) Sometimes if you have a negative thought you can't seem to shake it? Inositol even at 2 grams three times daily can help eliminate this obsessive thinking pattern.
Curcumin - reduces inflammation and is a mild MAOi (inhibits the breakdown of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin)
Forskolin - just seems to be good for mood.
MethylFolate - some people cannot turn folic acid into folate, and taking folate directly has been shown to increase feelings of wellbeing by increasing the production of serotonin dopamine and NE.
Magnesium -- Many many people are deficient in this mineral. 900mg daily has been studied as a depression treatment. And for good reason.
Benfotiamine - a fat soluble form of Thiamine. It seems to really augment my other anti-depressant trials.
Kanna - sceletium tortosuom. Herball SSRI
BPC-157 has been shown to have antidepresant effects
cerebrolysin has been a godsend to some people. its expensive and you have to inject a shit ton of it, but for some people its been the only thing that has worked for them.
Some people have good experience with Kratom as an antidepressant but i dont recommend it.
I have always said "You can't outtrain a bad diet, and you can easily outthink a good antidepressant". Meaning you have to be willing to do the work on developing a healthy relationship with your self. Many of us on here are here because we hated our bodies at some point and that can lead to depression very easily. A lot of us suffer from lingering effects of PTSD from abuse, neglect, drug use, etc.
So it's important to seek out therapy, meditation, volunteering, helping others, finding spiritual fulfillment etc.
BUT!!!
But, when a person is in the throes of depression, they are under a physiological influence that is as real and as physical as epilepsy. When a person is anxious, exhausted and depressed, their brain has been so well-trained to be depressed that it often takes some kind of medical, or herbal intervention to break the cycle of depressive thinking. In other words, telling a deeply depressed individual that they should just think more positively is like telling an asthmatic that they should just breathe better.
But at the same time, you can take all the perfect meds and herbs in the world and if you're hell bent on not taking responsibility for your emotional wellbeing, you will be able to outthink any medication that could be beneficial.
As for my recommendations...
I think St Johns has a great track record. Using the hyperforin rich extract seems to help a lot of people, although I have gotten quite a bit of benefit from even the basic target brand that is standardized for hypericin.
Next up I would recommend Lithium Orotate. It is a very low dose of lithium compared to what people with bipolar take. It has been shown to increase growth factors in the brain, reduce inflammation, increase grey matter and decrease suicidal thoughts and loss of interest in life.
I would also recommend getting 900mg of elemental magnesium everyday. I know it seems obvious, but many of us are extremely deficient in it. Also Benfotiamine can help, and Methylfolate is another great vitamin that can really augment the use of SJW or any other herbal antidepressant.
Kanna is nice, and is an SSRI as well as a PDE4 inhibitor which has been shown to reduce anxiety. Getting a good extract can be expensive, but look up Zembrin and you will be good with that.
Hope this info helps you brother. Depression and anxiety suck. So does not having a good solution for it.
Also, focus on mindfulness meditation and look into cognitive behavioral therapy once you start treating your depression with herbs.
After all, we know that people can take steroids and gain some muscle, but won't get very far without putting in the work in the gym and at the dinner table. Depression is no different. It's an atrophy of the brain's center of reward and satisfaction. To get that part to grow and thrive, you have to train it and use the herbs to increase the growth of these new connections. In other words, if you're dedicated to being miserable, you can take great anti-depressants and still hold on to a negative mindset and get nowhere.
Also, please never underestimate the power of social interaction. If you are isolated and aren't being touched on a regular basis (even if it's a high-five to one of your buds) then you are fighting an uphill battle.
And if you have deep feelings of lovelessness for yourself, then it's time to nip that shit in the bud. Self esteem is of huge importance here. If you don't love yourself, or have the open mind it takes to learn how to love your self again, then nothing of the above will make a difference.
It seems to me though, that you decided to ask these guys if we have any solutions, so it sounds to me like something inside of you is willing to fight for the betterment of you and I hope that flame continues to burn brightly my friend...
.gif "IP Gear")
