Relieve Depression Without Big Pharma’s Drugs

“I can’t think! I can’t work! I am feeling anxious, nervous, and jittery 24/7 since stopping the anti-depressants! I can’t even sit still! It’s HORRIBLE!” James was very distraught. He is in his 50s, married with several grown children. He has been very active in sports, and hiking. He works as an engineer so he needs his brain to function, but he can’t sit still and think. He was doing well for many years with no significant problems, but everything changed when he stopped taking anti-depressants that he had been on for over ten years. It changed his life for the worse.

We have know about these withdrawal reactions for almost fifty years, but the medical community doesn’t talk about it.[1]Jordan Peterson, a famous psychologist, called his withdrawal from benzodiazepines, “A year of absolute hell!”[2] Before coming to see me, James tried many different medications to alleviate his symptoms. He even tried vitamins and supplements, but without any change.

While researching solutions, I found this from a review article:

The main areas of serotonin research provide no consistent evidence of there being an association between serotonin and depression, and no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin activity or concentrations. Some evidence was consistent with the possibility that long-term antidepressant use reduces serotonin concentration.[3]

The first part was what I was looking for! I wanted to see if there was a relationship between serotonin levels and depression. But the last part was a surprise: antidepressant use causes reduced serotonin! In other words, the treatment is causing the disease – or at least the problems my patient was facing. This may explain why those who take antidepressants long-term are resistant to any other treatment.

Drug companies pushed the serotonin theory of depression because they had a drug for it! Their drug would temporarily increase the availability of serotonin in the nervous system. Since some people felt better, they assumed low serotonin causes depression. The problem is that there were as many people with side effects as were helped by the drugs.

Side effects include:[4] [5]

• insomnia
• nausea
• diarrhea
• anorexia
• dry mouth
• headache
• drowsiness
• anxiety
• nervousness
• yawning
• sexual disturbances
• bruising or bleeding
• hyperhidrosis (sweating)
• seizures (rarely)
• mania
• suicidal ideation and behavior (especially in teenagers)
• weight gain/loss
• decreased orgasm (anorgasmia and ejaculation latency)
• muscle weakness
• tremors
• pharyngitis

It wasn’t just the serotonin drugs, the researchers found even less correlation with dopamine, adrenaline, or norepinephrine. While the medications are changing the brain, they are not dealing with the underlying problems.

Why Do Antidepressants Work?

All antidepressants are about the same as placebo.[6] In most studies, the study removes the “early responders” because they are the ones who respond by “the placebo effect.” In other words, antidepressants work about as well as a sugar pill for depression.

However, some definitely feel better on antidepressants. The way they seem to work is not to reduce depression, but to cause indifference. People don’t care as much.[7] This is the same with many kinds of medications.

When I was working in the emergency department during residency, there was a young man who came in with a broken arm in several places. He was obviously in a lot of pain, so before x-rays I gave him some morphine. When I went in to review the x-rays with him, I asked about his pain. He laughed, “It hurts like hell, but I don’t care.” Pain medications do not fix the problem, they only mask the pain.

Antidepressants are to depression like morphine is to pain – “Sure I’m depressed, but I don’t care.” I have had many patients who are in tune with their feelings tell me they don’t like the medications because they can’t feel – no lows, but also no highs. They have blunted emotions. This is the same reason alcohol has been the drug of choice for depression and anxiety since the beginning of time.

The point of the research is not that people shouldn’t take antidepressants at all, but rather that the medications do not address the underlying cause. They don’t fix the problem; they only cover it up. Because of this, they can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Those who use morphine for years end up with more sensitivity to pain, and feel more pain. Likewise, those who take antidepressants long-term tend to have the same issues with anxiety and depression.[8] We have known this for over thirty years, but doctors are not aware of the research.[9]

All antidepressant drugs have the same issues. Now, more epileptic and antipsychotic drugs are being used by primary care physicians for anxiety and depression. Now, there are even more people with chronic depression and anxiety. Moreover, the withdrawal symptoms are much worse with the antipsychotics.[10] One of my patients struggled for several years after stopping an antipsychotic before committing suicide. There is a lot of evidence that antidepressants and antipsychotics contribute to suicidal behavior.[11]

Plan Your DETOX From Antidepressants

James stopped his medications abruptly and immediately began to have symptoms. I have had many others who stop abruptly after years of being on antidepressants without any issues. It depends on the reason for the depression. If you have been on antidepressants, especially over a year, you need to consider a gradual detox. Work with your prescriber to decrease the dose slowly. Depending on the drug, it can take weeks, months, or even a year or more. I have one patient who, after two years, is still going through detox, decreasing by tiny amounts monthly. For some medications, detox may require supplementation with amino acids, vitamins, or minerals.

Find the Cause of Your Depression

Testing for James revealed some unusual elevations in organic acids. More specific testing found he had glutaric aciduria – a genetic disease. This problem causes a dysfunctional enzyme to build up toxic levels of glutaric acid, causing brain dysfunction, including depression and anxiety. When his doctors saw the depression and anxiety in his youth, they just started him on antidepressants. It worked for a decade by masking the symptoms, allowing him to function. However, as he developed more toxicity, his brain just could not function normally. He had no reserve brain power. We had to put him on a special diet and give him high doses of vitamin B2 to correct the problem. Nevertheless, he continues to have withdrawal symptoms from the antidepressants.

I have had many other patients with reversible problems be put on antidepressants. Instead of finding the underlying cause of depression, it is common practice to give an antidepressant to everyone who says they feel down.

• One woman had been using Pepto-Bismol daily for months because of stomach problems. She got severe depression and anxiety to the point she would not leave the house. She got worse and worse on antidepressants! Her uncle literally dragged her into my office for evaluations. Testing showed she had bismuth toxicity. But with a series of chelation treatments, her symptoms completely resolved.
• Recently, one of my patients went on antidepressants without discovering the cause of his depression. He was even incarcerated in a mental institution for weeks and sedated with multiple medications. When he got out his parents brought him to my office to find the cause. He was still either manic or depressed on the medication. Testing revealed elevated adrenal hormone levels, caused by a brain tumor. He had the tumor removed and is now normal.
• Another woman who was on multiple antidepressants for many years had a genetic disease called porphyria. With a special diet and supplements, she felt well, and now she no longer needs drugs.
• Like many others, one young man found that his depression and anxiety cleared up completely with exercise. He was able to get off antidepressants by doing a thirty-minute run every morning.
• After having several long discussions, I discovered a young woman had PTSD from a very abusive childhood. Since psychiatrists no longer do psychotherapy, they did not find out her traumatic history. They just put her on drugs, which did not help. After being on multiple drugs for years, and still depressed, she got the help she needed by doing EMDR therapy with a psychologist.

Before you start treatment, find the root cause

If you have anxiety or depression, or any other mental illness, the first thing to do is to find out why before starting a treatment. Causes might include:

• Toxicity (heavy metals, pesticides, organic acids…)
• Genetic problems (enzyme abnormalities, MTHFR…)
• Deficiencies (vitamins, minerals, amino acids…)
• Metabolic disturbances (diabetes, insulin resistance, blocks in energy…)
• Emotional issues (PTSD, grief…)
• Stress, especially long-term (lack of sleep, financial stress…)
• Hormone imbalance (progesterone, adrenal, pituitary, thyroid…)
• Circulation problems (stroke, atherosclerosis, small vessel disease of the brain…)
• Degenerative brain disease (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s…)

Anytime, for any reason, there is brain dysfunction, there is depression and/or anxiety. Antidepressants do not deal with the underlying problem and can worsen the depression and cause more problems.

Just like the wise use of morphine, sometimes an antidepressant is useful. It can be useful if you know why you have depression, and are working on it, but need help to temporarily function. It would be helpful to be working with a therapist to do this. But even in those cases, it might be better to take a supplement. Certain supplements support your normal neurotransmitters instead of depleting them. In fact, because of the effects on the brain, those who take antidepressants may be more resistant to other treatments.

Healthy Depressions Supplements Include:[12]

• 5-HTP – 100mg twice per day
• SAMe – 400mg twice per day
• Methylfolate – 15mg per day
• John’s Wort – (follow the directions on the label)
• Vitamin D – 10,000 IU daily
• Omega 3 oils – 1,000 mg three times per day with meals

Other Antidepressant Treatments Include:

• Exercise – any physical activity you enjoy
• Sunshine – get out in the sun every day
• Avoid processed foods with sugar and vegetable oils
• Connect with friends and family
• Serve as a volunteer, helping others
• Take up a hobby where you lose yourself in creativity
• Yoga and meditation
• Breathing exercises – try the Wim Hof Method https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
• Connect with the Infinite

Each of these therapies work as well as an antidepressant, but with positive side-effects. You feel better, and your health improves. You can even safely use multiple supplements and treatments.

Treat the Cause, Not Just Symptoms of Depression

It is essential to find the underlying cause of chronic depression before starting any treatment. If you know why you are depressed, it’s easy to know what to do. I would advise everyone to get help – don’t think you can do this alone. You are not alone. You are never alone. Depression is “the common cold of mental illness.” Everyone suffers from it at some time, some have it worse, and more frequently. But if you have persistent symptoms, feeling like life is not worth living, you need help to find out why. It may not be enough to just start taking pills – drugs or vitamins – you may need testing to know what is going on inside.

If any professional offers treatment without knowing the underlying cause, go somewhere else. Ask them who might be able to help you find out why you are depressed, anxious, worried, afraid, or hopeless. Depression is not easy to treat, mainly because few doctors or therapists seek the cause before prescribing treatment. Especially, beware of antidepressant drugs — they can turn a short-term challenge into a long-term problem – or a nightmare!

 

 

 

Sources:
[1] https://withdrawal.net/antipsychotic/
[2] https://www.benzofree.org/blog/rapid-benzo-withdrawal-jordan-peterson-and-his-russian-detox/
[3] nature  molecular psychiatry  systematic review  article; Published: 20 July 2022
The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence
Joanna Moncrieff, Ruth E. Cooper, Tom Stockmann, Simone Amendola, Michael P. Hengartner & Mark A. Horowitz
[4] Ment Health Clin. 2018 Nov 1;8(6):275-283. doi: 10.9740/mhc.2018.11.275. eCollection 2018 Nov
Major depressive disorder in children and adolescents, Sandra Mullen
[5] https://www.statpearls.com/cmearticlecourses/showchapter/?ResultID=52743#link_30248178
[6] https://ebm.bmj.com/content/25/4/130
[7] Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2010 Oct; 7(10): 14–18. SSRI-Induced Indifference
Randy A. Sansone, MD, corresponding author and Lori A. Sansone, MD
[8] http://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/Chronicity/NeurolepticResearch.htm
[9] Psychother Psychosom 1994;61:125–131
Do Antidepressant and Antianxiety Drugs Increase Chronicity in Affective Disorders?
Fava G.A.
[10] https://withdrawal.net/antipsychotic/
[11] Review Psychiatr Danub. 2010 Mar;22(1):79-84.
Suicidality and side effects of antidepressants and antipsychotics
Mate Mihanović , Branka Restek-Petrović, Davor Bodor, Sven Molnar, Ante Oresković, Paola Presecki
[12] https://www.verywellmind.com/best-supplements-for-depression-5113773