Natural Supplements to Aid in Depression and Anxiety

 

Depression and anxiety go hand in hand, one can lead to the other one. Many people who suffer from depression may experience anxiety and many people who suffer from anxiety may be depressed. Both these problems have severe repercussions on the well-being of the bearer and are complex health problems. According to a survey, 1 in every 4 adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder and according to CDC 1 in every 13 Americans, aging above 12 years have reported to have symptoms of depression and anxiety.

But the silver lining is that both these disorders can have a similar arbitration and if you’re some who suffers from depression or anxiety but doesn’t want to take a truck load of medicines you have other options as well. Natural supplements have proven their worth as an alternative treatment for chronic pain and they are equally effective if not better, for these disorders as well. Natural supplements are considered to be an effective alternative therapy that can contribute a lot in the betterment of a person suffering from depression and anxiety.

What is Depression and Anxiety and What are the Symptoms for Both?

Depression is a mood disorder where one experiences feelings of sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, tiredness, remains unmotivated, uninterested in doing daily activities and just wants to quit everything. Now it's common for every one of us to feel the similar way every once in a while, but if a person has the same feeling lasting for days to weeks and eventually months, then that person is clinically depressed. When your feelings start to meddle with your daily life, you become irritated, quiet, resigned and basically unhappy from inside, you are suffering from depression. Natural supplements for anxiety and depression can work wonders to make you feel better.

Symptoms to Look Out for

When a person is suffering from depression, he/she shows clear signs of it. The first sign that flashes like a light are the mood swings; a depressed person can go from being perfectly normal to quiet, resigned, sad and empty in a split second. Their reactions to different situations can be irrational, irritable and inappropriate. A continuous feeling of worthlessness, guilt, wretchedness, despair and sadness looms over them. They can either sleep like a baby or be up all night without a minute of sleep. Their appetite also changes drastically, eating everything or not eating anything at all. A depressed person has difficulty in making decisions, concentrating, thinking and drawing conclusions. In severe cases, suicidal thoughts are also common.

Anxiety is something that either comes before or after the depression kicks in, it can also be experienced on its own. As I said earlier, every normal human comes across a situation where they have severe anxiety like before an important interview, giving examination, walking down the aisle on the wedding day or if someone close to you suffers from a problem. But clinical anxiety is much more severe, harsh and punitive. The person gets so overwhelmed by this feeling that he/she thinks that they can probably die. Anxiety disorder is also known as panic attacks that can come without any trigger and can last from anywhere between 2-3 minutes to 20-30 minutes.

Symptoms to Look Out for     

Anxiety disorder also has symptoms for us to detect it so that we can eventually treat it with either medication or from alternate treatments for chronic pain. Now a person having a panic attack can suffer from a bunch of symptoms or can only have 1 or 2. First of all the person will feel acute fear, alarm, hysteria or fright. Their heart palpitation can shoot to anywhere between 130-150 bpm and even shortness of breath is common. The hands and palms become cold, sweaty, tingling and can even tremble. Nausea, queasiness or retching is also fairly common and lastly a person feels so drained and he/she feels dizzy and powerless.

Natural supplements for Anxiety and Depression

Now that we have a good understanding of what we are dealing with here, we need to show you the bright-side, the hopeful prospect to treat this nasty disorder. Depression and anxiety can be caused due to various reasons, but nothing can be zeroed on completely. It can be anything from chemical imbalances, hormonal changes, genes, life changes or acute stress or oppressive conditions. Although there are many medicines that can be used to subside depression and anxiety, nothing comes without baggage. Natural supplements for anxiety and depression have little to no side effects. Some natural supplements you can take to combat these disorders are as follows.

1.      Folic Acid and B12 are very important supplementations when treating depression as they improve the response of the antidepressants and give a better outcome.

2.      SAM-e (S- adenosylmethionine) is a natural substance that is present in every cell of our brain and body. It is said to boost serotonin levels in the brain, giving a similar effect as an antidepressant.

3.      Fish Oils are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which ensure that the key brain function works properly. The most well-known omega 3s are EPA and DHA.

4.      St. John’s Wort is probably the most recognized and regarded natural supplement when it comes to treating depression and anxiety. This herb has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiviral properties but it’s also known for increasing the levels of serotonin in the mind of a depressed person. Serotine is a feel-good substance present in our brain which triggers when we are happy, excited or when we eat chocolate or are in a company of someone we love.

5.      Saffron is a rare, exquisite and expensive spice that has been used for various purposes for centuries but its antidepressant qualities have recently come to light. It’s known to combat some severe depressive symptoms and it also improves the mood of a person.

Bottomline  

Although natural supplements for anxiety and depression look promising, they aren’t consistent, reliable and totally dependable. If the symptoms of depression are severe, long lasting and very strong one must consult a doctor and seek medical advice.