Natural Remedy for Depression: A Fact or Fiction?

Having depression may be the most difficult thing in the world. You may find yourself in the middle of a crowd and yet, you feel so alone. You have a lot of families within your reach but you feel so distant. Its like being alone inside a black hole and watching the whole world pass outside that hole and no matter how you want to go out in to the light, you simply just cant.

But not to worry, for families who have a loved one undergoing depression, there are numerous kinds of therapies specifically for treatment of depression. Aside from the usual medical treatments for depression such as psychotherapy and anti-depressants, there are now newly developed natural remedies for depression that are guaranteed side effect-free. Yes, they have been proven to be effective and not merely placebo drugs. Read on and learn about the techniques that are considered natural remedies for depression.

• Vitamin B or Folic Acid
Studies have shown that people with depression usually lack a considerable amount of Vitamin B or folic acid in their system. Patients that have very low values of this vitamin were said to have a very low response to anti-depressant medications.

Folic acid can be found plenty in leafy vegetables, fruits and grains. There are also Vitamin B or folic acid supplements available in the market nowadays that you can take.

• Ther herb : Hypericum perforatum
This herb, more commonly known as St. John’s Wort has been used since the olden times to cure worry, sadness and inability to sleep. Scientific studies today have proven that this herb actually has an effect of improving depression in mild to moderate cases. Although this herb may not give that instant feel- good effect for depression (it was reported to take several weeks for a change to take effect), this has been known to be effective and a true natural help for depression.

This herbal medicine can have certain side effects on the user such as photosensitivity, dizziness and indigestion. This herbal medicine is also not recommended for pregnant women, children and patients with associated kidney problems.

• S-adenosyl-L-methionine
This substance also known as SAM-e is a chemical that is found naturally in the human body. This substance is believed to increase the concentrations of serotonin and dopamine – neurotransmitters that give that feel good effect and are chemically synthesized as anti-depressant medication.

• Omega 3
Omega 3 is a type of fatty acid that is essential for the normal development of the human brain. Human bodies cannot synthesize this substance on its own and thus needs to have an external source, through our diets. Scientific studies have actually proven this claim; the less omega 3 amounts are present in a person’s diet – the more likely is he prone to depression.

Omega 3 can be found in most sea foods and also are available in the market as a capsule supplement.

So for patients who have tried the usual medical treatment for depression, it would be recommended for you to give these natural remedy for depression a try.