Depression is a growing epidemic caused mostly by unhealthy brain chemistry. The medical treatments for this illness comprise a gigantic multi-billion dollar industry, and yet, they have done very little to actually “cure” and “prevent” depression.
They are in the business of treating symptoms, nothing more.
These treatments come with a price: health and well-being. Depression medication such as Prozac and the infamous Wellbutrin are known to have an enormous range of dangerous side effects. And why wouldn’t they? The main feature of these pills involves chemical suppression of neurotransmitters, which are what our brains use to perform mental and physical functions.
The suppression or unbalance of neurotransmitters can actually make depression worse, or even lead to suicidal tendencies.
These dangerous chemical “lab-borne” medications also come with a ton of possible physical side effects. Wellbutrin, for example, lists these as recorded and possible side-effects:
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Vertigo
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Anger
- Insomnia
- Rashes
- Seizures
Does this sound like something you should be putting in your body?
If you are a parent to a child suffering from clinical depression, these harsh drugs like Wellbutrin should be the last possible option, not the first.
In order to understand how to properly treat depression, we have to understand why it starts in the first place.
Many doctors will tell you that we don’t even know why depression sets in. They may placate you with a spiel about “chemical imbalances” and leave the rest to imagination.
However, we know full well the origins of depression and why it’s a modern-day epidemic. There’s no secret, only information that most mainstream medical outfits don’t want you to know.
The Cause of Depression
Psychiatrists often like to frame depression as this unknowable scourge. “We don’t really know why…” is probably uttered by doctors more than any other professional in society, and with mental health issues like depression and bipolar disorder, that goes double.
The truth is, the chemical imbalances that are at the root of depression are almost always caused by diet. Specifically, a lack of nutrition and necessary plant-based compounds. Any doctor that doesn’t first inquire about and attempt to adjust the diet of a patient suffering from depression is not only doing their patient a disservice, they are not following holistic or logical medical practices.
It’s not so much that fruits and vegetables have the power to “cure” depression. That’s a poor way of looking at the situation. More accurately, depression “sets in” as a result of poor nutrition.
When our bodies are forced to eat dense animal protein and nutrient-less processed foods day in and day out, chemical imbalances occur. This is because the body maintains its balance with the nutrients and compounds that we are supposed to supply it with good, nutritious food.
And by nutritious, I don’t mean “vitamin-infused” baby food, milk, “lean meat”, white bread, Lunchables, or any of the other nonsensical excuses for “good” food parents feed their kids, nor the litany of garbage adults put into their own bodies willingly.
Good food is anything that is natural, comes from the Earth, is as close to its unprocessed form as possible, and is as least cooked as possible. The vibrant, living nutrients in plants is what keeps out bodies balanced.
Is it possible to not be “depressed” and eat meat, dairy, and processed foods? Sure, millions around the world would fall into this category. The exact combination of events that lead to chemical imbalances is different for everyone. In some, it could be just a bit too much processed sugar at an early age which throws off neurotransmitters, for others it could be body toxicity, and still others may be consuming chemicals in foods that directly inhibit serotonin or dopamine levels. While each case is different, the path to healing is always the same. A balanced diet (in tandem with regular exercise to stimulate the body, of course).
Herbal Cures: Alternative Healing for Depression
You want to know if there are really reliable alternative cures for depression. The answer is: emphatically, yes.
Unlike many chronic illnesses, chemical imbalances are one of the easiest to rectify through herbal means.
This is because many herbs have compounds that affect hormones and neurotransmitters directly, which are the root cause behind most forms of depression and related mental illnesses. More physical maladies, such as chronic pain, heart disease, and various cancers are far more aggressive and need a long, progressive approach.
It’s important to remember though, that any herbal remedy should never be used as a crutch.
If you are serious about treating depression, you need to take a look at why it formed in the first place and ensure that measures are taken to avoid such circumstances.
In most cases, poor diet and lack of physical activity play a huge role in the formation of chemical imbalances. If you start taking herbs to treat your depression, yet you’re still drinking Diet Pepsi and eating processed meats and cheeses, I have bad news for you. All the herbs in the world can’t combat what we put in our bodies every day to feed our cells.
If you are interested in the holistic approach to curing depression, read on and discover which herbs may be right for you.
St. John’s Wort
This herb is easily the most-used herbal remedy for depression, and for good reason. It has been used for centuries as a safe and effective way to treat depression, and it is also one of the most tested herbal remedies out there on the market. Unlike dangerous medications like Wellbutrin, St. John’s Wort does not pose a threat to your body, and uses its natural plant-based compounds to enact healthy mood change in the body.
The other benefit of taking St. John’s Wort is that it is full of nutritious compounds that feed the body in a multitude of ways, creating a more holistic climate in the body.
Kava
Another well-researched herbal remedy that has similar effects to Valium and Wellbutrin but without the harmful side effects. Some say the feeling of taking Kava root is like alcohol, calming and relaxing, and it’s not addictive.
It should not be taken for a long period of time, but often just a week of treatment with Kava is enough to ease the tension and chemical imbalances of the body and help a person retain a more even-keel mood.
Ashwagandha
This Indian herb goes by several names, but ultimately stands as one of the most powerful ways of curing depression period, outside of a balanced plant-based diet. It also has excellent capabilities in healing anxiety and bipolar disorder as well. Many studies have concluded that it works better than most so-called antidepressants, and possibly even better than St. John’s Wort, once thought to be the best possible herb for curing depression.
Chamomile
Long used as a calming and soothing agent, chamomile is another herb that has a proven track record of easing depression and even curing it. There’s a reason why this herb has been used for centuries as a botanical and cosmetic substance – outside of its other healing properties, it performs exceptionally well as an antidepressant.
Maca Root
This plant deserves a special mention because it is one of those “miracle herbs” that has become popular due to its multiple uses. Often seen as a way to strengthen libido and promote prostate health, this herb also packs a powerful punch when dealing with mood imbalances.
You Don’t Have to Live With Depression
There are many herbs that are able to balance the body and rid it of depression, because of the nature of plants in general and the affect they have on our bodies.
If you could point to any one human ailment and ask, what is an herbal remedy most likely to cure? It would be depression. (To be fair, inflammation is probably a close second, due to the alkalizing, soothing affect plants have on us, which goes a long way in reducing any kind of inflammation caused by chemicals and animal protein).
This means that the path to healing is a simple one: come back to nature. Use what our bodies were biologically designed to eat and strengthen ourselves from to your advantage. Plants evolved alongside us in such a way as to ensure we were happy and healthy.
Why would they want it any other way? This is what holistic medicine is about: connecting all of the dots. It only makes sense that many plants include compounds that could regulate our mood for the better and even energize us.
Vitamins, minerals, and phyto-nutrients are what power us and feed our cells. Give your body what it wants and you’ll be surprised at the results.
The founder of Digital Sages, Matt has an extensive background in self-mastery and has authored several books on the subject. His goal is to demystify important esoteric subjects and help people transform their lives through self-awareness and personal empowerment.
Thank you for this Matt! Very helpful as I seek to eliminate Wellbutrin and escilatopram.My side effects, excess sleep, constipation, inert and sluggish mood.Under activity.
No problem! I know one of the biggest factors for people struggling with these issues isn’t even the depression itself, it’s the side effects. Constipation is a big one that is common among pain relievers and mood enhancers like Wellbutrin, and that’s dangerous.
Talk to your doctor, but might I recommend St. John’s Wort and a plant-based B-complex vitamin. If you’re already taking vitamin B complex switch over to a plant-based version (it will say vegan on the label).
I definitely need to stop the Wellbutrin because I have horrible nightmares that are very very sad and I am really tired of them!
Depression, in all of its varying clinical forms, is an epidemic that is affecting more and more people every year.
Depression is indeed horrible, but the good news is it’s 100% curable. All of these chemical imbalances are just that, bodily irregularities brought on by an improper diet or lifestyle.
Eating a plant-based diet, for example, is a relatively simple and effective way of dealing with depression. Doctors and the media make “depression” out to be this huge, overbearing issue but when you attack it at its root, it’s not that scary.
I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of lifestyle adjustments and how they can eradicate depression. It might seem difficult, after all the symptoms of depression often hold people back from making change. But just the knowledge that there is relief and that these imbalances can be cured should give many people hope.
Herbal cures then become a powerful medium. Some aren’t ready to make full scale lifestyle or diet adjustments when they are clinically depressed, and therefore relying on an herbal supplement is extremely beneficial, to help the body move back toward an equilibrium.
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Ok, the fact that you’re calling Wellbutrin a “mood enhancer” shows your lack of scientific knowledge on this subject right there, listen I’ve been vegan for 15 years and not a lazy vegan but highly educated in nutrition. Depression on the clinical, chemical level is not curable. The fact that you are giving false hope to people again shows your lack of scientific knowledge on this subject and a major lack of empathy. You’re saying major depression is the patient’s fault. Diet can help and even eliminate a lot of symptoms for a lot of things but it is not a cure all no matter how perfect you’re diet is, trust me I know. If anyone reading this is looking for a real alternative to Wellbutrin St. John’s wort ain’t gonna do it, it might help in tandem with other herbs and plant medicines. Look into mucuna and catuaba. These things may be the answer if you’re looking to get off Wellbutrin. Also a nice high dose of cbd ain’t gonna hurt. Don’t listen to people who are pushing an agenda (veganism) there are real and healthy alternatives out there but research them yourself and find people with real experience, clinical studies (not drummed up ones) and scientific knowledge. Don’t let anyone, myself included, take you down a long path of false hope. What works for one might not work for the other.
Alright, there is quite a bit to unpack here.
First and foremost, this is a space of growth, mindfulness, and cultivation of Self. Antagonistic energy is not necessary in the slightest and simply reveals that something in this article hit an emotional trigger. Reflect inward and act accordingly. 🙂
Second, much of what you posted above seems to be coming from a place of personal experience rather than objective reality. It’s very important to understand that, in the grand scheme of things, personal experience MEANS NOTHING. It is a delusion of the ego to think that just because certain events or scenarios appear a certain way to you, that they reflect the wider reality. This doesn’t simply apply to matters of dealing with mental health issues and curing depression, but for anything in life. Personal experiences do not reflect universal truths or even basic physical laws.
That being said, Wellbutrin is indeed a “mood enhancer.” Any drug, supplement, herb, or substance that alters mood in a positive direction is a mood enhancer. All antidepressants are by virtue of their purpose, mood enhancers.
Note that “mood enhancer” is not an official scientific term. It is a part of common supplement vernacular and is not meant to officially classify Wellbutrin, which is according to medical professionals labeled an “antidepressant.”
The next issue here is the idea that St. John’s Wort isn’t effective at managing depression and other mental health issues, and that we essentially don’t know what we are talking about. Let it be known that collectively, we have helped dozens of people overcome the symptoms of depression through mindfulness, herbal remedies, physical self-mastery, and advanced emotional and mental work. We know what works and what doesn’t, and while we would never claim to have a fool-proof “treatment” for depression, St. John’s Wort can certainly be used to mitigate symptoms with decent reliability. The science bears this out:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081007192435.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-st-johns-wort/art-20362212
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/st-johns-wort/about-st-johns-wort/
In fact, out of all popular and well-used herbal remedies on the market today, perhaps no other herb or plant-based remedy is as thoroughly researched and vetted as St. John’s Wort. Maca root and turmeric are up there, but in terms of sheer volume of research, St. John’s Wort may take the prize.
To say blanket statements like “this will not help you, you don’t know what you are talking about” is absurd for several reasons. One, I have seen the beneficial effects of St. John Wort firsthand on more than one occasion. Just because it didn’t work for you specifically means nothing. Another point worth noting here is that one or two people’s experience doesn’t negate a mountain of scientific evidence.
As for the idea that depression on the “clinical, chemical” level is not “curable,” this is an incorrect statement that reveals that your ego currently associates a part of your identity with depression itself. This is not healthy.
ALL chemical imbalances can be righted, unless the origin is genetic, and even then there are various methods of mitigation. Chemical imbalances develop in the first place due to irregular / insufficient intake of certain nutrients, gut imbalances, and sluggish or disrupted metabolisms, all of which can be righted through proper diet and physical / mental self-mastery practices. All depression that is chemical-based can not only be mitigated, but utterly eradicated. Again, this is something that I have seen time and time again myself, and the science bears this out as well.
https://www.livekindly.co/plant-based-foods-may-help-depression-new-studies-show/
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/09/768665411/changing-your-diet-can-help-tamp-down-depression-boost-mood
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2948264/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2018/02/26/nothing-worked-for-my-depression-until-i-tried-meditation/
I could post references on this subject all day, and even many of these mainstream sources don’t capture the whole picture, that which holistic health practitioners have known for thousands of years: mood disorders are caused by chemical imbalances, all of which can be managed through proper nutrient intake, exercise, and mindfulness. This is not revolutionary or arcane knowledge here, just basic common sense. As if otherwise normal or healthy animals of any kind would just happen to develop incurable emotional fits that just so happen to align perfectly with the depressive states of overdeveloped egos. What a shocking coincidence!
The last point worth mentioning here is that “veganism” is not an agenda. We are frugivorous apes as per our biology. Veganism is about as close to our natural diet as we can get, given the nature of our biology and what we are actually designed to digest. Time and time and time again it has been shown that a diet rich in alkaline fruits and vegetables can help reverse and manage a laundry list of health issues, including chemical imbalances. Again, something that holistic health practitioners have known for millennia, and which modern science is only recently beginning to catch up with.
Managing and eventually eliminating depression is not about “false hope” or hope in general. It’s about taking action and responsibility for your Self, and what you think and feel, and taking the appropriate steps toward living a healthier and more balanced life. The information here is only one part of that journey. Using other substances like CBD can certainly help, but unless you approach the issue holistically (mind – body – emotions) fighting depression will always be an uphill battle.
The key is not falling into the ego trap of believing that depression can’t be cured and that depression defines who you are. You are not your illness.
Blessed be 🙏
Very well said. And I look forward to learning more from you…
Thank you Vanessa! Have a look around the site, as we have a huge catalog of free information available here. If you are interested in herbal remedies and natural health specifically, this section might be of interest.
Matthew- I’ve been taking Wellbutrin and Escitalopram for the past several years- I’m 58 and have decided to discontinue, under doctors supervision, as I have been experiencing some serious trouble with focusing and memory issues. Also tinnitus. I wanted to see if the medications were the root cause. I had my last dose of wellbutrin about 2 weeks ago and the last dose of Escitalopram about 1 month ago. I feel like my world is crashing in around me now. I keep telling myself to give it time. I don’t know how much time as I understand it’s different with everyone and I had been on these medications for several years. Do you think St John’s Wart would be helpful as my chemistry “re-adjusts”? or what advice do you have?
Hey Sherry,
First it’s worth pointing out that if you were on a medication for years and it’s absence has led to such a downturn, then the medication wasn’t really curing anything at all. It was just masking symptoms. That being said, depression and anxiety can be difficult to deal with, so it’s best to transition to a more holistic regimen in a way that works for you. There is nothing wrong with going back onto Wellbutrin and Escitalopram on a short term basis if it means you can gradually wean yourself away from them with a more structured and balanced approach.
These medications never cure the actual chemical imbalance or heal the body, they just tell your body to shut off certain chemical reactions, etc. So they don’t solve anything. However, to feel at peace and truly overcome clinical depression and anxiety, you have to make sure you are filling that void with the appropriate remedies. I cannot say which of these would be best for you without knowing more about your condition, however, I would immediately do the following:
– return to your old medication regimen under the guidance of your trusted doctor
– begin to reduce dosage after 3 – 6 months, or once you return to a baseline and get the OK from your doctor
– commit to a full body detox (colon cleanse, liver cleanse, kidney cleanse, blood cleanse)
– consult a holistic health practitioner to find out if St. John’s Wort or other herbs are best suited for you.
– focus on developing your mindset with meditation, physical discipline, and mindfulness.
The combination of mindfulness training and herbal assistance is the path that will finally get rid of your depression and / or anxiety. Do consult a medical professional who can properly diagnose you from a holistic perspective.
If you would like additional guidance, we are here to help!
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