Natural Treatments For Depression and Mood Swings

Depression is characterized by:

• a deep persistent sadness and pessimism
• a loss of interest or enjoyment in life
• feelings of worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness
• diminished ability to think
• lack of concentration
• insomnia or oversleeping
• poor appetite
• fatigue
• physical hyperactivity or inactivity
• loss of interest in sex
• thoughts of suicide or death
• slow speech and/or movement

Depression and mood swings can be a symptom of menopause. The imbalance of hormones caused by menopause can affect serotonin and cause depression and mood swings. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that influences:

• sleep
• appetite
• mood
• sex drive

Traditional western medicine uses drugs that affect serotonin to treat depression. An example is a drug group called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs. Fluoxetine, commonly known as Prozac, is an example of an SSRI used to treat depression in western medicine.

Natural treatments for depression and mood swings include:

• St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
• Vitamin B complex
• Magnesium
• S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e)

St John's Wort is a popular herbal supplement that is used for the treatment of

• depression
• anxiety
• nervous tension
• SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
• menopause related anxiety
• abnormal sleep patterns

St John's Wort should not be used in conjunction with any other medication, in particular, antidepressant medication unless prescribed by your physician.

Taking vitamin B complex with magnesium can helps your body to deal with the physical and emotional stress associated with depression.

S-adenosylmethionine, or SAM-e for short, is a compound that naturally occurs in our bodies. Our bodies produces SAM-e and it is used to manufacture joint cartilage and maintain neural cell membrane function. SAM-e supplements are used for the treatment of osteoarthritis and depression.

A useful drug free measures to improve depression is exercise. Exercise increases endorphins production and released from the brain. Increased endorphins can have the effect of raising your mood. It may take several months to show improvement in mood, however the improvement is usually significant.