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OTC mood enhancement pills?

wifi4lyfe

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
139
i've been in a sort of depression for the past couple months. I've been away from my girlfriend since we met in college and we live about 1000mi apart (was only able to visit her for a few days all summer). my friends are also all away, and i'm stuck at work all day which is pretty boring. in another month or so i'll be back at school and life will be good, but until then i'm feeling really down. I've picked up exercising/weightlifting and it helps but only for a couple hours and then i'm feeling shitty again.

are there any pills i can get at a local drug store that can help get rid of my depression and enhance my mood? i'm not sure exactly what to look for.... and do they actually work decently? any insight on past experiences would be really helpful too.

thanks for your advice
 
St Johns Wort, 5htp are some things to try...although it really seems your depression is more situational than chemicals being out of whack, so Im not sure if they would help. St. Johns Wort is harmless though, and it wouldnt hurt to try. I hope you feel better!
 
You can also look into Sam-E, although it's a bit more expensive. Although this wouldn't be an issue for you (i'm assuming you're male) females should be aware that st. johns wort might interfere with hormonal birth control.
 
some good quality korean ginseng extract could do the trick. gives an immediate subtle increase in energie without unbalancing the whole.

if you have money enough there are a whole lot of herbs amino acids and such. that influence different aspects related to depression.

maybe have a look at l or dl-phenylalanine, l-tyrosine, l-carnithine, siberian ginseng, rhodiola. there are more.
 
DXM in low doses has shown to have an SSRI-like effect. I've heard of some people as this being the only thing that works for them.
 
in a recent study it showed that people who are depressed have low levels of vitamin E in their systems.. try eating foods with vitamin E or just buy the vitamin itself. hope it helps, i know how you feel.
 
ALCAR: Acetyl-L-Carnitine always makes me feel good as does L-tyrosine and taurine. Plus ALCAR has good effects when exercising.

But I cant really talk being on anti-depressents (Prozac). I mean it depends what you are looking for. Anti-depressents (like the St Johns Wort) will reduce some physical symptoms (like inability to eat, insomnia, sex drive, etc) and have some effect on your emotinal state but not to the degree of OTC anti-D's. If your properly depresed u should go see your doc.

But your goverment endorsed, over the counter, be all cure to depression and discontentment is alcohol.

I dunno what your asking tho. Yes your situation sucks. But deal with it or get yourself a new situation. A drug wont sort your life out for you.
 
Yeah 5-htp seemed to work quite well for me. It also doesn't have the two-four week lag time before effectiveness that most SSRIs can have (I think St. John's Wort acts as an SSRI).

A lot of people claim that low doses of Salvia help with depression, but of course that's not exactly available at your local drugstore.

But in your situation, as others have already pointed out, it seems like you have actual legitimate reasons to feel depressed, so your depression is probably not a chemical thing that can simply be treated with an antidepressant.

Like p-mo and ninjaupthere said, you're probably better off finding a non-drug way to fix your mood. I suggest lots of porn and video games.;)
 
i second meditation. that and regular excercise ( nothing hardcore.. just like jogging 20 minutes a day)

when i want happyness in the form of an OTC drug, i go for robitusson :(
 
I also have found SAM-e to be very effective, but if you take it, make sure to supplement it with a Vitamin-B complex; it'll help your body metabolize the amino acid more effectively.

I also would recommend taking up something like yoga. it's great exercise and provides a wonderful opportunity for internal reflection and meditation.

A lot of my own sadness has stemmed from loneliness and isolation (which sounds like what you're going through right now). It's a hard thing to deal with, even when you know it's only temporary.

I hope you feel better soon.
 
Meditation, herbal tea, a well balanced diet, multivitamins, staying hydrated, and just taking care of yourself (possibly cutting back on alcohol, caffeine, nicotine) in general can do a lot to boost your mood and improve your outlook on life. It's worked for me and a lot of other people. If nothing else you'll probably feel better physically, which is always a start.
 
I've tried many OTC mood enhancers since I have chronic depression. The only ones that I found had any effect are (in no particular order):

- Magnesium. Yes, this is so constantly overlooked, its not funny. Even with a balanced diet, I find that Magnesium supplementation greatly enhances my mood.

- SAM-e: This one was a shocker! Definitely works and works well. As mentioned above though, rediculously expensive.

- L-Phenylalanine: There is no D-phenylalanine in Canada as far as I know, but this one definitely gives a good mood and (especially) motivation boost.

Of course, none of these (even if in combination) is enough to battle my depression. They help though.
 
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