Misc supplements for long term depression (possibly drug and MDMA induced)

[mrflowers00]

opioid drugs are the best for anxiety and depression until you withdrawal

 

[Captain.Heroin]

opioid drugs are the best for anxiety and depression until you withdrawal

I would say they are better for depression than anxiety. Even calling them "the best" is far from the truth but, I do understand what you are saying. Many heroin-addicts are self-medicating medical problems that are otherwise going untreated.

 

[dcraver877]

i've been using scletium aka kanna over the past couple months to help opiate related depression. I've been doing a ton of research on it lately (because there's too little info out there!) and I've been reading a lot of anecdotal experiences suggesting the effects are permanent.

 

[whippa craka]

I would highly recommend 5-HTP.

and FYI, Tryptophan -> 5-HTP in the body.

 

[ErgicMergic]

^Yes, tryptophan is very underrated for boosting 5-HT levels, all amino acids are tbh.

You don't even need to buy L-Tryptophan. Buy 100% Whey Protein powder, and have one scoop (30-35g) with each meal (some good carbs and good fats). Cottage cheese works, too. Force yourself to drink one cup every meal, and your body will get the building blocks it requires, then you can move in to more specialized supps if you want.

 

[anonone]

ALCAR works pretty well to give one energy. Kanna can work as well (but shouldn't be taken with anything stimulating, even caffeine seems to trigger anxiety when on it).
I plan to replace the kanna with Prozac from my doc in a couple weeks, as Prozac is much cheaper and has the same effects, frankly (Kanna's a little better about the sexual side effects, admittedly).

 

[bingey]

You might also benefit from L-Tryptophan if you've caused some serotonin deficiency/excitotoxicity with the MDMA+SAME .. but don't waste your time or money on 5-HTP.
.

Bananas are a cheap source of tryptophan.

As sekio said , exercise , healthy eating habits (no junk food) , and good sleep are very important (although I must admit it's very hard to pick up these things when severely depressed)

Also try getting some sun. Fish oil is not bad for the vitamin D but if you want to be happy you need your daily 20 min of sunshine , more if your skin is dark.

there is no magical get happy supplement , any that do make you instantly feel better are inherently bad for you because once your brain has adjusted to them your negative thoughts will return. As others said invest in relationships , spend you energy and motivation on helping people/cheering them up and when you feel down they will (hopefully) do the same for you. Compare this to investing your energy in researching a cure/supplement for your depression , you might find it, but if you don't you are left with nothing.

Don't want to come off preachy, I have had some serious bouts of depression and all I can say is try changing your behaviour , yes depression is chemical brain imbalance , but our actions/exterior factors affect those chemicals, not just meds (as the pharmaceutical companies would like you to believe)

 

[pizzystrizzy]

The suggestion for whey protein powder is spot on. I'm not sure why, but I've found that a whey protein powder shake is far more potent boosters of both my mood and focus than even much larger individual doses of 5-htp and l-tyrosine. Also, 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every day. For years my doctor tried to convince me to start exercising again, and I thought it was just sort of a boilerplate doctor suggestion and that what I really needed was a higher dose / more effective anti-depressant / stimulant. As it turns out, in just a couple of weeks of daily exercise, my mood and focus both improved dramatically, and I was able to take less medicine.

Also, 3 grams of some combination of the omega 3 fatty acids DHA & EPA (found in fish oil -- but 3 grams of those acids, not just 3 grams of fish oil) per day for several months stimulates neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which is generally correlated with antidepressant efficacy. It is fairly safe, certainly safer than eating an equivalent amount of fish as mercury is screened out of the fish oil, though it wouldn't be a good idea if you are on blood thinners.