14 Natural Antidepressants Over The Counter Drugs

You might think that it is impossible to overcome depression without first admitting to it, to a doctor. The truth is that there are quite a few natural antidepressants over the counter or available without the need to acquire a prescription. The best part is that they are natural antidepressants.  This means less side effects.

Some of the best natural antidepressants, which includes food and food supplements that can be found at your local grocery store.

Types of Depression

If your depression is mild you may have Dysthymia. With Dysthymia, you still go to work or school and do all your activities without difficulty. Yet you feel down or have “The blues” and do not enjoy life.

People with moderate depression do not feel enthusiastic.  They feel sad throughout their day.  Everything seems too hard for them. They may or may not need strong medications.  Going through the list of best natural antidepressants over the counter is a good place to start with for less chances of bad reactions or unwanted effects.

When people have severe depression, they don’t want to get out of bed. Daily activities such as dressing, eating, and going out can seem impossible. Sometimes they even see and hear things that other people don’t. This is hallucinating. These people need medications to feel better and function.

People with mild depression enjoy natural antidepressants that they can buy over the counter.

*** Here is a list of some of the more effective and best natural antidepressants over the counter, as well as links to where they can be found.

14 Natural Antidepressants Over The Counter

1. St. John’s Wort – This is the most well-known natural antidepressant. St. John’s Wort helps digestion. It prevents viruses. It Prevents inflammation of the digestive tract, and helps the Thyroid Gland function. When the Thyroid Gland does not function, it can lead to depression. Many people who have taken St. John’s Wort reported that it was all that they needed to cure their depression. Many of the current supplements to improve mood contain St. John’s Wort.

2. Saffron – This is a spice that was first used to aid digestion. It helps the neurotransmitters or nerves in the stomach and trachea function well. Depression is a nervous disorder and Saffron helps the nerves work, which helps with mood.

3. 5-HTP – Is an amino acid that helps the brain make serotonin, which is a chemical that makes you feel good. It gives you the ability to do tasks such as pay bills, do laundry and brush your teeth without getting depressed.

5-HTP gets into the brain fast, which is good for the person who takes it. They can feel relief from the depression. It has also helped to cure anxiety and insomnia.

Depression can be a cause of insomnia. When you feel depressed you feel tired all the time, but when you lie down to sleep the sleep does not come. This is because your nerves don’t rest. Depression eats away at your nerves so they are like your skin when you have poison ivy. You can’t rest because you must keep scratching. 5-HTP helps the nerves so you do not feel the weight of depression and can sleep. If you take 5-Htp take it with a little bit of food because it can irritate the stomach.

4. SAMe – These are natural antidepressants over the counter which works on the nerves in a similar way as 5-HTP. The nerves communicate with each other through electrical impulses. Depression occurs when they don’t communicate in a healthy way. This makes it good for elderly people. It also helps stop pain in the joints.

5. L-Tyrosine – An amino acid that helps the brain produce feel good chemicals.  It helps produce dopamine.

Have you ever felt so happy that you could hardly talk? At that time your brain produced dopamine.

L-Tyrosine also helps the brain produce Norepinephrine and Epinephrine. These chemicals help your brain be alert and happy.

6. DMAE – Is a natural brain food found in anchovies and sardines. It increases alertness, assertiveness, improves mood, motivation, and energy.  Antidepressant medications have the side effects of jitteriness, mild anxiety, and irritability. DMAE does not produce these unwanted side effects.

7. Passion Flower -Is a popular herb in the Western Hemisphere. Although it is  passion flower it produces a calming effect, which makes it part of the family of natural antidepressants.

8. Herb of Grace (Ruta graveolens) – Stimulate nerve cells so the you feel more alert and happier. This affect is like SAMe. One cause of depression is that the nerves communicate less efficiently than normal. This causes the person to feel depressed, move slow, and talk slow. Herb of Grace and the other natural antidepressants help the nerves work at their normal pace.

Foods That Aid In Depression (Also In Pill Form)

Similar to the best natural antidepressants over the counter except if you don’t like taking pills these are a better option.

9. Turkey – Have you ever noticed that when you eat turkey you feel tired but happy? It’s because of the Tryptophan, an amino acid in turkey that stimulates the production of serotonin and melatonin in the brain. The serotonin makes you feel good and the melatonin makes you tired.  Melatonin supplements are a sleep aid.

10. Soybeans and Brazil Nuts – These beans and nuts boost mood more than any other beans, but all beans and nuts help.  These are the best natural antidepressants that are easy to add to your everyday diet.

11. Coffee and all Caffeinated Beverages – We all know that coffee is a stimulant. It can be good to elevate your mood if consumed in moderation. The same is true for Red Bulls and Monsters, which can elevate your mood and give you more energy. Yet, they give you a lot of energy for a short period of time, then you become sluggish or tired. The best way to use coffee or the others is once or twice a day. Do not use them all day or to reduce the tiredness.

12. Tea – If you want a calmer and longer lasting high from caffeine then choose caffeinated tea. It gives you a warm and happy feeling that is calm and can last for two or three hours.

Another advantage of coffee and tea is that they come in many flavors. This can give you a choice to pick your favorite flavor which can be an added boost to your mood.

13. Salmon – Salmon has polyunsaturated fats which are good for your health and mood. Although salmon is a seafood, it is a natural antidepressant that you can buy over the counter.

14. Fish Oil – You can buy fish oil along with vitamins. It boosts mood in the same way salmon does and is good for lowering your cholesterol.

Bonus: Foods to be Careful of – Some foods that boost moods do it because of the chemicals. Chicken and seafood can boost your mood. But it may be that they have had antidepressant chemicals given to them to help them grow and have more meat.

Best Natural Antidepressants

These are a few of the natural remedies for depression that you can buy over the counter. If you have mild depression, these are some of the best natural antidepressants remedies that may make you feel better. You may need prescription medication if your depression is strong. Yet these are the best antidepressants over the counter that will help you feel better without the side effects of prescription drugs.

For more natural remedies for depression, including life style changes, please visit: 10 Natural Remedies for Depression

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