5 Things You Need to Know Before Taking Prescription Anti-Depressants

Source: Thomas Hawk

Anti-depressant drugs are prescribed at an alarming and perpetually rising rate, despite their negative, and all too common side effects.

Most people have at least heard about how dangerous these drugs and their side effects can be. The information regarding the harmful, often poisonous ingredients isn't a secret. Just a single Internet search on depression pulls up sources warning of the harms involved with these drugs.

But doctors don't seem to be any less eager to dole out prescriptions to their patients. 

And we, the patients, don't seem to be any less eager to take them.

Of course, the information on the possible dangers should be made more available, and I agree wholeheartedly that prescribing doctors should practice ethics and be up front about the dangers before they prescribe.

But that isn't happening, and people are hardly getting any less depressed, despite having a rainbow assortment of anti-depressants to choose from.

It's up to us to get informed, to do the research, to ask the questions. And the best time to start is before you start taking the drugs prescribed by some doctor who may not even be fully aware herself/himself of what it may do to you. More importantly, you should know what steps you can take that might help improve your chances of better mental health.

For starters, did you know that not every person who's depressed requires anti-depressant medications? In fact, there's an increasing amount of evidence that suggests that some cases of depression can be attributed to something as simple as a vitamin deficiency.

Note: Depression is nothing to make light of and no doubt, the prescription drugs available have and do help many people. The purpose of this article is not to tell you that anti-depressants are wrong. My intention is to simply share information with the hope that it may help increase your odds when fighting this life-stealing battle known as depression.

Before you blindly take anti-depressant drugs, let's go over five common contributing factors that may be playing a major role in your depression.

Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?

Don't discredit the sunshine vitamin's importance for overall health. It does more than you think, including playing a role in depression. Inadequate vitamin D levels can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD," one of the most common types of depression. 

 

Hormonal imbalances are another frequent cause of depression. Vitamin D regulates hormones, so making sure you're getting enough could mean the difference between depression and wellness. *Read my next article in this series "Top Best and Worst Foods for Post-Menopausal Depression) to learn more about the foods that can cause depression and those that will help, particularly in depression cases that are related to hormonal imbalances.

Magnesium Deficiency Causes Depression

Multiple types of depression were seen in magnesium deficient people. Not only that, but there have been studies confirming the use of magnesium to help manage depression and anxiety.

The thing to keep in mind when it comes to magnesium is that many supplements are not able to reach the brain. However, the macromineral magnesium supplement, Magnesium L-Threonate, may break the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain and is highly absorbable, making it ideal for those of us who can't mess around with non-working magnesium. 

A Healthy Digestive System Could Mean Less Depression

This may be the most shocking one yet, but poor digestive health impacts more than your gut. A properly balanced digestive system, with enough healthy bacteria (think probiotics and prebiotics) is attributed to healthier mental states. In fact, your digestive health affects your entire health, so tending to it may be just what you need to focus on.

It does make sense. How many of you suffer from digestive system ailments and depression, too?  Don't worry, I'm in your boat, too.

When I first read that digestive problems like IBS (ahem, that's me) are linked to depression and anxiety, I remember wondering how I never made that connection myself being that I have struggled with each of them, all occurring around the same time.

Healthy Cholesterol Levels Can Decrease Depression

Surprise! Low cholesterol has also been linked to depression. Perhaps people suffering from depression as a result of having low cholesterol could benefit immensely from maintaining healthier levels.

Your Other Medications May be to Blame

Did you know that depression is a side effect of some blood pressure medications? Some birth control have depression listed as a common side effect, and the list goes on.

 A lot of people expect their doctors to tell them up front if depression is a possible side effect of a medication they're taking, but this is rarely the case. So it's important that you check the medication's black box to see the full list of side effects and if you suspect a medication is causing depression, don't hesitate to tell your doctor. They often have alternatives that you can switch to. There are often options available to help counteract this side effect as well. And when options are limited (if there isn't an alternative medication available or if they don't work for you), some doctors will recommend other, non-prescription methods of managing the depressive side effects. I highly recommend that anybody suffering from depression ask their doctor what options are available to help them manage depression. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, is becoming more and more common in mainstream medicine. It's basically a self-therapy that anyone can do, but even doctors are starting to attest to the benefits, so don't ever believe that your only option is permanent suffering.

This is not a comprehensive list of depression's causes. But it is a good place to start if you or your child is displaying symptoms of depression. It's a good idea to get all the facts and make sure that you're getting enough nutrients to avoid deficiency-related depression. The next step is to start looking at your lifestyle and see if there could be anything there contributing to depression that you can change or improve upon.

Want to know what foods cause depression in post-menopausal women and which ones can help? Click here to read the article.

For more information about improving the symptoms of depression and prevention please subscribe and stay tuned for my upcoming series to learn what vitamins, minerals, and foods are necessary to kick depression's butt. 

Sources: 1. Possible contributions of skin pigmentation and vitamin D in a polyfactorial
model of seasonal affective disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 2014; 83 (5): 517 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.09.010 Alan E. Stewart, Susan Tanner, Kathryn A. Roecklein, Michael G. Kimlin.

2. Magnesium in depression. Chair and Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. Pharmacol Rep. 2013;65(3):547-54. Serefko A, Szopa A, Wlaź P.

3.  Gut Bacteria May Exacerbate Depression  Published in Scientific American; 2013.