[momincali]

I'd like to find some recommendations for anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. I have a close friend who is currently suffering from this and would like to get off conventional meds.

Any info would help...

Thanks.

[J_9]

Momi,

Start with a good diet, no alcohol, go to bed at the same time every night and get up in the morning at the same time every day.

It is necessary to stay away from sugars and caffine as they can tend to exaggerate anxiety and sleeplessness.


I am curious to know what the conventional meds are, there are so many out there that I am sure that there is one that is not addictive that could help.

[valinors_sorrow]

I concur with Janine and would add, exercise in the AM only since it tends to rev me up (first thing is best, really) and a hot bath in the evening really helps induce sleep. It really does work to get up and go to bed, same time no matter what. I have solved my sleep problems largely that way. And a bedroom that has no other activity in it other than sleep. And a nice bed too-- I splurge on nice sheets to be good to me. :p

If I can't turn my mind off, I do the focus-relaxation technique: I feel my toes, my toes are relaxed, aaaah, feel my ankles, my ankles are relaxed, aaaah, feel my calfs, etc, etc... rarely do I get to my head.

[J_9]

I agree with Val here, I would like to add something about the bath, if you use lavendar oils or salts in the bath that should help. Lavendar is an herb that helps to induce relaxation. I grow some fresh in my garden for that purpose.

Another thing, if this person has any kids, make sure that there are no pics of the kids in the bedroom. Studies have shown that pics of the kids in the bedroom can lead to sleeping (and sexual) problems subconsciously.

[momincali]

Thanks. I find the information about the kids pix very interesting. She has no children, is young, about 28ish, single. She has a job with lots of flexibility so she does I think get up at different hours. She's been drinking a little more lately.

She was conscious of what she ate but lately has put on some weight. Her doctor gave her Xanax and she also has access to pain medication due to a slip and fall injury.

I have plenty of lavender she can get from me, I use it to keep bugs and insects away from my dogs. I also have lemon grass and a few other herbs like different mint herbs, basil, oregano, cilantro, parsley, and rosemary. Exactly what should she do with the lavender?

[valinors_sorrow]

The other thing I do is kind of self conscious to talk about but while in the bath I sometimes just cry. Shhhh, don't tell everyone. It just comes up and I let it out-- sometimes I know what its about, sometimes I don't. I have a very challenging job which tends to give me a front row seat on some pretty bad stuff about people and I think much of it is the residual fallout from that. But without letting it out, I think it would easily build up to the point of fueling depression or worse. It may seem like a silly thing but it took me some doing to give myself permission like that because of how I was raised (terrorized by my father, "I'll give you something to really cry about", kind of dysfunctional childhood). Just a thought.

Oh and Momincali, drinking and depression is not a good mix, the one fuels the other. Is she capable of not drinking at all?

[J_9]

Originally posted by Valinors_Sorrow
Oh and Momincali, drinking and depression is not a good mix, the one fuels the other. Is she capable of not drinking at all?

This is very true.

Also, Xanax can be a depressant if it is not right for the person taking it. Has she ever been on anything else. Xanax, Buspar, and some others can be EXTREME depressants if they do not work for you. Xanax is also TOTALLY and EXTREMELY addictive, so they should be used with caution.

Lavendar----- Cut it up and put in water, steep it like you should tea. It works really well as a hair conditioner and the scent is relaxing.

Or, you can place the leaves in the bath, with some candles of course, and the scent is relaxing.

Alcohol is a depressant, so she needs to get into a regual schedule of eating, sleeping and waking.

Effexor is a good med as well as celexa which are both used for SAD and GAD. Klonopin (Clonzopam) at 1/2 mg is good for sleeping until she gets into a regular pattern.

[Thomas1970]

Rose is a good additive to bath water for depression. Chamomile tea is excellent for sleeplessness and anxiety. You might also try melatonin supplements to regulate sleep patterns, though I would probably be cautious about taking such in the presence of larger quantities of alcohol. For mild depression, St. Johns Wort may be helpful. Not really effective for more severe depression though, and watch out for increased skin sensitivity to sunlight.
A few herbs to be wary of for anxiety. Valerian, as long term use inhibits calcium absorption. Kava Kava is highly addictive, and an MAO inhibitor. Kava Kava mixed with St. Johns Wort (and it can be purchased like this) can be fatal, as the latter is a tricyclic. The these two types of antidepressant, MAO inhibitor and tricyclic, should never be mixed, as shouldn't most. Skullcap is another, that when mixed with any form of tricyclic, prescription or otherwise, has the potential to cause serious or fatal seizures.
Herbs like hops or passionflower, commonly found in herbal sleep remedies, are likely safe.

[kp2171]

Our daughter went through depression her last year in HS and then into the first year in college. She was active, had lots of friends, good grades, but she just mentally got off track and it begain to make her ill... id say it was more of a severe anxiety than an introversion. Shed also spent almost every school break the last two years helping out an aunt who had cancer that had spread... tough stuff but it needed to be done and she wanted to do it.

Absolutely hated to put her on meds but that's what it came to. She responded well to the meds, but also needed some counseling, exercise, and busy work to help get her back into a healthy spot.

After she was able to drop the meds, the exercise, counseling, and other activity became more of the support she needed, and she was able to not use meds again a year later when her grandfather (her father figure when young, before I married her mother) passed, and then the aunt passed 8 months after. Both of these deaths were of people she was very, very close to.

So I guess I'm not adding anything, but agreeing with the assertions that exercise and other activities can be a big help. Counseling was also a big, big player in getting my daughter through this.

[housewife24/7]

Momincali,

I have years of experience dealing with panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia... etc.
I would not advise a friend to take any type of antidepressant medication or herb! Some people can have allergic reactions to herbs. (Like ST. John's Wort)
Most antidepressant medications includung Effexor and Celexa can only make symptoms worse. Her drinking alcohol is probably a coping mechanism "self medicating". I would advise my friend to see an Endocrynologist (a good one)!
There could be some type of hormone imbalance(androgen)(testosterone) or a receptor problem. Including, but not limited to, insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar levels,(spikes and drops) the cells could be starved for sugar even though her generic blood glucose level tests come back in a so called normal range. The brain needs a constant and balanced supply of glucose. Electrolytes also come into the mix. Also, ask her about OBGYN issues. Symptoms, appearing almost bi-polar, with constant anxiety (feeling like you do just after you almost wreck into a moving train) insomnia, water retention or a rise in BP at night could cause so much frustration that she may not even feel comfortable in her own skin! Aggrevated, depressed, so tired that you can't sleep, but the mind won't calm down, cranky,short tempered-yet-sad or upset with herself because she can't believe what just came out of her mouth-all this combined or in variation is cause to ask specific questions! No kids-28ish-is she on the pill or had Depo-shots in the past? Hopefully not (could make matters worse) Is she only gaining weight around the middle/abdomin (central obesity) not that she is obese! Have her get a referral from her OBGYN to see a specialist in Endocrine System functions! I am inclined to suggest PCOS. There is a specific food regimin that can help, good food and the more frequent intake of small portions can balance more than you could imagine. A good Endo will not put her on any medication, if anything he/she would encourage a detox period of 2 weeks-first day=24 hr fasting plenty of water, the rest is very specific to each woman and testing should be monitored-first thing in the morning-before a meal-2 hrs after a meal-multiple times a day (especially night time)for a couple of weeks to reveal her specific "normal ranges" of all levels. Then her Doc can suggest the rest. Sorry so long, but I hope this helps! Sympoms(warning signs) should not be the focus of a treatment med. The root of the sympoms should be investigated further!

[J_9]

While I agree that there can be a root health problem, this is not always the case.

It is definatley extremely important that your friend get a total and complete physical. Celexa is by far one of the better meds for anxiety and is not addictive like Xanax, which is highly addictive. It will be important to be under a doctors care while withdrawing from Xanax.

Xanax can also cause sleeplessness, that is one of the main side-effects.

Your friend needs to have a checkup with her doc, begin a proper diet and exercise program and like KP said, just talking sometimes helps too.

[jonmark222]

SAM-e helped me a lot.

[JoeCanada76]

Meditation.

[jonmark222]

I agree. SAM-e is also very helpful.

[tootsiechoppin]

St. Johns Wort... it helped me!

[J_9]

Remember that St. John's Wort has come under a lot of scrutiny in the medical community lately.

Please see a doctor before beginning any medication for anxiety, including herbal and over-the-counter.

[housewife24/7]

All of these are helpful suggestions! Hmmm... I just wonder... what does your friend do in her spare time? If any time to spare, you could possibly incourage her to express herself, by taking up a hobby. Something she can do at any time of day or night! She could train her brain^replace a bad habit with a healthy one. Most times, when people are dealing with depression and anxiety~we tend to develop certain (coping) habits. Sometimes just an unconscience thought will replay through our minds (like the silver ball in a pinball machine) bouncing around with no real connection, excellerating in speed and intencity and each time the ball (or thought) hits a barrier the machine will distract you with sound (in the mind this is a trigger for reaction). While we are partially distracted, it charges even faster to beat you to the next barrier, during this clever little event what are we most focused on? Hitting the buttons on the side of the machine (as quickly as we can) in an attempt to guard the goal! Right? Yet, if we hit the ball with our handy dandy flapper(s) we still keep the pesky little ball in play, thinking we have some control, when in fact we have just started a sequence of events, in which, have no real predictability! Hitting the little button becomes routine and you develop a habit, because there is no other obvious reaction for you to choose and no time rethink or brain storm for another option. ~Time to switch games~The overwhelming idea that a little silver ball got the best of you is what keeps you putting quarters in the machine. The starting point is predictable... the result is predictable as well... Game Over for me! Trade the shiny ball for a cause... something that is rewarding... with a result you can enjoy! I believe that is why gardening is a good example... and the technique in any variation can be applied to most situations... yes you have a seed... yes there is a general idea of how to get it to sprout... but, if you haven't prepared the environment to nourish the root... the poor little thing will starve or get burned by the afternoon sun... and you can't fix that overnight. However, if you dig it up and place it in a certain spot it will eventually blossom. Who wouldn't enjoy knowing they were a factor in bringing something back to life and watching it flower year after year?

[Captain_Brown]

I would think the lifestyle changes with No alcohol, getting to bed at an earlier time, and getting up later/or don't get up until you have had 8 hours of sleep. Taking some antidepressants like Cymbalta, Zoloft, Selexa, Lithium/ or taking antiphychotics if anger is mixed like Risperdal, Abilify, or Geodon may help. Taking both antiphychotics and antidepressants can help even you out if you have an emotional disorder like Autism, or Schizophrenia

[painhead]

Notice the more time and energy you put into it the more it grows. Laugh and play like a kid get that positive going if that makes sense ;)