10

The Silent Killer That’s Been Following You Everywhere You Go

Everyday there is something not quite right.

You feel tense and you aren’t sure why.

You can’t talk to people without worrying what they are thinking about you.

You can’t go into work without worrying about whether or not you are doing a good job.

Money is constantly on your mind, even though you probably have enough.

You can’t seem to enjoy things like other people.

Making that big change is too much to handle.

This is just the way things are…

The Silent Killer: Anxiety

Nothing is overwhelming unless there is anxiety.

Think about that.

If you had zero anxiety would it even be possible to be overwhelmed by the thought of talking to a stranger? Raising your hand in an important meeting? Going after your life goals?

Anxiety is tricky… You can have a low level of subtle anxiety in the background of your life all the time and never realize it.

I had background anxiety for YEARS without knowing it.

Then one day I suddenly had relief. Holy crap. I’ve had that level of anxiety for how long?

How To Recognize If You Have Anxiety

Do you randomly get a racing heart? Constantly have sweating hands? Feel like something bad is going to happen?

Persistent mind chatter? Thoughts that you are losing control?

Do you avoid social situations because you are afraid you might get nervous or get sick? Do you obsess about your health?

Constantly worry about everything from your relationships to your finances?

You might not even realize just how bad your anxiety is until you actually have a relief from it.

What To Do About Anxiety

Most people use exposure therapy to solve anxiety. I think using both exposure therapy and combining that with fixing up your body and brain is best.

I tried forever to erase social anxiety. I was always nervous around people. Junior High, High School, and College weren’t the most enjoyable periods of my life.

I tried everything from approaching random strangers to participating in Toastmasters – a program designed to help people overcome the fear of public speaking.

All of it helped immensely, but I was still nervous. Even after tons of effort to expose myself, I was still a victim to my nervousness.

Until I looked at the other side of the coin.

The Biological Side of Anxiety

A lack of serotonin is one of the main contributors for anxiety. Most people ONLY think about depression when it comes to serotonin.  But having plenty of serotonin prevents us from being depressed and anxious.

What exactly is shyness?  It is a low-level of anxiety combined with low self-esteem, both of which are related to being low in serotonin.

Other symptoms of low serotonin can include a sense of dread, constant worry, feeling like “bad things are going to happen”, hating yourself, and seeing the dark side of life.

Physical symptoms can include:

• Gut Problems: 90% of your serotonin is actually in your gut.  If you don’t have enough serotonin, it can interfere with your digestion.  If you raise your serotonin, digestive tension (such as constipation) often is fixed.
• Sleep Problems: I’m not the only one that has worried obsessively over sleep, and my sleep post is one of the most popular posts on this website.  Raising your serotonin can not only fix your anxiety, but help you get to sleep.
• Pain and Migraines: Low serotonin will make it harder for your muscles to relax.  If you have low serotonin, you will also produce less endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.

How to Raise Serotonin?

The best way to keep your serotonin levels high and healthy is a system of eating a good diet, correcting nutritional deficiencies, exercising in the sun, getting plenty of rest, and reducing stress.

But, you can jump start that process with a few amino acids.  Amino acids are in proteins and are the building blocks for numerous neurotransmitters.

5-HTP: Most people find that they can take 5-HTP and have fast results.  It has been used in Japan and Europe before 1980 and it didn’t become available to the United States years later.  It has outperformed antidepressant drugs.  It is the precursor to serotonin.  Take it on an empty stomach.

L-Tryptophan: Some people don’t find that 5-HTP works very well for them (myself included) and found that Tryptophan works better.  Again, it needs to be taken on an empty stomach.

St. John’s Wort: If the above supplements don’t work, St. John’s Wort has been found to outperform Prozac as an antidepressant in Germany.  However, we aren’t quite sure exactly how St. John’s Wort works like we do with 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan.

What If Raising Your Serotonin Doesn’t Help?

Another amino acid involved in keeping anxiety down is GABA.  It inhibits the “fight-or-flight” response in your body.  It can also be taken as a supplement, on an empty stomach, to calm down anxiety and allow you to function properly.

Being deficient in serotonin or GABA are the most common causes of anxiety.  If those don’t seem to be the problem, having a thyroid or adrenal malfunctions can also invoke panic attacks, anxiety, and constant worry.

However, taking GABA can be hit or miss for people.  Some people report amazing effects.  Others report nothing.  Click here to see my honest opinion about it.

If your diet consists of lots of vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, you aren’t eating anything you’re allergic to, you’ve corrected nutritional deficiencies, and you’ve tried supplements like 5-HTP or GABA, if you still have anxiety you should seriously consider checking your Thyroid and Adrenal gland.

Depression and Anxiety Often Are Partners In Crime

After I really buckled down and solved my depression by utilizing vitamins, minerals, amino acids and nutrition my anxiety started to disappear.

I had done everything from talking to strangers, joining Toastmasters and facing my public speaking fears, etc. and I STILL felt anxious.

But how I fixed anxiety was a little different.  I was never trying to fix anxiety, because it was hard to tell I really had anxiety.  The only thing I was worried about was being depressed all the time.

Surprisingly, everything I did to fix my depression also alleviated my anxiety.

You MUST solve this problem if you want to live a fulfilling life. I was EXTREMELY nervous to talk in front of 4 people back when I was doing Toastmasters.

After I fixed my depression and anxiety, I became one of the top salesman at a large car dealership, where I was essentially doing public speaking everyday under pressure.

There are two sides to anxiety and depression.  On the one side, you have things like positive thinking and exposure therapy.  On the other side, you have real, physical symptoms happening that aren’t a result of your mind and thoughts.

 

3

Lightphoria Light Lamp Review 10,000 Lux SP9882

I randomly came across bright light therapy in my desperate search for an answer to my depression.

I saw pictures of these SAD light therapy lamps.

People are actually using lights for depression?

I quickly wrote it off as something that would never work.

But if you’ve been on the site for a while, you know one of the most important decisions I made was to try things instead of debate endlessly in my head about if they would work.

I decided to try using lights for depression.  And I’m glad I did.

Out of all the light therapy products out there, I bought the sphere gadget technologies lightphoria 10 000lux energy light lamp and this is my lightphoria review.

What is Light Therapy Exactly?

People most commonly use light therapy for seasonal affective disorder but it is also used for insomnia and sleep disorders.

Light boxes emit light that hits the retina of the eyes to reset your circadian rhythm. This helps get a person’s sleep schedule back on track.  According to Wikipedia, light therapy can also be used to treat acne vulgaris, eczema, and neonatal jaundice.

This means that if you suffer from depression and insomnia, you can use light therapy to treat both simultaneously.  It is also great for jet lag (more on that in a moment).

Should Everyone Be Using Light Therapy Boxes?

Using seasonal affective disorder light bulbs is typically very safe.  Possible side effects can include eyestrain, headache, nausea, irritability or agitation.

The big risk with using seasonal affective disorder light therapy is if you suffer from bipolar disorder.  People who are prone to mania have reported that using seasonal affective disorder lights can produce euphoria, hyperactivity, and agitation.

It is best to use 10000 lux light when using light treatment.  If you use 10000 lux, you can get benefits in around 30 minutes whereas a light box that emits 2500 lux might take 2 hours to get benefits.

Lightphoria SAD Light Therapy Review

Many people think this is the best SAD light for many reasons.  The Sphere Gadget Technologies SP9882 Lightophoria SAD Light is portable, doesn’t cost a ton of money, emits 10000 LUX, doesn’t emit any plastic like smells, and has different light intensity settings.

It also has a built in timer so that you can set it for the duration you want.  It will automatically shut off when the time is up.

I also enjoyed this feature because I used to set it in the kitchen while making food.  Sometimes I would walk out of the room to do other things.

I always set the timer so that I wouldn’t accidentally leave it on and leave the house.

When I first got it out, I have to admit it felt quite flimsy and cheap.  It felt like it could break at any second if it took any sort of fall.

I actually dropped it a couple times, and it still works.

Sphere Gadget Technologies SP9882 Lightphoria Pros and Features:

Cons and Complaints:

One of the main things I didn’t like about it was the length of the cord and how lightweight it is.  You can see in my video how if you try to put it in certain positions and the cord is stretched out, it will actually move the light box which could potentially make it fall off your desk/table.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see me using the lightphoria light lamp in various settings.

A few people on Amazon.com also wish it would have a battery so they don’t have to plug in.  A few reviewers also said that it didn’t work after a couple uses.  For me, I’ve traveled with it all over the world and it has never given me problems.

Lightphoria VS goLITE

Another option to consider is the Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device.  The main selling point of the goLITE is that it emits blue light and comes with a rechargeable battery if you don’t like the cord on the  lightphoria light box.

I have never personally used the goLITE, but I do know they had an aggressive marketing plan on Amazon.com where they pumped out a lot of positive reviews.  Even with their marketing plan, the reviews are still not as positive as the sphere lightphoria reviews.

When I was looking at lights for SAD I thought that the battery for the goLITE was going to make a big difference.

Several reviews, however, state that the battery on the goLITE takes a long time to recharge and only lasts around 15 minutes before it needs to be charged again.

Even though the goLITE solves the issue of not having to use the cord all the time, the battery charge is relatively short-lasting and many reviewers stated they have to lug around their power cord anyways.

It is another sun lamp that can be used while traveling as well.

The big difference between the two lamps is the Philips goLITE costs $121.00 on Amazon.com and the Lightphoria energy light lamp costs $51.00.  The Lightphoria sp9882 has a year warranty on top of that.  As far as I can tell, the goLITE does not have any warranty.

Since the Philips wakeup light doesn’t have a warranty, has slightly less positive reviews than the Sphere Gadgets Lightphoria, and costs about $50 more, I would purchase the Sphere Lightphoria light lamp.

Lightphoria VS Nature Bright

Another option to consider is the NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp.  This depression lamp was supposedly recommended by the Columbia Department of Psychiatry and the New York State Psychiatry Institute.

One of the big selling points of this natural light lamp is that it also uses negative ion therapy to help relieve depression.

Clinical studies show that ion therapy can provide an antidepressant effect within a few days of use.  However, several reviews show that the ion therapy on this light lamp might not be all that it is cracked up to be.

One reviewer even states that the smell that comes off this lamp and the “negative ion therapy” might be harmful.

Another reviewer said that he tested whether or not the NatureBright emitted ozone. His NatureBright sun lamp emitted 0.209 parts per million within 10-15 minutes.

The Environmental Protection Agency states the risk level at 0.08 parts per million.

Devices that produce ozone can decrease lung function, cause coughing and chest pain, and higher susceptibility to lung function.

The light lamp appears to be of very high quality according to other reviews and is much bigger.  Some people might not like the small size of the lightphoria sphere gadget and want a larger lamp instead.  In this case, the NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light might be a good option.  It is only $69.24 on Amazon.com.

My only issues with it is if it actually does emit ozone which could be potentially harmful and that the negative ion therapy might not be what it is all cracked up to be.  Regardless of those issues, I have never personally tried out the lamp and the overall consensus on Amazon.com is overwhelmingly positive.

Conclusion

If you get more depressed in the winter time, have problems with maintaining your sleep schedule, or want a way to overcome jet lag quicker, I would recommend the Lightphoria energy light lamp.

The Lightphoria 10 000 lux light lamp has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon.com, is the least expensive of the best options, and can be traveled with easily.  I sold most of my stuff and packed all my belongings into a backpack to go live in Southeast Asia, and the Lightphoria energy light came with me.

The Philips goLITE seems like a great option as well, but is considerably more expensive than the Lightphoria light lamp and the battery doesn’t last long enough to make it a deciding factor.

The NatureBright SunTouch looks like a great lamp if you don’t ever plan on traveling with your light lamp, but it might emit harmful ozone.

The lightphoria energy light is one of the best light therapy lamps to purchase if you need a lightweight lamp that won’t break the bank and need it to be portable.  You can purchase it on Amazon here: Lightphoria Amazon.

Let me know your personal experiences with Light Therapy lamps below.

Note: All the links above are affiliate links.  If you buy one of the light lamps through my links, I make about $1.80.  I recommend things that I know works for depression through scientific research, treatment centers, and my own experiences.  I hope you enjoyed my Lightphoria light lamp review.

2

Which Vitamin D Should I Take? Thorne Research Vitamin D Review

Did you know that something simple like being deficient in Vitamin D can result in depression?

Getting your Vitamin D levels tested is cheap and easy?

You can take inexpensive supplements to get your Vitamin D levels in the optimal range, which affects many aspects of your well-being?

But there are supplements out there that simply don’t work.

And you should avoid them, unless you like wasting money.

Make Sure You’re Taking The Right Vitamin D!

I supplemented for a year with Vitamin D by taking Nutrigold Vitamin D3 5000 IU and didn’t get any results.  The product had over 300 5-star reviews on Amazon.com so I thought it must be a good product.

Wrong.

My blood test revealed no big difference in my Vitamin D levels.

Most of the reviews for Nutrigold are fake and part of a good marketing plan.  They fooled me.  Not all amazon reviews can be trusted.

After talking with a doctor about high quality brands, she told me about Thorne Research Vitamin D/K2.  Researching Thorne Research and seeing that the brand seemed to be of exceptional quality, I decided to put the product Thorne Research – Vitamin d (d3) liquid – 1 oz to the test.

Thorne Research Vitamin D Liquid

You can buy Thorne Research Vitamin D Capsules but putting a few drops of Vitamin D liquid on your tongue is supposed to absorb better.  The only problem you can experience with the liquid form is it is much harder to carry around.  With other supplements, I always like to throw them in a zip-lock bag and take them with me throughout the day.

I tried carrying around the little vial of Thorne Research Vitamin D drops with me in my pocket but that didn’t really work out.  Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin.  It is best to take Vitamin D with food and after eating a good source of fat for maximum absorption.

Instead of taking small amounts throughout the day, I took my dose in the morning after eating breakfast and at night before going to bed after eating a handful of almonds.

My Blood Test Results

I took Nutrigold Vitamin D for a year and my blood test showed that my Vitamin D levels were still in the lower range at 34 nd/mL.  That is OK, but it is best to get your levels more in the range of 60-80.

After taking that for a year, I wondered why my levels were still slightly low.  Did I need even more Vitamin D? I was taking 5,000 IU of Vitamin D every day!

The doctor I mentioned earlier told me that she only uses Thorne Research products.  I bought a vial of liquid Vitamin D3 the next day.

After taking Thorne Research Vitamin D3 for 3 months, my Vitamin D levels went from 34 nd/mL to 66.34 nd/mL.  I took basically the same dose of Thorne Research Vitamin D3 (6,000 IU) per day as I did Nutrigold Vitamin D (5,000 IU).

The Verdict for My Thorne Research Vitamin D Review

I took one vial of Thorne Research Vitamin D liquid (one fluid ounce) and successfully raised my Vitamin D levels from 34 nd/mL to 66.34 nd/mL in 3 months.

As of this writing I am feeling about the best I have ever felt.  Getting your Vitamin D levels in the appropriate range is critical for optimal health and overcoming depression.

Let me know if you know of any other good and bad brands out there when it comes to Vitamin D.  When it comes to supplements and messing with our delicate brain, quality is important.  And if you haven’t yet gotten yourself tested, go do that now!

You can buy Thorne Research – Vitamin D (d3) Liquid on Amazon.com or other supplement retailers like iHerb.com.

UPDATE: Taking Thorne Research Vitamin D/K2 Is A Better Option

It has now been shown in studies that combining vitamins D and K can provide better elasticity for your arteries and health when compared to people who only receive vitamin D.  We also know that vitamin K2 protects against vitamin D toxicity.

I now recommend taking Thorne Research Vitamin D/K2 liquid instead of just the regular version containing only vitamin D.

Combining vitamins D with K can provide better artery elasticity and health when compared to people who only receive vitamin D.

Note: All the links above are affiliate links.  If you buy one of the supplements through my links, I make about $0.12.  I’ve only recommended supplements that I know works for depression through scientific research, treatment centers, and my own experiences.

4

TwinLab Stress B-Complex Caps Review

Did you now that the average person is deficient in B Vitamins?

Many people can find relief from depression just by taking B Vitamins?

That B Vitamins are involved in making serotonin?

If you are struggling with depression this is important.

I believe that TwinLab Stress B Complex caps with Vitamin C is one of the best b complex vitamin brand out there if you don’t get the coenzymate form.

You can take B Vitamins for a few months until you are back on track.  You can then put them on the shelf until you are under more stress and feel you need them again.

What Does B Complex Do?

B Vitamins are extremely important for mental health.  Your brain needs a lot of B vitamins in order to repair and produce neurotransmitters.  B Vitamins also support the adrenal glands.  In recommending stress relief supplements I always include B Vitamins for this reason.

Stress uses up B Vitamins.  One of the benefits of B Complex vitamins is people often report they get a midafternoon “lift” when they take it with lunch.  Some people report they use B Complex for anxiety and it calms them down – others say taking B Vitamins gives them their energy back.

Without enough niacin, your brain will convert tryptophan into niacin instead of 5-HTP.  If you don’t have enough vitamin B6, your brain won’t be able to effectively convert 5-HTP into serotonin.

A lot of people have taken a Vitamin B12 supplement and found quick relief from their depression, but it is best to take all of the B Vitamins together.

Twinlab Stress B Complex Ingredients

Twinlab Stress B Complex has 250 mcg of Vit B 12, 100mg of niacin, and 250 mg of pantothenic acid.  This B complex with Vitamin C has 1000mg of Vitamin C per serving.  The B complex dosage is two capsules.

The Twinlab Stress B Complex Caps Label also shows PABA, choline bitartrate, and inositol.

Twinlab’s manufacturing plant is in American Fork, Utah.  It is a GMP registered facility.  The NSF has verified that the manufacturing plant meets the stringent independent registration process guidelines.  You can visit www.Twinlab.com if you are curious.

In other words, facilities registered GMP by NSF means that they have to conform to the highest verification process.  This means that you are putting in high quality ingredients into your body and not getting other harmful ingredients in your supplement.

B Complex Side Effects

Any B complex supplement can have side effects.  Although B Complex vitamins are natural supplements and healthy products they can have undesirable side effects for a small minority of individuals.

B Complex vitamins are water soluble so you don’t have to worry too much about the toxic effects of overdosing like you do with fat soluble vitamins.

Taking too much niacin can produce the “niacin flush” – a reddening and itchiness of the skin.

Sometimes taking B Complex Vitamins can upset your stomach.  In that case it is better to take a coenzymate form of the vitamin B complex.  An example of a Coenzyme B Complex is Jarrow Formulas B-Right.

Other Stress B-Complex Caps by Twinlab Reviews

Many people like to buy their vitamins online and Amazon is one of the top resellers of supplements.  On their site, TwinLab stress b-complex 250 Caps has over 115 reviews as of this writing.

• 78 5-Star Reviews
• 19 4-Star Reviews
• 8 3-Star Reviews
• 4 2-Star Reviews
• 7 1-Star Reviews

Some of the bad reviews are about Amazon in general and shipping, not the actual product itself.

The Verdict of My Twinlab Stress B-Complex Caps Review

My experience with TwinLab Stress B Complex Caps has been positive.  By taking two of them everyday, I have noticed I feel better and I feel more effects from the amino acids that I take.  That probably has to do with the fact that you need enough B Vitamins for Tryptophan to convert into serotonin.  If you don’t have enough niacin, the tryptophan you take will convert into niacin instead.

Many of the top doctors and researchers suggest that people try the coenzymate form of B Vitamins for more serious cases of depression.  If you think a lack of B Vitamins is a major issue, I’d suggest taking the coenzymate form.  I link to Jarrow Formulas B Right above, which is an example of a B Complex in coenzymate form.

If you have had success with regular B Vitamins and don’t like the price of the B Complex supplements in coenzymate form, give TwinLab B Stress Complex caps a try.

You can check them out here: Amazon Twinlab Stress B Complex.

Note: All the links above are affiliate links.  If you buy one of the supplements through my links, I make about $0.12.  I’ve only recommended supplements that I know works for depression through scientific research, treatment centers, and my own experiences.

2

NOW Foods Tryptophan Review

I wish I would have discovered L-Tryptophan much sooner.  I had tried various sources when I first learned about the l-tryptophan supplement and many of them were good. When I came across the NOW Foods Brand they were slightly cheaper so I didn’t know if they would work.  Choosing high quality when it comes to supplements is important, especially when you are overcoming depression.  You want to know if a particular amino acid works for you or not.  A bad quality supplement will mess up that trial-and-error process.

After learning more about NOW Brand supplements, reading a NOW Foods review, and seeing how some of my favorite people, like Julia Ross, were fans of NOW products, I decided to give them a try.

One of the first supplements I tried was NOW Foods L-Tryptophan.

NOW Foods Tryptophan: The Product

According to NOW Foods website, they use good manufacturing practices to make sure there is no contamination in their amino acid supplements.  If you are anything like me when I was first experimenting with supplements on my biology, I used to take a lot of different supplements.  One of the things that I always worried about was if I was putting other things in my body that weren’t listed in the ingredients on the bottle.

With the research they do in clinical trials, adhering to standards for ingredient substitution, and their emphasis on making sure all their products are as natural as possible, NOW Foods Supplements is the perfect middle ground for quality and not spending your whole week’s paycheck on l-tryptophan supplements.

Should I Get 500mg or 1000mg?

When choosing a tryptophan supplement (or any amino acid supplement) you should always start with the lowest possible dose first.  When messing with your brain chemistry, it is always smart to err on taking too little than too much at first.

That’s why I will always recommend that people choose the smallest possible dose they can find and work up from there.  This is for two main reasons:

1. The smallest dose might be all you need.  If 500mg of L-Tryptophan does the trick, you shouldn’t be taking 1000mg.  This will also save you money.
2. Higher doses have higher chances of adverse side effects.  Starting out small allows you to test your body’s response to the supplement and gradually increase your dose if all goes well.  You can take two 500mg tryptophan pills to get the same effect as the larger supplement.  It is a lot harder to take the larger supplement and divide it into smaller doses.

Benefits, Cons, and Tryptophan Side Effects

Benefits

The biggest benefit to taking L-Tryptophan is the effects it has on sleep.  When I was suffering from insomnia, L-Tryptophan is what saved me.  One of the most popular articles on this website is my article on curing insomnia.  One reader even fixed his year-long Xanax addiction by using Tryptophan.

L-Tryptophan is an amino acid that the brain uses to produce niacin and serotonin.  With the use of B Vitamins, L-Tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP and then 5-HT (serotonin).  This boosts your natural stores of serotonin without having to resort to the use of antidepressant drugs.  Leftover serotonin is used to produce melatonin, which helps you sleep.

What I have noticed is that when I take NOW Foods L-Trytophan at night I will still feel the effects the following day.  When I can feel that I am starting to get a little depressed, start having lower self-esteem, reduced enjoyment in life, and stop sleeping good I will even take L-Tryptophan in the day.

Tryptophan can also aid in reducing anxiety.  A lack of serotonin can produce anxiety in numerous people.  Taking an L-Tryptophan supplement can fix the issue.

My Honest Comparison to Other Brands

I have tried and used other brands of L-Tryptophan before.  Some didn’t affect me as much as NOW Foods brand does and others have affected me more.

Source Naturals L-Tryptophan affected me more than NOW Foods L-Tryptophan.  When taking Source Naturals L-Tryptophan, I felt it “hit me harder” and quicker than NOW Foods.  It wasn’t a massively huge difference, but definitely noticeable when it came to falling asleep and feeling good.  Sometimes when I took Source Naturals L-Tryptophan I almost even felt like I felt a little too good.

NOW Foods Tryptophan feels more subtle and gentle than Source Naturals does.  I buy NOW Foods brand right now because it is slightly cheaper and I don’t need a stronger effect anymore.  I can take NOW Foods L-Tryptophan and fall asleep and slightly boost my serotonin to where it needs to be.

Sometimes the Source Naturals brand is actually cheaper than NOW Foods on Amazon.com.  If Source Naturals is cheaper, I’d go with Source Naturals L-Tryptophan.

Some People Respond to 5-HTP Better

Most people respond to 5-HTP better than L-Tryptophan.  In my course, I recommend that people try 5-HTP before trying L-Tryptophan.  If your body doesn’t have enough niacin it will often convert L-Tryptophan into niacin instead of serotonin.  If you are suffering from depression, you should be supplementing with a B Vitamin supplement everyday to ensure your brain can produce the neurotransmitters for you to feel good.

Taking 5-HTP can be a more direct route to serotonin production than L-Tryptophan.  Some people respond to 5-HTP better while others respond to L-Tryptophan better.  I personally feel more energetic when I take 5-HTP and 5-HTP is shorter lasting, so it doesn’t work for helping me sleep or producing longer lasting effects.  Naturally I am inclined to recommend L-Tryptophan first, but the research shows that 5-HTP is effective for most people.

Side Effects and Complications

If you take too much L-Tryptophan it can make you sleepy.  This usually means that you have enough serotonin stores in your brain and don’t need to take any more tryptophan supplements.  I recommend that people take L-Tryptophan in the late afternoon and evening when first trying it out to avoid this situation and to not take it during work if you are taking it for the first time.

According to WebMD.com, other side effects of L-Tryptophan includes heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, headaches, lightheadedness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and sexual problems.  I haven’t heard of anyone having these more serious issues taking L-Tryptophan, but again, you should start with the lowest possible dose first to avoid having those experiences if you are one of the unlucky few that won’t react well.

Where To Buy NOW Foods Products

I choose to buy L-Tryptophan and other NOW Foods supplements from Amazon.com.  I have never had an issue with supplements ordered from Amazon.com.  Many people prefer to purchase supplements from iHerb.com because Amazon.com has been known to keep supplements on the shelf longer than iHerb.com does.

Another great feature of iHerb.com is if you are traveling and need to order some extra supplements.  I needed to buy a supplement in Thailand and iHerb.com was able to get it to me in a couple weeks.

You can buy these supplements from a local store, but nine times out of ten you will get it cheaper online.  I’d go with Amazon and buy a few supplements at once to get free shipping and check the expiration date when the supplements arrive.  Amazon.com can be $5-$6 dollars cheaper with supplements than iHerb.com.

You can buy L-Tryptophan through the links below. Disclaimer: I make about $0.12 when you purchase through my link.

Amazon.com

• L-Tryptophan NOW Foods: Tryptophan 500mg
• Source Naturals L-Tryptophan 500mg

iHerb.com

• L-Tryptophan NOW Foods: Tryptophan 500mg
• Source Naturals L-Tryptophan 500mg

I would try NOW Foods L-Tryptophan 500mg first.  Take it on an empty stomach in the late afternoon or in the evening.  If you don’t feel any effects, gradually increase your dose.  Buy it from Amazon.com.

If you are more worried about quality than price, buy Source Naturals L-Tryptophan from iHerb.com if the price is right.  If you are looking to learn more about other supplements in overcoming depression, you can see the master list here.

2

Most Dangerous Thing You Can Do While Depressed

Are you making this critical mistake in recovering from depression?

This is really subtle and something that took me years to figure out in my head.

If you are stuck in this mindset, it is one of the most dangerous traps you can get stuck in.

Fortunately once you can recognize it you can eliminate it.

Don’t Make This Mistake While Depressed

Topics Discussed:
0:38 – Can Watching Motivational Speeches Fix Depression?
1:38 – Depression Versus Sadness
2:22 – When You Are “Sad”, You Can “Snap Out Of It”
3:10 – It is “Just In Your Head”
4:06 – You Won’t Be Able to Recover and Get Help
5:30 – You Are Having a Real Experience

It was a nice sunny day in Thailand.  I met a counselor from New Zealand and we had been discussing depression in depth the night before.

We show up at this organic vegetable restaurant.  It is a stand in an alleyway, your typical “hole in the wall” type of establishment.  The lady there is always over enthusiastic to see me.

The tables were full so we sat down with someone already at the restaurant.  Naturally, we got talking.  One thing led to another, and he asked, “What do you do?” I told him about the website and how I help people overcome depression without medication.  He starts to perk up a bit.

He then says, “You know what I do if I start to feel a little depressed?” Of course I respond, “Yes!”

He says, “Oh I just get on YouTube and watch a few motivational videos.  That always does the trick and I’m not depressed anymore.”

I didn’t say anything, but I knew my friend was thinking the same thing.  We both had had experience with depression ourselves and worked with numerous people who were struggling with depression.

If I could have just watched a motivational video and it would have brought me out of my depression, than that would not have been the depression I’m talking about.  When I used to get depressed, a motivational video isn’t going to do anything.  When I’m laying on the floor and can’t get up, watching anything is not going to get me out of that depression.  That is the depression I am talking about.  I am not talking about mere sadness.

Which made me realize a lot about what I have learned and one of the key things I had to stop in order to recover.

Do You Disassociate from Your Depression?

How many times have you had an argument with a friend or family member about whether or not depression is a “choice”?

How many times have you been told to just “snap out of it” or “shake it off” because people think depression isn’t real?

For the majority of my life, I went on believing that depression was a character flaw that I had.  I wasn’t depressed, I just had certain issues.  I couldn’t think positive.  I didn’t have strong willpower.  I was weak and not a cool person.

What made it even worse, was other people believed the same thing.  Even depressed people believed that depression was a choice or that depression simply didn’t exist.  Interestingly, these people were still depressed.

If a person hasn’t ever been depressed in their lives, the only way they might understand depression’s depth is if a loved one suffered through depression.  Otherwise, most people aren’t quite sure what depression means.

Take two people.  One person has a great life.  Everything is going great.  The second person has a good life, but he just broke up with his girlfriend and lost his job at the same time.  The first person wakes up everyday and has absolutely no energy at all and constantly daydreams about killing himself.  The second person feels down from losing his job and breaking up with his girlfriend.

What do they both have in common? They both say that they are “depressed”.  Except for the first person has something going on in his physical body and mind that is preventing him from experiencing any sort of pleasure in life where as the second person is simply feeling down because of life circumstances.

How do we know what people mean when they say they are depressed?

Most People Confuse Depression with “Sadness”

When we are actually depressed, we hate ourselves, we have no energy, we don’t feel any pleasure out of life, or we even experience physical symptoms like body sluggishness or soreness.

When we are actually depressed, we can’t just snap out of it.  We are trying 110% everyday to snap out of it and yet we can’t.  If I lose my job, I have the ability to think positive and look at the brighter side of life.  I have the ability to find a new job, to experience a little grief and move on.  I can go walk in the park and literally “shake it off.”

But if I a wake up in the morning and feel completely depleted of all life, if I wake up and have severe anxiety to the point where I mess up my words and can’t even talk right, if I wake up in the morning and realize I’d rather kill myself than live for no reason, than that is not sadness.

The problem is we use the word depression for far too many different circumstances.  If I could, I’d change the English vocabulary to have different words for being depressed and being down/sad.

Why Believing Depression Isn’t Real Will Stop You From Recovering

I started to go crazy and completely distrust all of my own feelings and thoughts because I was experiencing such severe symptoms of depression and I couldn’t express them to anybody.  When I tried to tell people about how I was feeling, they would tell me that it was “all in my head.”

At this point I didn’t even trust myself.  I started to not believe my own inner experience.  I disassociated from my feelings and what was really going on inside to try and believe that it really was all in my head.

If you are experiencing severe and constant low self-esteem, low energy, low enthusiasm, severe obsessive thoughts, or feeling numb all the time, and you have already tried positive thinking and have failed over and over again, then realize that you have a real issue.  Not being able to get out of  bed all day feeling completely numb and worthless despite watching Anthony Robbins videos all day means it probably isn’t all in “your head.”

Thinking that depression isn’t real will stop you from recovering and stop you from seeking help.  That is why this belief is so dangerous and why that belief stopped me from my own personal recovery for so many years.

When I went skydiving and still felt depressed afterwards, that is when I finally accepted that, yes, depression is real.  I have depression.  I need help.  That is when I finally started to recover.

The most dangerous thing you can do while depressed is to think that depression isn’t real.  To disassociate from your true feelings and experience.  To believe that it is all in your head, even though you’ve spent the last few years feeling that way.

And the thing is, depression isn’t crazy.  You aren’t weird or weak for having depression.  You’ve just found yourself in this state called depression.  Once you realize that is all that is, then you can seek help and begin seeking out the root causes of your depression to fix it.

2

We Need to Fire Our Heroes and Buddha’s Trick To Erase Negative Feelings

Why do we feel like we should be able to be happy?

We should be able to pick ourselves up on our own?

Why do we get so scared of “negativity” and what Buddhism teaches us is the real way to deal with it?

My recent experience on the ferry from Macau to Hong Kong led me to the answer…

Topics Discussed:
0:11 – Trying To Be Happy While In Hong Kong
1:15 – Just Feel What You Are Feeling
2:25 – Why We Fake Optimism and the Buddhist Secret
3:05 – Why This is Huge If You Have Depression
3:56 – We Need to Fire Our Heroes
4:55 – How To Text Someone To Get Help
6:13 – Example of a Bad Way To Ask For Help

I wake up with an itchy throat.

I feel a little sluggish and tired, almost as if I am fighting something.

I get on the ferry from Hong Kong to Macao. I close my eyes for the hour long ride and arrive.

As the day goes on, I begin to fake optimism. You know, we are supposed to always be excited and full of energy.

I want to add to the experience around me. Add value for others. I don’t want to feel down right now…

The day keeps going and it is ok. I don’t feel any better though, and I begin to feel worse.

“No I’m not getting sick, I’m in Hong Kong! I’m healthy.”

Am I getting a little depressed? No. Gotta resist that. That is not possible. I’m the owner of this website, I dominated depression a long time ago. I am too strong for that.

As I get on the ferry back to Hong Kong, I plug in my headphones and an old song comes on that brings up memories.

I start to feel sadness and begin to fight it once again…

Then I just take a breath in and let go. I’ve already learned this lesson before. Feelings are just feelings. Things just are. Miss that, and you miss out on beauty.

My immune system is down and I’m struggling. The feelings overwhelm me and I smile. I feel sadness, but I feel beautiful sadness. Memories of the past, memories of my long lost brother and friend suddenly return. The loss in life. The fact that there is suffering.

I feel the other spectrum of life. I accept this feeling and go with it.

And the beauty of it comes to me.

Despite being the only one who speaks English on the entire ferry my loneliness disappears.

I accept myself and feel fulfilled. I realize I need rest and allow myself to just sit and rest. I let the feelings guide me to write this post.

Why Do We Hide Our Feelings?

There’s something weird about vulnerability.

In the Western world we promote happiness, optimism, showing a sense of “success” at all times.

We don’t want to be weak. Maybe we showed our feelings to someone in the past and they hurt us. We learned that if we are a little bit fake people aren’t rejecting us, but our image that we project. We feel safer that way.

When someone has depression, which is already stigmatized in society, it makes it even harder to be vulnerable about their feelings. What is looked more down upon than someone who admits to feeling powerless and hopeless?

The only problem with that is you can’t truly grow until you face those feelings head on. Once you let them pass through you and see them for what they are, that is when they dissipate.

There’s No Such Thing As Negativity, Just Negative Negativity

One day I listened to a Buddhist monk give a talk. What she said has stuck with me ever since.

People were asking her questions. One lady said, “Sometimes I just feel so down. I don’t know what to do. I shouldn’t feel negative feelings like that.”

To which the Buddhist monk responded, “There isn’t negativity, just negative negativity.”

The next day I woke up, and i had a lot of tension. I opened up the Tao Te Ching and read:

“There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.”

Oh wait, I almost forgot. We are all human. We all feel these feelings. There is nothing wrong with being depressed. Again, there is nothing wrong with being depressed.

The paradox is to get rid of the negative feelings, we have to feel them. If you resist them, they will persist, and you’ll feel shame for having them.

Once you accept them and let them run their course, they will dissipate.

There is no such thing as negativity. Just negative negativity.

We Need to Fire Our Heroes

One of the strongest and most progressed human beings once told me he had to fire all his heroes.

I asked, “What do you mean?”

“All those guys in the movies. I had to fire them.”

“The stars?”

“Yes. I had to fire the idea that I can do everything on my own.”

This is coming from one of the strongest people I know. When you talk to him it feels like you are talking to a human being who is so rooted in his confidence and humility that nothing could touch him. Yet he said the key to his success was allowing himself to feel his feelings and ask for help.

Sometimes you just gotta ask for help.

Process of Asking for Help

You need to ask for exactly what you need.

Do not text:

“Dude people are pissing me off. They just ignore me”

Instead try:

“I feel lonely. I can’t seem to connect with people lately. I just need to talk to someone for a bit if that’s cool.”

Don’t kitty corner around the issue. Just be direct.

Here is an example of a conversation I just had with an old friend:

HIM: “I don’t see the point anymore”
ME: “What’s going on?”
HIM: “Nah I don’t want to unload on you man, that’s not cool.”
ME: “But I know you want to ;)”
HIM: “No that would be unfair”

Even when I told him I would listen, he still didn’t tell me what was going on and what he needed.

Although I genuinely wanted to help him, he prejudged that I didn’t, and he stopped himself from receiving help. And what is sad is how many times I’ve done that to myself.

People want to help you. They really do. And having feelings is alright.

Asking For Help And Feeling Your Feelings is Courageous

There is nothing more badass than knowing your boundaries, knowing your strengths and your weaknesses, and knowing when you need assistance.

Instead of resisting so bad that you are starting to feel like crap, just accept it. “I’m starting to feel like crap. I probably need to take it easy today. You want to go to the movies?”

People don’t have to go to the movies with you. But this approach will completely change your conversations with people. Be completely direct with them and tell them how they can help you.

It just might save your life.

Oh, and don’t believe the hype in the movies about the main character dominating the world all on his own ;).

4

NOW Foods GABA Review

Topics Discussed:

0:20 – What is GABA?
1:02 – Valium and Other Benzodiazepines Mimic GABA
1:48 – Blood-Brain Barrier Conflicting Research
2:55 – GABA Might Be a Little More Complex
3:15 – Should You Try Other Amino Acids First?
4:18 – My Honest Experience With GABA’s Effects

GABA is said to be ineffective yet so many people have benefited from it.  We’ll dive deeper into why this is a little later, but in case you are a little unfamiliar with this amino acid, let’s review the facts.

The body makes GABA from glutamine.  GABA is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the body that calms you down.  It inhibits activity in the brain and therefore calms you down.  Things like valium mimic GABA in the brain and central nervous system.  GABA calms down the hypothalamus and amygdala which can help lift your depression and calm down your anxiety.

If you don’t have enough GABA, you will also have a hard time sleeping.  The body makes gamm-hydroxybutyrate, otherwise known as GHG, from GABA.  Hibernating animals have higher levels of GABA.  GABA can control aggression, help patients not just with depression and anxiety but also suffering from schizophrenia, and too little GABA has been shown to result in “mental inflexibility.”

An imbalance of GABA has been shown to be common in people suffering from seizures.  It also has been shown to be lowered in autistic individuals.

Symptoms of Having Low Levels of GABA in The Brain

A GABA deficiency will result in a low level of anxiety.  It might not be crippling anxiety, but an overall sense of stress and inability to relax.  Not having enough GABA can also result in other poor moods such as depression.  Many people who have found relief by taking a GABA supplement feel “uneasy” all the time.  Nothing feels as if it is alright even if external conditions are normal.

A deficiency can also result in a lack of patience.  GABA keeps you calm and if you don’t have enough it can present itself like ADHD.

More general symptoms include:

• Having a low stress tolerance.  You “snap” easily under stress.
• Insomnia and inability to fall asleep
• Using drugs for the purpose of calming yourself down.
• Being constantly overwhelmed by daily tasks.
• Having anxiety and nervousness even in periods where you don’t have external stressors.
• Craving starches, sweets, wine or marijuana in the afternoon, late night, but never in the morning.
• Feeling overworked, pressured, and always having a looming sense of deadlines.
• Can’t laugh at the TV – You can’t relax and “loosen up”
• Feeling weak or shaky at times
• If you skip a meal, you feel horrible
• Being sensitive to bright light, noise, or chemical fumes. You have to wear sunglasses a lot.

Why Did I Make a NOW Foods GABA Review?

Throughout my own struggle in overcoming depression, I could never turn off my fight or flight response.  I always felt a little tense and nervous everywhere I went.  The build up of stress would eventually wear me down.  I had social anxiety, feared public speaking (a little fear is OK but I was terrified like I was going to die), everything from school to basic tasks that needed to be completed stressed me out, and every day seemed to be filled with terrifying situations.

Naturally, GABA was something I wanted to try and NOW Foods GABA because the company typically makes products that work for me.  I bought a bottle of GABA for $15 and tried it out.

I never really felt any effect.  I couldn’t tell if it was making me relaxed or not.  With other amino acids, I could literally feel the effects within a half hour.  If I took L-Tyrosine, I’d start to get edgy and a little angry.  If I took L-Phenylalanine, I would feel excited about the day and feel as if everything was a little more pleasurable.  If I took L-Tryptophan I’d feel confident and happy.

With GABA, I didn’t feel anything, despite wanting to.  Unfortunately, I didn’t even get a placebo effect from it.  It didn’t seem to help with stress levels during the day or with sleeping at night.

For many people that are depressed, my guess is that you also have issues with serotonin production.  My first recommendation would be to try something like L-Tryptophan or L-Theanine for stress and calming yourself down.  It seems as if GABA has a lot of mixed reviews.  Also, GABA has been reported to be unable to cross the blood-brain barrier in the brain.

The Blood-Brain Barrier Debate Concerning GABA

Among medical circles, GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier.  Taking it in a supplement shouldn’t work.  But yet there are many people that take it and experience anti-anxiety effects.  Looking at the reviews of GABA supplements on the internet shows hundreds and hundreds of success stories.  There is one study that actually even shows that is does cross the blood-brain barrier.  However, this could still be a placebo effect.

People in the study might have had effects from GABA because the people that would need these effects could have a weakened blood-brain barrier due to inflammation. If their blood-brain barrier is messed up due to inflammation that person is likely going to be depressed and anxious.

Even with all the confusing information on GABA and crossing the blood-brain barrier, it also has other effects on the body that might be the result for why people have lowered anxiety when taking it as a supplement.

GABA is found in the adrenal glands, pituitary, pancreas, uterus, ovaries, and testis.  It is involved with issues concerning reproductive systems and the adrenal glands.  The adrenal glands are what produce your fight or flight hormones.  If your reproductive systems are out of whack it can cause some serious issues with anxiety.

Other than affecting your adrenal glands and reproductive systems, GABA is also anti-inflammatory.  GABA can be found in immune cells.  This means that if you don’t have enough GABA, you can have issues with inflammation.  Inflammation causes all sorts of problems in the body and can lead to anxiety as a result.  Inflammation is higher metabolic activity which increases the activity in the brain.  If you have inflammation issues long-term, you will have problems not just with anxiety.

In other words, we aren’t quite sure why taking GABA in supplement form gives some people great effects.  It could either be from those people having weakened blood-brain barriers or from the other effects that GABA has on the rest of the bodily systems.

NOW Foods GABA 500mg with B-6

The kind of GABA that I tried was NOW Foods GABA 500 mg with Vitamin B-6.  Vitamin B-6 is involved in numerous interactions in the brain and a lack of Vitamin B-6 can make it hard for you to process amino acids effectively.  I chose 500mg over 250mg or NOW Foods GABA 750mg because with the conflicting research on GABA I figured I could try the middle dose and not worry about it too much.

Even taking several of these capsules, I never really felt much of an affect myself.  However, I still can’t deny that GABA appears in almost every book I read on using nutrient therapy to overcome mood disorders and there are 39 4-star and 5-star reviews on the product.  And there still might be effects from the other ways in which GABA interacts with the body.

NOW Foods GABA Orange Flavored Chewable

For everyone that doesn’t want to take GABA as a supplement and hate swallowing pills, you can always get the chewable kind.  The people that have tried the Orange Flavor Chewable of NOW Foods GABA report that it works for them and is especially useful if you want to give it to your children.

If the only thing holding you back from trying out amino acids in becoming depression free is you hate swallowing pills, I always advise people to try liquid forms or chewable versions of the supplement.

NOW Foods GABA Powder Review

If you don’t like pills and even hate chewing tablets you can always get the powder version.  Some people even report that taking a scoop of the powder is more effective than taking it as a supplement.  Many people need to take high doses of GABA in order to feel anything and the powder allows them to do so.

If stress and turning off your fight-or-flight response is a major issue for you and other things don’t work and you are ready to give GABA a try, you can get the powder version to make sure you can take higher doses.  Some people need a few grams at a time to feel anything.

If you are burnt out and seriously need some help, consider getting the powder and taking some higher doses to see if you can get GABA through your blood-brain barrier and have the beneficial affects on the rest of your body.

Conclusion

With all the confusing research out there yet so many people that have benefited from taking GABA, it seems as if GABA does cross the blood-brain barrier, but just not that much.  Even if it does not effectively cross the blood brain barrier, it may cross the blood brain barrier more easily in the people that are suffering from things such as anxiety and inflammation because their blood brain barriers will be weakened.  If it still doesn’t cross the blood brain barrier, then the effects it has on the rest of the body, such as the adrenal glands, may be the result in its anti-anxiety effects.

If it is something you need or have been thinking of trying, just try it.  If it doesn’t work, something like L-Theanine, L-Tryptophan or glycine may work better in dialing down the stress in your life.  You can look at the master list of other supplements in helping depression if you are lost.

When it comes to deciding whether or not to try GABA (and symptoms of low GABA is the main factor in your problems) think of it this way: Best case scenario is you just found something that helps you in life immensely.  Worst case scenario is that it does nothing and you lose a few dollars.  When it comes to something as important as your well-being and mood, if you are constantly stressed out and on edge, give GABA a try and see if it is something you benefit from if you haven’t already tried serotonin boosting supplements like L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP and supplements like L-Theanine.  I’d rather try something and risk losing a couple dollars then stay stressed and unhappy all the time because I am unwilling to try new things.

105

My Experience Taking and Getting Off Celexa

Antidepressants.  The thing half of Americans are taking and prescribed so easily.  SSRIs have become almost like the new multivitamins of our century.  Maybe even like Skittles.

When my life took a dramatic turning point I decided it was time to try something else.  What I was doing to fight off depression clearly wasn’t working.

One of the first things I did was take antidepressants.  Citalopram, or Celexa, was the first drug I was prescribed.

My Experience with Celexa

Topics Discussed:

0:53 – Would you like paxil, celexa, or zoloft?
1:40 – My libido went through the roof
2:40 – Weird feeling of being good but not sure if I was good
3:20 – Completely losing my mind on a high dose of celexa
3:55 – New psychiatrist and forcing lithium onto me
5:05 – Road rage on lithium
6:00 – Getting off celexa cold turkey (or so I thought)
7:45 – Getting the zaps while weaning off celexa
8:50 – Waking up one morning with a realization
10:05 – What are the root causes of your depression?

The Best Way To Get Off Celexa

I go up to the front counter.  A slightly overweight woman who looked at me with so much compassion it was like I was her own son asked me what I came in for.  I said, “I feel depressed.”  After filling out a short questionnaire I took my seat.  I rated myself on a scale of 1-10 on various factors such as how often I had suicidal thoughts or if I liked myself.

Various pictures were set up around the room.  Some were about self-esteem.  Others inspirational.  Overall, I felt really comfortable.

A slightly short woman who’s genuine smile was so authentic came into the room and said, “TJ?”  I began to stand up, she reached out her hand with the warmest smile I’d come across in weeks, and introduced herself.  I shook her hand and hoped that she didn’t mind it was a little sweaty.  Then again, she probably shakes a lot of sweaty hands.

Inside her office she asked me about my symptoms. She told me about a couple of antidepressants.  She asked me which one I would like to try.  “Would you like Zoloft, Paxil, or Celexa?  Celexa is the least likely to cause sexual side effects.”  I picked Celexa, otherwise known as citalopram.  I didn’t want sexual side effects, even though at the time I had been pretty isolated and it probably wouldn’t have mattered.

I got my prescription, went to the local pharmacy and filled it for a couple bucks, and I was on my way.  I felt the affects almost instantly.

How Does One Get Off Celexa? You Don’t If You Feel This Good!

I didn’t know what people meant by antidepressants taking weeks to take affect.  Within days I was writing poems about how I was so awesome I could escape Alcatraz.  I started calling up friends to hang out.  Things were good.

Oh and the sexual side effects? My libido was through the roof.  This was great.  Not only was I not depressed, I had the reverse of what many people experience on antidepressants.  Instead of Celexa ruining my sex drive it basically ramped up my sex drive to heights I didn’t know was possible.  I felt good.  I wanted to go do stuff, like play guitar up in the mountains with friends.  So I did.

I remember on our drive up the mountain we saw some women.  Well hello women, this is TJ, the man who is no longer depressed.  We invited them up to our campfire to play guitar and hang out.  Wow.  A few months after making my suicide agreement I already cured my depression.  Things were good.

If It Stops Working, Just Increase The Dose (And Get High Off Celexa)

Taking Celexa was a weird sort of feeling.  It was as if I was ok, but my emotions weren’t really full and rounded.  I simply felt fine, but I’m not sure I felt much, if that makes sense.  I didn’t care anyways.  Comparing that state to the state that I was in, I’d take an antidepressant all day long.

Best way to describe it is the feeling you get for the rest of the day after you ride the most intense roller coaster.  You feel good, but nothing really affects you anymore because it can’t compare to the roller coaster ride.  That is how being on antidepressants felt.  I already rode the ride and was just sitting in the half numb half satisfied after glory.

Unfortunately, after about a month and a half, the effects started to wear off. Hmm… That’s weird.  So I went back to the Psychiatrist.  She greeted me with the warmest smile I have ever seen and invited me back into her office. After discussing my symptoms, she assured me that this happened all the time.  They just needed to increase my dosage.

I got my new prescription and went on my way. I started taking my increased dose.  New poems were written and new heights in sexual drive were attained.  Not too bad.

Then the same thing happened again.  After another few months, I started falling back down into a slightly depressed state.  Uh oh.  How far can they increase the dosage?  Can I just keep increasing the dose over and over again?

Can You Get Off Celexa?

They increased my dosage again.  This time it was beyond amazing.  I had so much energy I had no idea what to do with myself.  I stopped sleeping.  I didn’t eat as much.  I started 10 new projects at once.  I went to the mall and got every woman’s phone number there.  I made out with a girl outside the Apple store.  I was on fire.

About a half a week later the sleep deprivation caught up to me.  Either that, or the lack of eating.  I crashed pretty hard.  I realized that it probably wasn’t normal to have that much energy and confidence suddenly.  So back I went to the familiar lobby with soothing pictures on the walls and people that cared about me.

“Sorry TJ, she no longer works here.”  Damn.  My psychiatrist moved on to another institution. They said there was another psychiatrist that could see me this time.  Great. A man greeted me.  There was no warm smile.  Not even a handshake. Maybe the first psychiatrist was on Celexa and this one wasn’t.

As I entered his office, there was no smile filled with warmth.  Only an authoritative gesture for me to sit down. He told me that I was bipolar and needed to take additional medication to counteract the effects of Celexa.  He said I should take lithium and he could write me a prescription.

I had done my research on lithium before and someone in my family had taken it and it hadn’t affected him very well.  I didn’t think it was the best choice for me.  I told the psychiatrist I’d rather take something like lamotrigine.

He promptly told me that lamotrigine was a lot more expensive than lithium and that I should take lithium.  I questioned him further.  He pulled up a wikipedia page on lithium to answer a few of my questions.  After a while he finally told me, “Lithium is only $4 at Walmart.  It is the better choice.”

I guess I should just take the lithium then.  I got my prescription, went and filled it at the local Walmart pharmacy, and I was on my way.

Two days after taking lithium I developed severe anger. Some drunk people pulled up to me at a stop light and started saying some random cocky stuff to me.  I leaned out of my truck and yelled, “F!@* I’M GOING TO KILL YOU” just as the light changed color.  They turned left and I cut across the lane to make the left turn.  I started chasing them, but they got away.  My plan was to run them off the road.  This is coming from someone who has never had road rage in his life.

I promptly stopped taking Lithium and began to question whether or not it was wise to continue taking Celexa.

Getting Off Celexa Cold Turkey

I decided I was going to stop taking Celexa.  So I did.  No weaning off of it slowly.  Just straight up stopped taking it.  I didn’t know it was such a big deal.  The next day I’m in my internship and everyone keeps looking at me and asking, “TJ, are you okay?” and “TJ, what is wrong?”  Nothing is wrong.  Well, wait a minute…  I haven’t done anything for an hour.

They keep asking me questions and I can’t make sense of it all.  So I just declare that I’m going home and get out of there.  Halfway home I break down sobbing.  Not just crying, I mean sobbing.  Where your tear ducts are emptying every last ounce of tears humanly possible.

I make it into my home, walk into the living room, and fall down on the ground.  As I’m laying there, I keep thinking to myself, “TJ… You’ve got to get up. You’ve got to get UP.”  I laid there for 2 hours… Telling myself to get up for 2 hours (I know because of what time I left the internship and what time I finally made it into the kitchen).

I had to start taking Celexa right after that.  Now it wasn’t a question of whether or not to take Celexa to beat depression. It was either take Celexa and function or don’t take Celexa and become a vegetable.

So now I’m in a slightly depressed state, right where I was before I started the Celexa, and dependent on a high dosage of an antidepressant.  Uh oh.  I didn’t have as much time before my suicide agreement date.  Back to square one…

Get Off Celexa Safely

After reading numerous books, I finally got off of Celexa successfully with minimal withdrawal in about 2 or 3 weeks using vitamins and amino acids.  One of the weirdest things I experienced were the “zaps”.  Yes, they are real.  I can’t really describe what they feel like.  You only really know if you have experienced them before.  It feels like an electric pulse that goes through your body.  It usually felt like it came from my head and my brain area and I’d feel it go down my back.

Even after not having any withdrawal symptoms at all and feeling completely normal I’d get the random zap.  It just kept happening.  I sort of accepted I might have the zaps forever.  Maybe I’ll start naming my zaps.  Then I remember about 2 months after quitting antidepressants realizing, “Hey, I haven’t felt a zap in a while.”

Getting Off Celexa Symptoms

Other than brain zaps, getting off of celexa was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.  I was either feeling fine or had brief moments of fear.  I was either laying down on my bed listening to music or wandering about the day aimlessly wondering if I had permanently screwed up my brain.

While I was on Celexa, I used Moodtracker.com to track my mood.  The purple bars represent my mood, the green line represents how much sleep I got.  You can see how I would be really messed up, stabilize for a while, then feel like crap again.  That’s when they’d up my dosage and the cycle would repeat itself over and over until finally the side effects were too severe for me.

You can see in March, 2011 I’m all over the place.  Finally in April I start to stabilize a bit.  In May I start to be slightly depressed everyday.  Then the blue section represents me upping my dose from 20mg to 40mg.  June 2011 I am stabilized for a month, then in July I’m all over the place once again.

Best Way To Get Off Celexa

It might sound like I’m against medication, but I’m not.  I took it at a time where if I wouldn’t have, I don’t know what might have happened.  At the very least, I learned a lot about myself and I finally had the energy to read a bunch of books on the impact that nutrition has on depression.

After my experience, I realized that antidepressants should be used after trying to figure out the root cause of the problem first.  If someone doesn’t have enough Vitamin b12 and folic acid in their body, throwing an antidepressant at them is potentially dangerous, as the real reason they are depressed still exists.

It’s important to view medication as a bigger decision. Right now you can walk into a doctors office, say you don’t feel good, and 5 minutes later you have a prescription for an SSRI.  SSRIs have their time and place and work great for some people.  But for others they can be a scary road, especially when you try to get off of them.

The best way to get off Celexa and other antidepressants is to get the core fundamentals of depression down.  You need to know the root cause of your depression to actually solve the problem and be able to get off the antidepressants and citalopram in the first place.  Celexa affects serotonin receptors, so you’ll need B-Vitamins, a few other vitamins and minerals, and 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan to wean yourself off.

And if you are coming off your antidepressant now, rest assured, eventually the zaps do stop.

If you want more information on getting off your antidepressant, check out my most popular post here on how to do so.

If you want to finally get your depression under control, sign up for the daily emails.

41

Does It Work? An Honest Review of Natural Calm Magnesium

Sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Have insomnia every single night?

Anxiety that prevents you from living the life that you want?

Restless leg syndrome?

Not sure which product you can trust when ordering this mineral?

Did you know this mineral is commonly deficient in just about everybody?

Watch the video below to see my honest review of Natural Calm.

I even stir it up and show you how it mixes.

Does Natural Calm Work?

Topics discussed:

0:20 – Why Magnesium is so Important for Depression
1:25 – Which Magnesium Supplements I Have Tried
2:30 – Try Magnesium Or Test Your Blood Levels
3:40 – One Downside of Natural Vitality Natural Calm
4:02 – Mixing Magnelevures in Water Demonstration
5:25 – Mixing Natural Calm in Water Demonstration
6:25 – Magnesium in My Body
6:45 – What Happens If You Take Too Much Magnesium

One of my favorite supplements I have ever tried is Natural Vitality’s Natural Calm Magnesium powder.  I used to suffer from intense anxiety and insomnia and started reading about magnesium’s effect on depression.

I tried several magnesium supplements and never could really tell they were working.  I tried Solgar Magnesium, regular magnesium tablets from Costco, etc.  Then I found Natural Calm Magnesium on Amazon.com and saw all the positive reviews so I ordered a big ‘ole tub of it to find out.

After a while my anxiety lessened, I actually started sleeping better (my most popular post on this website is my post on how to defeat insomnia naturally), and I even started to crave the stuff.

I got a blood test done later that showed my levels of magnesium were actually low.  Makes sense that magnesium made such a difference for me.

Natural Calm Magnesium Benefits

Magnesium is necessary for the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates.  Magnesium helps your body utilize vitamins C and E and convert the B vitamins into a form your body can use.

This means that if you are taking a large amount of B vitamins you might be using up a lot of magnesium.  If you don’t have enough magnesium, you won’t be able to properly use all those B Vitamins that are so critical for fighting off depression.

A lack of magnesium is a very bad thing.  Most common results of a magnesium deficiency is depression, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, and confusion.  If you are severely deficient in magnesium you will start hallucinating.

Magnesium has been used for patients to cut down on their painkilling medications, to help with migraines, and to ease PMS discomfort.

According to The Way Up From Down by Priscilla Slagle, studies showed that there were “significantly lower levels of magnesium in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients, and the lowest levels in suicidal patients.”

Most people are slightly deficient in magnesium.  Alcoholics are especially prone to being deficient in magnesium. Stress, sugar, and caffeine deplete magnesium, which is familiar to many people in this modern world.

Getting enough magnesium is essential to feeling 100%.  If your body can’t convert B vitamins, use Vitamin C and E, then you are not going to feel good.  What I specifically noticed when using magnesium was its effects on anxiety and insomnia.

Natural Calm Magnesium for Anxiety and Insomnia

If you read my sleep post I referenced earlier, you’ll notice that to start sleeping I recommend that you take a handful of supplements.  The good news is after a while you don’t have to take all those supplements anymore.

The only supplement I still take at night is Natural Calm Magnesium.  It doesn’t knock you out like an Ambien would.  What it does is make you relaxed to where you can fall asleep.  I also sleep really well throughout the night.

Not only that, but restless leg syndrome has been linked to a deficiency in magnesium.  Many people who have had insomnia due to restless leg syndrome started sleeping after they started taking additional magnesium.

A lack of magnesium results in anxiety.  When you start supplementing with magnesium it’s likely you will get a reduction in anxiety.  If you are anything like me, anxiety sucks and if it gets bad enough it can hold you back in life far beyond what is manageable.

Natural Calm Magnesium Supplement Side Effects

Magnesium is relatively safe.  Side effects are uncommon. Taking doses around 350 milligrams or lower should be safe for most people.  If you take significantly more than that, common side effects can be stomach upset, nausea, or vomiting.  The serious side effects of taking massive quantities of magnesium can include irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, coma, slowed breathing, or death.

What is the most common side effect of taking too much magnesium? Loose bowels.

I have had only a few people email me about natural calm side effects.  In a minority of cases, some people have taken a relatively small dose and found that it made their insomnia worse, gave them anxiety, etc.  This is why I always suggest with any supplement and in my email list to start with the lowest dose possible first.

If you do this, then you can only increase your dose if everything is fine and avoid any bad natural calm side effects that could potentially occur.

 

Natural Calm Magnesium for Constipation

Yes. The main side effect that you will experience if you take too much natural calm magnesium is you will have loose stools.  Some people actually take natural calm magnesium for this reason alone.

However, if your bowels get too relaxed you should cut down on how much magnesium you are taking as that means you are getting more than enough.  If you take too much over a long period of time, the buildup of magnesium in your body can lead to those other more serious side effects like irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure.

The good news is you are going to notice you have loose bowels long before that happens.

Natural Calm Magnesium and Calcium

Too much magnesium can cause loose bowels.  Too much calcium can lead to constipation.  The body needs a balance of magnesium and calcium.

One of the reasons why many researchers think that a lot of people are deficient in magnesium is because they don’t intake enough magnesium and take in way too much calcium.  If you take in too much calcium it will cause your magnesium levels to lower and vice versa.

Calcium itself can help ease symptoms of anxiety and some doctors have described taking a calcium+magnesium combo as taking the body’s natural tranquilizer.  However, most people will have too much calcium and too little magnesium.

Natural Vitality offers a Natural Calm Magnesium Calcium product for people that need to get both.  I have never personally tried it as I used to have extra calcium lying around so I would use that instead.  Now I don’t take any additional calcium because my levels are balanced and I just need a little boost in magnesium to keep my insomnia and anxiety at bay.

Natural Calm Magnesium Testimonials

According to Natural Vitality’s website they say that Natural Calm has been the best selling magnesium supplement for over 7 years.  Obviously that is coming from the company themselves, so before I purchased natural calm magnesium I checked out reviews all over the place.

Pretty much everywhere I went I saw positive reviews of Natural Calm Magnesium.  A tub of it costs $20.  I figured I could spend $20 and either fix some of my issues surrounding depression and anxiety or lose out on a twenty dollar bill.

You can read all the Natural Calm Magnesium Powder reviews (over 700 of them) on Amazon here: Natural Calm Magnesium Amazon.

My personal experience with Natural Calm has been positive.  I haven’t tried any of the flavors as I prefer buying everything in their unflavored versions and the taste doesn’t bother me.  After a while I actually found myself liking the unflavored magnesium’s taste, but everyone is different in that regard and I’ve been known to be able to drink nasty things like papaya juice with ease.

 Conclusion

There are a lot of magnesium supplements out there that are going to work.  The most important factor when using a supplement is that it works for you.

I used to debate back and forth in my head forever trying to think if a supplement was worth it, but if you have been struggling with depression, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia for a long time just spend a few bucks to see if magnesium is what does the trick for you.

Personally I found the best success with Natural Vitality’s magnesium and that is the one I can honestly recommend.  If you order Natural Calm through those links to Amazon above I get around $0.50 from an affiliate commission.  If you aren’t cool with that you can search on Amazon for magnesium without using my links.  I’d rather have you trust my review and try magnesium if you truly need it then to think I’m merely trying to make a few cents off writing this.

When taking any supplement, always start out with a small dose to see how it affects you.  After seeing that a small dose affects you well, then you can gradually increase the dose.  Although rare, taking too much magnesium can have side effects such as nausea.  Always start with a small dose first!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any other forms of magnesium you have tried or any other experiences with taking magnesium that you have had.  It has been a game changer for me.  A lot of people use it to help them wean off of antidepressants. Magnesium is on my huge list of supplements that help with depression for a reason.

If you’d like free truthful steps on how to recover from depression, click here to sign up for free actionable steps to feeling like your old self again (plus a free bonus).