When mental health practitioners and doctors learn that I help people with depression and anxiety by using targeted supplements, they often ask:
“When someone’s having really bad anxiety or depression, don’t they NEED medicine??”
The truth is that sometimes they do…but often, the right supplements can be as effective (or sometimes more effective) than medicine, and usually without side effects.
This is where I frequently see eye rolling and occasionally uncomfortable giggling. But about one in ten people is intrigued and asks to hear more.
Being conventionally trained as a psychologist, I used to think that too!
But about 15 years ago, after seeing more than a dozen people have really strong and clear positive responses to amino acids and other targeted supplements, I GOT the power of these natural tools and my practice has never been same since!
In fact, there are even times when the right supplements can help people who have been made suicidal by antidepressants.
This is a serious and underreported issue that patients are rarely told about before they are given a prescription.
Yet even the box that the medication comes in has a warning on it that alerts people to the risk of suicidal thoughts developing from taking antidepressants.
This warning focuses on the connection between antidepressants and suicide for people under the age of 25, but it is clear that antidepressants can cause suicidal feelings in anybody. Click here to read more about this.
That’s what happened for Samantha!
Her primary care doctor prescribed an antidepressant and told her it would help her depression, but instead she became significantly more depressed and she ended up in the ER.
Not surprisingly she wasn’t eager to try another antidepressant or any other medication suggested by her doctor.
Luckily, she was open to trying some targeted supplements including amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that I have seen time and time again help with depressive symptoms.
Here’s Samantha’s story in her own words:
“When I first met Dr. Friedman, I had suffered from major depression for a little over a year. Despite months of therapy and strong support from family and friends, I continued to struggle.
When I tried an antidepressant, I had a terrible reaction to it, ended up in the emergency room, and became terrified to try another one. I needed more help for my depression than therapy alone, but the traditional route of taking antidepressants was not going to work for me.
When I decided to see Dr. Friedman to discuss alternatives to antidepressants, I was at a dangerously low point in my life and had no hope that I would ever get better.
At my first appointment, I found Dr. Friedman to be very kind and was impressed that he took the time to understand my health history. He also spent time educating me about how brain and body imbalances impact one’s mental health.
I followed the supplement schedule that he recommended, and I was astounded to find immediate relief in my depressive symptoms and my suicidal thoughts turned off like a switch.
Some functional testing provided information that made the supplements work even better.
I can now function fairly well in my daily life, sleep better, and am no longer depressed or suicidal.
The supplements I take have given me a sense of emotional stability, and shortly after starting them, I finally began to make progress in tackling my harder issues in therapy.
I cannot express how much of a difference this has made in my life.
I have hope again!”
What About You?
Do you resonate with Samantha’s story?
Are you struggling with depression and not sure what to do next to help yourself?
If you are ready for some help getting to the bottom of your symptoms, click here to set up an initial case review with me.
If you are on the fence, contact me and I would be glad to answer all of your questions.
The first step is never easy, but it gets easier as you go…
In good (mental) health,
Dr. Josh
Dr. Josh Friedman has more than 25 years experience in mental health as a client, psychologist, and functional nutrition practitioner. After working in the field for a few years, he realized how many people were still struggling with depression and other mental health issues even after years of therapy and medication. Over time he became increasingly uncomfortable with the limitations of standard psychiatric treatment and knew there had to be a better way. Over the past decade and a half, he has committed himself to learning as much as he could about the root causes of mental health symptoms. To share this information and to help people get unstuck, he started Alternative Mental Health Solution.
Great article! I wish more doctors took a look at the natural supplements available.
vhbolks@gmail.com what supplements can stop my suicide thoughts
Hi Vernon,
First off if you have suicidal thoughts that you feel that you may act on the best thing to do would be to tell someone and go to an emergency room to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. Also finding a therapist, if you haven’t can be really helpful for suicidal thoughts. Without knowing more about your specific situation I an only share some brought things that I have found helpful for suicidal thoughts. These include adequate b6, Zinc, high dose fish oil (around 4000mg) and either 5htp or tryptophan. Also if the thoughts are obsessional in nature Inositol can be helpful. I would read the Mood Cure by Julia Ross for more specifics on when and how to dose some of the nutrients. The most important thing is to not go through this alone. I can’t say how helpful therapy can be to help get through periods of suicidal thinking.
Hi , I’d also like to know the regime trudy took pls?
Myself and my son (hes almost 32) both suffer from severe panic/ anxiety and my son also talks of suicide often..( his father committed suicide 4.5 yrs ago. It’s been very difficult to sat the least.
I’ve been looking into supplements for both of us..We’ve both been thru mental health and jusf the same take this pill..After my husband’s passing I was on antidepressant and noticed I was feelimg extremely suicidal thankfully I recognized it and weaned myself off meds,asap. Neither myself or son will take meds again. I have Vascular and kidney disease as well as HBP so it’s been difficult finding what’s so safe for me to take with my meds..which include Statins,HBP meds,Blood thinner. I’ve just heard about the benefits of Vit D so I’m on that would like to add amino acids also. Would you say this would be safe and good for myself and my son to take and what would be good product and starting dosage pls. Thankyou look fwd to your reply
Cheryl O’Day
Thanks Katrina! I really think that the way forward is an integrative path. There is a place for medicine but there is also a place for supplements and identifying the root cause of symptoms. Thanks for the feedback.
Dr Josh
Thank you for sharing this wonderful result and for highlighting the power of nutrients.
I also hear this often: “My anxiety is so severe there is no way diet and nutrients could help – I have to use medications.”
I’d love to hear what worked for Samantha? (with the understanding that there is no one-size fits all and we all have our own unique needs and root causes)
So glad to be fighting the good fight with you Trudy!
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Abildgaard Griffin
Glad you found the information helpful