Mood Change Medicine
Psychotherapy
Plant Valium: Is Valerian Effective for Anxiety?
Some studies show valerian is as effective as Valium and others show it is no better than a sugar pill. Evidence suggests it’s safer than drugs like Valium. Effectiveness is impacted by how it’s prepared. To find out how Ashwagandha, CBD, kava and other anxiety treatments compare to valerian Continue reading
Insomnia, Anxiety & Depression: Is Valerian Effective?
The weight of the evidence shows valerian improves sleep, When used short term and in appropriate doses, the herb is likely safer than its pharmaceutical counterparts. Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia is a side-effect free treatment that is more effective than anything that can be swallowed. Continue reading
St. John’s Wort: Getting its Benefits without the Drawbacks
St. John’s wort may fight depression by modulating cortisol, calming stress, extinguishing inflammation, boosting neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, increasing tryptophan and normalizing melatonin. But there are more powerful ways to heal depression that do all those things and more. Continue reading
5-HTP: Are antidepressants effective, and if so why?
5-HTP might be as effective as SSRI antidepressants like Prozac. But that might not be saying much. Most (if not all) of the benefits of SSRIs “are due to the placebo effect,” a re-analysis of FDA studies found. Antidepressants and 5-HTP may work in ways that don’t involve boosting serotonin. Continue reading
5-HTP: Efficacy for Depression, Anxiety & Insomnia
5-HTP might be as effective for depression as Prozac, but the evidence of efficacy is unclear for both the supplement and the antidepressant pharmaceuticals. It’s possible 5-HTP might help some people with either insomnia or anxiety. But the evidence is less clear. . . . Continue reading
Low Tryptophan = Low Serotonin. Does Low Serotonin = Depression?
There’s a major controversy over whether or not depression is caused by low tryptophan and it’s consequence—low serotonin. Some researchers assert that there’s no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin. What does the science say about the causes of depression . . . Continue reading
Are Tryptophan Supplements Effective for Anxiety & Depression?
Tryptophan deficiency has been linked to depression in some people. Not all tryptophan deficiencies are the result of inadequate intake. A deficiency can be caused by problems like absorption issues. Other treatments that are more effective for anxiety and depression include talk therapy, biofeedback, mindfulness and other supplements like . . . Continue reading
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Swiss-Army Knife for Tackling Anxiety & Depression
The value of reducing stress is widely embraced. An analytic review of 39 studies including 1,140 people with conditions including generalized anxiety disorder and depression found that mindfulness-based therapy, a widely-used stress-busting technique, was associated with significant improvement in anxiety disorders and depression. Continue reading
Harness Hidden Strengths with Hypnotherapy
A 2021 study comparing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to hypnotherapy showed hypnotherapy is at least as effective as gold-standard CBT for reducing symptoms of mild to moderate depression.
A 2019 analysis of 15 studies found “the average participant receiving hypnosis reduced anxiety more than about 79% of control participants.” Continue reading
CBT First on List for Depression and Anxiety
The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression is nearly identical to that of pharmaceutical drugs. But when CBT and drugs are discontinued, the chances of depression returning are more than three times greater for people on drugs. For antidepressants, there’s a 54% chance of relapse. It’s 17% for CBT. Continue reading
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