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Best nootropics for depression?

nootropics depression

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#1 DH888

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 12:53 AM


Hello, my main interest in nootropics is help with my depression and anxiety. I've had depression all my life, but in the past 5 or so years its gotten much worse. I've become extremely introverted and rarely do anything social anymore. I've also gained a lot of weight and very little ambition to change it.

I've been on sertraline and clonazepam for years and while they seemed to help at one point, I feel I've become numb to them. Its almost like I have no emotions at all.

Since I've tried every SSRI under the sun with only marginal success regardless of dosage, I'm curious about nootropics. I've take some random things for alertness and focus such as alpha GPC, lions mayne, uridine and a few others which did help with focus, but not with depression of course.

Is there anything anyone can recommend? I have some of the racetams that I haven't tried and some NSI-189 which I took today for the first time but haven't noticed any changes so far.

Also, what experiences did you have with any nootropics regarding depression?

Any advice would help. Thanks!

#2 John250

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 05:13 AM

Maybe look into Agomelatine, Semax, Selank, Emoxypine.

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#3 Galaxyshock

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 05:19 AM

Tianeptine is probably your best bet.

 

Personally I find that Sulbutiamine brings me feelings of happiness.



#4 StevesPetRat

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 07:24 AM

With depression and weight gain, you are likely to benefit more from a focus on inflammatory pathways than one on straight nootropics. Noots can cover up the cognitive symptoms of inflammation, but removing it will allow your brain to function better to begin with.

 

I shamelessly direct you to this thread on inflammation and depression.



#5 CWF1986

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 08:13 AM

It's a damned shame that so many docs will just throw about all the SSRIs at a patient without thought about different types of ADs and even possible combinations.  Really, a doc should try 2... maybe 3 SSRIs and then move onto a different class of AD or add something to augment or another AD in combination to the SSRI if there's at least partial success with the SSRI.

 

Has your doc discussed different classes of AD's or any combination strategies?  If not, fire your doc so to speak and find one that knows what they're doing.  You want a psychiatrist, not a GP.  If you have to make sacrifices to cough up the money for a good psychiatrist, it'll be well worth it.  

 

In my experience, the various noots, adaptogens, and other various supplements are great for augmenting my AD and ADHD medication but the prescribed meds are truly the meat and potatoes of the treatment.

 

After only a few months, I got the same uncomfortable emotional numbing effects, the amotivation, and weight gain from lexapro.  Pamelor (generic nortriptyline) was a much better AD for me.  It doesn't cause any of the numbing, it lifts my mood, and it helps with my anxiety a lot.  It is a tricyclic AD and that will scare off a lot of younger docs but it's one of the newest TCAs and just as safe and tolerable as some of the older SSRIs like paxil and luvox and arguably more likely to be effective than any of the SSRIs.  Not everyone responds well to the SSRI MOA and need an AD with a different one.  Even if you don't like the sound of Pamelor, there are other ADs in many classes other than the SSRI category to discuss with your doc.  

 

If indeed all your doc did was chain prescribe one SSRI after another without thought or discussion in regard to other types of ADs then I am truly very sorry about the lost time and pain you've endured largely due to the doc's incompetence.  If this doc is a GP, understand that this is commonly all they know to do and just aren't familiar enough with mental health and associated medications to go much further than to keep trialing different SSRIs.  There's a good case for the prescription of ADs be limited to psychiatrists but that's a thread of its own.  If this was a psychiatrist, I'd personally be fuming and very well might give'm a piece of my mind.


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#6 DH888

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 12:52 PM

Thanks all for your response. I will check into some of these.

 

Just curious, has anyone tried Modafinil + SSRI? This article suggests it helps with depression. I've always been apprehensive to try Modafinil since I never felt like I needed a major stimulant, but I'm curious of trying it with an SSRI.



#7 John250

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 04:23 PM

It’s best to do your due diligence and tell your doctor what you want. You have to tell them in an indirect way as many have big egos. Let them think they know what they’re talking about but bring up other options. Sometimes you might even have to make up symptoms to get what you want.

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#8 CWF1986

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Posted 03 July 2018 - 08:15 PM

Thanks all for your response. I will check into some of these.

 

Just curious, has anyone tried Modafinil + SSRI? This article suggests it helps with depression. I've always been apprehensive to try Modafinil since I never felt like I needed a major stimulant, but I'm curious of trying it with an SSRI.

 

Yes.  I found Wellbutrin to be a lot better in every way but I respond weakly to modafinil even at higher doses.  My concern would be that since you have anxiety, a stimulant or a stimulating AD might exacerbate those symptoms.  That's not to say it's a bad idea, just tread carefully if you decide to try that route.  







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