Overcoming Depression Using Natural Hypothyroid Treatment Methods

Millions of people have hypothyroidism, and many of these people also suffer from depression. Although this condition can affect both men and women, females are more commonly afflicted with depression. While many of these people will need to take anti-depressant drugs to temporarily manage the symptoms, many people can overcome depression and restore their health back to normal through a natural hypothyroid treatment protocol.

As you probably know, most medical doctors don't recommend holistic treatment methods for those people suffering from depression. For those patients who have hypothyroidism, they usually take one of the following two approaches: as mentioned before, a common approach involves the person taking anti-depressant drugs. While these usually do a good job of managing the symptoms, which is important, they do nothing to address the cause of the disorder.

For those people taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone, sometimes just adjusting the dosage will help dramatically with symptoms of depression. For those people taking synthetic thyroid hormone, sometimes adding T3 will help. Other times switching to natural thyroid hormone is the solution.

Nutritional Supplements And Herbs That Can Help With Depression

There are certain nutritional supplements and herbal remedies which can help with the symptoms of depression. One thing to keep in mind is that taking these usually will just manage the symptoms, and not address the cause. This can still be beneficial for someone who is looking to avoid taking anti-depression drugs. However, if you are currently taking prescription drugs for depression, it's important not to abruptly stop taking the medication in order to substitute with supplements and/or herbs. It's important to consult with your medical doctor before you stop taking your medication, as they will be able to help you slowly wean off the drugs.

Once you're ready to take nutritional supplements and/or herbs, here are some you might want to consider taking:

• St. John’s Wort. This is a well known herb that many people take to treat their depression naturally. If you have a mild to moderate case of depression then there is a good chance this can help to manage your symptoms. On the other hand, it hasn't been shown to be effective for severe cases of depression.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Many people take omega 3 fatty acids for overall health, including cardiovascular benefits. But fatty acids also are important when it comes to proper brain function. While taking omega 3 fatty acids alone most likely won't eliminate the symptoms of depression, taking them along with other supplements and/or herbs can help manage the symptoms.

• 5-HTP. Some health experts question the safety of 5-HTP, which is a precursor to serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter. But many agree that taking this can help with depression.

• Tryptophan. Some health experts also question the safety of Tryptophan, which also can help with the symptoms of depression. The way it does this is by helping with the production of serotonin.

• GABA. This is an amino acid that helps with mood stabilization, and also can induce a feeling of relaxation and calmness. It also can help to reduce anxiety.

How To Get To The Root Cause Of Depression

Thus far I've spoken about how the symptoms of depression can be managed by taking anti-depressants, adjusting the dosage of thyroid hormone, and by taking certain nutritional supplements and/or herbs. And while these all can be effective methods to manage the symptoms, many cases of depression can be cured by following a natural hypothyroid treatment protocol. The way this is usually accomplished is by restoring the function of the thyroid gland.

While some people with hypothyroidism need to take thyroid hormone daily for the rest of their life, many people can have their health restored back to normal through a natural treatment protocol. This admittedly isn't an easy process, but it is possible for those who are committed and willing to take responsibility for their health.

Even though the thyroid disorder itself is frequently what is causing the symptoms of depression, there usually is something which has caused the development of the thyroid condition. Most medical doctors don't do anything for the cause, as they simply prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone to all of their patients with hypothyroidism. Once again, some people can't have their condition cured, and will need to take thyroid hormone. However, to give every single person with a hypothyroid condition thyroid hormone without trying to find the underlying cause is ludicrous.

In order to see if you're a candidate for a natural hypothyroid treatment protocol, it's a good idea to consult with a competent natural endocrine doctor. This type of doctor will not just look to manage your symptoms, but will try to determine the actual cause of your hypothyroid disorder. This is frequently done through additional testing, as while thyroid blood tests are valuable in detecting an existing thyroid condition, they don't tell you anything about the cause of the disorder.

In summary, if you have hypothyroidism and suffer from depression, while conventional medical treatment can usually do an excellent job of managing the symptoms, there are natural alternatives available. Nutritional supplements and herbs may be able to help manage your symptoms naturally, but for some people, following a natural hypothyroid treatment protocol can help restore their thyroid health back to normal, and as a result, completely eliminate the symptoms of depression.

For more information on how to treat hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis through natural treatment methods, please visit my facebook fan page, Natural Solutions for Graves Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis at www.facebook.com/NaturalThyroidTreatment