5-Htp?

I don't have an answer for you but I do understand the irrational fear of bees! They along with deep water are my biggest fears. I have had problems occasionally with irrational fears since two really bad car accidents I was in, feel sometimes like I have a dark cloud over me. I was on zoloft for a few months until I felt strong enough to want to feel that way all the time and not become dependent on anything. Have you gone to counseling? That helped me a lot. And writing down the good things each morning and evening. Hang in there mama, glad you're moving close to family. Life is full of changes and stresses, but know that God only picks the strong ones because he knows they can handle it! =)

I have never taken htp for depression...my doctor suggested it for right before bedtime because it is relaxer. The best thing I ever did (I was depressed for about 10 years on and off) was go to hypnotherapy! I know it sounds silly and all most people know about it is from movies where people do silly things while hypnotized, but it really helped me connect with who I knew I wanted to be as a person and helped me work on letting things go to get there. It can be really expensive so if money is tight I would recommend looking through your insurance company to find someone. Don't feel bad if you are skeptical going in! I actually started laughing because I couldn't believe what was happening when I was hypnotized for the first time. I really recommend having your therapist explain exactly how it all works and what it truly means to be hypnotized because it helped me get over thinking she was going to have me quack like a duck and to understand why it was worth shelling out the money for it.

Good luck with everything, and if you want to ask me anything about hypnotherapy/how it helped me I would be happy to tell you more just send me a personal message!

Although I have not taken it, the way it works is similar to the SSRI class of antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, et al) in that it increases serotonin levels. So while it may be a "natural" supplement, it is not really all that different in terms of what it is doing. The stories you have heard about the antidepressants may apply to that as well.

I am a pharmacist, and as a rule, I tell people to be very careful with supplements. They are not regulated by the FDA, so there is no guarantee what they contain and how effective they are. If you are going to buy them, be sure to stick with good brands.

As far as how long, the SSRIs that I mentioned usually take about a month for full effectiveness, although some improvement may be seen sooner. I would imagine that a supplement taken on a regular basis would take a similar amount of time, since it is about altering chemical levels in your body.

Good luck. I can tell you that many, many people have success on the meds without the horror stories, so don't be too concerned with going that route if it seems like it's the best choice for you.

We love 5-HTP - helps with mild anxiety at our house.

I agree with another poster (pharmacist) - be careful with the brands (research it a bit).

Yep, 5-HTP does wonders for my son. It helps with his anxiety (related to ADHD and PDD-NOS). The first time he took it, he was like a different child the next day, much more calm and relaxed. His psychiatrist had wanted to put him on Zoloft at the time. We tried 5-HTP instead (under the care of both his psychiatrist and naturopath) and it was awesome. The brand we use is Pure Encapsulations 5-HTP 100mg (180 count bottle), find it online. That's the brand our naturopath recommended (vs a random one pulled off the shelf at VitaminShoppe or WholeFoods), and that's the one we'll stick with. Good luck!