4 Vitamins that are Scientifically Proven to Give You the Happiness Boost You Need

They did for me. Now I don't have the cure all, go and dump your psych beds and cancel your therapist appointment. That is important too. But these 4 supplements, can give you the big boost you are looking for. I have battled, I mean struggled through the ends of hell and back, with depression for over a decade. For over half of my life, this demon has followed me around. Whether you have serious mental health struggles, or just need a boost, this will help you. I will tell you a bit more of my story.

I was then diagnosed as bipolar type one in 2013. Type one means I have manic episodes as well; where I have intense racing thoughts, poor impulse control, extreme irritability, insomnia, and sometimes, delusions. In September of 2016, after 6 hospital stays, I had given up all hope on finding the right medication. So I started doing my own research on what worked. I found out there are all these vitamin supplements I can buy over the counter. So I tried all of them (after asking my psychiatrist). And albedamned! My depression was reduced by about 92% Like a miracle. Not saying this will happen for everyone. And I do still, occasionally, get down (about every three months for two weeks) But you have to realize that for me, that is nothing compared to the hell hole I have crawled out of. I have to put this out there, because I am sure it can work for other people too. It has given me so much hope. Talk to your doctor first though!

1. 5-HTP: 5-HTP is a necessary precursor for the brain to produce more serotonin. You know how you feel happy when you see your dog? Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that allows us to feel happiness and pleasure. So we are shit out of luck if we are lacking that. All the sudden my dog doesn't bring me as much joy and I can barely take my poor boy out to go to the bathroom. So, this supplement just provides your body with more of this good chemical, in case you were lacking. 5-HTP is also needed to create melatonin, so this will help with depression and potentially sleep (that's what melatonin helps with). I get them in little 100 mg tablets and I take two.

2. Vitamin D: Ah, the sun! If you have heard of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) - where people get depressed either during winter months when there isn’t as much sun, or it can be as extreme as even on days, or series of days, when there is little sun. Well, this is because the sun provides us with Vitamin D. Its essential to a lot of your bodies functions. Last year Canadian researchers performed a systematic review and analysis of 14 studies that revealed a close association between vitamin D levels and depression. Researchers found that low levels of vitamin D corresponded to depression and increased odds for depression. I get them in these tiny little drops of sun 5,000IU units.

Yaaaay! We are in an anti-depressant commercial! This can be you!

3. B Complex! Your b vitamins help your body process amino acids, which are the building blocks of all proteins and some hormones. It is needed to make serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine. I told you about serotonin and melatonin up above, but dopamine plays a huge role in depression too. It is your reward center. Many anti-depressants focus on this neuro-transmitter alone. It tells you that what you are doing right now is pleasurable and you are being rewarded naturally by doing it. Example, eating. Your brain gives you loads of dopamine when you eat, to tell you this is a rewarding activity, you should do it. Sex. Oooooh, the dopamine is high. Dopamine plays a huge role in addiction. You won't get addicted to your b-complex though, don't worry! You need b vitamins to make these neurotransmittors work!

This is essentially an axiom and a dendrite meeting in your brain, where synapse releases neurotransmitters, and it latches onto the post-synaptic membrane that is uniquely coded to cause a chemical reaction, like happiness!

4. Fish oil: Fish oil is so healthy for your body. A large Norwegian study of nearly 22,000 participants revealed that those who regularly took cod liver oil, which is rich in, were about 30% less likely to have symptoms of depression than those who did not. The longer the participants took cod liver oil, the less likely they were to have high levels of depression. “The human brain is 60% fat, and omega-3 fatty acids are the fatty acid of choice for the structure of certain parts of brain cell membranes and brain intercellular nerve connections,” Douglas London, MD. Yepp, copied that right off the internet. The bottle in the store might say OMEGA 3 instead of Fish oil.

Ba-dum-tish

So yeah! You can just buy these right at cvs, walgreens, krogers, whathaveyou, and they are relatively inexpensive too! If you are struggling it is worth a shot, but talk to your doctor! Let me know how it goes!

NOTE: And remember, it could take around a month or even two for it to take full effect, but as quick as two weeks sometimes!

****IMPORTANT NOTE***** I still take all of my regular psych meds, make sure I get good sleep, stay off of drugs and alcohol, and see my doctor regularly.

And yoga really helps! Check out all its great benefits here!

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