Does anyone else here suffer from serotonin deficiency?

[Anonymous]

if you do, please tell me what helps you. I know that you get serotonin from sunlight, but it is so cold here right now that I can't go out for more than a few minutes and I have to be so bundled up that I hardly get any sunlight to hit my skin. I've read about the supplement 5-HTP, have you tried it? does it really work? what are the side effects? I can't take anti-depressants, we've already tried that, they just don't work for me. is there anything else that can help?

Updates

+1 y

FOR THE RECORD: I am not on any medications at all what so ever, sorry I was not clear when I said that they don't work, I just assumed that since they don't work you'd realize that I wouldn't still be taking them. my bad.

[Cool-Relax]

The food you eat and exercise can affect your serotonin levels.

link

I don't know much about 5-HTP supplements, but I read that they're as effective as SSRI anti-depressants. And I would be cautious about taking any supplement because you don't know how they'll react with different medications or other health effects.

And I think being in more light in general should help. Sitting in front of a lightbox in the morning is a treatment for people with seasonal depression (which is most common in the winter when it's too cold to go outside). Getting brighter lights around the house is another thing you can do.

[Asker]

Thanks, but I'm not on any medications at all. I do like the light idea :)

[Cool-Relax]

I wasn't necessarily talking about anti-depressants. Those pills are meant to work like anti-depressants, which you have to be careful with. I'm on a few allergy meds, so taking those pills would actually be dangerous for me. Simple asperin can be bad if you mix it with the wrong thing. And since you're not getting them from a doctor, you're not getting all the information you need. To put it simply, if Heath Ledger would've gotten all his meds from a doctor, he would still be alive.

[Anonymous]

I ve heard it works but you can't take it with anti depressants. I also switched to organic fruits/ vegies and worked out more and I felt better. I had depression a while back because of an abusive relationship, just be with your closest buddies and stuff too

[Bubbles]

It the winter aren't you supposed to be bundled up? I wouldn't want to go out in shorts and tank top, I'm not sure what this is I just looked this up, and I don't see anything were it says you need sunlight. Can you please tell me why you do?

[Asker]

Because sunlight helps stimulate the production of serotonin