Antidepressives

[SarieQ]

I was wondering if anyone knows if any certain antidepressives cause hairloss? I have to see my doctor to get started on some this week. I would like to know now instead of by experience so that I can decline that particular one. How ironic that would be to take meds to not be depressed and then lose my hair--which would only make me more depressed! LOL :confused:

[girlcat36]

I am interested in this question, too.

[justgreen]

I've taken WEllbutrinXL before, for over 2 years, with no hair loss.

[Shanarana]

I am on celexa (sp?) and have had no problems with my hair.

[Teacherbear]

I don't remember if it was Lexapro or Celexa, but my hair fell out in a brush-full every day. I am leary of drugs with an X in their name. I've lost hair while on several of them.

[Mitzy]

One of the listed possible side effects of Wellbutrin is hair loss. I never noticed any hair loss when I was on any of the many different anti-d's they tried me on. I did get a runny nose from Zanax, which the docs said was impossible, but what do they know? As soon as I switched to something else, it went away!
I never found an anti-d that worked. After I got divorced and moved to Australia my depression mostly went away or became manageable, anyway, so I just do without now. Good luck!

[Celtica]

I've taken citalopram for 5 years, in that time I've grown my thick hair from pixie to hip, no unusual hair loss here.

[Slug Yoga]

Supposedly one of the side effects of Celexa CAN be hair loss (not inevitably but in a small percentage of users), but luckily I haven't noticed that since I've been on it. And I think the same has been reported as true for other SSRIs. I would grill your doctor about it. :) Good luck.

[Arctic_Mama]

I don't remember any significant shedding with any antidepressants (been almost a decade since I took them) but I have tons of hair to it wouldn't have been apparent unless it was by the handfuls.

Other side effects, yes, but not shedding.

[savi]

I haven't had any problems, with any that I've tried.
I've been using another citalopram med Sepram for a year without any problems. Celexa and Sepram both contain citalopram as the effective ingredient, but I wonder..

[DecafJane]

My hair is growing like a weed. ;)

[Arashi]

I was on Lexapro for a while and I don't recall having any hair loss problems with it.

[SarieQ]

Thank you all for your input. From what I see here, it's all a matter of how it mixes with your own body chemistry. My hair is falling out bad now as it is so I'm hoping that it won't continue once I'm on something. I tried to go on one a few years ago (can't remember which one) and I got terrible vertigo, couldn't wake up--even with DH shaking me, and I was irritable as all hell! I hope things go better this time.

[soprano]

Hope you get to feeling better soon!

I'm on an old-fashioned tricyclic (Pamelor) for migraine prevention (I think that it's pretty rare for anyone to take tricyclics for depression anymore, because the side effects tend to be worse than with SSRIs) and have had no trouble with my hair. I do have awful dry mouth.

[FrannyG]

I've been on several SSRIs and SSNRIs (not all at the same time) over the years, but none of them have caused me any hair loss.

[Ms Monnie]

I had rather drastic thinning on Zoloft, but it happened slowly throughout the year I was taking it rather than causing a big shed so I didn't notice it until I had come off it. It helped enormously in other areas, but yeah, I became very depressed about my hair instead.

[Samikha]

Your doctor is the one who will really know about this - most medications have a dozen or more possible side effects, but it's usually pretty rare for any of them to occur unless it's very strong medicine. Very individual, as you see.

Ask about potential side effects - prepare questions in advance. Be sure to tell him/her that you are growing out your hair, that it is a positive experience, and that it is important for you to feel well. That is the purpose of this medication. Doctors can sometimes be dismissive about appearances. So it's up to us to explain to them how we feel about ourselves and how our appearance affects our mood. They are not psychics, but they always try to help.

Lastly, I hope you feel better soon!:flower: It's important to realize just how much about our bodies are governed by chemistry and that mood swings and depression are very different things. And this is obvious, but if you get bad physical effects from the medicine, stop! The cure shouldn't be worse than the disease.

[sibylla]

I´m on Paroxetine 4 years now. I´ve taken Citalopram, Effexor and others I can´t remember. The only medication I know of a friend who has suffered hairloss is Lamictal but you can take Tegretol wich doesn´t affect the hair. Other medication that hasn´t affected my hair is atarax,buspiron and Imovane.

[Hue]

SarieQ, I'd seriously suggest taking precise measurements before you start on a medication, if this is any sort of a concern for you. That is, get an objective standard to measure any future perceived loss against.

Our minds do such funny things, and perception is so fluid. If you later become concerned about hair loss associated with taking a given medication -- especially if that medication is helpful otherwise in important ways -- it would sure be a lot better to judge the extent of the effect by solid numbers rather than what looks to be happening when you shower.

Best of luck, sugar. It's a hard time, but it gets better. *hugs

[bunnii]

I was on citalopram and it reduced my growth a bit, maybe a third and it got me down worse than what was getting me down to get me on them in the first place lol. I hope it all goes well for you :)

[Tabitha]

I had rather drastic thinning on Zoloft, but it happened slowly throughout the year I was taking it rather than causing a big shed so I didn't notice it until I had come off it. It helped enormously in other areas, but yeah, I became very depressed about my hair instead.

I lost over 25% of my thickness on Zoloft - I noticed hugely increased shedding while shampooing over a period of about 2 months and went from over 4" ponytail to 3" (so didn't count as thinning hair really, since I was still left with plenty of hair by most people's standards). Other side-effects caused me to stop the drug after a while including weight gain of 2 stone (30lb) night sweats and loss of interest in my lovelife.

The jury is out on mirtazapine (Remeron) which I've been taking for almost 2 months now, as it could be the normal autumn shed.

[Amara]

I have been on celaxa and lexapro and didn't have trouble with either. I also take the occasional Xanax - also no trouble.

[lynnala]

I've been on Paxil for 5 years and have never noticed any difference in my hair, and no excess shedding. I also take xanax.

Good luck, I hope you find the medication helpful! There is a group here where you can discuss medications and other issues if you need or want to: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/group.php?groupid=61

[Xandergrammy]

I've been on Prozac (fluoxetine) for over 12 years and so far have not had any hair loss.

[windswept]

I've not noticed any hairloss on either Effexor or Lexapro (and both were taken* at high dosage levels).

*NB: just to clarify, I didn't take them at the same time!!

[Lady Verity]

I'm on Citalopram and I've had no hair problems.

[eresh]

I've been on Prozac (Fluoxetine), Fevarin (fluvoxamine), Orap (pimozide), Seroxat (paroxetine) and Aurorix (moclobemide)
None of them cause hairloss, pfew!
The Seroxat did have a lot of nasty other side effects.
Why so many? It was a search to find the one that really made a difference.

[GlennaGirl]

Effexor, and no hair loss here.

[ljkforu]

Supposedly one of the side effects of Celexa CAN be hair loss (not inevitably but in a small percentage of users), but luckily I haven't noticed that since I've been on it. And I think the same has been reported as true for other SSRIs. I would grill your doctor about it. :) Good luck.
I have lost about 2/3 of my hair. Fortunately I started out with horse hair. I take Celexa and Zoloft before that for the last 10 years. They have really improved my quality of life. All I know about the hair loss is that Rogaine or a generic is much better at keeping hair in than regrowing it. So if you think you have a problem starting don't hesitate to take quick action. I think I could have save 1/3 of my hair if I had acted faster and so does my doctor. It appears that I'm dealing with female pattern hair loss, but who knows. When I get lazy and stop the Rogaine my hair falls out in hand fulls and as soon as I get vigilant again it is down to a few strands.

[SarieQ]

Wow, I am so thankful for all the input! There's so many to reply to individually, but I feel far more informed and I will go over this thread to make notes on the presc.'s that seemed to not effect hair. I will also take measurements before too so that I do have a baseline to go by. My hair has been falling out like crazy now with all the stress I'm under, so I would be so thankful if meds can actually help out with what's chemically going on!

Long story short, I'm an alcoholic and I've medicated by drinking one or two beers a night for years. Seems simple, but it was my medication and I was able to get along fine like any other normal person. Now that I've stopped drinking and started going to meetings, all the feelings I drank away are resurfacing. So it's intense and a lot to deal with and I'm scared about going on meds because I feel like I'm just replacing alcohol with something else. However, my hair is hardly growing now and it's falling out at a higher rate, so that's depressing too!

[Gemma]

Wow, I am so thankful for all the input! There's so many to reply to individually, but I feel far more informed and I will go over this thread to make notes on the presc.'s that seemed to not effect hair. I will also take measurements before too so that I do have a baseline to go by. My hair has been falling out like crazy now with all the stress I'm under, so I would be so thankful if meds can actually help out with what's chemically going on!

Long story short, I'm an alcoholic and I've medicated by drinking one or two beers a night for years. Seems simple, but it was my medication and I was able to get along fine like any other normal person. Now that I've stopped drinking and started going to meetings, all the feelings I drank away are resurfacing. So it's intense and a lot to deal with and I'm scared about going on meds because I feel like I'm just replacing alcohol with something else. However, my hair is hardly growing now and it's falling out at a higher rate, so that's depressing too!

SarieQ, although I have no experience with alcohol addiction, I do know that medication combined with therapy/counseling is designed to help you get to the cause of your depression/personal issues, and is not just a temporary fix. I think if you discuss your concerns with your doctor, s/he will be able to put your mind at rest and find the best method of treatment for you.

I wish you the very best of luck! :flower: You must be a very strong person.

[SarieQ]

I totally agree, I'm not looking for just a replacement.

[Hue]

SarieQ, it sounds like you are in a strong place and ready to do what you need to do in order to take care of yourself. Bravura! Hard times, hard work, but you have a plan and you have good, solid support. *hugs

[akurah]

http://crazymeds.us

I've taken no less than seven antidepressants (and at two separate points in my life I was taking three different antidepressants AT THE SAME TIME). They never caused enough hairloss for me to notice that my hair was thinner.

The one drug I did take that caused some pretty impressive shedding wad Lithium. Also, the valproates (Depakote, valporic acic, etc) are notorious for causing hairloss. Those two drugs are typically used as mood stabilizers in bipolar or as adjunct treatment for refractory depression.

[ljkforu]

Wow, I am so thankful for all the input! There's so many to reply to individually, but I feel far more informed and I will go over this thread to make notes on the presc.'s that seemed to not effect hair. I will also take measurements before too so that I do have a baseline to go by. My hair has been falling out like crazy now with all the stress I'm under, so I would be so thankful if meds can actually help out with what's chemically going on!

Long story short, I'm an alcoholic and I've medicated by drinking one or two beers a night for years. Seems simple, but it was my medication and I was able to get along fine like any other normal person. Now that I've stopped drinking and started going to meetings, all the feelings I drank away are resurfacing. So it's intense and a lot to deal with and I'm scared about going on meds because I feel like I'm just replacing alcohol with something else. However, my hair is hardly growing now and it's falling out at a higher rate, so that's depressing too!
Always remember that just because you try something for depression doesn't mean that you are wedded to it for life. If it makes you feel better use it if it doens't lose it. Congrats! on getting sober. I just had my 19th year clean.

[SarieQ]

Always remember that just because you try something for depression doesn't mean that you are wedded to it for life. If it makes you feel better use it if it doens't lose it. Congrats! on getting sober. I just had my 19th year clean.


Good for you! Congratulations on 19 years! WOW:cheese:

[lynnala]

Wow, I am so thankful for all the input! There's so many to reply to individually, but I feel far more informed and I will go over this thread to make notes on the presc.'s that seemed to not effect hair. I will also take measurements before too so that I do have a baseline to go by. My hair has been falling out like crazy now with all the stress I'm under, so I would be so thankful if meds can actually help out with what's chemically going on!

Long story short, I'm an alcoholic and I've medicated by drinking one or two beers a night for years. Seems simple, but it was my medication and I was able to get along fine like any other normal person. Now that I've stopped drinking and started going to meetings, all the feelings I drank away are resurfacing. So it's intense and a lot to deal with and I'm scared about going on meds because I feel like I'm just replacing alcohol with something else. However, my hair is hardly growing now and it's falling out at a higher rate, so that's depressing too!I was afraid of the meds too, but I got to a point where it was either meds or go completely mad or die! I was soooooo pleasantly surprised to find out that my 'madness' was chemically induced in my brain and most likely genetic, and the meds fixed it, plain and simple. You are not replacing alcohol with meds, you are treating a medical condition. Best of luck!!

[ljkforu]

I was afraid of the meds too, but I got to a point where it was either meds or go completely mad or die! I was soooooo pleasantly surprised to find out that my 'madness' was chemically induced in my brain and most likely genetic, and the meds fixed it, plain and simple. You are not replacing alcohol with meds, you are treating a medical condition. Best of luck!!
I agree totally! I used everything and anything that would try to stop the depression. Then I got clean and had a child, which kept me clean. I started antidepressants after an unsuccessful course of treatment for ADHD (wrong diagnosis). The first day I took Zoloft the trees were greener, but I was left with anxiety. Then I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and two of my meds also treated anxiety and a disease that I didn't even know I had went away. Today I am a much saner, happier person.

[ljkforu]

Good for you! Congratulations on 19 years! WOW:cheese:
Thank you! It has been worth it. It is always worth it.

[longhairedfairy]

I was afraid of the meds too, but I got to a point where it was either meds or go completely mad or die! I was soooooo pleasantly surprised to find out that my 'madness' was chemically induced in my brain and most likely genetic, and the meds fixed it, plain and simple. You are not replacing alcohol with meds, you are treating a medical condition. Best of luck!!

True, true, true!

I've never noticed any hair loss from any meds I've taken. I'm currently on Zoloft, btw. If one thing doesn't work for you, try something else:) It's a lot of trial and error, so if something doesn't help you there are still a lot of other meds:)

[gthlvrmx]

Zoloft caused me instant shed (sensitive scalp), thank god im off it, i got suicidal with it. Im waiting to see fi Remaran gives me shed but so far so good. My other meds, Abilify and Inderal are fine.

[long&blonde]

I've been on 20 mg of prosac a day since 1991, no hair loss

[Honestwitness]

Citalopram here. 20 mg per day. No problems with my hair at all. It makes me feel so much calmer that I think it could actually aid in my hair's growth. But that is not at all a scientific evaluation. Just conjecture.

[skydancer7]

Not for me, no, antidepressants did not cause hairloss... mood stabilizers, on the other hand, definitely did. Depakote was HORRIBLE and I got a lot of thinning. I also got thinning with Lithium. Hopefully you will never need to venture into those meds! And thank God I am now seeing a wonderful naturopath and getting off the meds altogether.

Good luck treating your depression, it DOES get better!

[Tennessee Rose]

I was wondering if anyone knows if any certain antidepressives cause hairloss? I have to see my doctor to get started on some this week. I would like to know now instead of by experience so that I can decline that particular one. How ironic that would be to take meds to not be depressed and then lose my hair--which would only make me more depressed! LOL :confused:

I took fluoxetine for 6 months. And I'm not sure if my hair loss in the front of my head was due to that or because I had an important loss of iron.

I think it was both lack of iron and fluoxetin as my hair started growing when I stoped the treatment.

[constructamane]

Hi.......I had hair loss with Lithium......this drug is usually used for Manic-Depressive Disorder (Bipolar), but was used in my case to augment (increase) the effects of my antidepressant. Again, like Slug Yoga said, not everyone will get hair loss as side effect.

[turtlelover]

I advise ANYONE with serious depression to do some SERIOUS dietary analysis and modification before you resort to drugs. Many nutritional and hormonal imbalances can cause depression, and it is much safer to make dietary changes and take nutritional supplements, try light therapy, etc. than to go on meds w/ numerous possible side effects. The average person's diet is FAR from healthy, and that can contribute to mental health issues. Just my opinion.

I wanted to add: I took Wellbutrin during a hard time in my life, and it did not cause hair loss. HOWEVER, I am normally a VERY stable person, and the day the Dr. raised my dosage, I wrote a suicide note and ended up on a psych hold in ER. I totally believe this was caused by the med, and not by my initial depression that led me to go on the med.

[*Rose Red*]

I take Citalopram from time to time (but I didn´t need it in 2011, thanks God!), but I never recognized any side effects to my hair.

[Bobette]

I am on pristiq and haven't had any issues with it.

[long&blonde]

I've been on Prozac since 1991, with no hair loss.
My depression was genetically inherited, my mum,dad,brother,grandmother all have or had.
I got the "lightest" dose of it I think, but would uncontrollably end up in tears all day at work, over;life;how long we spend at work;vs.w/fam & friends; just Life had me constantly in tears.
20 mg of Prosac daily since 91, I think I'm about the happiest calmest person I know now.
I think depression definitely can be genetic:just as blood pressure or cholesterol can be.
Getting a doctors care & prescription for such a condition, I definitely don't feel is drug abuse.
Hoping to never-ever, go off Prosac. I'm fine with it.
Congragulations to you, for taking the step to stop drinking.
Awesome that you are taking care of you.
Hang in there.
But IMHO prescription antidepressives thru your own dr. For you;Are Sooo not any type of drug abuse

[oniboni]

same here.. chitalopram and escitalopram: no hairloss :)

[oniboni]

damn, i cant change my post: so i had to do another.. sorry!

i remember lamotrigin, risperidon and zyprexa didn't change my hairloss either

[Fimu]

Bumping this because I wonder whether or not 20 mg citalopram influences the scalp health and the quality of the new hair growth (i.e. strong vs fragile).

[Shorty89]

Bumping this because I wonder whether or not 20 mg citalopram influences the scalp health and the quality of the new hair growth (i.e. strong vs fragile).

I think it's unlikely. Something that affects hormones like birth control would be far more likely to change hair/scalp quality.

[Kalamazoo]

I'm totally with turtlelover: see a dietician.

Some things I've found in my health food books:
1. Eating potatoes can work better than taking prozac.
2. Our culture mistakenly recommends a low-fat diet, ad nauseum. Healthy aboriginal diets have 30 to 90 per cent of their calories coming from healthy fats (butter - preferably raw, animal fats, lard, etc. The vegetable oils in large quantities are NOT healthy! I'm trying to say, avoid margarine, soy oil, corn oil, canola oil, hydrogenated oil, oil from GMO plants. But coconut oil, olive oil, etc., can be very good for you.)
3. After reading Fat Fallacy by Dr. Will Clower, I switched to a high-fat diet & didn't gain an ounce.
4. One time, I cooked a meal for Mama, who was then 90 or so, consisting of steak, kale, lots of butter, maybe a sweet potato (just plain w/ butter), with raw milk to drink; and she said, "I feel young again!"

Hugs! :grouphug:

[Ylva]

I'm totally with turtlelover: see a dietician.

Some things I've found in my health food books:
1. Eating potatoes can work better than taking prozac.
2. Our culture mistakenly recommends a low-fat diet, ad nauseum. Healthy aboriginal diets have 30 to 90 per cent of their calories coming from healthy fats (butter - preferably raw, animal fats, lard, etc. The vegetable oils in large quantities are NOT healthy! I'm trying to say, avoid margarine, soy oil, corn oil, canola oil, hydrogenated oil, oil from GMO plants. But coconut oil, olive oil, etc., can be very good for you.)
3. After reading Fat Fallacy by Dr. Will Clower, I switched to a high-fat diet & didn't gain an ounce.
4. One time, I cooked a meal for Mama, who was then 90 or so, consisting of steak, kale, lots of butter, maybe a sweet potato (just plain w/ butter), with raw milk to drink; and she said, "I feel young again!"

Hugs! :grouphug:

I can attest to the fat facts. I've been on a high fat, moderate protein, no-carb diet for almost 1.5 years and I've only lost weight and gotten healthier both physically and mentally. I eat almost exclusively animal foods.

[Kalamazoo]

And the beautiful thing about eating this way is that it's GREAT for your hair, as well as your psyche, your teeth, your waistline, your energy level, your vision, etc. etc. etc.

[Fimu]

I'm totally with turtlelover: see a dietician.

Some things I've found in my health food books:
1. Eating potatoes can work better than taking prozac.
2. Our culture mistakenly recommends a low-fat diet, ad nauseum. Healthy aboriginal diets have 30 to 90 per cent of their calories coming from healthy fats (butter - preferably raw, animal fats, lard, etc. The vegetable oils in large quantities are NOT healthy! I'm trying to say, avoid margarine, soy oil, corn oil, canola oil, hydrogenated oil, oil from GMO plants. But coconut oil, olive oil, etc., can be very good for you.)
3. After reading Fat Fallacy by Dr. Will Clower, I switched to a high-fat diet & didn't gain an ounce.
4. One time, I cooked a meal for Mama, who was then 90 or so, consisting of steak, kale, lots of butter, maybe a sweet potato (just plain w/ butter), with raw milk to drink; and she said, "I feel young again!"

Hugs! :grouphug:

Thanks for the tip! I do follow Ayurvedic diet guidelines to combat physical Vata imbalances during fall, and it already helps me strengthening my nails. It will take more months of growing before I can tell how much a richer healthy diet has improved my new hair growth. I have to pay more attention indeed to consume more healthy fats, such as ghee, nuts and seeds, but I still eat complex carbohydrates and dried fruits. For the rest, I consume coconut oil and rice-bran oil and do oil pulling with sesame oil. I prefer carrots and sweet potatoes over white potatoes because I suspect that nightshades cause breakouts on my face. Conversely, I have to limit pungent foods and spices because I have mentally a Pitta imbalance.
It must be noted that I eat vegetarian only atm.

[Dark40]

I've learned that all of these antidepressants can cause hair loss. I'm taking 2 of them called, "Clonezapam and Risperadone," and I've been taking them for 23 years now. I've noticed a significant amount of hair loss but with eating a high protein diet I haven't had that much hair shed.

[Kalamazoo]

Thanks for the tip! I do follow Ayurvedic diet guidelines to combat physical Vata imbalances during fall, and it already helps me strengthening my nails. It will take more months of growing before I can tell how much a richer healthy diet has improved my new hair growth. I have to pay more attention indeed to consume more healthy fats, such as ghee, nuts and seeds, but I still eat complex carbohydrates and dried fruits. For the rest, I consume coconut oil and rice-bran oil and do oil pulling with sesame oil. I prefer carrots and sweet potatoes over white potatoes because I suspect that nightshades cause breakouts on my face. Conversely, I have to limit pungent foods and spices because I have mentally a Pitta imbalance.
It must be noted that I eat vegetarian only atm.

I tend to think of Ayurvedic as good, but I haven't studied it in-depth enough to understand "Vata & Pitta imbalances". If it's good for your nails, it's gotta be good for your hair, too; but hair grows slower than fingernails, so you're likely to see the improvement in your nails first. It's good that your nails are looking better!

Maybe it's worth a shot to check with your Ayurvedic information source, to see what they recommend doing for depression? Maybe there's some food you can eat more of? or some physical exercise? or something natural? But I sort of tend to think Western-style antidepressant drugs are counterproductive...

ETA: What I'm currently doing is combining antifungal dietary advice from www.KnowTheCause.com , with Ramiel Nagle's book, Cure Tooth Decay & Sally Fallon's cookbook, Nourishing Traditions. It's worth noting that nuts, seeds, & grains have phytic acid, which causes problems absorbing nutrients. Ms. Fallon gives info on how to soak/ferment/dry such things, to reduce their phytic acid content. And Mr. Nagle says that eating whole grain (particularly the bran & the germ) is MUCH worse for teeth than eating white flour. (:confused: I know. I was amazed. And my mom grew up on a wheat farm, so it has been exceedingly difficult to convince me that my homemade whole wheat bread was bad for me. But I finally got tired of my teeth breaking off...) (They're remineralizing now. They don't hurt any more. I can eat carrots if I want to!)

So, I sort of think that any nutritional imbalance of any sort will cause emotional distress, because the body just knows it isn't feeling right!

I'm looking for the answers, myself.

I think it's really, really excellent that your nails are looking better! You're definitely doing something right!

[fiords]

Yesyesyesyes.

Many antidepressants do, some that are notorious for it are paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline.
Also, many antipsychotics cause hair loss too. Different brands will effect people in different ways. If hair loss is a reported side effect, it will be mentioned on your chemist pamphlet. If not, you can always report it, talk to your doctor because medication is often a stab in the dark and it's important to find one that is working for you.

I've combated medication induced hair loss by making a scalp treatment I use 2x a week, made of sweet almond, castor, and rosemary oil. I lose very little hair.
Good luck!

[Kalamazoo]

Welcome to LHC, fiords!:waving:

[Fimu]

I tend to think of Ayurvedic as good, but I haven't studied it in-depth enough to understand "Vata & Pitta imbalances". If it's good for your nails, it's gotta be good for your hair, too; but hair grows slower than fingernails, so you're likely to see the improvement in your nails first. It's good that your nails are looking better!

Maybe it's worth a shot to check with your Ayurvedic information source, to see what they recommend doing for depression? Maybe there's some food you can eat more of? or some physical exercise? or something natural? But I sort of tend to think Western-style antidepressant drugs are counterproductive...

So, I sort of think that any nutritional imbalance of any sort will cause emotional distress, because the body just knows it isn't feeling right!

I'm looking for the answers, myself.

I think it's really, really excellent that your nails are looking better! You're definitely doing something right!

Thank you! I hope I will see the keratin improvement in my hair too over time :flower:.

I think an aspect of my inner imbalances also has to do with stubborn limiting beliefs, so I'm not sure if a perfect-fitting diet is everything. In Ayurveda, it is also possible to have a physical imbalance in e.g. Vata, and an emotional imbalance in Pitta, so they might have to do some lifestyle adjustments to pacify the mental Pitta aspect. I'm not an expert in Ayurveda, so I'm not sure to what extent this is accurate.

I hope my need for conventional pharmaceuticals is temporary, as I consider them as a last resort.