Posted by Depression and anxiety and two separate conditions that are hard enough to deal with on their own, and even more so together. They commonly do happen together, so people suffering from them need special treatment.
If you’re someone who experiences both, you’ve probably already tried traditional treatment methods in the form of psychiatric medications, psychotherapy, or both. They’re not effective for all people, though, so some people look for alternatives.
Kratom, 7-OH, and mushrooms are a few examples of publicly-accessible substances people can buy to help alleviate those symptoms. But don’t jump in blindly and choose one at random. Instead, research each and how they reduce anxiety and depression.
Why Is It Depression and Anxiety Together?
Wait a minute. Didn’t depression and anxiety used to be separate conditions?
Yes, they did, but not anymore. These days, many people who have one also have the other. They may seem distinct, but they share enough features to make more sense than not. .
The Neurochemistry of Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety make for a double struggle. Both have sleep issues, irritability, fatigue, and trouble concentrating in common. Then, depression comes in with a persistent loss of interest and a severe sadness, and anxiety with overwhelming worry or fear. For people who have both, one condition alternates with the other.
- Serotonin makes us feel happy, peaceful, and accomplished;
- Dopamine makes us feel rewarded and satisfied, emotionally stable in the face of stress, and encourages new experiences; and
- Norepinephrine gives us energy to make us stronger, faster, and better at what we do.
- Endorphins feel like a physical rush where you don’t feel pain or stress. They help you continue in your performance without distractions.
- GABA inhibits the “fight or flight” survival mode and stress response, helping you to be more adaptable in the face of stress.
These three neurotransmitters are lacking in people who experience depression and anxiety. Although dysregulation, imbalance, or improper signaling cause those imbalances, they’re a symptom and not the cause. Instead, they come from negative thinking patterns from upbringing, past trauma, environmental factors, and sometimes genetic predisposition, or a combination of factors.
Traditional Treatments for Depression and Anxiety
There are a number of conventional treatments for depression and anxiety sufferers, but they boil down to these main categories: Psychiatric medications, psychotherapy, or both. Psychiatric medications involve some kind of antidepressant during the day and a sedative at night for sleeping. Therapy involves specific methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) or even just talking to a licensed psychotherapist or counselor, perhaps attending a group therapy session for people experiencing the same.
Substances That May Alleviate Depression and Anxiety
There’s nothing you can take that can cure depression and anxiety. But anything that can help even a little is a great relief to people struggling with the conditions enough to where they interfere in their lives almost every day and conventional methods either don’t work or are otherwise undesirable. Consider the unique ways in which the following substances alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Kratom
Kratom has effects that are dose-dependent. It gets the brain to release dopamine and GABA for stress relief, reward, and pleasure, serotonin for good mood, and norepinephrine for mental and performance enhancement with focus. As a partial mu-opioid agonist, it partially binds to mu-opioid receptors to make the user feel euphoric and relieve pain.
Low doses of kratom stimulate and enhance focus and productivity. Moderate doses give the best of both worlds with a stable mood and calm energy. High doses, for experienced users, are sedating and provide greater pain relief.
Depression and anxiety sufferers should carefully gauge how they feel when starting to take kratom. Also, users should take care to avoid building tolerance and dependence.
7-OH
7-OH is another mu-opioid receptor agonist, but an even stronger one than kratom. It competes with binding to delta-and kappa-opioid receptors to trigger the release of dopamine for a mood boost and pain and stress relief, and serotonin and norepinephrine for greater motivation, feelings of reward, better sleep, and a better overall mood.
Users tend to take 7-OH for pain relief. But it can also be useful for depression and anxiety. For energy, users should stick to low doses, even if they are experienced. It’s good to avoid taking 7-OH, especially in higher doses, for more than 3 days in a row.
Mushrooms
Since actual psychedelic mushrooms are a controlled substance under federal law in the United States, non-psilocybin legal alternatives have taken their place. These psychedelic mushrooms attempt to recreate the neurochemistry of psilocybin with the targeting of serotonin 5HT2A receptors to which the active ingredient in their formulas bind.
Although it’s just one receptor, serotonin 5HT2A plays a role in many mental and physical processes. It’s not only useful for enhancing cognition, memory, and learning, but neuroplasticity – the ability of the mind to change, recover, and adapt in the face of stress, change, trauma, illness, or injury. Indirectly, serotonin 5HT2A increases dopamine, norepinephrine, and GABA for stress resilience, a mood lift, greater focus, and better performance.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Kratom | 7-OH | Mushrooms |
| Neurotransmitters released | Dopamine, GABA (indirectly) serotonin and norepinephrine | Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine | Serotonin, (indirectly) norepinephrine, dopamine, and GABA |
| Effects | Mood boost, emotional stability, focus, physical energy or relaxation, mild pain relief | Euphoria, relaxed, moderate to high pain relief, energy at lower doses | Focus, mood lift, creativity, energy, flow |
| Possible side effects | Nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dependency, mood swings | Irritability, restlessness, fatigue, body aches, nausea, upset stomach, dependency | Nausea, dizziness, disorientation, headache, higher blood pressure, anxiety |
| Best for… | People whose,depression and anxiety causes fatigue, trouble concentrating, or difficulty sleeping | People with depression and anxiety that’s severe, especially with chronic pain | Depression and anxiety sufferers who want to self-treat to change their negative thought-patterns and be more present |
Kratom, 7-OH, or Mushrooms for Depression and Anxiety Relief
A few of the wellness products that many people seek out for better mental health are kratom, 7-OH, and psychedelic mushrooms. Depression and anxiety are not uncommon nowadays and often exist together, so people who have both want unique ways to alleviate symptoms. Self-treatment is an empowering way to take control at your convenience and discretion.
Before you go ahead and pick one, think about the information in this article. Consider how the effects of each could help your depression and anxiety or not, or why one option might be better than another. When you’re ready, go with a manufacturer-direct vendor that always commits to total control from start to finish, strict quality control and testing, and transparent ingredients and reporting results: Real Botanicals.
Check out “What is the Strongest Natural Botanical for Anxiety.” Also, see “What Kratom Can Do For Depression and Anxiety.”