Author Archives: JLake

Weak Electrical Current May Reduce Symptoms of Alcohol and Cocaine Withdrawal

Cranioelectrotherapy stimulation (CES) for alcohol and cocaine abuse and withdrawal Numerous studies dating back to the 1970s have investigated the efficacy of weak electrical currents in the treatment a variety of mental health problems including anxiety disorders, depressed mood, insomnia and … Continue reading

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Neuroelectric Therapy for Managing Opioid Withdrawal

Urgent need for improved management of opioid withdrawal This is the second post in a series on non-medication approaches for alcohol and drug abuse. Opioid addiction is a public health crisis in the U.S. It is estimated that as many … Continue reading

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Alternative Therapies that can Help You Control Drinking and Drug Use

Reducing drinking and drug use and withdrawal symptoms without medications This is the first post in a series on alternative and integrative approaches to alcohol and drug abuse. In this post I briefly comment on the limitations of mainstream conventional (pharmacologic … Continue reading

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3 Top Ways to Fight the Winter Blues: Exercise, SAMe and DHEA

Finding a non-pharmacologic treatment that works for you This post is offered as a brief re-cap of highlights in my recent series of posts on complementary and alternative ways to fight the winter blues. Research studies consistently report the mood … Continue reading

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Exercise: An Effective Treatment for Depressed Mood

This post is part of a series on non-medication treatments of depressed mood. Previous posts reviewed the evidence for folate, B-12, SAMe, omega-3 fatty acids, the amino acids L-tryptophan and 5-HTP, and the prohormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). This post is offered as … Continue reading

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Acupuncture: A Safe and Effective Treatment for Depression

This post is part of a series on alternative and integrative treatments of depressed mood. Previous posts in the series reviewed research findings on anti-depressant benefits of SAMe, folate, vitamin B-12, omega-3s, DHEA, bright light exposure therapy, and exercise. This … Continue reading

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DHEA: A Safe and Effective Treatment of Depressed Mood

Fighting the winter blues with DHEA This is the sixth in a series of posts on complementary and alternative therapies for depressed mood. Previous posts reviewed the evidence for SAMe, bright light exposure therapy, omega-3 fatty acids, and folate. The … Continue reading

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Omega3s Have Established Antidepressant Benefits

This is the fifth in a series of posts on non-pharmacologic treatments of depressed mood. Previous posts briefly reviewed research findings on S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and folate. This post is offered as a concise review of omega-3 essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic … Continue reading

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Bright Light Exposure May Improve Seasonal Depressed Mood–More Studies are Needed

Regular morning exposure to bright light may improve seasonal depressed mood This is the third post in a series on non-pharmacologic treatments of depressed mood. Previous posts provided brief reviews of the evidence for S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and folate. This post … Continue reading

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Folate augmentation in the form of l-methylfolate enhances antidepressant response

This is the third post in a series on complementary and integrative treatments of depressed mood. The previous post reviewed the evidence for SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine). In this post I briefly review the evidence for folate in depressed mood. Future posts will … Continue reading

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