Last Updated on February 13, 2023 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
Table of Contents:
The medical community has expressed a growing interest in exploring natural remedies for depression. Alternative to Meds Center has been successfully helping people with mental health challenges and medication-related issues using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for about 2 decades. We are here to help.
Overview of Antidepressant Alternatives
Prozac came on the market in January 1988 and was perhaps launched as a better alternative to earlier drugs used in the treatment of depression. But Prozac itself has been the subject of much controversy due to severe adverse events, increased depression, and the risk of suicide. 34
There are a number of safer and equally or more effective alternatives to Prozac for depression or other symptoms. Prozac, also known as fluoxetine, is part of a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that are frequently prescribed to treat depression and other mental health conditions.22 Prozac is associated with certain untenable adverse effects.3,11,21,34 And in many cases, mental conditions don’t resolve by taking antidepressants.11 Fortunately, antidepressant alternatives to Prozac are available for those who want to avoid unsatisfactory results from drug-based therapy. At Alternative to Meds Center, we observe that there are effective alternative solutions besides continuing to be medicated with prescribed depression drugs.
Drugmakers clearly state in their internal and industry-facing documents that they don’t know how antidepressants like Prozac work.22,36,37 But they advertise to the public and to prescribers as if they do know, if only by the use of childlike images and abstract visual aesthetics.37
In contrast to that approach, at Alternative to Meds, we employ evidence-based alternatives to Prozac for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, and have done so successfully for nearly 20 years.
Many of our patients who were considering alternatives to Prozac for anxiety or depression claim that their doctor wanted to keep them on medication by suggesting another similar drug. This is likely because doctors get little to no education in nutrition or other alternative treatments for depression during their medical education.8 This is a tragic reality. perhaps in desperation to help their patients, doctors often prescribe multiple pharmaceutical products such as SSRIs — Paxil© (paroxetine), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Cymbalta© (duloxetine), tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil© (amitriptyline), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as Nardil© (phenelzine).9 All of these drugs can come with their own adverse events and may be similarly ineffective. These medications can cause dependence and will cause undesirable symptoms when discontinued. This is the trap that keeps many stuck on endless prescriptions, yet are still suffering. Coming off antidepressants using natural alternatives can considerably ease the process and improve natural mental health.10,11
Simply substituting other antidepressant drugs as alternatives to Prozac for depression or anxiety may not be the best answer for most people. Many of the adverse effects of Prozac may also occur with other prescription drug treatments.11 We recommend Prozac alternative therapies in drug-free formats for individuals experiencing complications from prescription antidepressants. For example, many different forms of psychotherapy, such as 
SSRIs like fluoxetine block serotonin reuptake, but they do not produce any serotonin. Serotonin is designed for reuptake, so it can be used again by the nerve cells. But, when the serotonin is forced to stay in synaptic suspension, much of the serotonin is lost, and cannot be recycled. This constant presence of serotonin in the synapse can cause downregulation, which means that the receptors are not as responsive to serotonin.20 This neuroplasticity is a common feature of many antidepressants.21 This is similar to how cocaine can only relieve depression for a short time before tumbling down into a black hole. Cocaine will use up all of the person’s dopamine, rather than create any. 19 The result is a deficit. And depression. And other troubles. This does not present a sustainable or effective treatment for depression.
