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Usually, by the time someone in crisis gets into a doctor’s office, the situation has reached a point where the urgency of the situation makes conversations about Seroquel alternatives less than practical.
Even if a powerful neuroleptic was chosen at a time of demonstrable crisis, that does not necessarily warrant a lifetime of being medicated.5 Yet people often find themselves trapped on antipsychotics having so many side effects that they have a whole new set of problems.
Does Your Diagnosis
Require Seroquel?
Alternative to Meds has been the expert on Seroquel alternatives and cessation for more than a decade and a half. We have published evidence regarding our success. We have found that diet, drug use, genetic vulnerabilities, life crisis, and often medical issues may have been at the root of the problems, but got completely overlooked in the attempt to bring the situation under control. Alternative to Meds Center skillfully introduces drug-free options that may provide another solution other than taking Seroquel for a lifetime and suffering from this medication’s often crushing side effects.
15 Years Experience by Professionals Who Understand Your Journey.
It may be time to consider natural alternatives to Seroquel (aka quetiapine) where antipsychotic medication did not yield the results that were hoped for. Many have difficulty tolerating side effects, and alternatives to Seroquel may be helpful to successfully transition out of a drug-based regimen over time. Never abruptly stop taking antipsychotic medication.63
Natural Alternatives to Seroquel
Open Dialogue and CBT are two forms of effective psychotherapy11-15
Change in diet, i.e., to a keto-based regimen16-19
Test for food allergies and omit any if found from the diet20,21
Support a healthy microbiome22-25
Avoid neurotoxic food additives such as MSG26, 27
Control blood sugar28,29
Check for and resolve nutritional deficiencies30
Supplements including tryptophan, omega-3 fatty acids31-36
Lithium Orotate may be beneficial 37-44
Orthomolecular vitamin therapy45,46
Do not use neurotoxic products in the home or in the workplace47-52
Regular exercise, exposure to sunlight and fresh air53,54
Natural sleep aids for improved quality of sleep4,55
Caffeine, alcohol, cannabis should be avoided8,9,56-59
Talk Therapy as an Alternative to Seroquel
There is a residential approach to the treatment of psychiatric symptoms such as schizophrenia called Open Dialogue. This mode of treatment was originally introduced in Finland and has become popular in other parts of the world as well. Benefits have been reported as less need for medication, fewer symptoms of psychosis, less frequent hospitalizations, and increased numbers of persons being able to re-enter the workforce.11
Studies have found that CBT (talk therapy in private or group settings) can be as or even more effective in resolving psychiatric symptoms when medication may not help. There are many forms of talk therapy, including EMDR (eye-movement desensitization & reprocessing therapy) and exposure therapy that may be useful in treating PTSD symptoms.12-15
Correcting the Diet as a Seroquel Alternative
Alternative to Meds Center uses organic, clean food to design a diet that is not only crafted to be delicious but conducive to the reduction of sensitivities, balancing blood sugar, restoring needed nutrients that support a healthy microbiome, and stabilizing neurochemistry.
A keto-based diet is an option offered to our residents that omits sugars, refined carbs, caffeine, gluten, MSG, and other chemicals, and this type of diet has been proven effective as an alternative to medication for the mitigation of psychiatric symptoms.16,8,20,30
Diet has been often overlooked in the past but much research has shown it can be a highly effective strategy for mental and physical health.
A corrected diet can result in many positive improvements such as a better energy level, a greater feeling of well-being, and a reduction of symptoms of bipolar, schizophrenia, psychosis, and other conditions. The other benefit is these changes can occur without having to endure the troubling side effects that can accompany antipsychotic medications.
Pacheco et al reported that switching to a ketogenic regimen, even for as little as 2 weeks, reduced symptoms to a significant degree in psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, making it an ideal pillar in a Seroquel alternatives treatment plan.16
Testing for Food Allergies, Nutrient Deficiencies
A person may have food allergies that were overlooked as well as deficiencies in certain nutrients. Testing for these and correcting what needs to be changed can offer an effective, drug-free alternative to Seroquel or other drugs. The best news is that these issues can be tested and resolved without pharmaceutical drugs.
Microbiome Support
A link has been discovered between the gut and the CNS that is of significance when a person wants to stabilize the neurochemistry. This link is termed the “gut-brain axis.”
While more research will continue to enlighten how this link can affect our health, what is known is that inflammation in the intestinal tract can interfere with synaptic brain activity. A link between gut health and brain health is strongly suggested in research studies on the subject.
Probiotics can be used as an alternative to Seroquel. Probiotics can restore the healthy microorganisms in the gut, and according to Clapp et al’s 2017 study, probiotics may assist treatment and possibly prevention of psychiatric symptoms.25
Other research by Bonaz et al shows a relationship between the vagus nerve and the CNS and how a restored microbiome can be highly beneficial to balancing these functions.60
Blood Sugar Control as an Alternative to Seroquel
For efficient function, the brain needs an adequate blood sugar supply. An overabundance or lack of this nutrient can cause symptoms that can be (and often are) mistaken for psychiatric disorders. Blood sugar can be rebalanced without the need for heavy medication, and doing so will help maintain proper CNS function and support mental health naturally.28, 29
Supplements Used as Seroquel Alternatives
Tryptophan
Tryptophan has various functions in a healthy body. One is that it is a precursor for serotonin. A condition known as ATD (acute tryptophan depletion) has been linked to psychiatric symptoms such as aggression, low mood, and suicidal behavior or thinking, and some symptoms found in schizophrenic persons. This condition can be mitigated with supplementation, and with diet. Foods high in tryptophan include meats, dairy, fruits, and seeds. Consuming these foods in an adequate supply can act as a powerful alternative to Seroquel or other antipsychotic medications.31-33
Lithium Orotate
Toxic side effects are linked to Lithium Carbonate. However, lithium orotate is a trace mineral available in an over-the-counter supplement that can mitigate manic and depressive bipolar conditions. Lithium orotate is the trace mineral form of lithium and is another alternative to Seroquel that can be considered.37-44
Vitamins as a Natural Alternative to Seroquel
Vitamins are essential for both physical and mental health. Each vitamin has numerous effects on the beautifully complex physical body. For example, vitamin E protects cell walls. Niacin is important for energy metabolism and the digestive tract (gut).10 Deficiencies can wreak havoc.
Important work by Dr. Abram Hoffer in the 1950s demonstrated the effects of high Vitamin C and niacin (vitamin B3) in his various studies done on groups of schizophrenia patients. The patients achieved a high remission rate and significant reduction or elimination of their psychiatric symptoms without the need for medication. Alternative to Meds Center uses effective orthomolecular treatments, such as these, to give our clients the opportunity to achieve success with natural alternatives to Seroquel.45,46
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Omega-3 fatty acids were shown to be effective as an alternative to Seroquel and other medications in some studies. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is found in omega-3 fish oils and is thought to have beneficial effects in mitigating psychiatric symptoms such as those found in patients with schizophrenia, a safe alternative to Seroquel.34-36
Cleansing Toxic Accumulations
Neurotoxins such as chemicals used in cleaning, construction, home furnishings, foods, dentistry, and a host of other sources can be endocrine disruptors that contribute to psychiatric symptoms. Getting rid of them can support healthy neurochemistry making this an effective Seroquel alternative.47-52
Exercise, Fresh Air, Sunshine as Alternatives to Seroquel
Exercise, especially done out of doors in the fresh air and sunshine is probably the most underused alternative to Seroquel that there could be. Many studies have shown the positive benefits to mental well-being of getting oxygen into your lungs, sunshine on your skin, and getting your circulation going.
A fascinating study by Mittal et al suggests that there is a link between this moderate to intense cardio exercise and healthy neurochemistry. Positive effects on cognitive function and mood were reported in persons with conditions such as schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.53,54
Quality Sleep
Sleep disturbances and sleep deficiencies occur quite often where mental health issues exist. As Seibum et al’s research shows, The ongoing strain of poor sleep can worsen symptoms a person may be suffering from. There are natural alternatives to Seroquel that can support better quality sleep that may help, such as relaxation routines, better sleep hygiene, CBT, melatonin, amino acid therapy, and many others.4,55
Avoid Alcohol, Cannabis, Other Drugs
A person may turn to alcohol, cannabis, or stimulants including caffeine in an attempt to manage troubling symptoms. However, doing so may actually increase symptoms over time. For example, psychosis is more likely to occur in persons using cannabis, as is shown in a clinical study by Ganesh et al.7 Caffeine can have a devastating effect when consumed in large quantities, and can induce psychiatric symptoms such as psychosis and manic symptoms. Persons with panic disorder and anxiety are apt to be more sensitive to stimulants such as caffeine.56-59,7,9
Alcohol consumption is also connected to numerous health adverse effects, including negatively affecting the microbiome, according to Engan et al’s study on alcohol and its effects on the microbiota.61,8
Seroquel Alternatives vs Antipsychotic Medication Side Effects
If you have suffered debilitating Seroquel (aka quetiapine) side effects, or if this medication is not providing satisfactory results, discussing Seroquel alternatives would be worth the inquiry. There are many safe and well-lit avenues of holistic treatments, including various types of counseling, psychotherapy, and natural treatments that don’t cast the dark shadow of medication side effects. While counseling by itself, or regular acupuncture sessions1 alone cannot instantly replace the medication, such therapies add vital components to a comprehensive, carefully designed antipsychotic alternative treatment plan.
Do not despair if “alternative drugs” are the only other option you have been offered. Antipsychotic medications — and there are many of them — are likely to present the same or very similar adverse reactions. Seroquel belongs to the class of drugs called atypical (second-generation) antipsychotics. The FDA licensed this type of drug to “treat” schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Alternatives to drug-based treatment have been found to be highly effective in reducing psychiatric symptoms, without inflicting the debilitating effects that long-term prescription drug treatments are known for.
Particularly disturbing are the findings of Vita et al concerning the loss of gray matter in persons with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics (worsening with the length of treatment with antipsychotic medications).2 Such tragic side effects can be avoided with alternatives to Seroquel.
Substituting Other Drugs as Seroquel Alternatives
You may have tried other prescription drugs offered as alternatives to Seroquel. It is a common practice to substitute or switch atypical antipsychotics, typical (first-generation) antipsychotics, and mood stabilizer drugs for one another. Conventional medicine doctors are likely to recommend substituting other drugs when symptoms are not being adequately controlled by Seroquel. This is the way conventional medicine often works, through an exhaustive process of trial-and-error trying a series of different drugs either when they “stop working” or fail to work at all.3,5
We believe that there is a better way to tackle mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. When antipsychotic medication is not working, it may be time to consider natural Seroquel alternatives. Natural therapies are always aimed at putting you one step closer to reaching your desired state of mental health.
Why Do Prescription Drugs Often Fail?
Even the drug companies admit that drugs stop working due to building tolerance to them over time.3,5
Instead of exploring alternatives to Seroquel, some medical experts simply call their patients “treatment-resistant,” a term the psychiatrists and drug-makers have cleverly borrowed from the biologists that originally meant the immunity that pathological bacteria develop to antibiotics. Maybe you were told (with a straight face) you have “treatment-resistant schizophrenia,” or “treatment-resistant depression”? 62
Do not worry. All it means is that the drugs didn’t work, and please know it wasn’t your fault.
The bottom line is that prescription drugs, beyond some attempts to promote theories that the drug companies try and push as factual, are not designed to address or resolve what the actual underlying problems are. So while you may feel a little relief from numbness while you are on the drug, the underlying condition continues and often worsens. The most successful antipsychotic alternatives to Seroquel need to include finding the underlying reasons for the original symptoms. We need to assess vital things like nutritional deficiencies, sleep deprivation,4 accumulations of environmental neurotoxins, a poor diet, an unhealthy lifestyle, genetic factors that can act as barriers to wellness, or an unsupportive or stressful surrounding. Then we can work to change the circumstances of those underlying reasons. Antipsychotic withdrawal must be done extremely carefully as part of a transition over to holistic treatments. We recommend you learn more about Seroquel withdrawal. Getting to the bottom of the cause(s) of symptoms, rather than focusing solely on numbing the symptoms with prescription drugs, can create happiness and success that is long-lasting and best of all, less reliant on prescription drugs.
Alternatives to Seroquel at Alternative to Meds Center
We have helped many of our clients who had an initial psychotic or bipolar episode to gradually reduce or eliminate their antipsychotic medications successfully. We use a thorough, gentle, and comprehensive approach that allows enough time to adjust, and heal which is greatly helped by utilizing natural alternatives to Seroquel and other harsh drugs.
Please remember that when it comes to stopping antipsychotics, slow proves the best and safest way forward.63
Natural mental health is not a quick fix. We have been down that road ourselves and found it doesn’t provide long-term stable relief of symptoms. Rather, we take the time to investigate the root causes and then address what is found. If we can get a reduction in symptoms, this is a good point to launch a gentle Seroquel tapering while at the same time providing support in holistic ways and alternatives to Seroquel that continue to capitalize on these gains.
Please contact us for more information, as there is a lot to discover about the protocols we use, length of program, costs, insurance coverage, and of course the successes of our clients. Our staff roster includes not only holistic psychiatrists and medical doctors but also caregivers and therapists, some of whom have suffered similarly in the past. Through overcoming these challenges they have developed a passion to help others who not only need expertise but compassion on the journey back to natural mental health. We look forward to talking with you about our Seroquel alternatives programs delivered inpatient-style in our beautiful, tranquil, well-staffed facility.
21. Dickerson F, Stallings C, Origoni A, Vaughan C, Khushalani S, Yolken R. Markers of gluten sensitivity in acute mania: a longitudinal study. Psychiatry Res. 2012 Mar 30;196(1):68-71. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2011.11.007. Epub 2012 Mar 3. PMID: 22386570. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
28. Acute Hypoglycemia Presenting as Acute Psychosis Tanveer Padder MD, Aparna Udyawar MD, Nouman Azhar MD, Kamil Jaghab MD From the Department of Psychiatry, Nassau University Medical Center, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow NY 11554 USA.First Published December 2005. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
34. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Fat consumption and schizophrenia O. Christensen M.D., E. Christensen First published: November 1988. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
48. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 1974, 37, 954-958 Psychiatric aspects of methylmercury poisoning H. I. MAGHAZAJI From the Department of Medicine, Medical College, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq [cited 2021 Feb 2]
52. Collaborative on Mental Health and the Environment Mental Health and Environmental Exposures from the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative, November 2008. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
53. Mittal VA, Vargas T, Osborne KJ, et al. Exercise Treatments for Psychosis: A Review.Curr Treat Options Psychiatry. 2017;4(2):152-166. doi:10.1007/s40501-017-0112-2.[cited 2021 Feb 2]
54. Mead MN. Benefits of sunlight: a bright spot for human health [published correction appears in Environ Health Perspect. 2008 May;116(5):A197]. Environ Health Perspect. 2008;116(4):A160-A167. doi:10.1289/ehp.116-a160 [cited 2021 Feb 2]
55. Siebern AT, Suh S, Nowakowski S. Non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia. Neurotherapeutics. 2012;9(4):717-727. doi:10.1007/s13311-012-0142-9 [cited 2021 Feb 2]
56. Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: A Review Psychiatric Times, Vol 34 No 7, Volume 34, Issue 7July 14, 2017 Ruby S. Grewal, MD , Tony P. George, MD, FRCPC. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
58. Rottanburg D, Robins AH, Ben-Arie O, Teggin A, Elk R. Cannabis-associated psychosis with hypomanic features Lancet. 1982 Dec 18;2(8312):1364-6. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(82)91270-3. PMID: 6129463. [cited 2021 Feb 2]
This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.
Dr. Samuel Lee
Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.
Medical Disclaimer: Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.
Our Success Stories
Medication Withdrawal Success Stories
Can you imagine being free from medications, addictive drugs, and alcohol? This is our goal and we are proving it is possible every day!
There is a residential approach to the treatment of psychiatric symptoms such as schizophrenia called Open Dialogue. This mode of treatment was originally introduced in Finland and has become popular in other parts of the world as well. Benefits have been reported as less need for medication, fewer symptoms of psychosis, less frequent hospitalizations, and increased numbers of persons being able to re-enter the workforce.11
Alternative to Meds Center uses organic, clean food to design a diet that is not only crafted to be delicious but conducive to the reduction of sensitivities, balancing blood sugar, restoring needed nutrients that support a healthy microbiome, and stabilizing neurochemistry.
A link has been discovered between the gut and the CNS that is of significance when a person wants to stabilize the neurochemistry. This link is termed the “gut-brain axis.”
Vitamins are essential for both physical and mental health. Each vitamin has numerous effects on the beautifully complex physical body. For example, vitamin E protects cell walls. Niacin is important for energy metabolism and the digestive tract (gut).10 Deficiencies can wreak havoc.
Even the drug companies admit that drugs stop working due to building tolerance to them over time.3,5
We have helped many of our clients who had an initial psychotic or bipolar episode to gradually reduce or eliminate their antipsychotic medications successfully. We use a thorough, gentle, and comprehensive approach that allows enough time to adjust, and heal which is greatly helped by utilizing natural alternatives to Seroquel and other harsh drugs.
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