At Alternative to Meds Center, our medical professionals blend drug-free treatments and natural venlafaxine alternatives designed to resolve unwanted symptoms, with safe and gradual venlafaxine cessation.
As a result, alternatives to venlafaxine ( brand name Effexor XR® ) can provide safe relief without negatively impacting one’s quality of life, the way that toxic drugs often do.
Did anyone tell you how much drug-free venlafaxine alternatives can help?
Alternative to Meds Center has provided a wide range of antidepressant alternatives for nearly 20 years. We have published evidence that demonstrates our consistent success. As part of safely withdrawing from venlafaxine, we resolve underlying issues that are ruining a person’s life by gradually introducing non-drug-based treatments. These are especially helpful for a drug like venlafaxine, where precise tapering is required. It is possible that there were undiagnosed medical conditions, poor diet, past toxic exposures, or other contributing factors that could have been missed earlier. We offer a brand new approach to treatment that can open the door to being able to fully appreciate and live life without unwanted symptoms and without drug dependence.
15 Years Experience by Professionals Who Understand Your Journey.
Never abruptly stop taking venlafaxine drugs. Venlafaxine alternatives can assist before, during , and after a properly managed venlafaxine withdrawal program.
At Alternative to Meds Center, we offer safe, proven effective choices that are not usually offered in most mainstream treatment programs. We have developed residential, inpatient programs based on nearly 20 years of clinical experience that are designed to help transition a person from symptomatic and drug-dependent to being safely drug-free (or at significantly reduced medication levels), yet attain freedom from the symptoms that initially led to seeking a prescription.
Prescription drugs such as venlafaxine can introduce their own set of side effects, that can become burdensome in addition to one’s original symptoms. Sometimes, multiple drugs are prescribed to respond to this cascading, expanding symptom set.
Alternatives to venlafaxine can help gently reverse this cycle as part of a managed taper or withdrawal program.
Not only are the medications reduced, but the program addresses the symptoms that have been long causing concern. So, at Alternative to Meds Center, we aim toward achieving freedom from symptoms by addressing root causes for them, blended with drug-free alternatives to venlafaxine, a gradual tapering strategy, leading to an overall resurgence of mental wellness.1
Natural Venlafaxine Alternatives Include:
Lab testing can determine nutritional deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.13
Vitamin D deficiency is linked with depression and can be helped with sunshine exposure, diet and supplements.2,6-8
Toxic accumulations are often overlooked as causes of psychiatric symptoms, these can be purged safely.9
Testing reveals toxic accumulations that can be purged through the therapeutic use of sauna, supplementation, chelation, and other holistic cleansing methods.9,11
Adequate magnesium, folic acid, and fatty acids are linked with lowered depression 6-8,12
Personal counseling can address stressful issues that block happiness and has a lower relapse rate than antidepressant medications.4,10
Acupuncture, massage, Reiki, and other therapies for improved mental and physical wellness. Reiki has documented efficacy for pain, depression, and anxiety.5,15,17
Exercise releases “feel good” natural chemicals — a proven intervention for anxiety, depression, insomnia, other consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, and many other factors for improved mental wellness.14,19,20
A nutrient-dense well-planned diet can help improve mental and physical health.2,6-8,13
Avoid contact with neurotoxins contained in cleaning products, cosmetics, food, workplace, home, school, and other environments.9
Strategies That Work
Our programs use several main strategies to achieve these outcomes. First, we use a complete and thorough battery of tests to identify where the problems are potentially stemming from. For example, we search for nutritional deficiencies through testing. Then, a targeted nutritional correction plan can relieve the condition and take care of the symptoms that were connected with it.2
Another fundamental component of our inpatient program is detecting heavy metals or other toxic accumulations, often overlooked in treating psychiatric symptoms.9 This can be corrected by gently purging the toxins from the system. Of note, various methods can cleanse these neurotoxic elements and thereby reduce or eliminate symptoms the toxic load was causing the person. Chelation, sauna, ionic foot baths, and other techniques are used to remove the toxic burden from the body and improve mental well-being.
Counseling, Talk Therapy, Stress Relief
Additionally, CBT and talk therapy of many genres offered at the center provide much relief and can lead to a simpler, more satisfying life without relying on medications for relief.4,10
Stress reduction techniques, such as yoga,5 Reiki,17 craniosacral massage,18 and many other forms of therapy including Equine-assisted therapy, art therapy, physical exercise,7,19,20 and many others, can initiate great changes in one’s life for the better. These Effexor alternatives have been shown to produce long-lasting relief from pain, depression, insomnia, and anxiety. Acupuncture is an extremely popular therapy at the center, useful for well-being and relief from depression and anxiety.5
Venlafaxine Alternatives Reduce Unwanted Drug Side Effects
Above all, our clients tell us one of the most desired goals they want is to reduce drug side effects. Venlafaxine alternatives provide natural mental health improvements, without inflicting drug side effects. Often, a physician will prescribe an SNRI like venlafaxine (Effexor XR) to reduce their patient’s mental health issues. Unfortunately, as the FDA and other drug regulators clearly state, SNRI drugs do not cure or fix anything. In fact, SNRI drugs are known to cause some of the most dangerous side effects imaginable, including suicidality, increased depression, mania, and many others. Further, clinical trials on Effexor generated controversy in reporting drug efficacy.3,16
As a result, more and more people are focusing on what CAN be done to improve mental health issues without sacrificing a person’s quality of life due to drug side effects.
NOTE: for more information on safely withdrawing from venlafaxine drugs please visit medication tapering which covers various methods and strategies for coming off extended release drugs to discuss with your physician or care team.
You are warmly invited to call the center and speak to one of our informed and friendly staff. Ask all of your questions, and we will do our very best to inform you about the best and most complete therapeutic information you may be looking for.
And, please ask us about our inpatient treatment programs, insurance coverage, costs, length of stay, and any other areas of interest you may have. You are invited to review more details about venlafaxine withdrawal, venlafaxine alternatives, and the other services we deliver, by visiting our services overview page. In summary, the Alternative to Meds Venlafaxine alternatives treatment programs have helped thousands of clients for nearly 20 years and we are here to help you or your loved one as much as we possibly can.
7. Parker GB, Brotchie H, Graham RK. Vitamin D and depression. J Affect Disord. 2017 Jan 15;208:56-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.082. Epub 2016 Oct 11. PMID: 27750060. [cited 2022 June 17]
9. Genuis SJ. Toxic causes of mental illness are overlooked. Neurotoxicology. 2008 Nov;29(6):1147-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2008.06.005. Epub 2008 Jun 24. PMID: 18621076. [cited 2022 June 17]
10. Gautam M, Tripathi A, Deshmukh D, Gaur M. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression. Indian J Psychiatry. 2020;62(Suppl 2):S223-S229. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_772_19 [cited 2022 June 17]
12. Serefko A, Szopa A, Wlaź P, Nowak G, Radziwoń-Zaleska M, Skalski M, Poleszak E. Magnesium in depression. Pharmacol Rep. 2013;65(3):547-54. doi: 10.1016/s1734-1140(13)71032-6. PMID: 23950577. [cited 2022 June 17]
14. Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD. Exercise for mental health. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a [cited 2022 June 17]
20. Andersson E, Hovland A, Kjellman B, Taube J, Martinsen E. Fysisk aktivitet lika bra som KBT eller läkemedel vid depression [Physical activity is just as good as CBT or drugs for depression]. Lakartidningen. 2015 Nov 17;112:DP4E. Swedish. PMID: 26574804.[cited 2025 Feb 11]
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.
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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!
