Antidepressants: First Steps Before the Pill

When people hear the word “depression,” they often jump straight to pills. But Dr. Saulitis suggests starting somewhere else entirely — by understanding who is really “to blame,” and by taking simple steps that create the conditions for the brain to work again. An antidepressant is a serious tool, and you “can’t turn it into a circus.”

First, know the enemy

The main difficulty with depression is that it has no specific signs. Some people have increased appetite, others have none at all; some sleep endlessly, others can’t sleep; in some, thoughts “spin and find no rest,” in others the head feels “like cotton wool.” Some come in wearing a mask of a smile — and that doesn’t mean there is no depression.

The doctor moves away from the old view, where depression was a “basket” into which all symptoms were dumped. Today it’s clear: the main reason is that your neurons aren’t working.

“The culprits are the neurons — and the main reason you have no good mood, no energy, is that your neurons aren’t working.”

Stop killing them

The first practical step is to stop poisoning your neurons. That means removing toxic influences: food, medications, drugs. But the doctor reminds us that the toxic agent can also be the people close to you, or a job that “drives” you so hard that the neurons can’t cope — and then the brain shuts down into what we call burnout.

Give them good conditions

The second step is to create living conditions for the neurons: feed them, let them rest, clear away the “waste” they’ve produced. That’s why proper nutrition matters (so they can synthesize neurotransmitters), along with oxygen and walks, good company, and beautiful music. With this, “our little beloved creatures” come back to life. As neuron function improves, you don’t add load — you ease it off little by little.

Treat the body, don’t make a “circus”

The doctor points to genetics: if parents or close relatives had disorders, that calls for more specific therapy — and here you need a competent specialist you trust. It’s good to get a second opinion too: “one head is good, but two are better.”

As for the remedies themselves — even a natural antidepressant doesn’t work like a button. It’s an amplifier. If there’s no reality in your head, the amplifier will only amplify the chaos.

“It doesn’t work that way. First you need three or four months to restore homeostasis, to understand what reality is.”

Practice: where to begin

1. Know the enemy. Don’t hunt for the “right” symptom — depression wears masks. Accept that this is about how your neurons work, not a curse.
2. Remove the toxins. Review your food, substances, and surroundings; honestly assess whether work or close people are “driving” you toward burnout.
3. Create the conditions. Fix your sleep (it should be ideal — at night neurons solve their own tasks), nutrition, oxygen and walks, good company and music.
4. Support the body. Remember B vitamins (B1, B6, B12) and omega-3; a contrast shower — start warm, then cool, then warm again.
5. Find a specialist and a second opinion. If genetics and specific therapy matter, go to someone you trust — and don’t be afraid to ask a second head.