Is there a way to restore serotonin to your brain after depleting it with drug-use?

I think your brain can recover to some degree, depending on how much you used. I know lots of people who used to use a ton of E who are totally functional, happy, and confident.

All I can suggest from having friends in the same position and some limited knowledge from their experiences is that time and healthy living helped a mate recover mentally from years of heroin and amphetamine use. It took a few years to be honest to get back to some semblance of normal. Also he was greatly helped by hanging out with people who had no contacts with his old crowd. It helped to make sure in moments of weakness he never slipped back into it.

I do suggest though that you see someone who is medically qualified. This may be too serious an issue to rely solely on anonymous answers.

Be strong. Good luck.

Aerobic exercise helps your body make serotonin. Bike riding, fast walking, swimming, anything that gets your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.

Please discuss your concerns at length w/ your primary care doctor.

New extreme lows and highs may or may not be related to your previous drug use. Your association of these new issues w/ the timing of your drug use may be coincidental.

You are clearly intuitive enough to recognize a change. It would be wise to speak w/ a doctor.

All I can add is that I’ve known a few who had a binge of drug abuse and have permanent brain impairment; one quite severe and all irreversible.

Yes, see a doctor. I’m sure tests can be done and they are the best people to talk to re: your history.

Best of luck to you. Stay strong.

Yes, thank you. I’m sure it’s a conglomeration of things. Hard to explain and not only can I not afford a doctor, but I’m afraid a doctor will try to put me on more drugs and won’t really understand. I try to focus on doing good things for myself everyday, however, with a full time job in the service industry it’s really hard to act ok half or most the day, and then come home knowing no real progress is being made in my life from the inside and that if I don’t do something about it soon it’s going to affect my job as well. I wish therapy wasn’t so expensive!!!

Isn’t there any type of free medical help you could qualify for? have you checked?

@myuzikalsoul Please search your yellow pages for help (hotlines, etc.). At a minimum you can speak to someone who may be able to direct you to low cost care.

Additionally, there is nothing wrong w/ taking appropriately prescibed drugs for a mental health problem. Not all mental health issues can be solved w/ will power, desire and therapy alone.

When I was in college I tried to use the free student therapy but that proved disastrous in that all they wanted to do was try and medicate me so I just quit going. Honestly, people say only you can make you happy, (and this is after going through a horrible breakup and my parent’s divorce and dropping out of school and losing all of my friends), and so I supposed I feel as though I should be able to reap what I sowed as far as what I did to myself with the drugs and recoup myself..and make myself happy. However, every day is honestly a struggle to get up and do what I’m “supposed” to do. I’m just losing zeal for my life in general and I don’t like that feeling. I’m also isolating myself from people simply bc I feel as though nobody really has anything in common with me. Thank you for all of your responses this website is amazing. I may just find a helpline and see if there is anything free in my area. I just want to be excited about life again!

To be frank, you might not be as depleted as you may think. Particularly your last post sounds more like a “depression” than chemical depletion. Also, you mentioned you experimented with many different drugs, while permanent depletion is more or less associated with MDA, MDMA and certain other (Met-) Amphetamines.

Usually a diet high in 5-HTP (Hydroxytryptophan), lots of vitamins and magnesium will show some positive effect. 5-HTP is available over the counter as food supplement. It is a naturally occurring amino acid and direct chemical precursor of serotonin.

Be that as it may, you should really seek advice from a professional if life as such feels too overwhelming, just to rule out all other possibilities.

Good luck and hang in there….

Definitely seek help. Good luck!

Thank you. :)

I was on effexor for 3 month and i felt no better. I am off it now and I have highs and lows
in my moods. I hate it and would like to find a natrual way the get out. Herbs or something. I am too scared to exercise my bones ache.

I had a nervous breakdown about 7 years ago and I don’t think I ever got over that. So may things trigger me into a low and it take a while to get back on level ground and even then I am shakey.

To balance Fieryspoon’s first response, watch your intake of vitamin E (and A for that matter). Both are great antioxidents, but being that they are FAT soluble, you CAN overdose on ‘em. One of the symptoms is aching in your joints.

I understand your position. Depletion of serotonin may be the cause. I highly suggest taking rhodiola! It has no side effect. none. but please get it from GNC because it has the best one. It will help. I know this. I was in the same boat only for different reasons.

@jsebast2 Thank you, I will definitely check into that. I am back in school now and functioning a lot better now than I was when I wrote that post.. I was very lonely then, but surrounded by people.. a strange time.. but I still feel as though I have a natural imbalance in my brain that causes different types of anxiety. My mom has always been anxious and I sort of self medicate with marijuana. I’m still on the fence as to whether it does more harm than good or vice versa… but I wonder if the rhodiola you speak of will help with anxiety as well? I’ve never been tested for anything so I really don’t know for sure what is wrong or deficient, so I wonder if it is safe to take it prior to consulting with a Dr.? Perhaps I’ll go to GNC and ask. Thanks again!!! :)