Based on the numbers, alphabet soup anti-depressants are replete in pharmacists’ dispensaries and family medicine cabinets. With approximately 50 percent of the country taking some form of anti-depressant—be it Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, or Lexapro to name a few—you’d think that the mental health of the country would be on the increase.

Every indication is that mental health is on the decline as scores of issues plague the American populace due to frustration at work, anxiety at home, marital problems or financial scrapes.

These problems, of course, are hard to be rid of and many people turn to anti-depressants to allay these issues. But once people start taking them, a new problem arises: dependency. How do you wean yourself off of a drug that chemically alters your brain without restoring the symptoms that caused you to go on the drug in the first place?

Just as with smoking, sometimes the best way to avoid such predicaments is to never start. Fortunately, there are other options for depression, many of them natural, which temper depression-related symptoms. What’s better, they’re in no way habit forming and don’t carry the black box warnings and restrictions that several antidepressants contain.

Omega-3s
You’re no doubt well aware of the physical health benefits associated with consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. But there are mental health benefits as well. According to a pilot study conducted in Israel, children suffering from clinical depression saw improvements in their mood when supplemented with the kind of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. The downside to this is that children, generally speaking, aren’t fish fans. However, the beneficial acids found in omega-3s—eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic—are available over-the-counter.

Walnuts
If you’re nuts for walnuts, you’re probably one happy camper. According to research, the alpha-linoleic acids found in walnuts plays a role in controlling serotonin levels in the body; serotonin, to put it as simply as possible, is the chemical found in the brain that controls mood, hunger appetites, sleep and sexual appetites. But even if the walnut is not your nut of choice, don’t go nuts (OK, enough of the ‘nut’ jokes). Almonds, peanuts, cashews and pecans are as good for your mental health as they open up the blood vessels in the brain, thus improving overall brain function.

Light—Artificial or Authentic
No matter how you get light in your day, get it. Seasonal Affective Disorder is an affliction that most frequently plagues people in the winter months, when light is generally less abundant than in the summer. Once again, the bright light increases the level of serotonin in the brain, serving as a “natural Prozac,” as its often referred to. Light therapy is beneficial in other ways as well, including treating insomnia, chronic pain and as a form of treatment for eating disorders.

Music
Perhaps the easiest and most pleasant way to boost your mood is through music. According to a study published in the July edition of the journal Advanced Nursing, people who listened to music every day for a week reported feeling better both physically and psychologically than the study’s control group (25 percent of the study group reported having improved moods; 21 percent reported feeling better physically, several of whom were suffering from back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis). And if you’re wondering what music is best—there’s no such thing. Whatever genre you prefer is best.

These are just a few natural ways you can boost your mood without having to go through the added expense of antidepressants, which may be doing a lot more harm than good.