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Pristiq Alternatives

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Medically Reviewed Fact Checked

Last Updated on April 1, 2025 by Diane Ridaeus

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD

Pristiq is an antidepressant that can cause clinical worsening, suicidality, unusual changes in behavior, or any of a host of other side effects.1  It’s no wonder that many users of this drug are looking for safer Pristiq alternatives.

SNRI drugs, like Pristiq (desvenlafaxine), may have been helpful during a time of acute crisis. But for some, a lifetime on Pristiq is unwarranted and can impose unwanted side effects and drug tolerance issues.14

Did your prescriber tell you about drug-free treatments for your symptoms?

pristiq alternatives
Antidepressant withdrawal has been our specialty for a very long time. For nearly 20 years we have collated and published evidence of our success. Alternative to Meds can provide options to address the underlying issues that were likely overlooked before you were given a prescription of Pristiq. Our educational materials can help harmonize your body, and emotions, and take excellent care of your neurochemistry — we teach you how to do that using diverse alternatives to Pristiq that don’t involve drugs.

Effective Alternatives to Pristiq

The range of therapies used at Alternative to Meds is vast. It includes using natural neurotransmitter precursors to rehabilitate neurochemistry, counseling, diet-based help, acupuncture, exercise, yoga, naturopathic care, microbiome support, and many other therapies. These things in combination with the medical support form an overall Complementary and Alternative Treatment in Mental Health Care (CAM) model.

Some Pristiq Alternatives Include:
  • CBT or other talk therapy is an effective alternative to drug-based treatment.2,16
  • Test for and correct nutritional deficiencies that could be contributing to symptoms.17
  • SAMe (S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine) with B12 and B6 is known as a mood elevator with a rather robust amount of evidence.9
  • Upgrade or modify the diet to rehabilitate healthy neurochemistry and a healthy microbiome.20,22
  • Food allergies are often overlooked as contributors to symptoms.21
  • A depressed or chronic sadness might not be “all in your head,” and could find relief in lifestyle changes.18
  • Exercise has been shown as effective or better than drugs for depression.2,19
  • Test for and cleanse any toxic accumulations such as pesticides, cadmium, heavy metals, industrial chemical exposures, etc., that may be contributing to unwanted symptoms.10,15,24
  • Mindfulness meditation has been shown effective for depression and anxiety symptoms.23

Natural Options for Alternatives to Pristiq

Natural Pristiq alternative treatments offer many options and opportunities that can garner positive improvements. The goal is not simply to stop taking Pristiq or to give relief from Pristiq side effects, or to make Pristiq withdrawal manageable, but to do so without initiating a relapse of symptoms.

Each client receives batteries of testing to determine such things as nutritional deficiencies and genetic factors that will respond to changes in diet or supplementation. Also, we can test for allergies, the presence of heavy metals, and more. Neurotoxic accumulations can be cleansed from the body using sauna, specific chelating nutrients, nebulized glutathione, colon hydrotherapy, and other methods. Depression responds positively to physical activity such as exercise and Equine Therapy, and is effectively treated with CBT, and many other nonpharmacological treatments delivered at Alternative to Meds Center. We find that addressing each of these factors with natural alternatives to Pristiq can open the door to real and lasting relief from troubling symptoms.

Fundamentals: What is Pristiq Used For?

fundamental pristiq treatment

What is Pristiq used for? Pristiq is an SNRI, used for managing symptoms of major depressive disorder.6 There are many such pharmaceutical products that have entered the consumer market, but not without controversy. Often, antidepressant medications can produce troubling side effects that may obfuscate their overall usefulness.1,4,5

Pristiq is a drug that doctors and patients turn to for treating (suppressing, not curing) a very wide array of symptoms, such as depression as well as anxiety, OCD, panic disorders, and others. Truly, these symptoms can ruin the quality of a person’s life. Therefore, it is no wonder that in times of desperation, doctors prescribe medications to give their patients relief. Many would agree that medications are not a perfect solution. In some cases, there are extreme antidepressant reactions that can be truly horrific.7 However, medical schools do not adequately train medical practitioners or psychiatrists on how to use natural antidepressant alternatives treatments, which can provide other options besides pharmaceutical drugs.1,8 And holistic care providers such as naturopaths may not have the prescriptive rights to be able to manage or alter the medications. This is why Alternative to Meds Center staff has the combined skill sets and licensing rights of both psychiatry and naturopathy to provide an overlap and a Complementary and Alternative Treatment in Mental Health Care (CAM) model.

Pristiq Alternative Treatment to Address Underlying Causes

pristiq abuse underlying causes

Undoubtedly, one of the key aspects that increase the effectiveness of Pristiq alternative treatments is searching for the underlying causes of symptoms. Various medical tests can help by demonstrating that certain factors are present such as heavy metals or other toxic materials, and are contributing to a person’s unwanted symptoms. We also want to test for missing elements such as essential vitamins and nutrients so these can be corrected. Pristiq alternatives have demonstrated their effectiveness for thousands of clients at Alternative to Meds Center for more than 15 years.

As our studies show, for many, unwanted conditions can be improved and even resolved completely without relying on drugs. For many years, Alternative to Meds Center has developed and refined non-invasive, non-harmful ways to reduce or eliminate unwanted symptoms. And also, these protocols allow individuals to taper off Pristiq comfortably. And so, our clients can transition onto a holistic medicine treatment regimen. In these ways, you or a loved one can be emancipated, and can start living the life you know can be possible without relying on harsh, potentially harmful medications, and stop suffering from their side effects.4,5

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Purging Neurotoxins for Depression Relief

purge pristiq neurotoxinsAs an example, food allergies or adverse reactions to preservatives and chemicals in food and water can cause adverse mental health effects.10,13 These include panic attacks, depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, and other reactions,11 These toxins tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of the body.12 However, we can give the client natural biotransformation substances that convert fat-soluble toxins into a water-soluble form. Then we use techniques such as chelation and sauna to liberate these now excretable substances from the body.

Alternative to Meds Center’s vast array of alternatives to Pristiq is individually tailored. This allows the client to embark on a program that has been tailored to their exact needs. The end goal is that symptoms are reduced or eliminated. Also, the goal is that these improvements are sustainable without relapse, and without needing to return to prescription drugs.

For More Information on Safer Alternatives to Pristiq  

Please contact us for a more detailed description of the programs at Alternative to Meds Center. We are here to help you on your wellness journey, especially if you are searching for alternatives to pharmaceutical choices. If a person is already on antidepressants, we can assist with comfortable Pristiq withdrawal. Of course, this would be followed up with the non-drug-based treatments that can improve and sustain natural mental health. We look forward to giving you a more thorough understanding of why and how our program for Pristiq alternatives has been so successful over the last two decades. 

1 (800) 301-3753 for Pristiq Alternatives Help

1. Santarsieri D, Schwartz T L, “Antidepressant efficacy and side-effect burden: A quick guide for clinicians.” Drugs in Context (DIC) [Internet] 2015 Oct 8 [cited 2022 June 13]

2. 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 2022 June 13]

3. Sathyanarayana Rao, T S, Asha, M R, Ramesh, B H, Jagannatha Rao, K S, Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses. Indian Journal of Psychiatry [INTERNET] 2008 Apr/Jun 2008 [cited 2022 June 13]

4. Ioannidis J, “Effectiveness of antidepressants: an evidence myth constructed from a thousand randomized trials?” Philos Ethics Humanit Med [Internet] 2008 May 27 [cited 2022 June 13]

5. Undurraga J, Baldessarini R J ” Randomized, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants for acute major depression: thirty-year meta-analytic review.” Neuropsychopharmacology Journal March 2012, 37(4):851-64. doi: 10.1038/npp.2011.306. Epub 2011 Dec 14.PMID: 22169941 [cited 2022 June 13]

6. Entringer S, “Pristiq Uses, Dosage, Side Effects.” Reviewed 2020 Dec 2 [cited 2022 June 13]

7. Braund TA, Tillman G, Palmer DM, Gordon E, Rush AJ, Harris AWF. Antidepressant side effects and their impact on treatment outcome in people with major depressive disorder: an iSPOT-D report. Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 4;11(1):417. doi: 10.1038/s41398-021-01533-1. PMID: 34349116; PMCID: PMC8338944. [cited 2022 June 13]

8. Lake, J,” Urgent Need for Improved Mental Health Care and a more Collaborative Model of Care.” Perm J August 11, 2017 PMID 28898197 [cited 2022 June 13]

9. Knowlton L, “Investigating SAM-e for Depression” Psychiatric Times [online] May 1, 2001 [cited 2022 June 13]

10. van den Bosche M, Myer-Lindenberg A, “Environmental Exposures and Depression: Biological Mechanisms and Epidemiological Evidence.” Annual Review of Public Health [online] April 2019 [cited 2022 June 13]

11. Bouchard M et al., “Blood Lead Levels and Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in US Young Adults.” Jama Network [online] Dec 2009 [cited 2022 June 13]

12. La Merrill M, et al., “Toxicological Function of Adipose Tissue: Focus on Persistant Organic Polluntants.” Environ Health Perspect. Dec.5 2012 [online] PMID 23221922 [cited 2022 June 13]

13. Hidese S, Nogawa S, Saito K, Kunugi H. Food allergy is associated with depression and psychological distress: A web-based study in 11,876 Japanese. J Affect Disord. 2019 Feb 15;245:213-218. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.10.119. Epub 2018 Oct 26. PMID: 30408639. [cited 2022 June 13]

14. FDA Label Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) Revised 2011 [cited 2022 June 13]

15. Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative “Mental Health and Environmental Exposures.” [online] [cited 2022 June 13]

16. Hoffman S et al., “The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-Analyses.” Cognit Ther Res. 2012 Oct 1; 36(5): 427-440 [online] PMID 23459093 [cited 2022 June 13]

17. Low Dog T. “The role of nutrition in mental health.” Altern Ther Health Med. 2010 Mar-Apr;16(2):42-6. PMID: 20232617.[cited 2022 June 13]

18. Pischke CR, Frenda S, Ornish D, Weidner G. “Lifestyle changes are related to reductions in depression in persons with elevated coronary risk factors.” Psychol Health. 2010 Nov;25(9):1077-100. doi: 10.1080/08870440903002986. PMID: 20204946. [cited 2022 June 13]

19. Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Polenakovic M, Bosevski M, Apostolopoulos V. Exercise and mental health. Maturitas. 2017 Dec;106:48-56. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Sep 7. PMID: 29150166.[cited 2022 June 13]

20. Głąbska D, Guzek D, Groele B, Gutkowska K. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mental Health in Adults: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):115. Published 2020 Jan 1. doi:10.3390/nu12010115 [cited 2022 June 13]

21. Quigley J, Sanders GM. Food Allergy in Patients Seeking Mental Health Care: What the Practicing Psychiatrist Should Know. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017 Oct 30;19(12):99. doi: 10.1007/s11920-017-0849-8. PMID: 29086043. [cited 2022 June 13]

22. Butler MI, Mörkl S, Sandhu KV, Cryan JF, Dinan TG. The Gut Microbiome and Mental Health: What Should We Tell Our Patients?: Le microbiote Intestinal et la Santé Mentale : que Devrions-Nous dire à nos Patients? Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Nov;64(11):747-760. doi: 10.1177/0706743719874168. Epub 2019 Sep 17. PMID: 31530002; PMCID: PMC6882070. [cited 2022 June 13]

23. Strauss C, Cavanagh K, Oliver A, Pettman D. Mindfulness-based interventions for people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 24;9(4):e96110. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096110. PMID: 24763812; PMCID: PMC3999148. [cited 2022 June 13]

24. Berk M, Williams LJ, Andreazza AC, et al. Pop, heavy metal and the blues: secondary analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POP), heavy metals and depressive symptoms in the NHANES National Epidemiological Survey. BMJ Open. 2014;4(7):e005142. Published 2014 Jul 18. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005142 [cited 2022 June 13]

Originally Published on: Mar 23, 2020 by Lyle Murphy


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.

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