Scott Alexander presents a detailed guide on depression, covering its causes, symptoms, and various treatment options, including lifestyle changes, therapies, medications, and other interventions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander provides a comprehensive guide on depression, covering its causes, symptoms, and various treatment options. He discusses lifestyle changes, therapies, medications, supplements, and other interventions like TMS and ECT. The post offers practical advice on how to approach treatment, including specific regimens for different situations, and guidelines on how long to continue treatment once it starts working. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial of a sleep supplement, finding no significant effect over placebo, but gains insights into his sleep patterns. Longer summary

Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a sleep supplement called Sleep Support. Initially, he experiences a dramatic improvement in his sleep patterns, but decides to rigorously test this effect. He designs an experiment using placebo pills and blind administration over 24 nights. Surprisingly, the results show no significant difference between the Sleep Support and placebo nights in terms of sleep duration, wake-up time, or subjective measures. Scott concludes that his initial perceived improvement was likely due to the placebo effect and the act of not checking the clock upon waking. Despite the supplement not outperforming placebo, Scott considers the experiment a success as it led to improved sleep habits. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander offers various strategies for obtaining affordable mental health care and medication in the US, including discount programs, therapy alternatives, and supplement options. Longer summary

This post provides detailed advice on how to access mental health care and medication on a budget in the US. Scott outlines various strategies for obtaining prescription medications at lower costs, including using discount websites, pill splitting, and patient assistance programs. He also discusses affordable therapy options and supplement alternatives to prescription drugs. The post is aimed at those who don't qualify for government assistance and includes both legal and potentially legal methods. Scott emphasizes that this is not medical advice and should be used at one's own risk. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander offers Christmas shopping recommendations for various products, from balsamic vinegar to nootropics, with personal insights on each item. Longer summary

Scott Alexander provides product recommendations for Christmas shopping, including a link to his Amazon affiliate page. He recommends traditional 18-year balsamic vinegar for its interesting taste, sweatpants that look like regular pants for comfort, xylitol nasal spray for congestion, the Hamilton musical CD, dental floss scythes for easier flossing, Nootropics Depot and Ceretropic online stores for nootropics, and periscope glasses for reading while lying down. He discusses each product's benefits and his personal experiences with them. Shorter summary