Anti-depressant effexor withdrawal

I ditto melatonin.  There are some brands out there which are better than others, so you may have to experiment.

I send you my best in dealing with the effexor.  I had a one month nightmare with it I would not wish on my worst enemy.  I only have this advice: When coming off of it, monitor the liver carefully. If the secondary neural pathway starts to shut down, then medical help is needed fast.  If a faster type of withdrawal is done, which I am told has to happen if the liver gets challenged, then the client has to have someone with them during the body reactions.

After the effexor is eliminated, look into the Pure brand of 5HTP.  It is a LOT safer for anxiety and depression.

Might I also suggest reading the book by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber.  It has different names depending on which country you are in. Here is a link about it:

http://www.instincttoheal.org/article.p … article=12

The best natural sleep enhancer I have found is Ashwaganda, so I advise this.
IN keeping with the large chemical soup list you have described, its VITALLY important to stop all artifice in the diet and reduce negative vibrational substances AND influences being introduced on all fronts.
If this person is drinking diet pop that needs to stop right away. Negative media...TV in general should be avoided. Cell phones are real bad news. People are vibrationally sick and addicted to things that are putting them into a tail spin. Alternative ideas cannot happen if there are strong denials or an unwillingness to let go of outmoded and destructive belief systems. People have to first admit they have a problem and then be willing to take a look at things squarely. This includes the fact that we live in an insane society that is touted as being sane. This is a paradox for the logical mind because the masses have been conditioned to believe that they can be helped by the system which is a falsehood. The western medical system has almost totally corrupt and is killing and poisoning people by the 1000s. Most western pharmaceuticals are toxic in large measure. They don't cure or solve anything and further poison the body-mind complex and cause further separations and divisions in consciousness. Drugs don't fix things. IN most cases they actually cause the problems to fester and deepen. The body is not designed to deal with artifice.
All the real cures for mankind are to be found within the plant kingdom and its proper understanding and application.
Taking back one's power and one's health involves the necessity to face unpleasant truths and also possible large amounts of physical and emotional pain along the path to healing.
There are people that can help out there but the committment and inner drive must be there first.
A close friend must surely be a blessing in this case.

Exercise OUTDOORS!!!!!! 

A walk or gardening in nature can be very uplifting, seems to get the endorphins back on track. 

I find not watching TV makes a big difference (feel better), and staying outdoors in nature (in spite of the awful heat wave in SoCal) tends to make me feel much more at ease and relaxed, especially during sunset and sunrise. 

Pets can be one of the best psychological healers of all, they have a special way of knowing just what we need in our most trying times.

Tritration off the meds, and melatonin for sleep.  Is she going through menopause? 

Last but not least    plain ol human touch-lotsa hugs 

I would be a bit cautious about melatonin supplementation in a person who is discontinuing use of an SSRI such as Effexor.

SSRIs are "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors" and work to prolong the life of the serotonin molecules in people who are depressed (ostensibly) due to serotonin deficiency.  In my opinion, serotonin deficiency is the result of depressive thought processes, but that is a different topic.

Melatonin is produced from serotonin, which in turn is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan, therefore melatonin supplementation could result in further degradation of the serotonin supply through negative feedback mechanisms. 

I would suggest instead supplementing with 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) which would support the production of both these vital neurotransmitters.

For a sleep aid, I would recommend something more gentle, such as passionflower or chamomile tea an hour before bedtime.

I second the suggestions to avoid television in the evenings, and I would add limiting exposure to artificial light after sundown.  Eliminating artificial sweeteners from the diet is also a good measure.