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Natural Alternative Treatments For Anxiety: Herbs For Anxiety |
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Written by Serge Taylor
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Wednesday, 04 June 2008 |
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There are a number of ways in which herbs can benefit the nervous system and help in the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks.
by SergeTaylor
There are a number of ways in which herbs can benefit the nervous system and help in the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks.
When looking at any treatment for anxiety, the treatment needs to address a stressed and fragile nervous system. One of the most effective applications of herbal remedies for anxiety is in the strengthening of the nervous system. The most common type of herb used in the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks are called Nervines which are basically nerve tonics. These herbs & herbal formulas work directly on the weakened nervous system increasing the tolerance for stress and nervous strain. In treating anxiety attacks and panic attacks in this way there is often little need for additional sedatives or tranquillisers to ease the anxious states.
What follows is a list of some of most commonly used herbal nervines used in the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks. They've been around for many years for the simple reason that they work.
Oats: One of the best and also one of the most common herbal remedies for panic attacks and anxiety is oats. Oats can be taken in a number of ways including herbal extracts, pills as well as being eaten in the form of porridge. If you are wanting to use oats in this way do not use instant oatmeal.
Lemon Balm: Is a herb that has a long history of use for conditions characterised by a stressed & overworked nervous system. Recent clinical studies have offered conclusive proof of the strong relaxing and calming effect that lemon balm has on the nervous system. This clinical proof confirms what herbalists have known for years, that in cases of depression and anxiety along with the accompanying symptoms such as difficulty sleeping and headaches, lemon balm is a safe and effective herbal remedy for anxiety.
Passionflower: Is often the first choice of herbalists looking to treat nervous system conditions that affect the stomach and the heart. Abdominal cramps, bloating and indigestion and IBS along with palpitations and breathing difficulties that are very common symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, can all be helped with passionflower. As a safe natural sedative, passionflower is often used for those anxiety sufferers who have sleeping difficulties as part of their symptom profile.
Skullcap: Is a very useful herbal remedy for treating anxiety that works on two levels. Firstly it has a gentle sedative action to relax and calm an agitated nervous system. Secondly it has a tonifying action that can strengthen and support an exhausted and debilitated nervous system that can often lead to various states of anxiety and depression.
Valerian: If a pharmaceutical manufacturer is going to name one of its products after a natural herbal remedy there's a pretty good chance that that herbal remedy has gained a reputation of being very effective for the condition that it is trying to treat. In the case of Valerian (probably the most commonly known and widely used herbal remedy for anxiety and panic attacks) its reputation was such that the makers of Valium named their drug after it. Valerian has long been considered the traditional herbalists first choice herb for all conditions with a mental or emotional cause. The action of Valerian is very similar to that of Valium but that is where the similarities end as chemically they have nothing in common.
It is especially renowned for helping with sleeping disorders and appears to only work when there is a sleeping problem, having no effect on people who are good sleepers. Another feature of this herbal remedy is that unlike many pharmaceutical sedatives Valerian is free of any depressing side effects and does not create dependency or addiction in the user.
One of the major attractions in using herbal remedies for panic attacks and anxiety is that they are safe and relatively free of side-effects when used appropriately. However there are certain situations where the use of these herbs may not be appropriate. Here are some of the main areas that you need to consider before taking herbal remedies such as those we have discussed.
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