Herbs For Anxiety

26 Jul

Posted by Dr John Anne as Herbs

People are increasingly taking the help of herbs to tackle anxiety and stress. Herb Kava kava is used for treating anxiety and promoting sleep. Some herbs such as Valerian are helpful in preventing panic attacks at night. Other herbs such as Ashwagandha, Bugleweed, and California Poppy are useful in soothing nerves.

Anxiety Herbs

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) - has mild sedative properties and is useful in conditions of nervous agitation with sleep problems and digestive complaints. Lemon balm is especially useful for over-anxiety that causes digestive problems such as nausea, bloating, and colic like pains. Traditionally lemon balm was used to lift the spirits and encourage longevity. Lemon balm is a relaxing tonic for anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and mild depression and its actions will quiet the racing heart that often accompanies anxiety. It has mild anti-thyroid effects and is best avoided by people with hypothyroid problems.

Bach used herbs for anxiety - not directly for the physical complaint but rather according to the sufferer’s anxiety and his bouts of fear, worry, anger or depression.

According to Bach: “An inharmonious state of mind will not only hinder the recovery of health and retard convalescence, but it is the primary cause of sickness and disease.”

Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) - tonifies and relaxes the nervous system and is useful for anxiety of all types especially anxiety and irritability that is hormonally based such as premenstrual syndrome. It is a sedative nervine and has mild anti-spasmodic and anti-hypertensive effects. Skullcap is a great herb to use when your anxiety is accompanied by a runaway mind that is stuck on worry. It is tolerated well by most people and has few side effects.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is one herb for anxiety in clinical trials. Standardized Valerian extracts with a minimum of 0.8% valerenic acid, the active constituent, work best. Valerian extract works rapidly, often in less than an hour, when taken in doses of a few hundred milligrams, and can be taken up to three or four times per day.

Two of the most prevalent herbs for anxiety, kava kava (Piper methysticum) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) have balancing properties similar to the identified adaptogens of aromatherapy. Kava kava is documented as having both calming and stimulating actions. St. John’s wort acts as both an antidepressant and a sedative. (For a more in-depth look at St. John’s wort, see Conscious Choice, January/February 1998). Lemon balm, the herb from which the essential oil melissa is derived, also has a dual nature — soothing and rejuvenating. It adds a refreshing flavor to teas as well.

Chai hu, or bupleurum, is the best known of these herbs. Though it is classified as a surface relieving herb, which might be used for colds, etc., its most common use by far, is to move the qi of the chest (Liver QI). Its ability to do this is greatly enhanced by combining it with a small amount of mint (bo he).

He huan pi or he huan hua, mimosa bark or flower (albezzia) is classified as a heart nourishing herb. When combined with dan shen (salvia miltorrhiza), it strongly moves the qi of the chest.

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) provides long-term treatment of many anxiety disorders. Medicinal use of St. John’s Wort traces back to ancient Greece, where physicians recorded using the plant to treat anxiety, depression and nerve pain. Today, many people swear use St. John’s Wort. It is available at health food stores and places where herbs are sold.

St. John’s Wort is taken as a tincture, mixed with water according to directions from a qualified herbalist, or in pill or capsule form. Teas may also be brewed from the dried flowers of Hypericum. Herbalists generally recommend tinctures, since the quality of St. John’s Wort degrades and capsules may contain aged, dried leaves with less potency. Users must be patient, as St. John’s Wort can take several weeks to have any effect.