Curing Anxiety Disorders with Herbal Therapy

As alternatives or supplementary therapies to conventional pharmaceuticals and drug treatments, herbal therapies are helpful in treating a whole host of medical and mental disorders, using natural medicine.

Anxiety disorders can respond particularly well to herbal therapies, as many herbs are renowned and historically known to be sedatives and relaxants. Many herbs are readily available in capsule nutritional supplement formulas or as powders for easy consumption. Before considering herbal therapies as a self-treatment or complementary option, proper medical consultation is required since herbs can often interfere with various medications and interact adversely with the effect of other therapies. To this effect, herbal therapy should be carefully pursued and treated as a drug therapy like any other.

Ongoing research, albeit often still inconclusive, continues to link several herbs to the reduction of anxiety and the alleviation of stress and tension. Currently, the four most promising herbs in anti-anxiety drug therapy include Kava Kava, Ginseng, Valerian, and St. John’s Wort. Although not herbs, the minerals zinc and magnesium also seem to play a role in reducing stress and anxiety. These can be used in addition to an anti-anxiety program; be it hypnotherapy or a specialized program specifically formulated to desensitize thought patterns and release the automatic anxious response.

Kava Kava

Also called Kava, this herb has an ancient reputation as a lifter of spirit. Modern clinical studies cautiously advocate the use of Kava in anxiety therapies, although conclusive studies have only so far noted limited improvements in anxiety with the use of this herb. A meta-analysis of 62 medical studies reviewed and published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews indicates that the herb may produce a positive effect in relieving anxiety. Participating doctors in the study did caution that the size of the effect seemed to be small and recommended more conclusive studies. Kava is also currently banned in several nations due to a possible association with toxicity. Future studies are being conducted to better substantiate both links to toxicity and anxiety alleviation.

Ginseng

This multipurpose herb provides many benefits and has been used as an accompanying treatment in cancer and diabetes patients and also in sufferers of Alzheimer’s. Two recent studies, one performed at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences in Calcutta, confirmed that the herb contains GABA like effects, known to calm the body. GABA (Gamma Amino Butryic Acid) is a neurotransmitter of the brain which acts as an inhibiter, inducing calmness.

Valerian

The plant Valerian has been subjected to numerous tests regarding the safety and efficacy of its consumption to treat anxiety-related cases. One small 1993 study showed that Valerian was able to help induce sleep and may play a role in banishing depression. Evidence is still insufficient but the plant has an ancient reputation of anxiety healing, and was widely used in ancient Greece and Rome.

St. John’s Wort

A commonly prescribed natural anti-depressant which is used to treat mild to moderate cases, St. John’s Wort may play more of an active part in helping to diminish generalized anxiety disorder. The herb is known to inhibit several anxiety inducing neurotransmitters in the brain, although the effect is gradual and results are noted only after many months of use. The compound hypericin found in St. John’s Wort was once thought to interfere with the body’s production of a natural anti-depressant but recent studies have refuted this belief, paving the way for more widespread use of the herb in anti-anxiety cases.