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Natural/herbal remedies for anxiety - do any of them actually work?

Kate Kestrel

Hello everyone,

Before I go ahead and potentially waste money on products that don’t work - has anyone tried any herbal/natural remedies for anxiety that actually work? In the past I’ve tried a few but never found they made any difference. I can’t take anti-depressants as I experience terrible side effects to them - so need to try something else. 

Has anyone had any success with things like Valerian and Passiflora etc? That kind of thing? 

I don’t want to make the mistake of wasting money I can ill afford to lose just because I’m at the end of my tether and desperate for anything that might work. 

And for anyone else who is struggling with anxiety - sending best wishes to you because it’s so hard isn’t it? Really tough when it’s bad. 

thanks 

Parents

  • not sure, but i know some herbal stuff can help you relax.
    i had peppermint tea and chamomile tea and they both did seem to have a relaxing effect and made my stomach feel less bloated and uncomfortable. they supposedly act as anti-inflammatory and get rid of inflammation so probably good if you have bowel issues anytime i guess. and given anxiety can effect and disturb your bowels it could be good. plus it made me sleep a bit better probably more efficiently.

    so herbal stuff can have a effect, just whether the effect is big enough to make a difference or not is the question.

Reply

  • not sure, but i know some herbal stuff can help you relax.
    i had peppermint tea and chamomile tea and they both did seem to have a relaxing effect and made my stomach feel less bloated and uncomfortable. they supposedly act as anti-inflammatory and get rid of inflammation so probably good if you have bowel issues anytime i guess. and given anxiety can effect and disturb your bowels it could be good. plus it made me sleep a bit better probably more efficiently.

    so herbal stuff can have a effect, just whether the effect is big enough to make a difference or not is the question.

Children
  • in reply to Caelus

    Ah yes.  I do still use relaxing teas at bedtime and also mint tea for any stomach issues.  I actually grow my own mint for this (including chocolate mint, which smells of After Eights and pineapple mint which is a bit more refreshing, i think).  They do help a little.  

    It's just that for my major anxiety issues, usually relating to being out there the the world (especially the workplace) or being overwhelmed by a host of things here at home, these barely touch the sides.  So, yes, it's definitely about the intensity of the problem and whether the effects are big enough.  For me I do like and benefit from using herbs, but they didn't deliver an effect that was anywhere near big enough for my massive, lifelong anxiety problem.  :( 

  • in reply to Caelus

    although the herbal teas dont feel like they have much difference on me now... i think they had a larger difference ages ago because i probably had alot more gut inflammation back then. so maybe you wont feel it as much unless you have unknowingly a inflamed bowel or something. i always had ab pain too so it lifted tension and relaxed. i guess you just feel it more if the areas if effects are actually under more strain and pain and the normalising and relaxing of it you feel the difference, where as if it isnt under too much pain and it feels normal anyway then normal going to normal youd likely not feel the difference as its the same as normal.