Friday, February 29, 2008

Treating Anxiety With Herbs

Many people suffer with anxiety because of all the stress and strains of life. Anxiety can steel the joy from life and ruin relationships. Families with members who suffer from anxiety will all suffer. Children of parents who suffer from anxiety are likely to also be anxious. Finding a cure for the anxiety in ones life should be a priority for anyone who finds the anxiety becoming uncontrollable and unbearable.

There are some natural remedies for anxiety including several anxiety herbs that have been found to have a positive affect. People can take these anxiety relieving herbs, find relief and avoid having to take prescription medications prescribed by a doctor. Of course a person who is having severe anxiety should consult their physician for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Also people who take prescription medications should consult their physician or pharmacist before they take any other herbal or homeopathic medications to avoid adverse interactions.

Some Common Herbs For Anxiety

Valerian is a common herb for anxiety and insomnia that is taken around the world. This root when taken at bed time will induce sleep and prevent anxiety attacks in the night. This herb works well for short term use but has not been studied for long term treatment. When taken, valerian extract works rapidly to reduce anxiety usually having an effect within thirty to sixty minutes.

L-theanine a derivative of Green Tea has also been proven to be an anti-anxiety herb.
This herb is not habit forming or addictive and does not have limits on how long it should be taken. This herb is often found in low doses in many herbal supplements but for true anxiety relief will need to be taken in a larger dose.

Kava Kava is another herb for anxiety that can be used during the day or in a stronger dose at night. The active ingredient kavalactone should not be taken for more than four months consecutively. One recommended way to take Kava Kava is to take it only three times a week and to skip one week out of every month. This seems to prevent any problems with dependency or decreased effectiveness.

There are many other herbs for anxiety that can easily be found by looking in herbal remedy books, online, or inquiring at herbal remedy stores. Along with these herbs are some mixtures of herbs that can be put into teas and tonic. A nice cup of anti-anxiety herb tea sipped before bedtime will be a great benefit for relief of anxiety and as a sleep aid.

Taking Anxiety Medicine

People who go to the doctor have no problem with taking antibiotics to get better. Even at home, people will take over the counter meds to stop a headache or when fighting a cold. When it comes to taking medicines prescribed for anxiety, people seem to hesitate.

Why is anxiety medicine so bad that people don’t want to take it? There is no good reason to not take it. The biggest thing to understand is that anxiety medicine isn’t the cure. It helps a lot but there are more steps to it. Some medicines might interact so it’s always a good idea to bring a list of medications that a person takes. Even over the counter medicines can react so tell the doctor everything! Something that potential patients should know is that the anxiety medicine can be addictive to the body. Never go off these medicines alone. The doctor will explain how to do it correctly.

Some people will not need to take any anxiety medicine. The problem is many times rooted into something deeper. Once the doctor and the patient find out what it is, they can work to eliminate the old problem causing the anxiety to go away. If the doctor says that they believe that it would help the person than its okay to ask some questions beforehand.

Questions About Anxiety Medicine

There are some basic questions that a person can ask such as what exactly will the medicine do for a person. Also ask about any possible side effects of the anxiety medicine. Make sure to know if there are any foods or drinks that a person should stop eating or drinking. Always ask the doctor about any changes of medicine or how the new anxiety medicine will react to the body. If the doctor says that a person should take the medicine then ask for how long. For some people it might mean taking them for the rest of their lives, or maybe for six months. One last question to ask is what will happen if the person is taken off of the drug.

There are many other questions that a person can ask and these are just a few. Write down on a piece of paper all of the questions that pop up and bring the list when talking to the doctor. Knowing the proper path to follow isn’t just smart; it shows that the individual wants to take part in the healing. Understanding everything can make it easier to cope when the feelings of anxiety creep in.