Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

What herbs can help reduce this anxiety?

An anxiety disorders can be a debilitating condition to live with. There are two primary forms of anxiety disorders. The chronic form, which includes the following symptoms:

- Sense of Foreboding
- Constant irrational sense of worry
- Inability to "work out" or "stop" the sense of worry
- mild physical symptoms including: sweating, increased heart rate, nervous twitches.

Then there are the more extreme anxiety disorders referred to as "panic attacks"
The symptoms hit hard, fast, and often feel like another life-threatening attack (the victim may feel like they are having a heart attack, or even a stroke). Sweating, inability to stand, nausea, vomiting, fainting, inability to take a full breath of air, and hyperventilation are all symptoms of a panic attack. The can also fade and then return suddenly minutes later. Almost like your body is attacking you when you least expect it!

There are no concreate answers as to why anxiety disorders exist, and there is no "sure cure" either. However, new research points towards certain people having an overactive central nervous system that takes a longer time than most to return to a state of calm or relaxation.

Anxiety disorders can start at the cause of a traumatic event, such as a diviorce, death, or sudden accident. There are other times where the cause is less obvious.

As with most mental disorders such as depression, there is likely a biochemical cause. Although we are not sure why, or what difference it makes, it appears people prone to panic attacks have a higher blood concentration of lactic acid. We do know lactic acid is produced by the body when muscle breaks down sugar for energy, but lacks sufficent oxygen to do so.

Other research has demonstrated a link between an overproduction of stress hormones by the adrenal glands.

Herbal remedies for anxiety are often one of these:

Kava - taken as a tincture or a capsule, it can minimize anxiousness.

Hops - can relax the nervous system

Passionflower - has been clinically studied and shown to have results in dealing with
anxiety

Valerian - is another herb taken as a tincture or capsule. It promotes sleep, and can
have a calming effect on the body while doing so.

St. Johns Wort - may have some effect on anxiety. While the clinical trials have been
inconclusive, it is still used by many to relieve depression...which may be related to anxiety disorders.