Herbs That Might Help…

This is perhaps one of the hardest topics to cover in a short article however; let’s see if we can shed some light on the issues and offer some ideas on dealing with the problems. The prevalence of disorders such as anxiety, depression and insomnia are very common in our society, in fact, the statistics suggest that at least 1 in 5 people will be affected by one or more of these disorders in their lifetime.

We’ve taken a bit of a search across the internet on various sites to see how the application of herbal medicine has been used by healthcare providers to help people deal with these unwanted disorders. In modern society, people suffer from various psychiatric disorders, especially depression, anxiety and insomnia. As one of the most prevalent forms of mental illness, depressive disorders have a huge influence on individuals and society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), major depressive disorders (MDD) will account for the second major illness in the world by the year 2020.

Several herbs have been employed to treat anxiety, such as Brahmi, California poppy, Gotu cola, Kava et.al. Ginkgo biloba, the oldest plant existing in the world for over 200 million years, is a famous Chinese herb employed frequently in the world to treat anxiety. This herb was first documented in a Chinese medical book about 2800BC and the herb is also considered as a component of the Ayurvedic medical practice.

St. John’s wort is a plant that’s native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Europeans commonly take St. John’s wort as a way to treat depression, but the FDA hasn’t approved the herb to treat this condition.

Taking St. John’s wort has been linked with increasing the amount of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a feel-good chemical in the brain that people with depression are often low in. Several antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source, St. John’s wort may help milder forms of depression, although its effects haven’t been conclusively proven either way. A 2008 review of 29 studies on St. John’s wort found that the plant was just as effective for treating mild to moderate depression as antidepressants, yet resulted in fewer side effects. On the other hand, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Trusted Source sponsored two separate studies that found it wasn’t better than a placebo for treating depression.

It’s important to note that St. John’s wort is known for interacting with lots of medications. This is especially true for blood thinners, birth control pills, and chemotherapy medications. Always check with your doctor before taking this herb.

A study in 2012 reviewed data about chamomile, which comes from the Matricaria recutita plant, and its role in helping to manage depression and anxiety.

The results show that chamomile produced more significant relief from depressive symptoms than a placebo. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the health benefits of chamomile in treating depressive symptoms.

Lavender oil is a popular essential oil. People typically use lavender oil for relaxation and reducing anxiety and mood disturbances.

A 2013 review of various studies suggested that lavender might have significant potential in reducing anxiety and improving sleep.

Lavender has mixed results in studies that assess its impact on anxiety. However, its effectiveness as a treatment for ongoing depression has little high-quality evidence in support at the current time.

The body has a number of ways to alert you or those around you of symptoms that may be caused by depression, anxiety or some other mental disorder these include
• Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Frustration or irritability
• Loss of interest in hobbies or general activities that typically provide pleasure
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Appetite changes
• Trouble concentrating
• Thoughts of death or self-harm
• Other symptoms such as headache or backache

While we are all dealing with an incredibly difficult period in our lives, it’s very important to keep a check on your well-being and when troubled by recurring negative thoughts or experiencing other symptoms talk to family or friends and don’t delay in getting professional help when it all seems too hard.

Be safe and stay healthy