Effective Natural Remedies for Anxiety

Severe Anxiety relief, what helps for Benzo withdrawal/taper off symptoms?

L-theanine 800mg helps, mulungu 500mg helps (most people never heard of) psychedelic mushrooms, ketamine may help. What helps you when you must withdraw (taper off Benzo addiction)?

Regarding the Effects of Tums as an Antacid and on Bones,

My mother always took a Mult-vitamins, B-Complex and JP which may have been a blessing to her. Though she walked with Tums and Alka-Seltzer in her pocketbook encase of a heartburn or antacid attack, she had strong bones even in her nineties. The key may be in mineral balancing. Also, recently I was trying to figure out what to do about the throat burn I get from taking Alpha-lipoic acid and someone said to take a Tums, to my amazement it worked for me.

Hello Angela,

Caricater mentions that taking Acetyl L-Carnitine can lead to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, put simply, is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants that counter free radicals. We don't want free radicals, they can lead to cancer. Alpha Lipoic Acid is an antioxidant.

Update - My usual store didn't have 5HTP 50mg in stock so I decided to try 5HTP100mg instead. What a mistake! After taking one 100mg tablet I became very anxious. I then put the balance of the tablets through a pill splitter so that they were just 50mg and the anxiety disappeared.

Now I am very careful to make sure I am buying only the 50mg strength. I even admonished the store a few times that the recommended dose was 50mg and that 100mg can actually increase anxiety and they have finally caught on.

5HTP doesn't mimic serotonin. it acts as a precursor for serotonin and melatonin which means it helps your body to naturally produce more of each. The end result is you feel better (serotonin) and sleep better (melatonin). The recommended dosage is 50mg. per day. Exceeding 50mg may cause anxiety so best to stick to 50mg.

Anyone know what is the composition medicine is in the antacid that helped her daughter's anxiety?

If you add pure organic raw honey it helps with the upset stomach. It also adds to the benefits as well. Honey is a natural tranquilizer and has a lot of other great qualities too. Hope this helps.

Wilson's syndrom mimicks schizophrenia. You might look into that, copper/zinc ratio, molybdenum, heavy metal chelation, liver detox. Sleep problems may cause him to dream during the day. ❤

My son 52 acquired OCD 6 yrs ago, it's been a nightmare with Clomipramine, and 1mg Antipsychotics (2007 diagnosed Schizophrenia)

He does take B-Complex 100mg. Has much Anxiety, coupled with OCD, is there a home test to determine symptoms of low B-12? Magnesium at Amazon from Dr Carolyn Dean is suppose to be great. It is a cream you rub anywhere on body, it gets dissolved, where as pills usually don't. 5HTP is not recommended for long term use, Google it to be safe. Thank you all.

How long does the B12 shot last? How often do you get one?

How can you check level at home or have some idea? My son has ocd and anxiety problem?

He does take B-Complex 100, and other supplements.

If you are having anxiety, get your Vitamin B12 level checked by your doctor.

I was having horrible anxiety and was seeing a therapist who kept trying to give me anti-anxiety medicine. When I had some blood work done it was discovered that I was very low on B12.

Apparently, B12 deficiency causes anxiety, depression and insomnia, in addition to numerous other dangerous health problems.

After I started loading doses of B12 shots, my anxiety DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY. Just like magic.

If you think your B12 level must be OK because you are taking an oral supplement you might be wrong. B12 is the only vitamin that requires a cofactor (intrinsic factor) in order for your body to be able to use it. There are many reasons why your body may not be able to absorb B12 properly, including use of PPIs. So, if you can't absorb B12 the normal way, get a B12 shot. You'll be so glad you did.

Hey Rexine, I must say that I feel the same about the wormwood medicine. I wake up less neurotic and at ease, something that I'm not even familiar with . Great recommendation!

I take wormwood for intrusive thoughts. They are gone. I only take one a day, but the dosage calls for more. The brand I use is a Wormwood Combination with Black Walnut leaf (Juglans nigra), Wormwood herb (Artemisia absinthium) Quassia (Quassia amara), Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and Male Fern root (Aspidium filix-mas). I also took Lithium Orotate and it was very good, but the Wormwood is better. I am 65 years old and have had depression problems. That seems better but the anxiety and OCD seems to have kicked in. I was never bombarded with the intrusive thoughts until later in life. I will never be without Wormwood again.

Flaxseed Oil: As a Phyto estrogen at the top it made me gain weight. But if it works for you. Soy too allergic and made me pack on the pounds.

I read a thread here a few weeks ago from Teena about flaxseed oil for anxiety. I bought cold-pressed, high lignin flax oil from the health food store to try it out. Very inexpensive compared to other omega oils, btw. I took a tablespoon and OMG, my anxiety disappeared within an hour. I can't believe it. I have a lot of stress and anxiety, which plagues me at night especially. I have tried other remedies for anxiety over the years including magnesium oil (helpful as well), but flax has been the VERY BEST of all I have tried. Oh I hope others will try it out. The only side effect is that it makes me need to use the bathroom more often than usual. So I take a break every few days. Going to try cutting back to a teaspoon and see if that is equally effective. Gratitude -- Thank you Teena for recommending this remedy!!!!

I'm confused... why did Caricater mention in her 2011 post, "alpha lipoic acid?" Is that product the same as Acetyl L-Carnitine? I thought they were different supplements. If they are different, is he saying both help with anxiety?

Try adding a 1/4 teaspoon of Baking SODA & 1 teaspoon of organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with "the mother") to a 16-ounce glass of filtered water. The Baking Soda may prevent your stomach upset.

They say to take it before meals, though I do that and my stomach gets upset too. Taking it after you've eaten seems to be the best bet.

In reply to Kellie above, Tums is calcium carbonate with a tiny amount of sodium -- it has no baking soda or aspirin in it. Perhaps you were thinking about Alka-Seltzer. Nevertheless, as you say, baking soda alone may help.

My naturopath just started me on this. Fingers crossed it helps! I found that so far exercise has been the best remedy but hopefully the ashwagandha helps keep things level when I can't exercise.

Interesting: you never mention exercise. exercise defined as 1. cardio, 2. weight bearing, and 3. stretching

bare minimum, 3 times a week. ideally, 4-5,2-3 hours a day. yes, it's WORK. yes, it pays; it's the best health insurance of all.

remember this name:

JACK LALANNE

I was able to get off of a combination of Wellbutrin (Anxiety) and Vyvanse (ADHD) almost two years ago. I take a daily 750mg GABA, 100mg 5-HTP and about 200mg of chelated magnesium. Both were "adult onset". In the end I think I was just really, really deficient in magnesium and was going through hormonal changes at the same time. It took me about 6 months to get back to normal.

Try 1 tsp in an 8 oz glass of warm water, once in the am and once before bed.

I switched from Citalopram 20mg., a common SSRI to 5HTP 50mg. by cutting the Citalopram in half for a few days while simultaneously starting the 5HTP and experienced no transition problems.

I was on Citalopram 20mg., a common SSRI for ten years and found that it didn't always work. I found it very easy to switch to 5HTP 50mg. by just cutting the Citalopram in half for a few days while starting the 5HTP simultaneously. I find I get a much better sleep while taking 5HTP and wake up feeling rested even on less than 8 hr. sleep.

I had the same side effects as you experience...migraine headaches. I no longer use the product.

I'm wondering if the post from 2008 was referring to ConcenTrace Trace Minerals. They are the most popular, widely available and have been around for a long time. Perhaps the ND she is referring to is Dr. Kim from Barrie (I could be wrong).

On the ConcenTrace Web site, they refer to pH balancing: Maintain pH Balance in the Body–The most important nutrients in our bodies for maintaining acid-base balance are minerals like those found in ConcenTrace®.

Anyone else have suggestions? Hope it helps!

Can anyone guess the name of the mineral supplement she posted about in 2008?

Cold showers increase Glutathione, the master molecule.

My Indian Guru in the Middle East told me that I should try to breathe through my legs!! No kidding.

He was an Ayurvedic practitioner and so much of what he suggested was entirely novel to me.

This of course, is to try to steer people away from shallow/lazy breathing! Not getting one's fair share of the world's limited supply of Oxygen.

I may talk more about him in a future posting: watch this space!

Cheers, Michael

Wow! Most of the stuff I've read says shallow breathing is the cause of all our ills and deep breathing is the cure-all. Lately, however, I have been reading that all that deep breathing might not be the answer after all. The answer, according to many, is belly breathing. Go figure.

Vitamin B6 for Anxiety and Insomnia

Vitamin B6 will calm you down and if you take it with B12 in the morning, you'll feel energized during the day without any feeling of nervousness or anxiety. Do not overdo B6 because in large quantities it can be harmful. Some say that up to 500 mgs a day is the safe upper limit, but it seems like a lot to me.

I also take 100 mg of B6 at night to help me sleep. B6 is referred to as Nature's Sleeping Pill. I usually take it with inositol, and sometimes add a little L-theanine or Gaba.

Melatonin diminishes as you age, but do not take large doses or it will have the opposite effect. 3 mg works just fine for me, but 10 mgs may have you tossing and turning. With melatonin, less is more.

You need to get a referral to a cardiologist from your Primary Care Physician. The cardiologist can run some tests (EKG, heart monitor for a day or week) to determine whether or not you have atrial fibrillation (aka, "afib").

I have been experiencing shortness of breath and anxiety for some time. But recently the frequency of these attacks has increased and it started affecting me almost every day. This is so bad that I cant focus on anything but just dreading with fear when / what will trigger the attack. When I get my anxiety attack I feel I can't breath, my heart rate increases, my hands get very cold, body start shaking and my mind starts thinking that I am dying . It is very fearful state. In blood tests everything is fine. So my GP put me on some anti-depressant. which I don't want to take at-least until I have tried alternative method.

Thanks to Earth clinic it has helped me in this time. I have started making few changes in my diet and overall I can see improvements. Brahmi is one of the herbs which has helped me. I feel my breathing becomes easy almost within 15min of taking it.

Other things that have helped me are Folic complex 500mg, B12 1mg at night and ACV + baking soda.

This is my first post here. What I went thru in last few weeks was so bad that I felt to share my experiences with other who might be facing similar issues and this might help someone.

wellbutrine is known to change personalities. I say it opens a path to demons, hence the personality change. The same goes for similar drug counterparts, they can enable a path to the spirit world. But many don't get that, but I do. Just a word to the wise.

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Rhodiola for Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Wow...it worked within 25 minutes. I took 100mg last. I felt very peaceful. Downside I got am icky stomach that has continued I to the morning. Manageable. It was still worth taking though!

I found researched about anxiety and panic for years and have found that magnesium plays a huge role in adrenal system (as well as vitamin b deficiencies). Epsom salt baths, celtic sea salt are both very good for also getting magnesium into the diet. Since the soils are so depleted in minerals due to pesticides, etc, is one of the biggest reasons we are so magnesium deficient no matter how many veggies we consume. Everyone is so depleted in magnesium also because most diets are filled with additives, chemicals, processed sugar and flour along with coffee (caffeine depletes minerals esp magnesium- from our bodies making anxiety much more prone than ever before.). Stress also plays a huge role but diet is always number 1.

I have anxiety and irritability. Magnesium is a life saver. I can really feel myself mellow over the course of the day when I take it regularly. Very grateful I found it.

The reason for anxiety is because the intestinal tract does not have enough good bacteria to create the B12 or serotonin needed to calm the nervous system. Taking probiotics will encourage good bacteria in the intestinal tract. Taking supplements or drugs are a temporary fix but they will work in an emergency situation. A good film to watch is: The Gut; Our Second Brain. It explains it perfectly.

It's cleaning your gut out for all the bad stuff u ate.

I mix mine with grape juice and have a bowl of cereal or a biscuit first! Hope this helps!

I was looking at my post from years ago and I thought I would update it. I still take holy basil but I have discovered the root of the anxiety problem. Sometime after I made that post I decided to take Ted's advice and get a digital PH meter. I found that my urine was very low in PH so I started to take Ted's alkaline remedies and that just helped a little. I knew there was some kind of problem going on but I wasn't sure what it was until recently I got a prostrate biopsy followed by a real bad UTI. The doctor checked my urine and said it wasn't from an infection causing it. As more and more symptoms popped up it became apparent that this was a candida flair up.

I bought Bill Thompson's book on candida and started reading up on this. What happens when candida, has gone fungal in your system, is that the candida produces acids. These are acids that enter the system in addition to the acids that your body and produces acidosis in the body. The acids that candida produces will cause anxiety and an overly acid body will eventually will interrupt many process that go on in the body including the production of the elements we need to go to sleep.

I began Bill's anti-candida protocol and for the first time in many years I can sleep the night through. The anxiety that I was having during the flair up is gone as well. If you are having sleep problems and anxiety from nothing or exaggerated feelings of anxiety over small things there is a simple solution to this. If you are wondering if you have my problem then you can always start with the digital PH meter like I did but I think Bill's book is wonderful and is a must have. Not only did I get the paper version but I got the kindle version as well and I am thinking of getting another to give friends and family.

Another great book that I got to go along with this is PH-Balance for Life. It think that these 2 books could be helpful to you if you are reading these post. Thank you for reading my post.

I realized that in my original post. My point should have been that biting into the Holy Basil capsules and letting them sublingually absorb, rather than just swallowing them whole or just drinking the HB tea seems to reduce the stomach upset that many supplements give me and it seems to work better and faster than having the HB capsules digest in my stomach. Plus I think I heard that HB oil is good for dental hygiene so having that oil coating may be doing some good for my teeth and gums I hope.

Many years ago I haphazardly tried Holy Basil capsules and or the tea and I had felt that they didn't "work" for me and my stress, anxiety, and depression during my job. Fast forward a few years and I realize that my depression and anxiety have been pretty much chronic since I was a teen. I think that I always just feel nervous about things and recently it has held me back in doing many things.

Now that I am middle aged, I feel desperate to find some sort of relief for my depression, and anxiety and other symptoms. I have tried many different supplements and activities but I did them in a haphazard way So this week I decided to go to the health food store and look around. The only thing on sale happened to be Holy Basil capsules from a well known brand containing 536 mg strength. So I decided to try them again. This time I did a lot more research and reading on HB.

At first I chewed 1 capsule let it sit in my mouth as long as possible and then swallowed everything with water. I didn't feel anything amazing. The next day I still had that task I was dreading and it was making me feel really nervous. So I chewed 2 capsules back to back let it absorb in my mouth as long as possible and then some water.

Lo and behold, about half an hour later I realized that my feeling of nervousness had gone away. I felt "normal" or "ok". It is hard to describe, because I haven't felt "not nervous" for a very long time. It didn't make me sleepy like some other supplements do. I do feel that the effect is short lived though kind of like when I take a xanax, and I am not sure how to keep that "not nervous" feeling for a longer period of time.

Dear Ben.

Much of what you have written is correct and interesting. This post is less than helpful. Bht kills many an infection. As Oscar has said there is help in the newest medical treatment for this illness. But to discount all the cures and help bht has provided from both Oscar and Ted is disturbing to me. Janet

As far as I am concerned, bht butylated hydroxy toluene sounds like trouble. First off there are conflicting reports of its carcinogenic effects. Then the substance is known to have harmful effects on gut microflora. Aside from that there are numerous other methods of stopping hep-c, hiv and other viruses that are not potentially dangerous. When in doubt I usually err on the side of caution, but that is just my opinion.

Ben, I wonder what you might say about BHT after reading Oscar's posts and all the people who benefited from it.

Anxiety attack--- a symptom of gaba deficency.

Have you ever wondered why some people always feel great while others always feel depressed or anxious? Scientific researchers have discovered that we are far more dependent on our gut flora that previously thought.

Gaba is an amino acid the body uses as a neurotransmitter to promote a calm sense of well being.gaba is the tranquility in the midst of life's storms. Gaba is what helps us relax and gaba also increases our tolerance to pain. In a deficency of gaba we feel anxiety, fearful, stressed out all the time and unable to relax. In a gaba deficency our pain levels rise.

So how do we make gaba in our bodies? The answer is we dont make it, it is made for us by a certain strain of gut bacteria called lactobacilli rhamnoses. In an absence of this intestinal bacteria our neurological health suffers. We develop anxiety attack and depression. sometimes people slip into such a state of depression they think suicidal thoughts as a result of a gaba deficency.dRug and alcohol cravings are often linked to a gaba deficency

So how do we overcome a gaba deficency? First we can take additional gaba as a supplement. It is available at any health food store for cheap.

Next we need to limit the amount of things harmful to our intestinal bacteria such as crops sprayed with roundup, antibiotics, too much colloidal silver, food preservatives like cancer causing bha and bht. Even coffee has a very negative impact on the intestinal microbiome. We then need to replenish benefical bacteria such as lactobacilli rhamnoses and others . Proper gut microflora is just now being recognized in psychology as having a direct cause-effect relationship on mental health.

I am very happy that Altoids calmed your anxiety!

As a person that suffered from extreme anxiety and panic attacks in the past, I suspect that you might have had an acid problem in your stomach. I suffered from acidity in my stomach and didn't even know I had this problem. Much of the time people have anxiety it can be caused by acidity in the stomach and chest area (acid reflux) and you actually think you are going nuts! Altoids history shows it was first marketed in the late 1700's as a stomach relief medication! In my case for anxiety I pop a couple antacids in my mouth and my anxiety goes away! Next time I am going to try the Altoids and see if it helps me. Thanks for the post.

I took some altoids from the convenience store the other night. Amazing! I felt so calm and had some sense of well being which I lack with anxiety. I will take them as they contain magnesium, I found later. I fully recommend them. 5htp actually cured me once but could not take it, after taking teeny tiny amounts for a few days. It was a real cure, after having anxiety for years and trying everything else. Tranquilizers also help. Valium is better for me than zanax, but haven't taken them in a long while. I will if anxiety becomes unmanageable.

I was having a good sized panic attack about nothing last night (flashing lights in a movie)... That sets me off for whatever reason...

One cup of Chamomile, and I was good for the rest of the night... I think I'll use it every night for the fun of it...

I will get some peppermint as well, thanks for mentioning that

Yes, the chloride form taken orally or transdermally are the best types of magnesium to take because they are best absorbed by the body.

Hi Zander,

Can you indicate the name of the 'Memory and Brain' formulation that you purchased and used. And to date does it still work for you?Thanks.

Please only take Magnesium Glycinate or topically applied Magnesium Oil which is expensive but lasts almost forever. Other forms of magnesium are not absorbed well by the body. Some sites say that most anxiety/depression is caused by a lack of magnesium.

One teaspoon mixed with a glass of warm water. Drink it all down. The following burps flavour should betray to you the offending food source..

Author of Mood Cure Book is Julie Ross I believe. She also wrote another book after that .... The Diet Cure Book.

I've found shallow breathing to pretty much make my anxiety and panic attacks nonexistent pretty much overnight. I used to take deep breaths thinking it would help, but I found them to actually make things worse. Now I take slow, shallow breaths and can finally do things like drink coffee again without any real anxiety. I haven't tried all the exercises, but more information on this theory can be found by looking up the Buteyko breathing method.

How much baking soda should I take daily? I believe you're talking about drinking it mixed with water right? Can I add it in fruit juice also?

There is a good amount of research now showing that Serotonin does not cross the Blood brain barrier. So taking 5HTP will only boost the serotonin in the brain IF your Blood Brain Barrier is compromised. Not a good situation overall.

As mentioned above, too much serotonin can cause depression and anxiety. Again, not a good thing.

The best solution for anxiety and depression known to man right now has been around for ever. Exercise! This is not controversial. Doctors of all orientations agree.

Why are natural alternatives like 5htp better? Anti-depressants work by shutting down the receptors that rid your brain of serotonin, in a sense forcing old serotonin to be recirculated constantly. Your serotonin receptors then shrivel up.

5htp gives your brain the raw materials to build serotonin. When it needs it, its there. But only what it needs, when it needs it.

Pete

Reeka, (Milan, Italy), It is usually better to taper off anxiety medications, as stopping them immediately may cause greater issues. Someone else may be better able to answer your question of whether ACV can be taken while you are tapering off the meds. I don't know if there would be any adverse interactions.

R: It is advised by many naturopathic Physicians to minimize pharmaceutical mind medications as the side effects can, in themselves, be debilitating.

Here are some natural alternatives for healthy mind. Yoga & Transcendental Meditation. Warm baths of Epsom Salts or Magnesium tablets taken orally. Herbs like Chamomile, Passion Flower, Valerian, Hops are helpful. Audio or healing harmonic music is becoming increasingly popular for helping correct an whole array of both mental and physical conditions. Go to YouTube.com and type in your condition ("anxiety") plus the words "binaural beats" or "isochornic beats" and listen to this music w/ headphones whenever you can and especially before sleep or while relaxing in bed. Most of these artist have their own YT channel and information about purchasing the tracts so you can download them to your mobile devise and listen when you can.

I suffer from a very severe anxiety disorder brought on by many catastrophic traumas one after the other in my life. The anxiety is constant, the horrible racing thoughts, the what-ifs, stomach in knots, insomnia, you name it. I am in therapy and medication. If I try the apple cider vinegar remedy I will have to stop the meds immediately right? How many days do I have to wait to see the effects?

Hey Robert Henry and Sye. There is a former professional wrestler, who has out a yoga program. The very first thing he covers in this is the way you breath, saying to fill up the diaphragm slowly and exhale slowly. He encourages people to get up to a 20 count. This is slow in and slow out. Starting with just like the count of 2 and then working your way up over time. He says he can go to a count of 60 and that this controls the way you react, adapt, and take action. I can't tell you the name here, but if you Google professional wrestler's This ain't your mamas yoga you will find it. His commercials are on early mornings 3 to 4.30 am eastern time on various stations. Not advertising here, but I made the purchase and breathing is the first thing covered on disc one.

For anxiety, my input is to look at your breathing. I say this because I had the same issue as a young hard charger in industry. All the doctors said I was blacking out because of hyperventilation. They gave me Dilantin to prevent this. Years later, a doctor told me this was equivalent to killing a fly with a 105 Howitzer.

This treatment caused osteoporosis and lot of other problems I now have.

The anxiety eventually went away, but in my shady side of the mountain years, I am studying more and how you breathe is a biggie. 40 years ago I thought the doctors were full of stuff. Now I think they were right. I learned that chest breathing can cause this anxiety problem. You have to breathe with your diaphragm and let the exhale be as long as you can stand. You have to balance O2 and Carbon Dioxide. Both players are important.

I encourage you to read what Dr Shallenberger says about his patients and anxiety. He has a video on this subject. Goggle him.

Wish you well.=======ORH=========

To sye from colorado. have you tried the EMDR therapy? I have been reading the book called "getting past your past" by Francine Shapiro, phd. I must say it is a fascinating read so far.

I came across information as well called Iasis treatment on youtube that looks similar but is not available where I live all about neuro feedback and getting brain chemicals in balance. Would like to hear more if you have done the treatment. Thanks. Health to all

If you have crippling Anxiety, EMDR sessions with a safe trusted professional can really reprogram the brain and help heal trauma. However it takes a full lifestyle change to healthy living to find absolute resolution.. Drink lots of pure water, eat alkaline pure food, Good sleep, breathing, regular bowel movements, enemas, daily mediation or prayer

Awareness and control of feelings of fear, disappear and hopeless. Try to stay in the moment. Gratitude and Love seem to be the emotional antidotes. Talking and healing deep buried emotions are also key.

Avoid- Alcohol, Tobacco, Wheat, SUGER!!! Be patient with your healing. enjoy the journey