Anxiety
Natural Remedies

Anxiety Relief: Remedies, Triggers and Calm Support

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Holy Basil
Posted by Mel (California) on 05/02/2016
★★★★★

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.

Holy Basil
Posted by Wydo (Ca) on 05/04/2016

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.

EC: Wydo, thank you very much for giving us such a thorough update after 7 years.


Cold Showers
Posted by Lisa (Victoria, Texas) on 01/17/2008
★★★★★

I woke up early this morning and went right into one of the worst panic attacks of my life. Nausea, dizziness, heart rate going at about twice what it normally does... I found this site after looking for quick ways to lower my hart rate because I was having trouble breathing. I decided to give the cold shower treatment a try and, while I regretted it for the first five minutes or so, I am now feeling totally back to normal. I'll be sure to use this method in the future as it works so much faster than any medication I have tried.


Niacinamide
Posted by Cordell (Minto, New Brunswick, Canada)
★★★★★

I would like to share a remedy I successfully used to cure schizophrenic thoughts. I was always shy as a kid, and little bit "paranoid" I guess you could say. But when I turned 24 I gradually began to have more paranoia, coupled with anxiety, and sometimes felt I was hearing voices. No, not the audible kind that people usually hear, but more or less I felt there were more thoughts in my head than my own; too many to deal with at once. Some very hateful thoughts had emerged and I sometimes became obsessed over certain angry thoughts, feeling like I couldn't relax and eventually would have a panic attack and feel out of control, possibly cry from too much stimulation etc. I soon found myself trying to figure my thoughts out, but they often made no sense, and I would play psycho-analytical games with other people thinking I really knew what they were thinking about me. I was always suspicious, and eventhough I didn't want to feel this way that's what happened.

Anyway, I know there are others out there that share a similiar story: how they once felt normal than started having some sort of mental illness, be it brain fog (which I also had from the obsessive paranoia), or adhd or whatever it may be. Niacinamide could be the answer to your problems. On the advice of Ted, a famous contributor to this site, I began taking 2000mg - 3000mg of Niacinamide (niacin can be used, but the flushing may become too annoying at such doses for some people). I noticed within a couple days my excessive paranoid thoughts dimnished almost completely, but I continue to take 500mg tablets everytime I feel them coming back.

I also continue to take at least one B 50 tablet a day to prevent deficiencies. It works~! I realize not every form of schizophrenic thoughts may be cured this way, but its worth a try for anyone seeking help like I did. High doses of niacinamide have cured my excessive anxiety, paranoia, and schizophrenic thoughts and even helped to solve stomach ailments I have had for years along with keeping myself more alkaline.

The alkaline remedy I used with most success in over-acidity was 1/4 sodium bicarbonate, and 1/4 potassium citrate (a 99mg tablet) in a glass of water 3x a day. This also helps to keep me much more stable. When I added sodium carbonate to this mixture sometimes it also helped with over-anxious thought patterns, and to calm the brain down. I hope this helps someone like it did for me.

Peace and love. Cordell

Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Sandi (Arizona, USA) on 06/20/2021
★★★★★

Thanks to the info on here, I just tried acetyl L carnitine for my anxiety. I am pleased to say I think it's helping. My husband took it years ago for neuropathy and it was great. My son is trying it for his neuropathy as well. My anxiety has been so bad because my husband died six months ago after fighting lung cancer for 14 months. My checkup showed elevated blood pressure. High blood pressure causes anxiety which raises blood pressure which causes more anxiety and round and round. So I am so happy to find something besides Xanax that actually makes me feel somewhat better. Now hopefully I can get my blood pressure down. 🤪🤪

5-HTP
Posted by Gord235 (Vancouver, Canada) on 11/07/2021

That's hilarious! I suppose as you were reading your own comment you were thinking, "This person sounds pretty intelligent, too." ha, ha.


Flax Seed Oil
Posted by Mary (Seattle) on 01/24/2019
★★★★★

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!!!!

Magnesium
Posted by Ryan (Texas, US) on 09/04/2014
★★★★★

Those of you with anxiety issues, start taking magnesium. every day take at least 250 mg; I personally take 500 mg. It will make you go to the bathroom a lot if you take too much. You won't notice any effect on you for maybe a week. Then bam your anxiety is gone.

GABA
Posted by Kathy (L A) on 07/04/2014
★★★★★

Hello!

My husband has been using GABA for a few years....maybe 5 years and there have been NO side affects at all, except to calm him down...I even take a pill when I'm going to be in a stressful situation, like visiting his mother, for example! lol


Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Caricater (Smyrna, Ga) on 12/30/2011
★★★★★

Please note that L-Carnitine and Acetyl L-Carnitine are different! L-Carnitine can help you lose weight and improve heart function, but for anxiety and depression, ALC is the one you want. ALC may benefit those with glucose issues and has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function. There are studies that an increase in oxidative stress while taking ALC is possible. If so, 100-600mg of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) will not only combat this side effect, it will increase the anti-aging effects!


Cold Showers
Posted by Jon (Monongahela, PA) on 09/30/2008
★★★★★

Oh God...this is the most greatest thing in the world. I embrace the Eastern philosophy of medicine which talks about natural and organic treatments to the ailments that we all suffer. Unlike Western medicine that gives you toxic pills to swallow only to treat the symptoms and not to cure you. I feel great. I've never been so happy and energetic in my life and I feel like I'm high all day long...of course with out the impairment of psychotropic drugs. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...yeah, there is the hesitation associated with jumping into a swimming pool, but please, just "bite the bullet" and do it.....every day.

THANK YOU EARTHCLINIC.COM!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Berry (Washington,DC) on 08/29/2005
★★★★★

a tablespoon of vinegar in a half glass of warm water is good for calming my emotions. if i drink it when something has gotten on my nerves. It takes effect immediately. Try it


Ashwagandha
Posted by Cathleen (Los Angeles, Ca) on 11/24/2014
★★★★★

I have found myself to dramatically feel less burdened by daily stress when I'm taking Ashwagandha twice a day. My counselor suggested the improvement was attributable to other changes I've made in life but when I tested by ceasing Ashwagandha I returned to having more tense feeling days including clenching of teeth. I have tried both Organic India brand which is available at Whole Foods and Swanson's Ultimate Ashwagandha and while both were effective I believe the Swanson product worked best. Both of these products were only made from the root of the herb and I would love to hear from others if results have been better from taking both the root and leaves (I haven't yet tried).

5-HTP
Posted by Jasonmchicago (Chicago, Il (usa) ) on 06/12/2011
★★★★★

Serotonin is a vital neurotransmitter for all types of things... From mental to physical health. I had severe anxiety and tried different things from Velirium Root to different aroma therapies... The one thing that works amazingly was 5-HTP. It helps one get serotonin and serotonin helps with anxiety, depression, sleep problems (converts to melatonin), and muscle health (let's you get delta sleep so that your body can release growth hormone and repair muscle tissue). In the book "Pain Cure" there's a great recap of all the benefits of serotonin.

I HIGHLY recommend it for anxiety/depression. It helped change my life... Along with Yoga, MSM (joint pain), etc.

Thanks EC!


5-HTP
Posted by Marigold (Anchorage, Ak) on 04/10/2010

5-HTP for anxiety/depression

After reading some posts on this website, I decided to try 5-HTP for my general depression and social anxiety. After taking it the first time, I really noticed it made me feel kind of happy and giddy, so I was excited, and I also felt less anxious and more able to be what I consider myself. However, about a week taking just 50 mgs twice a day, I noticed I would get headaches. Then after about a week and a half I got a horrible headache, which I think might have been a migraine. It came on suddenly and lasted for about an hour of excruciating pain and nausea, and more mild pain and tension the rest of the day. Afterwards, for about a week, I started getting strange pains all on the left side of my body, in my leg and hip and shoulder. The migraine was on the right side of my head. I was pretty sure the 5 HTP was causing my everyday headaches, and was starting to feel like it lead to the migraine and subsequent left-side-of-the-body pains. I stopped taking 5-HTP and and my head-aches and body-aches have subsided completely. I am glad this supplement has worked for some people, but I just wanted to share my experience.

B-Complex With Zinc
Posted by Tiberius (Oklahoma) on 02/06/2024
★★★★★

TLDR: Stress B-Complex that includes Zinc, Avoid stress & emotional distress like the plague(especially when the situation doesnt directly involve you), get outside in the sunlight, and welcome happiness and peace into your life every chance you get.

I beat a terrible case of anxiety without the use of pharma drugs. And by terrible, I mean absolutely terrible. I had never dealt with it before, but it hit me like a freight train out of nowhere. One night at work, I had a massive panic attack, thinking I was having a heart attack I rushed to the ER only for them to find nothing. I developed a fear of going to work as I worked alone, and I was scared to be alone. I was in constant fear that "something" (anxiety, panic attack, heart attack) was going to get me or "something" was going to happen. Constant insane tension. I had multiple panic attacks over the course of a few weeks and ended up in the ER on multiple occasions only for them to find nothing.

After a trip to my regular doctor he prescribed me some meds, which I refused for obvious reasons. However while I was there he gave me some excellent advice: "You are like chicken, be like duck." He explained that stress is like water. I was like a chicken because my "feathers" absorbed the water. And I needed to be shedding the water like the feathers of a duck. Eventually as you "absorb" water, the weight of it adds up and you will eventually begin to be crushed under the weight of it. This is when you run into anxiety and panic attacks. So, I took his advice and stopped allowing myself to take on stress that I didnt need to take on. I stopped allowing myself to get emotionally involved in other peoples problems or to be disturbed on any level. This doesnt mean I became heartless, unhelpful, or uncaring, it just means that I refused to allow things to needlessly cause me stress, especially when it wasnt my problem to begin with. If someone came to me with some drama or a problem, I didnt take it to heart and dwell on it. I would converse with them and offer my advice and condolences, etc. But thats where the problem would stop for me. As a matter of my own health, I would seek to get my mind into a place of peace and happiness as soon as possible and keep it there. Whether that was through a hobby, watching funny videos, having fun with a friend or family member, etc.

Through some research, I had read something about Zinc being crucial for helping you deal with stress. Its been a long while since I read up on it, and I'll probably butcher the recap, but something along the lines of, when you stress/worry, your body burns through your stores of Zinc, and when it runs out you get that anxious tense feeling we call anxiety. Anyways, again, full disclaimer, dont quote me on that, this was all years ago.

However, there are a lot of vitamins and minerals that contribute to dealing with stress/anxiety. Magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, copper, B vitamins.. the list goes on. I have good reason to believe in my case, Zinc made the difference.

I found a supplement, its a Stress B - Complex that includes Zinc. This for whatever reason works for me 100%. It doesnt include every vitamin or mineral that can help manage stress/anxiety, but this one works for me. I personally think the Zinc is what made a difference for me. As I was taking another B-Complex that didnt include Zinc and it didnt work.

Also, sunlight and the outdoors. In addition to the mental diet and the supplements, I found that getting myself outdoors helped a lot. Due to work, I was a night owl. I hardly every got out during the day. I made it a point to get out, take walks, go fishing, attending family get togethers and things like that.

All together my terrible run in with anxiety, lasted probably a month or less before I got a serious handle on it. In the years since, I've had it try to come back but I'm more than well enough equipped to handle it. Usually it happens during times I'm dealing with something stressful and all I need to do is step back from the stress and take my Stress B-Complex for a few days to knock it out again.

I'd give the brand of the supplement, but I dont know if giving exact brands is allowed here. I will say its usually readily available at Wal Mart. Brown bottle, with a yellow lid and label.


Rhodiola
Posted by Vee (London) on 11/02/2022
★★★★★

Rhodiola has really helped me with overall mood and has lowered anxiety.


Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Joseph (Stockton, CA) on 10/22/2021 73 posts

Hi Sandi,

I am very sorry for your painful loss, I know it can take its toll, however life goes on and I want to explain a few things to you. First of all there is a book out called “Medication Madness” by Dr Peter Breggin, you will learn a lot. Now Serpina I used for my ill son with Schizophrenia, mental illness, insomnia, psychosis, etc., it is an herb developed in 1934 in India as the worlds first Anti-hypertensive medication, it restores normal blood pressure in hypertensives. This pill also fights Anxiety (best), reduces fevers, calm the nerves, used as a sedative in some psychotic disorders. Almost no side effects except when taking Antipsychotics or cold flu medicines. Sold at Amazon for $7.00 for 100 pills 4mg. I took my son off of antipsychotics and replaced with Serpina for 8 successful years, he did well until OCD entered his life, then medication was given Antipsychotic poison again, needless to say I learned the hard way with interaction so I stop Serpina. You can stop cold turkey, no food is needed prior to taking. I will reply to questions. Joseph


Magnesium
Posted by Bj (Michigan, Usa) on 05/26/2015
★★★★★

The best supplement that I have used for chronic anxiety is magnesium chloride. I use a pinch (about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon), I usually put it in juice or hot molasses tea that I make to take my pure powdered vitamins. But I have dissolved it in 1/2 cup of water and swallowed quickly as it tastes terrible. Other types of magnesium do not work for my anxiety. Magnesium chloride has removed the 'what ifs', the racing thoughts, the chronic worry and the insomnia, especially when I take it before bed. It has also worked well for restless leg syndrome. I have taken it up to 3 times a day but usually no more than twice.

Now I just take it a few times a week or when I feel I need it. It will cause diarrhea so if this happens just cut back. I get aquarium grade pure magnesium chloride as there are no additives and tropical fish owners are well aware of how sensitive and valuable their fish are and so the supplements they use are high quality. I hope you find relief soon, as I do understand the debilitating cycle anxiety can be. ~Bj~


5-HTP
Posted by Joe (Sterville, Co) on 03/11/2013
★★★★★

I've read a few posts on the use of 5HTP and unusual symptoms (headaches, pains, etc) after using for awhile. Just wanted to recommend The Mood Cure book which helps to explain that these symptoms could possibly be caused by too much serotonin (serotonin syndrome). The gist of the 5HTP part is just using it long enough, and in proper doses, to where you feel better. Once you start getting abnormal symptoms, it can indicate that you are getting too much of a good thing, at which point you would stop or cut back.



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