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.
Rhodiola
Posted by Katie (Missouri) on 01/18/2017
★★★★★
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!
GABA
Posted by Janet (Ind) on 03/12/2016
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
Peppermint Tea
Posted by Iñaki (Toronto, Ont) on 01/06/2014
★★★★★
I seem to have panic attacks only in winters, maybe the lack of D3; who knows. The only natural thing that works for me so far is Peppermint tea. When I feel there is a PA in its way, I run and either prepare or buy ( if I am outside) a peppermint tea and the effect is inmediate. Is this a placebo effect or there is a compound in the mint tea that fights the panic attack? Honestly I dont know, but as long as it avoid a PA I will continue to try it. Hope this advice can help someone.
EMDR
Posted by Missy (Kansas City, Mo Usa) on 05/22/2012
★★★★★
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing. It can be done by looking left and right, hearing sounds in alternate ears left and right, crossing your arms and tapping your hands on opposite arms, or patting someone's legs left and right to help them. The idea is to stimulate the left and right hemispheres of the brain alternately while dealing with the trauma. I'm thinking it helps the emotional side of the brain and the logical side of the brain talk. You can read up on it on the net easily enough, but it's best that a therapist help adminster it for best results.
I heard that people in the 9/11 attack used EMDR with good results. I used it for getting past a rape and another invasive trauma. EMDR is the therapy that finally helped.
5-HTP
Posted by Gtijes (Allentown, Pa, Usa) on 08/29/2010
Does anyone know of a way to introduce something natural like 5-htp, and cut back on the prescription antidepressants? I wasn't sure if they interacted safely at all.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Adrienne (Idaho) on 10/29/2020
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.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Joseph A. (Stockton, Ca) on 11/07/2021 73 posts
Hi, I know this is a very old reply, however in your comment, you stated you took 50mg Acetylcarnitine, actually, I think you meant 500mg, they don't make 50mg, plus all the problems you had couldn't have been eliminated with 50mg, sure it's possible but improbable. My son has Severe Anxiety and he takes 500mg twice daily for 1.000mg. I will look into him taking more Safely. Thank you, Joseph
Iodine
Posted by Jo Ana (Daytona Beach, FL) on 01/30/2009
★★★★★
I think a lot of us are iodine deficient. I have low thyroid function with a body temp of around 97 as well as various other low-thyroid related symptoms which I would like to alleviate. I now take 10 drops of Lugol's in water in the AM and 6 more in the PM. That's about 100 mgs of iodine but my body seems to need it. I had tried iodoral, nascent iodine, painting feet & wrists with Lugols with no noticeable improvement. My body seems to crave iodine. Lugol's can be purchased online from various vendors.
Ted's Remedies
Posted by Loretta (Red Deer, Alberta) on 12/13/2007
★★★★★
In September, I started using some of Ted's remedies from earthclinic for a 20 year CFS/pain condition, and kidney/liver lesions.
The remedies I take are:
- 1/4 teaspoon borax & some drops of H202 in 1 liter of water sipped slowly throughout the day.
- Chlorella
- B complex
- Amino Acids
- Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) in 1/2 glass of water with citric acid.
I take these five days a week. I also use borax in the bath daily.
This program has been adjusted, and I will continue to do so, but I really wanted to write about a major change in my health: anxiety is gone! and most of the kidney pain too! It takes time, it takes alot of reading, it takes a willingness to change diet, lifestyle and our conditioned beliefs, but these remedies have been the best thing to help me....and until I found earthclinic, I had tried it 'all'. I am no longer a slave to untreatable diseases from doctors, or dependent on expensive naturalpaths.
Let's not just 'thank Ted'....let's 'show' him our appreciation. L
5-HTP
Posted by Jc (Boston) on 07/07/2015
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.
Rhodiola
Posted by Moira (Manchester, NH) on 01/15/2009
★★★★★
I know its been a year since asked, but in case anyone else wanted to know if 5HTP and Rhodiola are safe together, the answer is yes (although I am not a health professional - just know from my own research and experience). Your body naturally creates the transmitters that 5htp stimulates - its harmless. In fact, I noticed no difference in my severe anxiety when I took 5 HTP. Rhodiola is an herb that helps regulate serotonin levels and is not affected by 5HTP's process.
Chances are, if you take RR, you'll not need the 5HTP which can have uncomfortable side effects if you decide to quit it. Always remember to taper off any supplement or med to give your body a chance to keep up!
L-Theanine
Posted by Hermano (Lisbon, Portugal) on 10/16/2006
★★★★★
L-Theanine is the best for a mild anxiety. also i tried before playing golf and the results are a four or five better score.this site of yours is the most informative and serious that i have found. thank you.
Rhodiola
Posted by Kristine (Belle Chasse, LA) on 08/21/2006
★★★★★
Rhodiola is the best stuff ever for anxiety.
Rhodiola
Posted by Missy (Portland, OR) on 07/12/2006
★★★★★
Rhodiola cured me of anxiety, depression and fatigue.
Alternatives to Benzos
Posted by sue (PNW) on 10/18/2021
Hi Joe,
I was tapered off a benzo which I depended on for sleep for way too many years. I had tried to reduce many times on my own, and couldn't, but with the help of a new "doctor, " actually a young nurse practitioner, we were successful. It took six months plus to slowly taper down to a very, very low dose which seemed almost microscopic, but then I just couldn't go any lower. She then prescribed Doxepin, a tricyclic anti-depressant at a low dose. At a dosage of 75 mg and up it treats depression, but they have found that a low dosage of 3 - 6 mgs helps with insomnia. It has helped me, a lot, I am off of the benzo and sleeping better, with a clearer head. I don't know if this will help your son with his issue, PTSD and benzos, but it might be another tool available for his tool kit.
I hope he has as good a clinician as my young ARNP.
5-HTP
Posted by Gord235 (Vancouver) on 10/24/2021
At the time, I had no idea that taking twice my regular dose would have such an adverse effect as 5HTP was described to me as a vita-nutrient. So to me, it was the same as taking a double dose of vitamin C.
Wormwood Combo
Posted by Rexine (United States) on 06/19/2019
★★★★★
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.
Brahmi Ayurvedic Herbs
Posted by Reet (Vic) on 02/22/2017 1 posts
★★★★★
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.
Probiotics
Posted by Good Advise Wife (Los Angeles, Ca) on 07/08/2016
★★★★★
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.
Ashwagandha
Posted by Kaylap (Abbotsford, Bc) on 02/03/2018 5 posts
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.
Enzymes and Probiotics
Posted by Brittani (Pa) on 11/18/2014
★★★★★
For anxiety, improve your digestion system. The gut is the second brain. Haven't you ever heard of the gut/brain connection? If you are not digesting your foods, this can wreak havoc on the entire body. I was getting very anxious with heart palpitations before and ever since I improved my digestive system by taking digestive enzymes and probiotics, I have been calm as can be.
DHEA
Posted by Jenna (South Dakota) on 06/26/2014
★★★★★
I am giving an update. Holy Basil did not work, all though I thought it had. Just temporary relief. About five days later I ended up in the emergency room for a full blow panic attack and they gave me 1mg of valium, which brought it down. Also a temporary prescription of adivan, which really didn't do anything for me, chilled me only for a few hours. The next day, still anxiety, and so forth. It took me about 5 days of experimenting to figure out what was wrong - took 50 mgs of Dhea, and finally could breathe again, all anxiety left. It was my adrenals all along. Please do research on low Dhea, as there is a kind, I believe call Kudo, that inhibits it affecting other hormones in the body so that you don't grow a mustache, thinning hair. 50mgs is very high to take for any long period of time, check out info on Curezone or other forums.
Flax Seed Oil
Posted by SUNNY (Ca) on 05/20/2014
★★★★★
I use flaxseed oil softgels of 1000mg or more. Cold pressed! Organic. I take as many as I need like 2 per meal. It helps with my anxiety so much, very quickly after I take them. I take them also prior to getting my period, which helps to balance mood then.
Flax's fatty acid profile: omega 3,6, and 9. Love it!
Namaste, Sunny
Chocolate, Nutmeg
Posted by Anon (Anon) on 11/25/2013
★★★★★
For anxiety, prayer. Also, these cookies:
Chocolate Nutmeg Cookies
In a large pan melt 1 stick butter, 1 cup peanut butter, 1/2 large dark-chocolate bar (to help the bars hold their shape). Mix in 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp clove powder. Mix in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Mix in about 2 cups uncooked oatmeal till thoroughly mixed. Press into the bottom of a cake pan, cut/score into squares with a knife, chill in the fridge or freezer until firm. Share. Enjoy.
The measurements are approximate. It looks like a lot of spice, but that's why they are so good. Have them for breakfast with fresh fruit.
Chocolate, Nutmeg
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 11/25/2013
Hello Anon from Anon;
Re your recipe using nutmeg as an anti anxiety remedy.
Wonderful...I do love nutmeg...so aromatic and aromatics alone may have great value... we often overlook their benefits. (One of my favorite aromatics is fresh ground coffee and inhaling the grinds as soon as ground...ah, bliss for five seconds.)
Here's one for winter months to help with circulation and again as an aromatic; the scent will permeate the house with a most wonderful earthy feel.
I call this "Three C Tea"...
- Grind a teaspoon of cardamom.
- Grind a teaspoon of clove.
- Grate a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Put in two cups water and bring to near boil, then let steep for ten minutes. (Add a little raw cane sugar to taste.) Add some ginger for circulation needs. Breathe in deeply the aroma as you sip. Wonderful on a cold night.
Dave