Alternative Herbal Treatments for Anxiety & Depression
St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum): St. John's Wort has been historically used for depression, anxiety, gastritis, and insomnia, and it is the leading treatment in Germany for depression. The FDA has yet to approve it for use in the United States and it is still regulated as a dietary supplement.
Many people find this herb to be very effective in treating mild to moderate depression. From what is known about St. John's Wort it is considered to be safe. Long-term use has not been studied so caution should be used when taking the herb for any length of time.
Use of this product may increase sensitivity to sunlight. Other side effects are rare and usually very mild. Do not take St. John's Wort with other antidepressants as this can cause a life-threatening condition known as Serotonin Syndrome.
Kava-Kava:
Kava-Kava is widely used by island people of the South Pacific Islands for its tranquilizing properties and its ability to increase a person's sociability. It is a low-cost herbal alternative to conventional antianxiety medications, without the potential for physical addiction, major side affects or loss of alertness.
The herb can reduce anxiety and promotes restful sleep. It is nonaddictive. It does not alter mental clarity, nor does it interfere with reaction times or alertness. Its ability to promote relaxation without loss of important mental controls makes it particularly useful during the daytime.
Ginseng:
Ginseng is believed to improve the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. It improves concentration and focus as well as eases depression and fatigue. Side effects can include headache, insomnia, anxiety, and heart palpitations.
Ginkgo Biloba:
This herb increases blood flow to the brain as well as general bodily circulation. People report improvements in mood and attention while taking it. It is a very poplular herb.
Licorice:
Licorice is a powerful antidepressant acting as an MAO inhibitor. Taking too much licorice will result in a range of side effects including headaches, lethargy, water retention, excessive loss of potassium, and high blood pressure.
Passion Flower:
Chrysin is the active ingredient in Passion Flower. It works as a sedative at controlling anxiety and easing insomnia. Passion Flower is nonaddictive, but should not be used during pregnancy or lactation. It appears not to interact negatively with other sedatives.
Damiana:
People have reported an improvement in mood when taking this herb, and it appears to be very effective at improving impotence and some of the other sexual side effects of traditional antidepressant medication.
Valerian:
Valerian is a sedative. It can act as a minor tranquilizer for restlessness, anxiety and sleep disturbance. It also acts as a muscle relaxant. It inhibits break down of the neurotransmitter GABA by affecting the enzymes related to it. By stimulating GABA, it dampens the brain's arousal system.
There have been a number of complaints about side effects after prolonged use.
Gotu Kola:
Gotu Kola has been shown in several studies to improve memory, mental alertness, and increase attention span. It also contains two saponin glycosides, brahmoside and brahminoside, which are known to promote relaxation.