8 Natural Herbs To Treat Mental Disorders: Stress, Anxiety, Depression

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Daily life problems and on-going pressure can create mental disorders such as anxiety, stress and ultimately depression. All of which are linked to each other and for instance, stress can make existing mental issues like anxiety worse. Approximately 14.8 million American adults are affected yearly with such disorders. And instead of resorting to sedative drugs that can reflect side effects such as addiction, weight gain and frenzy behavior. Alternative medicine offers you the same therapeutic properties using only natural elements.

Herbs to treat depression, stress and anxiety:

1 – St. John’s wort herb

If you are depressed and always anxious, unable to sleep? St. John’s wort plant is the solution that you need. Herbal experts consider it one of the best anti-depressants and prescribed for the treatment of light and moderate depression.

You can find this plant in health stores or in pharmacies in different forms, such as pills, liquid extracts, capsules or injections. But be careful, because consuming this plant should be in suitable doses.

To use the plant for more than 15 days, you must consult with a doctor or a specialist in the field because drugs interactions can create complications, especially antidepressant and antiviral drugs.

2 – Rhodiola Rosea or the Golden Root

This plant prefers a particular slope in the cold regions of the world to grow naturally. The plant is considered the golden root of the perennial plants and pretty useful against mental stress.

The roots are used in Scandinavia for the treatment of seasonal depression, which is associated with the absence of sunny skies as well as being an excellent stimulant and substitute for anti-anxiety medication as it helps to regulate the production of adrenaline and improving sleep in people who suffer from insomnia.

If you feel tired and you need the energy to work, you can take golden root plant in the form of a capsule or tablet half an hour before breakfast or lunch. Avoid taking it in the evening so as not to bother you while you sleep.

3 – Valerian 

Valerian plant is known for its sedative effects since ancient Greece era and used as a natural remedy for sleep disorders and nervousness. The important ingredients of this plant exist in its roots and consumed in different forms such as dried roots, dye and dry extract of the herb.

You can use this herb to reduce tension and anxiety by putting dried roots in boiling water and drink from it twice a day. And you can also add boiled valerian to your bath to release tension and stress.

4 – Ginseng 

Ginseng is called the “root of life” in Chinese traditional medicine because it gives a sense of energy in the case of physical and mental fatigue.

The advantage of this plant is that it helps to increase the body’s ability to cope with stress and fatigue of different situations you encounter every day. To take advantage of its unique properties, take ginseng on a daily basis, for example, in the form of capsules containing 3 or 7 percent of the “ginsenoside”.

5 – Chamomile

If you feel anxious, stressed, you should take a cup of chamomile warm tea, which helps to calm the nerves and relieves anxiety and depression.

6 – Green tea

Green tea contains a substance called ‘Theanine’ that reduces high heart rate and high blood pressure, drink green tea twice a day to refresh your thoughts and to calm the nervous system.

7 – Passion Flower

Despite its name, passion flower have no effect on the feelings or pain and it works as a moderator for the nerves, anti-anxiety and insomnia, but it is advised to to overtake it because it has the same effect as other sedative drugs.

8 – Lavender

Lavender flower has a strong aromatic smell and used to treat stress and anxiety, you can create a lavender spray or drink it in the form of tea, try it and you won’t be disappointed.

Important tips for anxiety, stress, depression:

  •  Exercise is very beneficial for both the body and the mind, try to practice any kind of sports on a regular basis and you will feel the difference.
  • A deep breath is one of the easiest ways to fight anxiety and when you feel the pressure. It will help you relax and refrain you from getting nervous or angry.
  • If you notice low blood glucose, it may be due to anxiety feelings, you need to eat something like chocolate or candy to restore normal glucose level.
  • Make sure to eat breakfast on time because it’s considered one the most important meals of the day. It helps the body to function efficiently, where studies found that those who do not have breakfast become more anxious than those who do.
  • Omega 3 is among the top beneficial nutrients for your health, such as protecting the heart from disease, as they also protect against depression {depression home remedies} and stress.
  • Magnesium components reduce the tension and lower high blood pressure and excess heart rate.
That’s it,
What are some other herbs worth mentioning to treat stress, anxiety and depression?
References:
  1. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/stress
  2. http://www.theherbalspoon.com/2013/06/anxiety-and-depression-relief.html
  3. http://www.herbalismchoice.com/2016/03/stress-and-anxiety-home-remedies.html
Yassine
A herbalist from Western Sahara, a long distance runner, and the founder of Grapefruit Dieter. What started as documenting hundreds of natural herbs originating from the Western Sahara desert turns into a passion of research, sharing the nomads secrets of medicine, and collaborating with researchers across the world.