5 Potential Herbal Solutions for Recurrent Anxiety

by Ryan Rivera

Anxiety is the type of condition that your body needs to learn to cope with. No medicine, not even herbal medicine, represents a permanent fix. You need to be able to develop a mindset that isn't as affected by stress, otherwise you will continue to experience anxiety for years to come.
But it's still helpful to use something that provides temporary relief. You need a break from anxiety if you want to control it. For that, herbal remedies make far more sense. They can be taken as needed (rather than every day), they're non-addictive, and they have none of the same side effects as prescription medications.

There are several home remedies that are believed to be useful in combatting anxiety. The most popular of which include:

Valerian Root Extract – Valerian root has been most commonly used for sleep. But in the past few years, it's gained notoriety for its effects on anxiety as well. The key here is the sedation – this herb doesn't necessarily reduce mental anxiety, but it does calm you down significantly so that the symptoms dissipate. Because of the importance of mentally overcoming anxiety, valerian can be highly beneficial.

Kava Kava – Kava Kava is a root herb, known throughout the world for its natural, well documented ability to control anxiety. Indeed, the effects of kava kava are so well known that some research actually confirms that it is better in trials than modern medications. In addition, kava kava is non-addictive, and doesn't appear to have any withdrawal symptoms, so it can be taken as needed rather than all the time.

Magnesium – Magnesium supplements may not be herbs, but they are highly important for regulating the body's internal chemistry. Magnesium deficiency affects as many as 25% of the population, and it's been proven that too little magnesium can lead to anxiety and depression symptoms. Magnesium supplementation will only affect the anxiety of those suffering from the deficiency, but in some cases it can act almost as though it was an instant cure.

Passionflower – Passionflower works very similarly to kava, calming the mind and body using natural ingredients. Passionflower is better for mild anxiety however, as it's not quite as strong, but many people prefer to take it over kava because it doesn't seem to interact with any medicines.

St. John's Wort – St. John's Wort is actually an herb for depression, and a fairly powerful one at that. But it does have an effect on anxiety as well. The herb itself helps to calm negative thinking, and negative thinking is one of the main reasons that anxiety seems to recur. It also has a mild mood and calming effect – both of which can be beneficial for those dealing with anxiety symptoms.

These are just a few of the available herbal treatments for anxiety. Each one can affect you in different ways, so it's not a bad idea to try one at a time and see if you feel a difference. In the case of magnesium supplements, for example, you may not have a deficiency of magnesium so the supplement would be less effective. Similarly, you may find your anxiety is a bit too strong for passionflower, or kava is too strong for your anxiety.

Regardless, there are many reasons to believe that herbal solutions are the best way to treat anxiety. If you're sure that you are able to safely take the above herbs and you have talked them over with a doctor, the herbal supplements listed above appear to be fine choices for combating anxiety.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera is a natural medicine supporter with a great deal of experience studying herbs and supplements. He provides information on natural anxiety treatments at www.calmclinic.com.