Supplements, vitamins, or non-medical products for Anxiety?

[Matt23]

Hey.

Does anyone know of any good non-medical/non-pharmaceutical products to help anxiety?  

Specific brands would be appreciated as well, especially if you have experience with them.

Cheers

[Natasha]

@Matt23 Daily/regular meditation routine and mindfulness practices can re-wire your brain out of anxiety. It calms down the part of the brain that's responsible for the 'fight or flight' reflex.

[Call Me Whatever]

I've heard NAC can ease anxiety in people, but I have no direct experience with it. 

[Luciphene]

Ooh, your question is right up my street! I’m delighted to introduce you to...CBD. The THC free cannabis product that saved my freakin sanity! Well. It’s technically low in THC. It’s legal, that’s the point ?

I had a nervous breakdown in 2012 after a bereavement and I struggled for YEARS to control anxiety. I had to stop work and I became basically housebound and trapped in familiar environments. Then I had two organ infections and came down with CFS/ME. CBD still helps me enormously. It let me do normal things again, like get my own shopping. When I could still walk around, anyway. It just nukes panic attacks and generalised anxiety. It’s SO useful. Great for pain too, and I mix it with base oil and use it as a rub on for aches and pains. I’ve converted half my friends and family with my home made CBD rub!

Anxiety is a living hell. You have my sympathy. 

If you’re in the U.K, try The Original Alternative online. That’s where I get mine. I recommend the blue oil especially, but you have to play around a bit and see what suits you. You might prefer the green. Sativa tends to wake me up. Indica puts me to sleep. Hybrid makes me happy! You can buy samples on there to try out. I think different people have different reactions to sativa  vs indicate vs hybrid. Start off with a low dose and see how you go. 

Watch out for the snake oil salesmen tho. Go somewhere reputable like LoveCBD or TOA. Holland and Barrett have a passable product which isn’t too strong, brand name Jacob Hooey. That’s good for beginners but it’s not, to my knowledge, full spectrum. Might be wrong, worth doing some research first!  Don’t buy the stuff you find in the market on a Saturday. And if it’s a little Asian dude who keeps the product under the counter...avoid. Find a site with good independent reviews. And I recommend taking full spectrum, not CBD isolate, as isolate isn’t as effective. You want the full range of terpenes and polyphenols to get the full effect. Check the sites lab tests too, to ensure you’re getting actual CBD and not something illegal or poisonous. That’s why I like TOA, they publish their lab results. 
 

Oh and get your vitamin levels checked. I did and they found a severe vitamin D deficiency. A couple of months on vit D and I was much better. Much calmer. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Luciphene

[Matt23]

Cheers!

@Luciphene Any thoughts on CBD for depression? 

[trubodywellness]

I suggest doing prayanam and yoga to reduce anxiety ... and it helps in

increased flexibility.

increased muscle strength and tone.

improved respiration, energy, and vitality.

maintaining a balanced metabolism.

weight reduction.

cardio and circulatory health.

improved athletic performance.

protection from injury.

Thanks!

[Michael569]

• Ashwagandha is pretty good. 
• Lemon Balm as a tea, or dried extract has been researched a lot for anxiety and insomnia
• Siberian Ginseng if you also feel worn down 
• Passiflora, Skull Cap and Magnolia are decent
• St John's Wort for more depressive anxiety. Has the most research behind it 
• CBD mentioned above is also good

Note that none of the herbs or oiils "heal" the anxiety, they merely work on different aspects of brain chemistry and it is necessary to get to the bottom of it possibly by working with experienced mental health therapist or CBT specialist. Also, caution if you are on benzies, antidepressants or any other medical drugs that induce sedation and reduce depression/anxiety, it is probably not a good idea to do herbs at that time as they may cause hypomania when taken together. 

[Matt23]

@Michael569 I've not done any medications.  I'm trying to find a more naturalistic way to deal with anxiety and depression.  Over the last week or so since I posted this, I'm seeing how I think I feel more depression than anxiety.  Though, there may be a cycle from anxiety to depression, especially considering context.

[Luciphene]

18 hours ago, Matt23 said:

Cheers!

@Luciphene Any thoughts on CBD for depression? 

I’d say the CBD might be the sooonful of sugar that helps life go down  It helped me when I as depressed a while ago.

[Matt23]

@Luciphene Cheers

6 hours ago, Luciphene said:

I’d say the CBD might be the sooonful of sugar that helps life go down

Ah!   Touche

 

[Michael569]

15 hours ago, Matt23 said:

I've not done any medications.  I'm trying to find a more naturalistic way to deal with anxiety and depression.  Over the last week or so since I posted this, I'm seeing how I think I feel more depression than anxiety.  Though, there may be a cycle from anxiety to depression, especially considering context.

Matt,   St John's Worth might be the right one for you then. Has by far the most research behind it and when put head-to-head against things like Zodac in trials, it produced equal results without the nasty side effects like erectile dysfunction and loss of libido. It is not sedative and does not turn you into vegetable either. A tincture or a dried concentrate would be a good start but follow the dosing on the bottle. 

The only downside is that these thing need to be taken for a while to start producing the therapeutic effect so give it time and do not stop using it in between. 

But like I mentioned before, it is a good idea to try to get to the bottom of it. St.John's Wort will make you more grounded and more stable but definitely work with a specialist to help you out of it. 

Good luck!!