Natural or Herbal Treatment

[SeanQ]

I was diagnosed with GAD a few years ago and have never liked the effects that benzos have had on me, so I've tried to go without a lot of meds. I was just wondering if anyone has had success with herbal treatments, or vitamins. Can anybody share some pros and cons and what they've tried?

[nursegirl6572]

Therapy isn't so much about finding a "cause" so much (in some cases) but rather empowering you by teaching coping techniques and learning more about what anxiety is, how it manifests, etc.

It can be helpful in any case of anxiety, I would say it's worth trying!

[SeanQ]

Hey you guys, thanks for all the advice! I agree, there are tons of scammy "natural" products out there. I think I have an idea what I'm looking for though. I want to try to fill in all the pieces for serotonin production. B vitamins, magnesium, tryptophan, maybe some GABA. I'll be very cautious though. Arsenic? Wow! Do people really try to sell that to the anxiously inclined?

Nursegirl. I see what you're saying about seeking therapy. I wonder, is GAD something you can every really talk through? I am hoping it's more of a serotonin imbalance or something I can try to fix with diet and supplementation.... Maybe that's wishful thinking...

[nursegirl6572]

Welcome to the forum, you're among people who know what you're going through, you're not alone.

There are MANY different medication alternatives out there besides benzos.  This is something you would need to discuss with your doc (preferrably a psychiatrist).  What other methods have you tried to treat your anxiety with?  Have you tried any therapy?  CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is often very successful in treating anxiety disorders.

If you and your doc decide to give a medication a try, remember that everyone reacts differently to these meds.  Some have reported very negative experiences, and some (myself included) have had great success with them.  While it's important to educate yourself and read about other people's experiences, try not to let any of the stories give you a preconceived notion either way (good or bad).  Allow yourself to have your own experience.  Also, realize that it is fairly common to have some initial unpleasant side effects with some of the antidepressants, which are widely used in treating anxiety.  A vast majority of people who stick it out report that the side effects dissipate and resolve within a week or two.

No matter what kind of treatment you try for anxiety, it takes time, patience and some work on your part to allow for success.  Therapy is an important component of anxiety treatment, even IF a person has decided to take meds, or herbal supplements.  Therapy helps to teach us how to break the cycle of anxious thinking, which is what keeps us on the anxiety rollercoaster.

I also agree that you need to exercise caution when trying a "natural" or "herbal" remedy.  Many people take those terms to mean "safe", and that isn't always true, those kinds of supplements come with risks as well, which is why it's good to research the meds or supplements you are considering.

Take care and hang in there.  Update us when you can!

[gofio]

Be very aware of 'natural' 'alternative' meds. Remember that these are in general untested for use by the public. Arsenic/Hemlock/Strychnine etc are all 'natural' products. Suggest you stick to evidence based medication ~ as dispensed by Drs/Psych. Anxiety does play havoc with our lives, but  I manage with the use of meds from Doc. Will take them for rest of my life. If you wish for the benefits you must also accept the often unwelcome side effects. Good luck. George

[bbxx]

Pros and Cons--
Well when I was on Prozac, it basically numbed my personality and neither myself nor my family liked that at all. I was not on it very long becuase my dr was a stickler for pre-testing and during meds testing and I acquired heart block. (1st degree). I went off that and swore off drugs. Then came CFS and I was on Effexor. I had lots of vision issues on it as well as headaches, I did have a lot of energy and I have to say my personality was not effected, which was really nice. The only problem was going off it. It was the worse thing I ever experienced and lasted months. Unfortunately I am one that has suffered permenant issues from stopping the drug. So you can imagine my detest for these drugs. Again though, I dont see a lot of people on here complaining about the damage from drugs, so I guess you can conclude most people handle the meds fine. You want to think about if you are already on any medications or if you have any issues like heart rythm issues. Natural stuff also has side effects. People assume herbs means safe. Its not true. There are programs out there that help a lot of people without the use of drugs. IM me if you want the info. I like to encourage people to see an integrated doctor who will run some tests to look for certain health issues that can cause you to be anxious feeling etc... well I hope you find the answers you are looking for.