ANXIETY - Holistic control over your anxiety

Anxious - shy - worrywort - quiet - nervous. These are words that people used to describe me when I was growing up. For years we all just thought that this was my personality description, not a neurological disorder. This blog is for people who are experiencing anxiety, either life-long or recent, and don't want to take prescription-strength medicine.

Many people find themselves feeling anxious at some point in their lives, even if they never felt this way in youth. Or you might find that stressful situations cause more anxiety as you get older.

I've discovered natural solutions to anxiety that work just as effectively as prescription medications that I have taken. The prescription meds caused side affects that holistic (over-the-counter) herbs and other products don't.

I have always had an anxiety disorder which I grew up knowing as shyness. I am basically anxious, nervous, worried and fearful of most things, especially social interactions. I did a good enough job of hiding it or at least not drawing too much attention to it when I was growing up, but it was always there and it always bothered me.

What is anxiety disorder and what causes it? One source described it as: anxiety that is disproportionate to the stimulus, and sometimes in the absence of any obvious stimulus. The physiological chemistry assocated with anxiety is what I am focusing on because that is something that I can target for change through herbal, hormonal or otherwise means.

General Anxiety Disorder is associated with irregular levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry signals across nerve endings. Neurotransmitters that seem to involve anxiety include norepinephrine, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and serotonin.

These irregular levels of neurotransmitters can also cause depression and obsessive thinking, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Living with these disorders all of your life is emotionally draining. Our bodies can also change as we age and the serotonin levels can be reduced (especially during menopause), so even if you were never a shy person or a worrywort when you were young, you could start suffering from anxiety at a later age.

Serotonin is a chemical that serves as a neurotransmitter, which helps brain cells communicate. Serotonin levels being too low have been implicated in anxiety, depression, migraine headaches, and many other ailments. Many of the drugs used to treat mood and anxiety disorders target the serotonin system.

Links for detailed medical information:
http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000125/CH123.html
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web1/Applegate.html

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OK, some history about where I am at today (at age 46). A few years ago Zoloft ran some ads on TV about social anxiety and how their medication can correct this, allowing you to be the person that you really are. This was music to my ears, and the first time I ever thought of shyness as a physical disorder. So, I went to my regular physician and asked for a prescription, which he obliged.

I took Zoloft for a year and a half and I loved it. I have to admit that it took a little time to get used to the real me, but it was nice not having that cloud hanging around all day. No more obsessing or constant fearfulness.

But all good things come to an end. I started having side effects that were very stressful to live with, muscle crams in my neck all day, and a 30 pound weight gain that I'm sure was caused by Zoloft. So, I decided to try life without Zoloft. I figured it couldn't be that hard, since I had lived with anxiety for 42 years prior to this.

It was hard. After finding out how my mind worked without anxiety, having the anxiety back again seemed to make me acutely aware of it. I obsessed over all kinds of things and was more aware of the obsessive thinking than I was before I had discovered Zoloft. I decided to give Zoloft another try, but the side effects came right back, and I couldn't live with that neck ache. So I quit taking it again.

I gave Lexapro a try since the doctor recommended it as the medicine with the least amount of side affects, but this medicine is for depression and although it got rid of my anxiety and obsessing, it left me feeling a little depressed. So I quit prescription medicines and turned to holistic medicine.

I started experimenting with whatever I could find at the grocery store. First I tried 5-HTP which is described on the label as a mood enhancer. It made a difference and I had hope again that I could have a life without anxiety. After a little time on 5-HTP, the affects seemed to dissolve a little, maybe I was just getting used to it. So, I explored some more and added other herbs to my daily routine. Next came St. John's Wort which is probably the most effective herb I take, then Ginkgo Biloba, then Chromiuim Picolinate.

I got some of my ideas on what to try by going to vitamin and supplement websites and doing a search for anxiety. My favorite site is:

BotanicChoice.com - products are doctor recommended and always carry an unconditional 100% money-back guarantee.

I like this site because the products have detailed information, and the site has good cross-references to similar products. This site has one product with a combination of ingredients that you can use daily and not have to purchase items individually. I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to. I think this would be a good place to start if you haven't tried herbs to control your anxiety. My only observation is that the St. John's Wort dosage is lower (150mg) than the dosage if taken individually (300mg) and St. John's Wort is the best product I take.

Rhodiola Rosea is another herb, a root grown in arctic regions, that helps boost the seretonin levels. I discovered this herb when I tried a weight loss product that targets stress reduction which included Rhodiola as one of the ingredients. It really put me in a good mood. I ran out of the weight loss supplement (didn't loose a pound), but I have individual Rhodiola Rosea on order in the mail right now. Korean Ginseng is closely related.

Another mood elevator that I haven't experimented with is Kava. One concern I have is that the information on the website mentions the possibility of liver damage if used too much or in combination with other medicines, so I think Kava may be acceptable for special occasions only. People with anxiety problems who self-medicate on alcohol might have a problem staying away from Kava.

DHEA is another approach to mood control. DHEA is a substance that the pancreas produces which the body turns into hormones. The only problem is that it may produce too much estrogen, progesterone or testosterone than you need. Plus, you're kind of messing with mother nature, but in doses smaller than 50mg daily you shouldn't have problems. DHEA costs about 10 cents daily. 7-Keto DHEA works very well for me (better than DHEA). This form of DHEA is more potent and therefore more expensive (about $30/month), but eliminates the sex hormones.

One other approach is to control your anxiety with amino acids which work on the gaba hormone. I am using a produce called Gaba Relaxer which adds more of the amino acids concerning gaba behavior into your chemistry. This product also contains B-complex vitamins which helps your body produce a healthy amount of amino acids.

IN A NUTSHELL. I'll list the products that I have mentioned plus a link to my favorite website. However, you can go to any website and find anxiety/stress related products.

Stress-Ez™ 180 Tablets
Stress-Ez is the result of hundreds of years of herbal knowledge. It blends together eight herbs known for their ability to calm the body... revive the spirit... relax the mind.

St. John’s Wort (300mg) 60 Capsules - 300 mg. - Standardized Extract (0.3% Hypericin)
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) contains the active ingredient hypericin, which acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO). MAO inhibitors help maintain normal mood and emotional stability.

5-HTP 60 Capsules - 50 mg.
5-HTP is a natural extract that your body’s normal processes can convert to serotonin. Serotonin is the natural neurotransmitter that does some extraordinary things for you. It promotes a bright outlook, lets you get a peaceful night’s sleep, and even helps in weight control.
Korean (Asian)Ginseng 100 Capsules 100 mg. - Standardized Extract (5% Ginsenosides)
Studies indicate that Korean Ginseng stimulates concentration, supports menatal alertness and endurance. It also nutritionally benefits the body’s ability to resist stress and boost immune functions. This products is probably the closest item this website has to Rhodiola.

Kava Kava Root 500 mg 90 tablets
This tropical herb of Polynesia is an anxiety reducer and physical relaxant. It relieves stress, calms the body and promotes a feeling of well being.

Ginkgo Biloba 60mg 120 Capsules 60mg. - Standardized Extract
By now most people know that Ginkgo is good for memory. But Ginkgo has many more functions that can impact your whole body.

DHEA 100 Tablets 25 mg.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Almost 4,000 scientific studies have been published showing promising results for DHEA against many age-related conditions.

Currently I am taking Gaba Relaxer amino acid complex, St. John's Wort, Ginkco Biloba, Chromium Picolinate and 5-HTP every day, plus I have the Rhodiola Rosea on order. Of these, I suspect the gaba relaxer amino acid complex is the least effective. I got a good affect from 7-Keto DHEA, but I didn't replace it because I wanted to try cheaper products.

If I were starting out, I would try the Stress-Ez product, plus St. John's Wort if the Stress-Ez isn't strong enough. I plan to experiment with that when I start running out of what I have now.
I feel like I am very much rid of anxiety right now, my mood is as good as it was when I was on zoloft. If I run out of anything, I will wait a week to get more just to determine if that particular product makes much of a difference. It bothers me that I have to deal with this at all, but I'm thankful every day that I don't have any other kind of neurological problem that is harder to live with than anxiety - and there are lots of them!

In this blog I've mentioned the herbs, hormones and amino acid that I take (or have taken) to control my anxiety. Together, they work just as well in controlling anxiety as zoloft did. If you have lived your life feeling anxious, or find that you are starting to feel constantly anxious at a later age, these over-the-counter products can help you to feel OK again without having to deal with a doctor who doesn’t know any more about anxiety or obsessive-compulsive or mild depression than you do, just what his or her favorite anti-depressant medicine is to prescribe and what kind of side affects to watch out for every 3 months when you come back for a refill. In the end, you have to rely on your own assessment of how you feel and adjust accordingly.

Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that you use these or any other products for your anxiety. I am posting this blog for people out there who have decided not to use prescription medication for their anxiety and may not be aware of all of the products that are available. If you decide to take a natural approach to anxiety, please pursue it with caution and common sense.

Words of advice:

ALL THINGS IN MODERATION