Alternative / Complementary Treatment of Anxiety Disorders - Health Conditions

Alternative/Complementary Treatment of
Anxiety Disorders

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Alternative / complementary treatment of anxiety disorders

Alternative / complementary medicine treats not just the symptoms of anxiety disorders, but the underlying cause.

Caution: People who are taking any type of medications for their anxiety disorder should not try any of these herbal treatments especially, but also not any of the other supplements without first consulting their doctor, as the results of the combination could be life threatening.

Herbs

There are a number of herbs which can help to reduce symptoms:

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) - the tea of the chamomile flower is relatively safe to take before going to bed (even for people taking medication for their anxiety). Chamomile has calmative properties which may help reduce mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety enough to allow sleep and may reduce some insomnia
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) - the herb passionflower has been shown in a few studies to be as effective as the anti-anxiety medication, benzodiazepines for relieving anxiety symptoms

St John's Wort (hypericum forte) - the herb St John's Wort has been extensively studied for its effect on depression and many studies have shown it to be effective in reducing symptoms in people with mild to moderate depression and in people with anxiety disorders. St John's Wort is one of the most widely prescribed herbal medicine by doctors in Germany. It is gaining more popularity in other countries as the results from studies show it to be effective. People taking any type of anti-depressant or anti anxiety medications should not also use St John's Wort as this combination could cause serotonin syndrome, which can be life threatening

Vitamins

There are a number of vitamins which are especially useful to help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety disorders:

Vitamin B3 - the B vitamin, niacin is vital for the health of the nerves because a deficiency in this vitamin can result in symptoms such as confusion, memory loss and mood swings
Vitamin B6 - the body requires adequate levels of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) in order to properly synthesise tryptophan, the amino acid which is the precursor of serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter which regulates mood and calms the mind and adequate levels of vitamin B6 enable the proper synthesis of serotonin

Minerals

There are a number of minerals which are useful to help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety disorders:

Calcium - the mineral calcium needs to be in a specific ratio with the mineral magnesium for optimal health (2:1), calcium: magnesium, otherwise an imbalance of high levels of calcium can cause anxiety, mood swings and other symptoms. Women are more likely to be taking calcium supplements, so they should ensure they are getting adequate magnesium at the correct ratio too
Magnesium - the mineral magnesium is vital for relaxing the smooth and skeletal muscles of the body and is often recommended for any condition which causes tension in the body (and mind). Many studies show that magnesium helps to reduce anxiety, tension and depression as much as anti-anxiety medication. Studies also suggest that magnesium may play a role not just in reducing anxiety, but it also may have a protective effect on the brain after traumatic brain injury. In fact, deficiency of magnesium has been suggested as a trigger for some types of anxiety disorders. Foods rich in magnesium are: nuts, cereals, leafy green vegetables

Other nutrients

There are a number of nutrients which are especially useful to help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety disorders:

GABA - the amino acid GABA is used by the body to produce a neurotransmitter that relaxes and calms the mind and balances the mood
Omega-3 fatty acids - there is some evidence that the omega 3 fatty acids may help with people who have depression and anxiety, as they are necessary to ensure the membranes on the nerve cells are healthy and function properly. Since anxiety disorders may be due to imbalanced brain chemistry, it could be useful to ensure omega-3 fatty acids are topped up either in supplements, or by eating more oily fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna) about 2-3 times a week
SAMe - the substance S-adenosylmethionine is a naturally occurring molecule in the body which has been successfully used to help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms that people with anxiety disorders normally experience. SAMe is a precursor of serotonin
Tryptophan - the amino acids tryptophan is a precursor to the important neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates mood and helps ensure feelings are more balanced and calm, so it is used to help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Foods rich in tryptophan, include bananas, warm milk and turkey. To help with sleep, try some warm milk with honey about 30-60 minutes before bed

Dietary modifications

There are some dietary modifications which can be useful to help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety disorders:

Add linseed oil or cod liver oil to the diet - both linseed oil and cod liver oil contain vital essential fatty acids (omega-3), which are beneficial for normal brain health. People taking any type of medication for their anxiety disorder should consult their doctor before trying either of these natural oils, to avoid possible adverse effects
Avoid alcohol and drugs - while it may feel that alcohol and some types of drugs help to relax you and make the symptoms go away for a little while, they are just numbing anxiety and make the problems associated with anxiety disorders worse in the long run
Avoid caffeine - this substance is know to make anxiety and fear worse in some people with anxiety disorders and it is especially advised to avoid it a few hours before bed-time to help reduce insomnia due to excessive caffeine
Avoid MSG - this additive (monosodium glutamate) is used in many processed foods and is a known trigger for for anxiety in people who are more susceptible. The most common foods with MSG are: chips, crackers, dressing, gravy, instant noodles, instant soup, sauces, savoury snack foods, stock. Processed foods which have MSG are labelled with: flavour enhancer, E621, 621
Avoid sugar and all refined foods - this is because high intakes of sugar and highly processed (take-away, junk) foods may cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels and then another rapid fall (just soon after), which may interrupt the body so much that it can cause anxiety if the blood sugar levels are not quickly increased again. This not only affects anxiety levels, but can cause weight gain, which may further increase anxiety
Certain foods induce calm - studies show that certain foods can create a more calmer mind and body, due to the nutrients they contain. The foods most recommended for a calmer and less anxious state are: asparagus, avocado, beetroot, carrots, eggs, oily fish, onions, paw paw, spinach, stone fruit
Eat more egg yolks - organic egg yolks (about one per day) is highly recommended to increase intake of lecithin (phosphatidyl choline). Many studies show that lecithin helps the brain neurons and in particular, the dopamine neurotransmitters, function more effectively, which may help reduce symptoms in people with anxiety disorders

Lifestyle modifications

There are a number of lifestyle modifications that are used to help people overcome their anxiety symptoms:

Breathing technique - these teach people with anxiety disorders how to breath properly by breathing more deeply, not over-breathing and to relax their mind and internal chattering of anxious thoughts to help reduce symptoms. Learning how to breath properly is a way of reducing hyperventilation
Control your worrying - learn strategies to help control (or reduce) the anxious and fearful thoughts that are always on your mind
Counselling - this involves talking about symptoms and fearful triggers with a psychologist/counsellor to learn better coping techniques and working out what the triggers for anxiety and fear are and learning to gradually overcome them. The best form of counselling therapy is cognitive behavioural therapy as it helps you to understand the triggers for your symptoms and helps you to understand why you feel the way you do in order to learn to change your thought patterns
Exercise - all types of exercise are beneficial for all types of anxiety disorders (and depression). Exercise is a well known way to reduce symptoms of anxiety, as it release endorphins ("feel good" chemicals) and helps the body release toxins and it is a great way to lose weight or at least maintain a healthy body weight
Relaxation techniques - this is a must for helping reduce anxiety symptoms as it is very effective in reducing anxiety symptoms overall. There are many different types of relaxation techniques, some of which use muscle relaxation, others use breathing control, while others use visualisation and some use a combination of all
Sleep - make sure you have enough sleep each night and try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time each day to get a regular sleeping pattern going, which helps set the body clock (and assists with regulating many processes in the body)
Yoga - this is a great way to control breathing (stop the over-breathing) and control the mind and body, which gives more confidence and reduction of symptoms. There are many forms of yoga, from the very vigorous to the more relaxing, meditation types

Alternative treatments

Acupuncture - studies have shown that acupuncture may be beneficial for people with anxiety disorders to help reduce symptoms and is even more significantly beneficial when it is combined with some form of psychotherapy (cognitive behavioural therapy) to reduce symptoms and help with a better quality of life
Massage - the benefits of a relaxing massage are significant for people with anxiety. A therapeutic massage can relax tension in the muscles and reduce a great deal of the anxiety in people with anxiety disorders (but this is only temporary, a massage cannot cure the condition, but it can provide temporary relief of symptoms)
Meditation - this is way of calming the mind and relaxing the body by using various breathing and visualisation techniques. Meditation has shown to be very beneficial in many people to reduce the anxiety and fear symptoms of anxiety disorders even without any medication

Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.

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Last reviewed: 21 August 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009

Acetylcholine (glossary)
Anti-depressants (glossary)
Dopamine (glossary)
Essential fatty acids (nutrients)
GABA (amino acids)
Magnesium (minerals)
Meditation (glossary)
Norepinephrine (glossary)
Neurotransmitters (glossary)
Omega 3 fatty acids (glossary)
Omega 6 fatty acids (glossary)
St John's Wort (glossary)
SAMe (glossary)
Serotonin (glossary)
Yoga (glossary)
Zinc (minerals)

NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.

Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.

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