The number of diagnosed mental disorders has increased in the United States in recent years, but herbal and other natural therapies can be effective treatments for these mental health issues that induce only mild side effects. Optimizing a person's biochemistry with herbs and natural approaches when they suffer from mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can improve their condition significantly, according to "Psychology Today."
Treat Anxiety with Kava
Kava, also known as kava kava, is an herb native to the South Pacific that has been used ceremonially and medicinally for about 2,000 years. Westerners primarily use kava for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia. Traditionally, kava can reduce nervousness and other symptoms that often accompany anxiety, including chest pains, heart palpitations, headache and stomach uneasiness. A fortunate consequence of using kava to treat anxiety instead of prescription medications is that the herb does not impair mental function, according to "Acupuncture Today."
Treat Depression with Saffron
A 2005 study executed by the Psychiatric Research Center in Tehran, Iran, showed that saffron is at least as effective as Prozac in the treatment of depression. In the study, published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," participants experienced significant alleviation of depression when they consumed 30mg of saffron extract daily for six weeks. There were no side effects associated with the use of saffron for depression, and as a result, it can be taken concurrently with prescribed anti-depressants. This is important because St. John's Wort, the primary herb used for depression today, is known to have drug interactions and cannot be taken with pharmaceuticals, according to the Institute for Traditional Medicine.
Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) with Light Therapy
During winter and during periods prolonged seclusion in the indoors, nadequate sunlight is a common cause of a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD. Light therapy, which consists of exposure to high intensity light for about one hour per day, can be helpful in the treatment of SAD. The light box used for this therapy mimics the intensity of sunlight. This disorder creates an imbalance in the release of melatonin in the body that regulates sleep cycles, in addition to other imbalances. Sufferers of SAD who use light therapy should see results of light therapy within three to four weeks.
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