It is perfectly normal to feel anxious from time to time, but people suffering from an anxiety disorder usually feel anxious or worried most of the time. Anxiety can be debilitating and may seriously affect a person's ability to cope with everyday life. If you are suffering from anxiety, your doctor may prescribe antianxiety medicines. Some herbs may also offer relief from anxiety, but like prescription medicines, they may cause side effects. Get medical advice before using herbs.
Examples
Examples of herbs that may help to alleviate anxiety include passionflower and kava. Passionflower is a vine that has sedative effects. According to the Mississippi Baptist Health Systems (MBHS), it was approved as treatment for "nervous unrest" by Commission E, the German governmental regulatory agency. It is also used to relieve anxiety. A member of the pepper family, kava is a subtropical plant that is sometimes used to relieve insomnia and anxiety. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states that it is sometimes offered as an alternative to prescription treatments for anxiety.
Administration
Kava and passionflower may be taken in pills or capsules. However, you may prefer to take them as teas or herbal tinctures. The amount of each herb you need to take may depend on the severity of your condition and other medicines you are taking, but the the University of Maryland Medical Center states that taking 100 to 200 mg of kava two to four times daily may alleviate mild-to-moderate anxiety. MBHS suggests steeping 1 tsp. of dried passionflower leaves in a cup of hot water and drinking three times daily. These doses are only intended as a guideline.
Side Effects
Passionflower is listed on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "generally recognized as safe" list. However, RxList states that it may cause side effects including dizziness, vomiting, nausea and confusion. In contrast, taking a kava supplement may not be safe, as it might cause serious adverse effects including liver damage. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine adds that it may cause abnormal muscle spasms and yellow scaly skin.
Contraindications
Avoid both these herbs if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Don't take kava or passionflower if you are due to undergo surgery, as they may heighten the effects of the anesthetic. Keep in mind that both herbs may interact with other medicines you may be taking, which in turn may cause ill effects. Do not use kava alongside drugs that are modified by the liver, CNS depressants or Parkinson's disease drugs. Passionflower may heighten the effects of sedatives.
