# Valerian root, passion flower, skullcap and other herbs...



## StayingMotivated (Sep 5, 2011)

Do these mean anything to you? They are herbs that help with my anxiety especially skullcap. The reason why I'm asking is because this section of the forums is chuck full of pharmaceuticals which for me personally never helped. And speed? that seriously is disturbing...

How many people use/have used these herbs? Experiences? Alternatives?

And please don't knock me for going the more "natural" route and yes I know the FDA(what a joke!!!) can't approve herbs for the treatment of x y and z.

I just prefer my drugs come from the earth.


----------



## martyboi (Sep 18, 2009)

If you want to go strictly natural to treat anxiety, you'll have to look beyond the mainstream herbs like passion flower and valerian and try some more obscure stuff. As a rule...if you can buy it in the grocery store, its probably not very effective. If it was.... u can bet the pharmaceutical companies would have it removed from the consumers convenience. Look online and check out mulungu extract, honokiol extract, kava kava and kanna


----------



## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

They're mostly discussed in the supplements & herbs section, that's why you don't see them very often here.

My experience with herbs was that most are very weak. Rhodiola is alright, so are a few others. But let's take scullcap as an example: its mechanism (I think) is GABA receptor modulation, the same as prescription anxiety meds (benzos) but a lot weaker. So it likely comes with exactly the same problems and risks, scaled down to its level of activity. If you made a concentrated exctract of a herb like scullcap, you could probably demonstrate tolerance & dependence, and a benzo or alcohol like effect. Herbs contain drugs if they are active in any way. Some of the most famous drugs could be called herbs, like cannabis, opium, coca. The active chemicals just happen to be a lot more potent.

Back to the point... rhodiola is my favourite herb. It has a noticeable mood lift and, if you don't dose too high, anxiety relieving action. Feels like a mild stimulant. One of the mechanisms shown was COMT inhibition, which is used in a type of Parkinson's medication to raise dopamine. It also feels like it has a mild opioid like effect, no idea what the mechanism is.

Also, sceletium tortuosum AKA kanna. Some places claim it's an SSRI, but I've only seen evidence for it being a PDE-4 inhibitor (which is a far more interesting action). I tried smoking it and got a very light mood lift, but didn't do it properly or smoke much... In fact I think I'll buy some and stick it in my Volcano!


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

I like taurine better for its mood regulating effects


----------



## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

These topics are often discussed in greater detail in the 'nutrition, supplements and exercise' sub-forum which can be found here; http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/


----------



## foxy (Jul 3, 2010)

valerian root , jesus have you smelt that herb. Its like the worst fart ever an you actually have to swallow it. Undo the bottle lid an the hole family take flight.:yes


----------



## Miss M (Sep 15, 2011)

Try L-Theanine


----------



## foxy (Jul 3, 2010)

Miss M said:


> Try L-Theanine


 I have a cabinet full of herbal heaLth meds mabye £300 worth . An they all do SFA :no:no:no


----------



## lazy (Nov 19, 2008)

martyboi said:


> you'll have to look beyond the mainstream herbs like passion flower and valerian and try some more obscure stuff.


I'm not sure how obscure holy basil is.

I think this thread is worth a bump, there is only one thread on this site about it: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/holy-basil-soothes-anxiety-57747/?highlight=Holy+Basil

Holy Basil lowers cortisol. I tried it, makes me really ****in' drowsy for about 1-2 hours before I can feel normally awake again.

I took 1/5 of a normal dose (I use tinctures) this morning, no drowsiness. My anecdotal: I tried to quit caffeine while on it. I drink about a liter of coffee per day. After trying holy basil, my impulsiveness to have more than 1 cup of coffee per day has been much more manageable. The only reason why I have that 1 cup in the morning was to make sure "i go" earlier in the day. Though, it's only day 4.


----------



## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Moved to the nutrition, supplements and exercise section.


----------



## brokenlight (Mar 10, 2004)

I am on my second day of taking Ashwagandha and Bacopa Monniera. I was looking online for herbs that help with anxiety and depression and read a lot of good things about these.


----------



## lazy (Nov 19, 2008)

brokenlight said:


> I am on my second day of taking Ashwagandha and Bacopa Monniera. I was looking online for herbs that help with anxiety and depression and read a lot of good things about these.


are you taking them together or cycling between the two? do you take on early morning with an empty stomach or ?


----------



## brokenlight (Mar 10, 2004)

I am taking them together with food, mainly so that I don't forget to take them. Some say to take Bacopa on an empty stomach, because it is known to work well that way.


----------



## Addler (Apr 28, 2011)

In my experience, valerian is good for sleeping; I tried a combo of it and St. John's Wort for anxiety, but it didn't do much. I have some skullcap but haven't used it regularly--same with rhodiola. 
What I have had good effects with is l-theanine and phenibut.
But reactions to substances of any kind will be different for everyone.


----------



## Addler (Apr 28, 2011)

Oh, I forgot passion flower: I did have some good results with that.


----------

