Up until modern medicine, people cured health issues with natural herbs and remedies. There’s more or less a stigma around treating mental health issues through natural solutions because most people are bought-in to the idea of pharmaceutical drugs. As someone who has been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Disorder, and who has taken pharmaceutical medications, I believe that you can better your mental condition through natural remedies.
Disclaimer: These are all natural supplements that I have taken to help my mental health and I have noticed that they have alleviated my symptoms. Although I hope these help you, I cannot promise that they will. I am also not saying that I take all of these supplements at once, and I’m especially not advising that you should take all of these supplements at once. You should contact your doctor before taking these to make sure you do not have any allergies to these supplements. I am not a medical professional, these are just my opinions.
1. Inositol
Inositol, a natural derivative of plants, was the first natural remedy I used for my OCD and Anxiety Disorder, and I immediately noticed a difference. The one downside to taking inositol is that you have to take a lot of it. This article by Livestrong recommends taking 12 to 18 grams to treat anxiety. Most inositol capsules come in one gram sizes, so I switched to taking this inositol powder that you dissolve in water. There is minimal taste, which is slightly sweet. Out of everything on the list, I recommend trying inositol the most.
2. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha, an adaptogen, helps to reduce chronic stress in the body. This article by CureJoy explains how ashwagandha’s stress-reducing properties help with many anxiety disorders. Ashwagandha has been used in India for thousands of years to treat stress, and I can see the difference it has made for me. I take this ashwagandha supplement and I really trust the Now Foods brand as you will notice throughout these recommendations.
3. GABA
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is naturally produced in the human brain and it reduces nerve activity in the nervous system. Due to this reduction of nerve activity, GABA helps to ease anxiety and promotes relaxation. This article by Dr. Axe lists the benefits and further explains GABA (P.S. — I totally recommend Dr. Axe’s website for any information you may need about natural remedies!). This is the GABA supplement I take.
4. Valerian Root
Valerian root is known to increase GABA in the brain, which provides the same benefits that I mentioned earlier. If you take enough valerian root, it has an amazing sleep-aid effect. When my Anxiety Disorder was at it’s worst, valerian root came in handy for me, because I used to suffer from anxiety mostly at night. This is the one I use, and here’s a link to Dr. Axe’s website for some more information!
5. St. John’s Wort
I love St. John’s Wort. You can feel the effects of it immediately. St. John’s Wort has many benefits from depression, PMS, ADHD, OCD, and more. This article has so much more information on St. John’s Wort that you can look into because I can write an entire blog post about it. Here’s the kind I use!
I hope these supplements help you. Please let me know in the comments which supplements you use and if you try out any of the ones I mentioned. Please read my disclaimer below if you have any questions about whether or not you should take these supplements.