What are the best herbs to help with depression or anxiety?

[Flutura]

I have issues with depression; my boyfriend with anxiety. I'm interested in growing herbs to help with these issues. I have started some lavender which I have heard helps with anxiety. But what about depression?
Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Lcd975]

I have heard that herbs like St. John's Wort, licorice(did I spell that right?), ginkgo, clove, sage, basil, Rosemary, and ginger helps. I know there are more out there. I bought a herb book at natural health food store and it has so much info.

 

[clewand550]

I always heard that St. John's Wart is a very good herb for depression. Give it a little chance to work though. I have also heard that it could take a month and in some people, possibly a little longer to work. If the depression is severe, you should contact a doctor first to get his advice on what will work best for you.

 

[yellowfish]

I have had depression brought on by shocking news. My doctor started me on generic anti depressants which mad me shake uncontrollably and for the 2 days I took them meant i couldnt look after my child. On the 3rd day i somehow got my self into town on foot and bought St johns wort. It takes about a week to kick in and it helped tremendously.

 

[Somniate]

I've had a lot of people tell me that lavender and jasmine help with anxiety, in the way of being calming. Lemon and rose also might help your boyfriend.

For depression, I don't have much advice. I'm sorry.

 

[classicnyer]

My brother took st john's wort for both depression and anxiety, and he found it to be helpful. I'm told that it doesn't work the same way for everyone, though, and so it would be a bit of an experiment whether or not it works for you.

 

[Parker]

St. John's Wort is good for mild depression only. I'm not sure if it works for anxiety. Also, if you're taking St. John's Wort, your exposure to direct sunlight should be limited.

 

[Wolfette]

St Johns Wort is probably the best known but has various effects on people. You need to take for a while before seeing any results along with you'll most likely have to play with the dosage. Make sure that its from a reliable lab for best results.

Otherwise, don't discount simple measures like daily exercise, and eating right. Overeating, overweight, boredom and lack of exercise often come disguised as depression. I love Tony Robbins advice 'if you feel sad or mad, get up and move'. try it.

 

[konstantina]

St Johns Wort is very good and many people use it, but you should know it is not completely innocent and you can't take any other similar medication at the same time. I relax with lavender oil and I have also heard that jasmin makes you happy. A friend of mine who is really into these things has a base oil with chocolate aroma and I can'e tell you how nice it is. So choose something that is good for you

 

[Alm86]

I have been looking for something also. I have heard about St. john's wort. I recently got some 5htp and it doesn't seem to help me much. I guess I will have to give it time, but I am also going to consider st. John's wort.

 

[Parker]

I have been looking for something also. I have heard about St. john's wort. I recently got some 5htp and it doesn't seem to help me much. I guess I will have to give it time, but I am also going to consider st. John's wort.

I've taken 5HTP. It didn't really help with my depression, but it did help me sleep better at night. My depression was exacerbated by my lack of sleep, so I guess it did help a little bit.

 

[dkramarczyk]

I've heard about St. Johns Wort as well. My mom uses it daily, but I don't know how much it actually helps her. I would use it for my depression, but I don't like the specific brand that my mom gets and I often forget to take any type of medications anyways.

 

[BonnyC]

I'm sorry, I know this isn't a popular opinion since this is a natural remedy/herbal forum. I'm all for using natural things to treat a large amount of health issues, but mental problems are not one of them. Not by a long shot. True depression/anxiety can be dangerous if it isn't treated properly. If you think that you have a chemical imbalance, I STRONGLY urge you to see a physician to get a referral to a therapist who can recommend a medication to your doctor.

If your depression or anxiety is likely caused by outside sources like stress or unfortunate circumstances, herbal remedies can help you feel better in the meantime. It's not a cure, though. St. John's Wort, like others said, is said to help. It's also said to have some very negative effects in people with true depression. Tread carefully.

 

[moondrop]

Chamomile is reputed to help with both depression and anxiety. I don't believe there have been any scientific studies to prove this. However, chamomile has been traditionally used for depression. It also has mild sedative effects.

 

[emerald]

I recently bought..

Valerian extract with lemon balm both are known to help induce sleep but I use it to relax when I'm about to go out. It reduces my anxiety levels. Your boyfriend can try it out. They have one on amazon. Valerian extract doesnt have a strong odor so you wont be smelling the herb throughout the day. To fix depression with herbs, cinnamon and spice should help. Good luck.

 

[Marina]

Have you tried Sam-E? I remember seeing even Target selling it, and if you want to check it out online you can find some at iherb.com
For more info you can read about it here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Adenosyl_methionine

SAMe may enhance the impact of mood-boosting messengers such as serotonin and dopamine—either by regulating their breakdown or by speeding production of the receptor molecules they latch on to. There is little question that SAMe helps fight depression. Since the 1970s, there have been 40 clinical studies involving roughly 1400 patients and the results have been remarkably consistent. In 1994, Dr. Giorgio Bressa, a psychiatrist at the University Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Rome found that, “The efficacy of SAMe in treating depressive syndromes…is superior to that of a placebo and comparable to that of standard…antidepressants.

Alternatively, I like chammomile and lavender tea for mild relaxation. Making sure that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals can help too, like Vit D.

 

[shaunche]

It is worth noting that St. John's Wort is a natural remedy for MILD depression, it will not help if your depression is more serious. It can also be used to alleviate anxiety, so it can kill two birds with one stone!

 

[Lena51]

I use valerian tablets for depression and anxiety and it seems to help. I haven't tried the valerian extract and lemon balm yet, but I plan to buy some of that because I hear others say it really works. So when I get that I will give you an update on that. I do not want to take a prescription meds. for that.

 

[LillyZ]

I use ashwagandha for both anxiety and depression. I have had a number of endocrine problems, and for me 5HTP and other brain associated herbs did not work. For me, my anxiety issues are related to my endocrine problems, IE hormones. An Ashwagandha tincture works great for hormonal related stress and anxiety.

 

[Charmeuse]

St John's Wort is the herb people generally go to for depression. Another great herb for depression and anxiety both is Kava Kava. It is an herb you can make a tea from or take in supplement form. It helps relax you and is a natural way to help with sleep. Both Kava and St John's Wort are approved for use in the United States. SAM-e and Valerian root are also great supplements. All of these supplements you can get at your local health food store. Walmart might also have most of them as well.