Best Essential Oils For Anixety

Best Essential Oils For Anixety

Using essential oils for Anxiety treatment, may not be the first thing people think of when they’re seeking out ways to ease their anxiety – but in fact many people find essential oils to be incredibly effective in helping relieve anxiety.

Aromatherapy has been used for centuries worldwide to cure all kinds of ailments, from acne and headaches to stress and indigestion.

It is also a frequently approached topic in regards to alternative treatments for anxiety.   There is a very broad range of essential oils available that all claim to treat and even prevent anxiety and panic attacks.

Let’s see what some of these oils can do, and how they can be used to help treat and prevent symptoms of anxiety!

Clary Sage

Clary Sage is said to be very effective in the treatment for a variety of complaints, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, menstruation – it’s also an antioxidant.

Research has suggested, that Clary Sage may be quite powerful in treating anxiety and depression.  One study demonstrated significant improvements in mood and lower anxiety in patients who were massaged with Clary Sage essential oil, in comparison to control group who had a massage with grape seed carrier oil or without any essential oils, for example.

Clary Sage tends to be popular as an incense, but you can also find it in other fragrance products such as candles and sprays. Clary Sage can also be used in food.

Bergamot

Bergamot is a citrus fruit rind, which is used to extract the essential oil with a crisp, citrus type scent.  It’s in fact found in earl grey tea and has a distinctive taste.  Bergomot essential oil is thought to be an effective for many ailments, including being an antidepressant, pain reliever, relaxant and an aid to quick digestion.

Bergamot has been found in one study to reduce the corticosterone  levels in rats.  The Bergamot oil was blended with lavender oil.  The rats in the main group who were exposed to the oil had reduced blood pressure and pulse rate, whereas the control group showed no change.  The main group claimed they were more calm and relaxed, in comparison to the control group.

Essential oils containing Bergamot in a blend, has been found to be very effective as a mood stabilizer, reducing stress, depression and anxiety – as well as patients reporting a more optimistic outlook during conducted studies.  Such essential oil blends were said to work effectively alongside CBT therapy as a combined treatment, in order to avoid using anxiety medications.

Angelica

Historically Angelica was referred to as the “oil of angels,” partly due to it’s abilities to restore calmness and aid sleep.

Some studies have suggested that Angelica could be effective not only at easing anxiety, but specifically social anxiety too.  One study showed that giving verious doses of angelica to rats reduced aggressive behaviour and increased social interaction.  They concluded from their studies on rats that angelica could be potentially useful in treating various forms of anxiety related disorders.

In addition to its calming qualities, Angelica is thought to have many other benefits, including – being able to stimulate blood circulation, strengthening immunity, aid digestion, protect the liver, to name but a few.

Sweet Orange

Another essential oil from the citrus family, it’s a gorgeous scent and the thought of an orange scent alone can induce positive thoughts!  (Something about the smell of oranges evokes so many childhood memories).

various studies have provided evidence that sweet orange oil can reduce anxiety and depression.

One study included 200 patients, who were assigned to one of four groups.  Patients in a dental office were then exposed to the scent of orange oil or lavender via a diffuser.  There was a further group listening to music and a forth control group.  In comparison to the control, the orange oil and lavender oil groups reported lower levels of anxiety and increased positive mood levels and calmness.  Additional studies have provided similar results.

 Lavender

Lavender oil is arguably the most popular, most researched and widely known essential oil for treating a wide variety of ailments, including easing stress, depression and anxiety. Lavender oil is commonly used in a diffuser, as a massage oil, in the bath or occasionally even in capsule form.

There have been scores of studies that have proved the effectiveness of this heady, floral scent.  Smelling a Lavender essential oil has been found to reduce cortisol levels in certain studies.  Cortisol plays a huge role in how the body deals with stress and the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system.

When taken orally in a capsule, Lavender oil has been found in certain studies to be just as effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder as Lorazepam, a commonly prescribed drug… but of course, without all the side effects!

Clearly, as a completely natural and non-invasive way to potentially reduce anxiety, with no negative side-effects; essential oils are certainly worth experimenting with.  They’re low cost to purchase and simple to use.

There are a host of ways these essential oils can be put to good use in treating and relieving the symptoms of anxiety.

Some ideas you may want to try….

• Adding a few drops of essential oil to your bath water, shampoo/conditioner, and/or body wash to get a refreshing and relaxing aromatherapy treatment every time you wash
• Mixing a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil like olive oil or mineral oil, then warming it in an oil warmer to fill your home with delicious, stress-relieving fragrance
• Adding a drop of essential oil to beverages and food as an oral anxiety treatment
• Adding essential oil to empty oral caplets to create your own anxiety relieving “medication” treatments
• Mixing essential oil with a carrier oil as you would for warming it, then applying the mixture to your best fragrance points as an all day stress relieving perfume
• Rubbing a few drops of essential oil in your hands then cupping them to your face for a quick fix
• Mixing a few drops of essential oil into your favorite lotions and body products to get a five star spa treatment every time you pamper yourself at home

If you are on prescription medication and/or have any health problems, please discuss these treatments with your physician and/or psychiatrist prior to starting them to reduce the chance of experiencing any adverse effects.