LONGECITY

Hey all...first I hope this isn't too off topic, but I wanted to post to a knowledgeable crowd. I'm posting to ask if you guys you've run across treatments for anxiety that are supplements or all-natural. I have been on klonopin for about a year now to combat panic attacks and a general, constant feeling of anxiety, especially in social situations although, eventually, also in non-social situations. So I'm hoping to find a solution that isn't a prescription drug. Trying to start a new chapter in life, etc. Counseling will be a part of whatever treatment I pursue. If I have to take something for a long time, or even for the rest of my life, I would just rather it be a supplement versus a prescription medication. Hopefully, this topic will be of use to a lot of other readers, too.

What I have tried is GABA, which I remember had some nice effects in helping me interact with other people. Sleep was much more appealing and easier to attain. I've also tried theanine and it did have some benefits, but these appeared to minimize after I was on it regularly for a few days. Kava kava is something I have not tried, and may give a shot depending on the feedback you guys provide. Thanks for reading this far and thanks in advance for replying.

Kava dangers discussed on Wikipedia:
http://www.imminst.o...o...st&p=222471

Hey all...first I hope this isn't too off topic, but I wanted to post to a knowledgeable crowd. I'm posting to ask if you guys you've run across treatments for anxiety that are supplements or all-natural. I have been on klonopin for about a year now to combat panic attacks and a general, constant feeling of anxiety, especially in social situations although, eventually, also in non-social situations. So I'm hoping to find a solution that isn't a prescription drug. Trying to start a new chapter in life, etc. Counseling will be a part of whatever treatment I pursue. If I have to take something for a long time, or even for the rest of my life, I would just rather it be a supplement versus a prescription medication. Hopefully, this topic will be of use to a lot of other readers, too.

What I have tried is GABA, which I remember had some nice effects in helping me interact with other people. Sleep was much more appealing and easier to attain. I've also tried theanine and it did have some benefits, but these appeared to minimize after I was on it regularly for a few days. Kava kava is something I have not tried, and may give a shot depending on the feedback you guys provide. Thanks for reading this far and thanks in advance for replying.

the ones i found effective personally are:
ashwaganda
rhodiola
niacin/niacinamide
bacopa
especially ashwaganda, in the quantities over 500mg cures even the most intense anxieties.
it's rather strange but moderate doses for choline supplements also cure anxiety in my case, as well as hyperzine a.

valerian seems to have a very unpleasant rebound anxiety effect on me.

i've also heard that aniracetam, phenibut, picamilon, phenylpiracetam all cure anxiety quite well.
you can also try buspar, i haven't tried it personally, but i've heard that people have fairly good experiences with it.

my best bet would be ashwaganda+rhodiola mix. and stay away from coffee.

Picamilon, Phenibut and L-Theanine come to my mind, but don't expect them to be as potent as drugs like lorazepam, pentobarbital or alcohol . SSRIs/SNRIs and prescription drugs like gabapentin, pregabalin or tiagabin can be useful. Taking atypic antipsychotics to treat non-psychotic anxiety is dumb IMHO as are antihistamines for this purpose.

I'll be frank: there isn't really a natural substitutent for benzos. Most alternative remedies aren't GABAergically near as potent as these drugs. It's rather bad news. Benzos long-term are usually considered unwise, although yes if your social anxiety is catastrophic low dose might be warranted for longer periods. I'd recommend getting yourself on buspirone which has comparable effectiveness to diazepam in the social anxiety departement. It's overall a very benign drug, works totally differently from benzos and doesn't form dependance (!). You must however note that it takes around 2-3 weeks to kick in, so first wean slowly and I mean slowly off clonazepam using preferably diazepam (longer half-life), and then start buspirone (Buspar).
SSRIs are an option too, but if bus works, then it's better to stick with that as SSRIs have all sorts of side-effects which people generally don't like, a ka sexual impotence in the first 6-7 months of use.
Although if you're an orthodox naturalist and think pharms are the work of the devil, then you might give a go for St John's Wort (no personal experience, but in theory it should use some of the same neurochemical pathways for antianxiety as conventional antidepressants do. Then there's rhodiola, but it poops out usually after 3 weeks (it has something to do with endogenous peptide synthesis which downregulates itself after a while of overactivation), but before that works like a charm. I'd also list taurine, lecithin, glycine and...uh...ah wait that's it, most others are way too overhyped or way too weak for the medically anxious. Good luck!

And for what it's worth do consider cognitive behavioural theraphy also, it's hard work, but a definitive cure as you are searching for a substance-free method.
Edited by ikaros, 07 February 2008 - 03:11 PM.

Low dose Ashwagandha is very effective for anxiety that I have when giving a speech, taking a test, etc. (very low dose 100 mg of 4% with. extract). Anything higher and I run the risk of being too sleepy to think right. I have taken benzo's in the past (in another life so to speak recreationally) and for someone who therapeutically needs these drugs for anxiety (which I don't) I am not sure that herbs are going to give you much of an effect, at least the herbs available legally. But for mild to moderate anxiety low dose Ash. is good.

Kava: A bit too sedating, but that is easily corrected by lowering the dose. Somewhat euphoric and anxiolytic
Kratom: Narcotic but effective. Should not be used more often than twice a week I´ve read... Perhaps not a good idea
Damiana: My favorite! Mellow, somewhat euphoric, sedating, anxiolytic, cheap, good tasting... Try it! Tea form is dirt cheap.
Rhodiola rosea: Good stuff... energizing and improves mood in me (together with coffee it´s wohooo-time). My preferred brand "arctic root"

buspar hasnt got all too great ratings, for social anxiety i would recommend solian