Stress & Anxiety
Stress is the normal day-to-day pressure and tension we have from our daily lives. Time limits, money, delays, remembering to pick up the kids and many other daily events can become stressful when taken together and repeated day-in day-out. A certain amount is normal, even healthy. But in excess or when poorly dealt with, it can lead to Anxiety.Anxiety is manifested with a sense of excess worry, unease and nervousness. It is usually associated with an upcoming event (such as a wedding) or something with an uncertain outcome (such as an exam result).
As with Depression, Anxiety is a normal response when proportionate to the situation. Everyone will experience both of these reactions at some point in their life. However, when the reaction is overwhelming or continues for an extended period of time, it is pathological. Anxiety without a real cause or when disproportionate to the situation is also not normal and requires treatment.
Anxiety can be associated with a number of physical symptoms, such as fast heart rate, palpitations, sweating, breathlessness, panic attacks, insomnia, headache and migraines, fatigue, pre-menstrual symptoms etc.
The medical causes of Anxiety disorders is not fully understood. However, life experiences and inherited traits may both be related.
There are a number of types of Anxiety disorder recognised today:
1. Agorophobia
2. Panic disorder
3. Social Phobia
4. Specific Phobias (reaction to a specific factor), etc.
Anxiety can be related to a number of other medical disorders:
1. Heart disease
2. Hyperthyroidism
3. Asthma, COPD
4. Chronic pain
5. Recreational drug use
6. Withdrawal from recreational drugs, alcohol or anti-anxiety medication
7. Side effect of certain medications.
In Traditional Medicine, Anxiety disorders can have several causes:
1. Qi Stagnation
2. Phlegm or Damp Obstruction
3. Melancholy
4. Deficiency
5. Unsettled Spirit
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Western Tradition |
TCM Classification |
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Balm & St. Johns wort Betony & Vervain Motherwort & Cyperus Lavender & Rosemary Hops, Balm, Valerian Rose, Sandalwood & Licorice |
Platycladus Bai Zi Ren & Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren Bupleurum Chai Hu & Paeonia Bai Shao |
Differential Diagnosis:
Wind / Qi Stagnation:
Qi stagnation or Wind manifests with feeling of tension or distention in the back, shoulders or torso. The mind will be overactive, thinks and moves a lot, fidgeting etc; the Pulse will be wiry or jumping, tongue is typically dry and may be elongated.
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Tincture of Balm Powder of Happiness (Letificans) Syrup of Mugwort Aloeswood 35 (Tibetan Medicine) Sarasvata Churna (Ayurveda) |
Xiao Yao San Dan Zhi Xiao Yan San Mu Xiang Liu Qi Yin |
Phlegm and Damp Obstructing:
Phlegm and Damp obstructs the Mind and clouds the reasoning and judgement. There is often a ‘foggy’ feeling, a heavy feeling in the body, pulse is low or obstructed, tongue will have a thick or greasy tongue coat and may be elongated.
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Aromatic Pills of Aloes Hiera Logadi Pills to Clarify Sarasvata Churna (Ayurveda) |
Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang Ban Xia Hou Po Tang An Shen Ding Zhi Wan Gun Tan Wan |
Heart Deficiency:
Confusion, Insomnia, sleeps lightly, palpitations with Anxiety, feeling of weakness; Pulse is weak or slightly irregular, Tongue may be dry and may have a red tip.
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Royal Confection of Kermes (Mesue) Exhilarative Syrup (Laurent) Cordial Decoction Aromaticum rosatum Cooling Exhilarating Electuary (Unani) Letificans Cooling Electuary (Unani) |
Gui Pi Tang–Heart and Spleen Deficiency Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan–Heart Yin Deficiency Ding Zhi Wan–Heart weakness with Damp Huang Lian E Jiao Tang–Yin deficient Heat Suan Zao Ren Tang–Heart Blood & Yin Deficiency |
2. Rose, Sandalwood, Saffron, Pearl
Qi and Blood Deficiency
When the Qi and Blood are weak it is easier to become stressed or anxious or depressed, partly because day-to-day life can be overwhelming when run down. The face will be pale, the pulse low along with Fatigue.
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Royal Confection of Kermes (Mesue) |
Ba Zhen Tang Gui Pi Tang Ding Zhi Wan |
Melancholy
Anxiety and Fear without cause; a sense of doom, desire for solitude, inability to face day-to-day life; there is a dull complexion, deep and weak or faint pulse and a darkness of the eyes.
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Powder of Happiness (Letificans) Powder for Melancholy (Philon) Pills of Lapis Lazuli Pills to Clarify |
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Cooling Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Frigidum) Cooling Powder of Gems |
Tian Wan Bu Xin Dan Suan Zao Ren Tang Zhu Sha An Shen Wan An Shen Ding Zhi Wan Zhen Zhu Mu Wan |
General Formula:
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Infusion of Seven Flowers Cordial Decoction Syrup of Mugwort Exhilarative Syrup (Laurent) Tincture of Balm Tincture of St. John’s wort Tincture of Valerian Powder to Strengthen the Head Powder of Happiness (Letificans) Electuary for Sadness and Worry Aloeswood 31 (Tibetan Medicine) Aloeswood 35 (Tibetan Medicine) Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan) Sarasvata Churna (Ayurveda) |
Liver Qi Stagnationm Anxiety, irritability, restlessness, hypochondriac distention, headache, irregular menstruation, PMS Xiao Yao San Dan Zhi Xiao Yan San (with Heat) Ban Xia Hou Po Tang (with feeling of lump in throat) Heart and Spleen Deficiency Anxiety, forgetful, palpitations, insomnia, withdrawal, poor appetite, pale complexion, pale tongue, weak pulse. Gui Pi Tang Heart Blood and Yin Deficiency Anxiety, irritability, palpitation, poor memory, insomnia, red tongue with a little coat, rapid and thin pulse. Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan Yang Xin Tang Zhen Zhu Mu Wan |
Research:
General–Herbal medicines in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: 10-year updated review.
–Herbal Medicine for Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia.
–Plant-based medicines for anxiety disorders, part 2: a review of clinical studies with supporting preclinical evidence.
–Clinical applications of herbal medicines for anxiety and insomnia; targeting patients with bipolar disorder.
–Effects of traditionally used anxiolytic botanicals on enzymes of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system.
–Comparative evaluation of Melissa officinalis L., Tilia europaea L., Passiflora edulis Sims. and Hypericum perforatum L. in the elevated plus maze anxiety test
–Nutritional and herbal supplements for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders: systematic review
–Herbal Medicine for Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review with Assessment of Potential Psycho-Oncologic Relevance
Withania:
–An alternative treatment for anxiety: a systematic review of human trial results reported for the Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).
–An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
–Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
–Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study
Balm
–Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
–Effects of Herbal combination (Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse) on insomnia severity, anxiety and depression in insomniacs: Randomized placebo controlled trial.
–Melissa officinalis L. hydro-alcoholic extract inhibits anxiety and depression through prevention of central oxidative stress and apoptosis.
–The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina.
–Anti-stress effects of lemon balm-containing foods.
–Anxiolytic effects of a combination of Melissa officinalis and Valeriana officinalis during laboratory induced stress.
–Anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) extract in rats: Influence of administration and gender.
–Effects of chronic administration of Melissa officinalis L. extract on anxiety-like reactivity and on circadian and exploratory activities in mice.
Other Herbs:
–The anxiolytic effects of a Valerian extract is based on Valerenic acid
–[Kava-kava preparations–alternative anxiolytics].
–Cannabinoids in clinical practice.
–Effects of Rosmarinus officinalis L. on memory performance, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in university students: A randomized clinical trial.
–The effects of alcoholic extract of saffron (Crocus satious L.) on mild to moderate comorbid depression-anxiety, sleep quality, and life satisfaction in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial.
–Methanol extract of semen Ziziphi Spinosae attenuates ethanol withdrawal anxiety by improving neuropeptide signaling in the central amygdala.