America is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Approximately one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness a year: that’s 18.5 percent of the population. One in 25 – four percent of the population – experience a severe mental illness that substantially affects at least one or more major life activity. That can range from impacting their ability to work to being responsible for the breakdown of a family relationship.
This is a severe problem for the nation which begs the question, what can be done? While seeking professional medical help is undoubtedly the best route to trying to combat any mental health issues that you might be suffering with, herbal remedies can also offer help.
We’ve put together this list of mental health issues and the plants and supplements you can turn to in order to try and help manage them.
- Insomnia
Insomnia is a real problem as not only is it a mental health condition in its own right, but a lack of sleep can also lead to a whole host of other issues including stress, depression, and anxiety. Preventing insomnia then can increase your chances of avoiding further problems. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural remedies that can help you get to sleep and most of them come in the form of teas that you can drink just before bed. Chamomile tea has been used to help induce sleep for centuries thanks to its effect as a sedative, St John’s wort is another plant that can be brewed into a drink and if you leave California poppy leaves in hot water for 10 minutes, you’ll end up with a tasty brew that will relax you significantly before bed.
- Anxiety
Anxiety is becoming a growing issue with over 40 percent of Americans saying they are more anxious now than they were a year ago. The best way to tackle anxiety is by trying to help the body relax. If you are relaxed and calm, then chances are you won’t be getting as worked up and worried about a situation which is how anxiety starts. Valerian is excellent for relaxation as it contains valerenic acid which helps put the body into a relaxed state. Other plants and herbs that can help manage anxiety include passionflower, lavender, and kratom which is available from Kratom Connection.
- Stress
When attempting to combat stress, you want to find natural plants that are adaptogens. This basically means they contain properties which can help relieve stress by modulating the levels of stress hormones that the body is releasing from the adrenal glands – fewer hormones entering the system means less feeling of stress. Ashwagandha is one such herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 2,500 years for its stress-busting powers. Tulsi – known as “the Queen of Herbs” – has frequently been cited for the calming energy and general sense of wellbeing that it leaves those who drink it feeling while other herbs that can help battle stress include lemon balm and curcumin.
