Supplements for anxiety?

[Motivation_Follows_Action]

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I've got a prescription for xanax that I really DO NOT want to start taking again. I've found the supplements for adderall withdrawal/replacement to be really helpful on this board so wondered what people take for anxiety?

(I've tried chamomile tea and it makes me sleepy and smell like my grandmother so I would prefer some other suggestions?)

[quit-once]

What do you think is causing your anxiety? Is this something you have battled all of your life? Is it possible that some of the supplements you are taking for dealing with adderall recovery may be aggrevating your anxiety?

[Mikey D]

I really like Passion flower leaves. They grow a lot where I live, in the spring and summer I gather them and dry them out. They are great as tea or in smoke form, they work great. I've tried store bought Passion flower tea doesn't seem the same. I use the leaf from the vine, I think they might use the flower.

[Cassie]

You might want to try yoga, meditation, and avoiding caffeine. If you have to take something, kava is proven effective.

[Greg]

this is such good question and Im curious to here everyone's answers.

I agree with avoiding caffeine. The few Xanax pills I took recently were such a good experience, and really felt like a 'solution' for me. (just as the adderall did once upon a time) So dangerous! Another bottle of that stuff and I would have turned into a Xanax addict.

Avoid caffeine is what I suggest and what I'm doing. Although I need caffeine right now and going to get some now. But there are times where I dont need any more caffeine but still get it...and then i think my anxiety goes through the roof...

[BeHereNow]

Theres a homeopathic supplement.... I forget the name of it, it comes in a small chapstick sized case from the health food store. I don't know how much of it was a placebo and how much was an actual effect of the supplement, but....I think it used to help me.

Also, Calms Forte is another homeopathic supplement. Its in the sleep aid section. You take one or two for anxiety or four to help you sleep. But, it does contain chamomile extract. I think it helps a little, and I've heard of people using this to wean themselves off of benzos.

[FALCON]

My quitting adderall friends WORRNING stay away from XANAX it will fuck you up in no time at all it is the mother of all bensos as you all know I have come off a 20 year habit of XANAX it all started out with a low does for anxiety and escalated in to a 24 hour addiction xanax is a good medication for panic attack it is best used for a temporary time only not long therm please my friends save your soul xanax will steel it from you before you even new what hit you its harder to get off then harawin or nicotine

the withdraws will curial you up in a ball every day for mounts and you can not go cold turkey because it can kill you if for some reason you need to detox from xanax you will need hospitalization they will put you to sleep for two weeks so you don’t have a seizure then when the seizure comes they will control it with a antisiezer medication thru your IV. Please my friends I don’t want you guys to suffer like I did I don’t wish the hell from the withdrawal on my worst enemy I am not that evil.

Motivation try some natural shit theirs a lot out there my preference is kava kava it don’t taste good nether you need to put honey in it and jest jug it down 3 times a day it will help your anxiety do not use long term it can be toxic to the liver . Passion flower is good also .

FALCON

[quit-once]

Falcon you have scared the shit outa me about xanax. I might even trash the rest of my ativan after reading your last post.

[SomedayDreamer]

Hmmm, I've always loved experimenting on myself with supplements. I have also kept observational notes on everything I've ever tried. My methodology certainly wouldn't stand up to scientific rigor, but for what it's worth:

Anxiety:

L-theanine (worked great for me, calm but not sleepy)

Relora (ehhh/weird tension in head)

Magnesium citrate (CALM brand, ok.. little drowsy)

Passionflower (???)

Valerian (sleepy/paradoxical effect- made me crabby)

5 HTP (effective)

Skullcap

Bach's Rescue Remedy (homeopathic? Didn't do anything for me)

Hops (nice)

Green Tea (matcha, surprisingly effective)

GABA (headache, dopey, rebound anxiety)

Kava (tincture- too sedating, tea- pretty nice)

Gotu Kola (good)

Holy Basil (slightly helped)

[Motivation_Follows_Action]

Thanks everyone. Someday dreamer you reminded me, we haven't discussed this much but ampetamines are known to deplete magnesium stores, and a pretty important mineral for all kinds of reasons (anti inflammatory being one). I take it before bed, along with calcium which also makes you drowsy.

Falcon, you're right I will be careful with the xanax. I need to have this conversation with my husband as well as he is going to the doctor this week to try to get his first prescription. In his case I do think he needs something as he really does have an abnormally high level of anxiety. More than me even and that's saying something!!

[SomedayDreamer]

wow, I need revisit my notes a little more...Under my section of my experiment with Gotu Kola from 4 years ago ( 100 mg, with food, 3 mos. noncontiguous) and noted "calm, very slight 'euphoria'/ increased sense of well-being" on several of the days.

So I had a 100mg capsule earlier today, placebo effect perhaps, but I must say I feel really quite good mood. I'm picking up the house and...smiling, just kinda going about my tasks with calm alertness. Huh...certainly no blast-off euphoric energy of course, it's not a stimulant herb.

Anyways, just sharing not advising anyone anywhere on anything (obligatory disclaimer )

[Motivation_Follows_Action]

Somedaydreamer your notebook sounds pretty awesome....

What do you mean by "noncontiguous" btw?

[SomedayDreamer]

whoops... noncontinuous it should say

Oh, and a gratuitious explanation for which no one asked (nor likely cares lol) but, my "findings" about various supplements were reached using the following grossly amateur and deeply flawed methodology:

Try a new supplement over the course of 4-6 months during adderall-free runs (generally 10-15 days at time)- I'd introduce only one supplement at a time for a week or so (depending on how quickly it's reported to take effect) and document any noticeable effects under a set of categories daily, then eliminate it for a time, and reintroduce it again (ideally at the same point in the monthly hormonal cycle to minimize that throwing it off)-- and voila, finding what worked and what didn't for me (sorta). I'm always looking at more, I'll pretty much try anything that's GRAS

Placebo effect is always a variable I can't well account for, but I can say there were definitely some supps that I felt horrific effects, some had very positive effects, and some had absolutely no noticeable effects at all. Yes, I'd probably do well to find a hobby

[lea]

whoops... noncontinuous it should say

Oh, and a gratuitious explanation for which no one asked (nor likely cares lol) but, my "findings" about various supplements were reached using the following grossly amateur and deeply flawed methodology:

Sounds good to me!

[featherdusters]

bacopa monnieri https://examine.com/supplements/bacopa-monnieri/

[featherdusters]

Treating anxiety post longecity. http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/54028-treating-anxiety-safely-effectively/

[Frank B]

I took xanax to crash after nights of addy, pain pills and alcohol I'm lucky to be alive. Xanax changes your brains chemistry you will end up needing it to just feel normal. Toss those pills away don't even consider it a option they are dangerous and highly addictive. After investing in countless supplements myself I really feel like majority are just snake oil remedies. Some people may benefit from certain ones if their body is actually not producing something offered in a certain supplement but seem to be rare cases. I still take a few supplements and multivitamins but never believe the hype on the expensive brands that claim to be a miracle pill.

 

Ive heard to some people these below can really do wonders IF YOUR BODY IS LACKING, for me most did very little.

 

Vitamin /Mineral Supplements Most Effective

Vitamin D * Still use daily

DLPA * Some on this site love it but did nothing at all for me.

chromium picolinate * Diabetics beware affects insulin levels, some doctors claim it cures depression and helps curb appetite in some people. If your overweight and over eat this one is worth a try not expensive at all.

 

Herbal Supplements Most Effective

St. Johns Wort * Cannot take with some medications, I found them to make me even more tired personally takes 30 days to kick in and can get expensive taking full recommended doses.

Ginko Biloba * Still use daily

Green Tea * Still use daily

5-HTP

 

Hope these help just basing these from personal experience and what I've read about them.

[featherdusters]

I don't think supplements are snake oil. Caffeine is a supplement. I think you need to do your homework and not expect miracle pills.

[Frank B]

Never fucking said I did majority don't do shit.

[Frank B]

I don't think supplements are snake oil. Caffeine is a supplement. I think you need to do your homework and not expect miracle pills.

You sure haven't posted much on here to be talking trash. Sounds like you have a hidden motive to possibly push a certain product you may have investments in yourself? I never stated I expect a miracle from any supplements and listed what I use and others have used on here that might help. Sorry no link to whatever you posted and feel others should buy.

[featherdusters]

I wasn't being hostile. I didn't want people to avoid all supplements because you said the majority are snake oil. I think if they do their homework and not expect miracles supplements might just help.

[featherdusters]

I could have said it better.

[Frank B]

I think if you read my post I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of listing supplements to possibly try if I truely thought none of them helped and were not worth trying. I simply said what you did 'don't expect a miracle' your right because most of them do absolutely nothing and majority of the time it's a placebo affect. If it works even just in your mind then it's worth doing. I see often on here from time to time in this section people pushing hard some supplement where it's obvious they are only on here to advertise. That shit pisses me off trying to make a buck from people just looking for hope from this drawn out recovery.

[survived]

For any members reading this considering prescription pills for Anxiety, please don't do it! I lost a decade of my life to these medications. Your brain and central nervous system become dependent on these tranquilizers! It will take forever for you just to get better once you quit. Is it more difficult than getting off of Adderall. Do not touch.

 

As for natural alternatives, I have found self talk, deep breathing, and meditation to be great for Anxiety. Magnesium too.

[Frank B]

Survived I'm so glad you made it off those medications! I was only on them for a short time couldnt imagine.

Please pray for my friend Bettie and her family. Sunday her sister whom was battling depression killed herself Sunday with a gun she bought online. She was a mother of two young children and only 27 years old. I have no idea if she had been on a antidepressant but this suicide makes no sense like so many and more often then not usually have a SSRI is in the background.