Natural Anxiety Relief From A Biomedical Perspective

Atypical And Nontraditional

Natural anxiety relief is an atypical treatment for those suffering from generalized anxiety disorder. Typically, people who experience generalized anxiety disorder are prescribed one of a large number of FDA approved drugs for treating anxiety. Among these, some of the most famous may be Lexapro, Prozac and Zoloft. Each drug belongs to the class of compounds know as the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI).

Pharmaceutical Basis Of Anxiety Drugs

They function by blocking the absorption of a neurotransmitter (serotonin) back into neuronal cells. Serotinin seems to have an uplifting effect; its depletion has been associated with signs of depression and anxiety. The mechanism of action is understood only very artificially. Blocking serotonin seems to improve symptoms, while allowing serotonin to be resorbed seems to worsen them. But why serotonin improves mood is a very difficult question, and touches upon neurobiochemistry which is currently poorly understood. There also seems to be an overlap between those who are anxious, and those who are depressed. As a result, people who are prescribed drugs like Lexapro may be suffering from one or both symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Unknown Long-Term Side-effects

A further point that is poorly understood is the possibility of long term changes to brain biochemstry induced by the SSRI drugs. If an artificial agent is constantly suppressing the resorption of serotonin in the brain, does the brain start producing less of it since in response? Once the patient is off the FDA drugs, does s/he return to normal levels of serotonin. Many patients who try to temporarily come off the drugs find their anxiety and depression returning. Whether this is simply the unresolved symptoms of depression returning, or whether its because the brain biochemistry has permanetly changed is not well understood. The FDA has only tested for safety of the drugs; more subjective effects such as patient mood may be difficult to assess more objectively than through surveys that are prone to error. Some methods of natural anxiety relief, not evaluated by the FDA, attempt to do the same through non-medicating processes.

Turning To Natural Anxiety Relief

These arguments suggest that it may be fruitful to turn to methods of natural anxiety relief that do not involve drugs interfering with brain biochemstry. Of these natural methods, there are three categories that stand out. One is also a chemical method, but relies upon natural products such as those found in herbal supplements not regulated by the FDA. The second is a class of methods who attempt to alter brain biochemistry through behaviorial modification, amongst these are methods such as hypnosis, self-psychiatric care, visualization and self-coaching. The final category of natural anxiety relief includes lifestyle changes which do not directly attempt to influence brain chemistry, but rather elements of the lifestyle which are secondary to brain chemistry yet nevertheless may have effects on it. These include things like nutrition, exercise, and actively seeking out a community to build relationships with people to fend off depression and anxiety.

Success Varies

The success of each of these methods of natural anxiety relief will vary quite a bit from patient to patient, simply for the fact that the underlying causes of anxiety will differ also greatly between patients.