Naturopathy - For anxiety

[Poppy]

I recently went off my anxiety medication as I wanted to see if I could cope with out it : it's been about six weeks and it's going okay . I have awful days when I just want to cry and cuddle my dog but some really good ones too. I decided that along with psychology I would try naturopathy; I went yesterday and was prescribed different times of herbs for anxiety and bush flowers for self confidence / esteem after 2 hours of a huge range of questions about my anxiety - how it felt , what my appetite was like etc. They Taste like weird alcoholic herbal drinks and they are dropped under your tongue. I have read quite abit about it and it seems like it works with anxiety if you believe it will. Thought this might interest some people 🙂 I have also tried acupuncture but can't really remember it as I was little for anxiety. 

[Zeal]

Hi again Poppy,

It's important to only wean off medication after first seeking advice from your doctor (sorry if you're already very aware of this). I just thought I'd state this, as you'd be surprised how many people make this error. It's good that you feel you are managing without your anxiety meds.

Be mindful that naturopathic techniques are not widely-accepted as treatment for anxiety and other mental health conditions. Many doctors and psychiatrists are critical of naturopathy as a field, because these alternative treatments may only work for some, and are rarely scientifically proven.

I have been to a naturopath before, and I personally would not highly recommend it. It's fine to keep seeing this practitioner though, so long as you keep seeing your GP too, and also make lifestyle adjustments (i.e. improve your sleep etc.) to manage your anxiety.

Best wishes,

SM

[Poppy]

Hello 🙂 

thankyou for your reply! I went off my medication with the help of my Gp and she is wonderful and I see her every few weeks. ( feel lucky to have found a doctor who gets mental health ) but your very right about it not being proven ; my mum is super into natural therapies so I guess I've grown up having them in my life but I know they may not work at all ; I know the psychologist will be much more helpful. 

Thankyou for the help SM! 

Poppy 

[Lm587]

Hi I know this is an old thread but wanting to know how you went with the naturopath? Did it help you a little.

I try to keep things more natural in my life so would prefer to try something like this before being told I should go on medication.

[Zeal]

Hey lm,

My experience with a naturopath at 19 was not positive, mostly due to my personal circumstances. I had OCD/anxiety, but was specifically seeing a naturopath because of my low energy levels. I had been emotionally eating and having obsessive thoughts about food before I saw the naturopath, but developed a full-blown
eating disorder once I started following the naturopath's healthy eating guide. It wasn't entirely the naturopath's fault, because I was already at risk of developing an eating disorder. Being advised to cut out gluten, dairy and sugar was what triggered more restrictive eating, which in my case spiralled out-of-control. My OCD was a big part of this eating disorder development. I followed the eating regime too obsessively, and I gradually but steadily lost weight. At 45 kilos (I'm tall), the naturopath told me I wasn't too skinny. This was medically wrong, as I was severely underweight in terms of my BMI.

While I feel that my energy levels did slightly improve once I started taking natural supplements from the naturopath, my energy decreased significantly as I became more underweight. So seeing a naturopath was very unhelpful for me. If you see a naturopath, I think it's important to also regularly see a mainstream professional, such as a GP. Naturopathy has its benefits, but it's crucial to keep in mind that naturopathy is generally recommended as a complementary treatment (in conjunction with having GP appointments, for instance).

If you are already seeing a health professional and decide to start naturopathy, it's wise to tell them this, just so they're aware of your whole treatment situation.
If you don't mind me asking, what health challenge/s are you seeking help for? If you have mild anxiety, for instance, naturopathy in conjunction with counselling sessions may work for you. With a more complex mental health situation, such as a dual diagnosis, there may be less value in seeing a naturopath.

It would be great to hear back from you!



Best wishes,

Zeal

[Lm587]

Hi zeal, sorry for the late reply I didn't know how to check the treads again.

I have seen my doctor and she said it is anxiety. Didn't say what type but gave me this site and black dog site to do a little research on. said see how I go and that was about it.

I feel it is mild as it is just at night time and the nervous stomach and rainy heart starts to race. I never have any thoughts or worries going on when it occurs just out of the blue. I could be watching tv or just preparing or having dinner. Usual daily habits.

But the thing for me it seems to be every night for months with a break only here and there of a day or 2.