Anxiety and Essential Oils

Anxiety is something a lot of people struggle with. I myself have had struggles with anxiety and depression for years. While I always recommend seeking out professional help I also know that there are sometimes things we can do to help and lessen the effects of anxiety.When Joy told me about wanting to write this post I was really appreciative becasue I think so many times any kind of depression or anxiety issues are swept under the rug and not talked about, like it is something to be ashamed of. I know I have had people suggest that my faith was just not strong enough or I wouldn’t struggle. It is becasue of comments like that , that I struggled so much harder than I had too. It is time to start having real conversations about what is reality for so many people and offer a multitude of solutions in which they can figure out which one or which combination of solutions will work best for them. I am grateful for Joy offering a solution that worked for her. Again this is not to replace any kind of medical help you are currently receiving or are seeking out, I just want to make my readers aware of  solutions other than the typical treatment that is prescribed. With all that said lets get onto the post! If you want to check out the post on Essential Oils and depression click here.

It has been about 8 years since I had my first panic attack even though I know I have struggled with anxiety since I was a child. I was driving the car with my very young children and my head felt like it was spinning and I started to have chest pains. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. My husband’s work was nearby so I called him and talked to him while I drove to his work. By that time I was having numbness and tingling in my hands so he called an ambulance. After being thoroughly checked over it turned out that I had just had a panic attack. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever experienced. I’ve only had a few that extreme since but I can tell you, after talking to friends after, it is more common than you would think.

What are some of the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness

Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts

Repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences

Nightmares

Problems sleeping

Shortness of breath

Palpitations

An inability to be still and calm

Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Nausea

Muscle tension

Dizziness

There can be many more symptoms but these are a handful I have experienced over the last 8 years. What can a person do? Well if you truly feel like you are having a heart attack or any medical emergency, do not hesitate to seek medical attention. I struggled with that afterwards feeling silly that I had to go to the hospital in an ambulance to find out it wasn’t a heart attack, but it is better to be on the safe side. It is also very important to seek professional help for anxiety if it is affecting your daily life. For me it felt like an accumulation of stress that had built up and there was no more room for anymore. I couldn’t take anymore stressors without having a physical symptom. I was on medicine off and on for years but I gradually figured out other ways to also help out with my anxiety and to identify when things were getting out of control before they got to that point.

Walking– I love to walk and figured out that if I could walk a few miles a day that it drastically decreased my anxiety level. It’s also very good for depression. I guess the combination of sun, fresh air, and exercise helped my body be able to relax.

Talk With Friends– This is something it took me years to do. Talk to friends you can trust about your anxiety or depression. In doing so I discovered that many of my friends had been through similar periods in their life. It’s amazing what just talking about it can do!

Wait, I thought we were going to talk about essential oils!

I wish I had known how helpful essential oils could be for anxiety years ago! Only in the last little bit have I discovered how wonderful certain oils can be for anxiety. Here are some that I have been using, many of which are also good for depression.

Vetiver- I’ll admit this one has a very unusual smell. I do not mind it (especially mixed with other oils) as it just smells very earthy like rich soil. It is a very balancing and  grounding essential oil. It is thought to dissolve feelings of anger, hysteria and irritability. It also helps with the symptoms of stress and tension.

Lavender-This is one of my favorite smells ever! Not only does it smell great but it is very calming, which can help a person relax and sleep better. It mixes really well with the Vetiver. If someone were looking for one oil to use to start out with,  this would be the one. The benefits of lavender go on and on.

Roman Chamomile– This is another essential oil that is known for its calming and relaxing qualities. It is beneficial with anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and is mild enough to be used with children when diluted with a carrier oil. Roman Chamomile is rated GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by the FDA so it can be used internally.

Balance-This is a blend oil of Blue Tansy, Frankincense, Ho Wood, and Spruce. The smell is absolutely wonderful!  This blend has oils that are beneficial to the central nervous system and other body systems. Just like the name states it has a way of balancing the way you feel and helps balance your emotions.

How do I use these oils? I actually made up a blend of the four, along with fractionated coconut oil and have it in small bottle that has a roller ball. I put some at the base of my neck and also on the bottoms of my feet. The blend of these oils would also be amazing in a diffuser but I haven’t tried that yet. Each of these oils is also useful in Epson salts for your bath tub! A few oils together or alone mixed into the salts before putting it in the tub creates a relaxing experience.

Oh, before I forget. I had mentioned that I was about to try out a blend for depression called  Elevation but hadn’t gotten it in the mail yet. It is also called the joyful blend…you have to love that! I put some of it in the blend above and not only is it good for depression but it also is helpful with anxiety, stress, and actually gives you a boost of energy.

Thank you Amber for letting me do a guest blog! I really enjoy telling others what I already know about essential oils and sharing the experience as I learn more. As I have said before make sure that whatever oil you are using is pure as your body definitely does not need any added synthetic ingredients, impurities or fillers.

If any of you would like to purchase any of the Essential Oils , Joy does sell them.  I would love for you to get them from her becasue you won’t just get a great product – you will also get great knowledgeable customer service! That is hard to find nowadays! If you would like to check out her store  and the other Essential Oils she sells click here.

You can also keep up with Joy and her husband Chris on their social medias! They post about all kinds of really interesting things including essential oils, homeschooling, special needs, autism,  backyard chickens, and lots more! Come tweet ,tweet with Joy or Chris or check out Joy’s blog   or  Chris’s blog!

Did you miss any of the other posts on Essential Oils? You can catch them all here! 

Have you ever struggled with anxiety or depression? What have you done that has really helped you?