Alternatives to Benzodiazepines for Anxiety and Natural Treatments for Anxiety

Alternatives to Benzodiazepines for Anxiety and Natural Treatments for Anxiety

Meditation is personally one of my favorite daily activities to maintain optimal brain function and mental health. With modern scientific methodologies, we’re now beginning to understand its profound beneficial effects and its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. This bi-directional communication means that the state of your gut can influence your mental health. As you may know, chronic inflammation has been linked to mood disorders, including anxiety.

Improve Diet — Effective Benzodiazepine Alternatives

  • Please explore more about them on our services overview page, including IV + NAD, nebulized glutathione, art therapy, neurotransmitter rehabilitation, and many others.
  • GABA receptor activity subsequently modulates the function of several different neurotransmitter systems to engender a restful, calm state of mind.
  • Benzodiazepine drugs are prescribed usually before there has been an adequate investigative effort to find why the person is suffering from anxiety.
  • Another showed that it can reduce pre-surgery anxiety, comparable to standard medications (4).
  • Techniques for vagal stimulation include cold exposure, humming, and the practice of certain yoga poses, all of which have been shown to engage the parasympathetic nervous system 27.
  • Instead of being incorporated into proteins like other amino acids in the body, theanine exerts nootropic effects by crossing the blood-brain barrier and regulating brainwaves and GABA receptors 5.

Taking herbal supplements, nootropics, or prescription medications can help, but sometimes more is necessary. We offer scientifically proven and well-researched lorazepam alternatives that are also powerful but in a good way. Our services are fundamentally non-drug-based (with the exception of the taper process) and these methods are designed to ease tapering off this medication.

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Her occupation as a stay-at-home mother contributed to limitations in terms of financial resources. MB presented with a variety of complaints, primarily fatigue, anxiety, and depression. MB experienced a severe car accident in 2005 for which she did not receive medical treatment.

The Best Supplements and Nutrient Alternatives to Xanax

The Environmental Working Group found in excess of 2,000 chemical additives, preservatives, artificial colors, and other chemicals, many of which are considered toxic, are used in conventional packaged foods. Many of these chemicals are poorly regulated and create a toxic burden that the body then has to deal with. Choose foods that are not processed with toxic chemicals, additives, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. A summary and a more expanded description of these benzodiazepine alternatives follows.

There ARE Options — Find Out About Natural Alternatives to Clonazepam

Nature’s Xanax has the potential to elevate anxiety without the risk of severe side effects or dependency. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. The limitations of this case were the lack of follow-up with the patient and her unwillingness to repeat PHQ-9 and GAD-7 assessments to provide objective information. Further follow-up appointments would have provided opportunities to track her process and refine her treatment plan.

Ironically, withdrawal symptoms that occur when quitting Xanax include anxiety and panic attacks — the very reasons it’s prescribed in the first place. Through counseling, lab testing, and alternatives to psychiatric methods, we can discover where your anxiety stems from and help you get rid of anything that no longer serves you. The benzodiazepine alternative treatment that is most successful is one that finds the real underlying reasons that cause symptoms of anxiety and personalizes treatment on an individual basis. Alternative to Meds Center recognizes that holistic benzodiazepine alternatives may offer some safer resolutions for mental health problems, and superior efficacy for reducing and eliminating unwanted symptoms. Its ability to alleviate anxiety and stress is backed by a wealth of scientific evidence, and it’s an attractive natural alternative to medications like Xanax.

For instance, combining it with lemon balm or valerian root can provide a more potent calming effect. It was one of the first herbal remedies I took many years ago to manage my anxiety. Another showed that it can reduce pre-surgery anxiety, comparable to standard medications (4).

  • Physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural mood elevators.
  • Transparent Labs products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
  • In the next sections, I’ll explore these natural Xanax alternatives in depth.
  • Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a long-living flowering plant with a naturally sweet scent that has been used for centuries in perfumes.
  • We work to find and correct the underlying reasons that are causing the symptoms which resulted in being medicated.
  • Discover five alternatives to benzodiazepines and learn how these natural remedies can help reduce anxiety symptoms and improve your mental and physical health.

What We Do at Alternative to Meds Center

In 2017, over 120 million people left the doctor’s office with a benzo prescription. That is, millions of people can find safer alternatives to benzodiazepines for anxiety. While various medications effectively treat anxiety and sleep issues, the two most common include antidepressants and sedatives. At Alternative to Meds Center, we are most focused on fixing the things that benzodiazepines cannot actually correct, such as psychological issues, dietary factors, medical issues, neurotoxic body burden, and lifestyle. We work to find and correct the underlying reasons that are causing the symptoms which resulted in being medicated. Using non-toxic methods and natural substances, our studies have shown that this is achievable long-term for 87.5% of the participants.

Alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium) are some of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines. The B vitamin complex comprises eight water-soluble vitamins, all of which are involved in the body’s stress response and neuronal health. This increased resilience can help alleviate anxiety-related symptoms such as irritability, sleep issues, natural benzo replacement and difficulty concentrating. The seeds, bark, and leaves of trees belonging to the Magnoliaceae family contain honokiol.

Holistic Therapies: Alternatives to Benzodiazepines for Anxiety

Getting adequate sleep is extremely important for mental health, but sometimes anxiety makes it hard to fall or stay asleep. This can create a vicious cycle, because anxiety itself can be exacerbated by poor sleep quality. One way to approach getting better sleep is taking steps to prepare yourself to get the best sleep possible. Unlike benzodiazepines and beta-blockers, which act quickly, SSRIs and SNRIs work by gradually increasing the levels of serotonin and/or norepinephrine in the brain.

Studies have indicated that theanine can also help reduce the physiological responses to stress. Individuals taking theanine experience a reduction in heart rate and salivary immunoglobulin A, both of which typically spike during stress (40-41). Ashwagandha also possesses neuroprotective characteristics, supporting brain health, enhancing mood, and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases (26). Studies have shown that Ashwagandha can significantly reduce cortisol levels (25).

Work with a qualified healthcare practitioner or psychiatrist to determine what’s best for you. Relying on black-market sources for an addictive drug is a slippery slope, and it most certainly won’t lead be a safe and effective long-term solution for treating anxiety disorders. Studies corroborate that Xanax tends to be as effective as Valium (diazepam) for treating clinical anxiety disorders, but it’s not without drawbacks. Due to a high potential for drug abuse and addiction, Xanax is a controlled substance in the United States.