Common Names—valerian, all-heal, garden heliotrope

Latin Name—Valeriana officinalis

What Valerian Is Used For

Valerian has long been used for sleep disorders and anxiety.
Valerian has also been used for other conditions, such as headaches, depression, irregular heartbeat, and trembling.

How Valerian Is Used

The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of valerian are typically used to make supplements, including capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts, as well as teas.

What the Science Says

Research suggests that valerian may be helpful for insomnia, but there is not enough evidence from well-designed studies to confirm this.
There is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether valerian works for other conditions, such as anxiety or depression.
NCCAM-funded research on valerian includes studies on the herb’s effects on sleep in healthy older adults and in people with Parkinson’s disease. NCCAM-funded researchers are also studying the potential of valerian and other herbal products to relieve menopausal symptoms.

Side Effects and Cautions

Studies suggest that valerian is generally safe to use for short periods of time (for example, 4 to 6 weeks).
No information is available about the long-term safety of valerian.
Valerian can cause mild side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, and tiredness the morning after its use.
Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAM, see NCCAM’s Time to Talk campaign.

Search the scientific literature for potential herb-drug interactions

Sources

Awang DVC, Leung AY. Valerian. In: Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005:687–700.
Office of Dietary Supplements and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Questions and Answers About Valerian for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders. Office of Dietary Supplements Web site. Accessed at www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/valerian.asp on June 3, 2010.
Valerian. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturaldatabase.com on August 11, 2009.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturalstandard.com on August 4, 2009.
Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis). In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:394–400.

There is no easy solution, but there are definite means of overcoming social anxiety disorder. Those suffering from social anxiety disorder deal with this problem every day. If you’re having problems with feelings of anxiety and nerves when faced with social situations, don’t give up. Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder, otherwise known as social phobia, will do anything possible to stay away from certain social situations that they fear. Some even go to the extremes of avoiding situations where there are other people involved like social events, work meetings and school classes. They don’t show up at the events for fear that they will do something that will humiliate or embarrass them. If they do show up, they will not get involved.

The cause of social anxiety disorder is not yet known. Children who are shy often suffer from the disorder as adults. A person’s upbringing can also be a factor that causes one to experience it – a person with overly critical or overly protective parents are more prone to suffer from social anxiety disorder. It could also be because of abnormal reactions in brain parts that control emotional reactions. Or it could be causes by a combination of the three possible causes. Whilst the causes of the disorder have not yet been established, good progress has been made with the methods of treating it. The most successful technique that’s used is one called cognitive behavioral therapy, which is carried out by specially trained therapists. The purpose of this therapy is to replace the negative thoughts that occur with positive ones.

Other types of therapy that psychologists recommend include exposure therapy, relaxation therapy and breathing techniques. You can do it as in group or individual sessions. Reading self help books is also recommended, and there are many useful ones to choose from. For those who suffer really badly from social anxiety disorder, courses of medication may also be administered. Most of the medications work on brain chemicals, like serotonin, that are responsible for symptoms of anxiety. You can get these medications with the right assessment and prescription from a doctor. Medications don’t fully treat social anxiety disorder. Psychological therapies like Cognitive behavioral therapy are more effective since they deal with the cause of fear and they also don’t have side effects.

Learn More : Improve My Self Esteem Or Social Anxiety Support

Here are the seven steps that will help you to get cured from panic attack. One first major thing is that you should try to be away from any kind of triggering source that helps in building panic within you. It might be difficult for you to keep away from such things but if you maintain this habit in regular way then surely you can achieve to be away from sources that triggers your panic. Positive thinking is another way to keep away from any panic attack at any time. If you think negative then you will never ever come to a solution of any problem in your life, but positive thinking helps you in building hope and that further enhances your brain power to think about the solution of any kind of issues that might be bothering you. So, if you have positive attitude then no problem can ever bother you and you will be away from any kind of panic attack, which are due to some kind of stress too. When you think positive you feel positive and you have new look towards life where you do not complaint anything from god.

You should try to maintain peace and calmness sin your mind, as it will surely help you to get away from any unnecessary thoughts that might hamper you. sometimes when you see many rush at any place then that too hampers you, so you must try to avoid any kind of rush areas that can disturb your body’s and mind’s peace. Having faith in god is yet another way to treat panic attack. This is again through positive attitude, when you feel that God has given you the best life and your life could have been worse if he wanted but he had his blessings on you and you owe your life to him. This kind of feeling towards almighty always helps you to be on safer and peaceful side.

There are so many healing programmes for you to recover from your panic or anxiety and you can join them to be in peaceful mind. With effective steps in mind, you can break down your anxiety attacks by following few steps and methods from these healing program. Another way is daily and regular exercising – be it in yoga or meditation form. As these things help you to gain more peace from within and you are sure to be relieved from any kind of unnecessary tension that might attack your mind. Lastly, you must follow a healthy life style that should include exercise, good and balanced eating habit and keeping away from unhealthy and unbalanced like junk and oily foods.

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Before we talk about how to tell if you’re having a panic attack, let’s talk about the one possible plus, and that’s that panic attacks often don’t last for more than a few minutes. Five to fifteen minutes is the normal run time for a panic attack.

However, during those five to fifteen minutes, you will be experiencing some very scary symptoms, and they will be extremely intense. Often, they will intensify over each moment passing.

As unfortunate as it is, finding out the root cause for anyone’s individual panic attack triggers is not easy, and it gets even more difficult considering they vary for everyone.

The difference in people’s triggers also happens to be the reason that the several well known fake symptoms of other similar disorders are experienced and caused to the person in question. They range from the feeling of a heart attack, to asthma attacks, and even temporary paralysis.

With all of that going on, how can you tell if you’re having an anxiety attack or a heart attack?

Panic attack symptoms, include shortness of breath, or maybe your heart will be rapidly beating, you might have nausea, or even chest pain. If you have any of these symptoms, or a combination, you should immediately go to your doctor and get a diagnosis. You might be on the verge of having a heart attack or possibly, you might be able to quickly stop your anxiety attacks!

Other telltale symptoms of anxiety attacks would be: you might have a shocking sensation, you might get dizzy for a period of time, or your chest might feel extremely right or constricted. You might have problems walking steadily, or you might have a slightly tingling sensation or numbness in your hands or feet.

A flushed face is also a very common sign, as is sweating or out of the blue have an intense feeling of fear.

The trigger, or root cause of your anxiety attacks may not be immediately obvious to you. You might think it’s just stress from work, or you might be worrying about your kids, paying bills, or anything really. Maybe it’s picture day and you have a pimple. It could be anything really.

In fact, you could have one panic attack in your lifetime, or be constantly plagued by them like a very good friend of mine has been.

She’s been held back by panic attacks her entire life, and it’s quite a shame. Please, don’t be like her.

Click here if you want to stop panic attacks. The sooner you treat panic attacks the sooner you can move on with your life.

Seeking help from a therapist is one way of social anxiety support. It is effective to use cognitive behavioral therapy to treat social anxiety. It is important to review and discuss problematic social situations that you cannot forget about. Doing so is essential to overcoming the problem. There is the option to do one on one with a therapist or in a group setting. Though it may seem the more difficult option, talking about your feelings in a group is the best approach, as you will soon find that their are others who are going through the same experience that you are. Aside from seeking help from a therapist, another way of social anxiety support that you can use along with cognitive therapy is by taking medications. There is a certain stigma attached to taking medication for mental health issues, but you should not let the ignorant views of others stop you receiving the treatment that you need. Medication alone is not the solution though, and it is no quick fix. It will help you physically, but you need to continue to work on your thoughts and emotions.

Calming down your lifestyle and finding some inner peace is important too. You need to learn how to properly relax, and you can use music to help you do so. Our state of emotions can be changed by the power of music. Emotional behavior and feelings can be dictated and inspired depending on the rhythm, subject, tempo and melody. Music has been used for thousands of years to inspire people in one way or another. Soothing music can take you away from what is actually infront of you to a place of your choosing. By associating relaxing music with happy past memories, you can return to those memories whenever you listen to relaxing music. Even if you are in doubt, you should try it out. After all, what have you got to lose?

To summarize, social anxiety support is not about a single magic solution, but rather about using a selection of solutions and tailoring them to your specific needs. By persevering with it, you can soon attend whatever social gatherings that you want to. All you have to do is try your best, and one day you will get there.

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Relaxation is a break from your strenuous life. When you’re relaxing, you are actually clearing up your mind and readjusting your thinking processes. Meditation and relaxation researches have spotted individuals, who can reach the right decision, after a successful relaxing session. During relaxation, the brain electrical discharge and impulses decrease in their rate and amplitude which leads to overall resting of thinking and other cognitive functions. Relaxation is also important in strengthening memory. Some studies have proven that relaxation helps saving (consolidation) of data in the short term memory. In other words, if you want to have a strong memory, you have to learn how to relax efficiently.

Relaxation has major positive influences on the physical and physiological body functions. During stress, the body adapts by increasing the levels of some neurotransmitters; mainly epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. Epinephrine and nor-epinephrine have strong influence on almost every system in the body, especially the cardiovascular system. During stress, these neurotransmitters stimulate the constriction of blood vessels and stimulate the heart to increase its rate which has many negative influences on the stressed individual. Hypertension and coronary artery disease are well known complications that are consequences of the heightened epinephrine and nor-epinephrine levels that occur during stress. Relaxation has been shown to lead to amelioration of the levels of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine which is positively reflected on a lower incidence of hypertension and coronary insufficiency.

Learning how to efficiently relax can be of great help in dealing with some anxiety and stress related psychological disorders. Individuals who experience panic attacks can be treated successfully by adapting healthy relaxing techniques. Moreover, some unhealthy personality traits which lead to behavioral disorders can be successfully dealt with the right relaxation techniques. Most individuals suffering from anxiety disorders and other stress related psychological symptoms can benefit from daily relaxation routines. Recent studies have shown that patients suffering from phobias and obsessive compulsive disorders can be relieved of their symptoms by using daily relaxation programs and guided meditation techniques.

Relaxation is a way that can help you dig deep into yourself and find your internal wisdom. It doesn’t matter how you relax. What really matters is that you should learn how to relax right. Adapting a relaxing technique, which depends on meditation, is a key factor in harvesting all the health benefits of relaxation. Guided meditation can help you get into a trance state which can maximize the effects of relaxation on your body and soul.

Relaxation is an important self healing maneuver. Adapting the right relaxing technique should guarantee you can seize all the physical and psychological effects of relaxation.

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If ever you are in need of mental health services, you can contact your local affiliates of the national self help organizations or the local mental health center. Most of these agencies have the relevant information on the various services designed to meet the different needs of those who are suffering from different types of disorders such as anxiety conditions, panic disorders, schizophrenia, etc. Apart from these, they also provide information related to community mental health services designed specifically for children, refugees, HIV infected patients, the elderly, etc. Here are a list of various community health services available for your use.

Mental health act has provided a great opportunity in rendering different kinds of community care based upon individual needs. The provision of good residential accommodation for various groups of mentally disordered or patients with disorders who need constant care by the government aided agencies is a step towards enhancing the community health services.

Generally community health services treat or support people suffering with mental disorders in a domiciliary setting instead of placing them in a hospital or a psychiatric asylum. The various services offered by these community services usually differ from country to country. Most of the community services consist of psychiatric wards similar to that of a hospital. These services are mostly rendered by professionals and government organizations. According to the world health organization, community services are very easy to access by a wide range of people and are quite effective and even aid in reducing social exclusion.

When compared to private mental hospital, community services are less likely to have possibilities for the violation and neglect of human rights which are rarely encountered in few of the mental hospitals. These community services also play an important role in educating the people about the various common disorders and their corresponding symptoms. This way, people gain knowledge on various disorders and can easily recognize individuals who may be suffering from these disorders but might not really be aware of them. Aged and older people who require constant attention, can get benefited by these community services, instead of paying huge bills at private hospitals, they can get good care at the community services.

With the population in the older age group on the rise, there is need for the development of community mental health services in various localities. Also, with many specialists willing to volunteer at the community services, clients can gain a lot of benefits. Since, most of the mental health disorders occurrence do not have a clear reason behind them, the treatment usually is a long term one and for people who cannot afford highly expensive treatments and consultations, community mental health services is the best place to choose. With government pitching in to provide funds for them, it is time people think of visiting them when needed.

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1- Breathing exercises:

Controlled breathing is by far one of the easiest relaxation techniques that can help you calm down quickly. Concentrating on breathing helps you to forget about strenuous thoughts and worries. To start breathing to relax, you must sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and focus on your nose as you breathe in and out. Breathe in slowly and deeply while trying to sense the air as it enters through your nostrils. Now, hold your breath for a few seconds while still focusing on your nostrils. Next, exhale slowly and as deeply as you can and try to sense the warmth of the air on its way out of your body. This routine should be performed for 10-15 minutes to relax effectively.

2- Progressive muscular relaxation techniques:

The idea of progressive muscular relaxation techniques arise from the fact that stress and anxiety are accompanied by muscular tension. Accordingly, relaxing the tension of the muscles helps alleviating the psychological effects of stress. The progressive muscular relaxation techniques depend on focusing on individual groups of muscles while performing certain movements that would help dissolve their tension.

3- Guided meditation:

Psychologists and hypnosis specialists stress on the great beneficial effects of meditation relaxation techniques. Although guided meditation is sometimes hard to accomplish, following the right routines and practice guidelines can help anyone meditate effectively. You must lie down, or sit comfortably; whatever is convenient to you. Visualize yourself in a quiet relaxing place you choose for example, in the woods, on the shore, sailing on a boat or even your imaginary sanctuary that might not exist. Now, try to sense everything around you in this perfect place; behold the beauty of its views, smell its pleasant scents and listen carefully to it soothing sounds. The more realistic your meditation is, the more relaxed you would feel when you come back to reality.

4- Yoga:

Yoga is one of the most effective relaxation techniques that have been known to man for thousands of years. Yoga combines multiple relaxation routines that can have beneficial effects on almost every part of your body. Yoga relies on breathing exercises and a serious of movement patterns that target relaxing the muscle fibers all over the body. Moreover, meditation is an essential part of Yoga and has proven efficiency in relieving anxiety and strenuous emotions.

5- Aromatherapy:

Aromatherapy is a relaxation technique that involves the use of scents and fragrances to alter the mental state of an individual. Numerous extracts of herbs, plants and woods have relaxing effects on the physical and psychological functions of the body. Scents of chamomile, lavender and geranium have well known relaxing effects. Many shops specialize in selling aromatherapy products. Most of these products are oils that you should have to heat up to smell their scents.

This article was originally published by Christine Crotts at Ezinearticles.com

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Anxiety Disorders – These kind of illnesses are often chronic and can be spotted in individuals right from childhood or can suddenly occur after the occurrence of an incident, which often is the trigger. The common symptoms include sweating, hypertension, muscle spasms, etc and at times these in turn lead to exhaustion and fatigue. Anxiety disorders generally include post traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, etc. The various treatment options are bringing change in lifestyle, pharmaceutical therapy, psychotherapy, etc

Personality Disorders – This illness in an individual can result in inflexible and extreme personality traits and which in turn distresses the individual or can cause problems at home or work or any other social gathering. The individual’s thoughts and behavioral patterns can be so different from what the society expects that they start interfering his or her own functioning. Examples of such behavior include obsessive compulsive personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, etc.

Mood Disorders – These kind of illnesses are also referred to as affective disorders and generally involve periods of feeling overly happy or persistent feeling of being extremely sad or fluctuations from extreme sadness to extreme happiness, etc. The most common examples of mood disorders include mania, depression, bipolar disorder, etc.

Eating Disorders – This type of illness is generally defined as having eating habits which are quite abnormal and may be related to excessive or insufficient food intake. However, the reasons behind them are quite complex and not yet clear. Various causes which can be attributed to eating disorders are child maltreatment or child abuse, parental influence, social isolation, cultural pressure, peer pressure, etc. In the United States, binge eating disorder is most common. Binge eating disorder is characterized by the following traits – consuming food when depressed or sad, eating large quantities of food when not really hungry, etc.

Psychotic Disorders – Distorted thinking and awareness are the characteristics of psychotic disorders. Among the most common symptoms of this disorder are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are the imaginary false beliefs of the patients that he or she assumes to be true and hallucinations are described as the process of experiencing sounds or images which do not exist in real, for instance, hearing voices, etc. An example of a psychotic disorder is Schizophrenia.

Mental health disorders can generally be caused due to a combination of sources and in majority of these cases no single cause or reason is established. The more common view is that these disorders are a result of genetic vulnerabilities influenced by environmental stressors.

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Visiting a mental health services facility does not mean that you have to necessarily see a psychologist. Most all mental health services offer free pamphlets and books that can help you better understand anxiety disorders and also how you can better cope with them. For one to begin the process of coping with anxiety disorders, they first have to understand their body’s needs. Our body requires a certain amount of rest, relaxation and enough time to recuperate. Once one fully understands these three things, that in itself is a positive step in coping with anxiety disorders. Some people learn how to cope with anxiety on their own, while others my need the help from a mental health facility to start planning pro-active ways that will stop the anxiety attacks.

As this article mentioned earlier, facilities that offer mental health services can assist with coping with anxiety disorders. They can provide pamphlets that can teach you how to breath correctly and relaxation techniques that will help you overcome anxiety attacks. They can also teach you how to rely on yourself to cope with anxiety. You’re confidence level will be higher knowing that you can rely on yourself while you cope with these disorders, instead of relying on medication, smoking and other means. People cope with anxiety in different ways. Some find that relaxing helps ease anxiety, while others find that relaxing makes the anxiety worse. This contradiction can seem confusing, but understanding that for some people, their body often uses stress and tension to defend against unwanted thoughts and feelings. Seeking help from a mental health services facility is another great option for people that find it difficult to talk to people that they are close too. Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable to talk about problems with family or close friends. Often times it is easier to open up to someone that isn’t that close, such as a doctor, counselor, therapists or even a priest or pastor. The therapists and counselors that work in mental health services understand the seriousness of anxiety attacks and they are extremely helpful in helping sufferers gain control with learning to cope with anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders are a serious problem and learning how to cope with them is extremely important. You will feel like a ton of weights were lifted off of you, once you find ways to release your stress and tension that causes the anxiety. Seeking help from a mental services facility is nothing to be embarrassed about. They are very well educated with treating people that suffer from these disorders and they can help you with coping and preventing further anxiety attacks.

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