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I was taught from a very young age that "the doctor" knew best. In my day and age you were given a pill for "what ails ya". You got sick, you went to the doctor, he gave you a pill, you got better. So all my life I believed in pharmaceuticals. And because doctor knew best, he must know what he is doing by prescribing me more pills. My friends doctors all prescribed pills too, so it must be the right thing. No one presribed natural herbal medicines. That was the way of the past. Not modern at all. I never got the message that herbs were safer because I bought into the hype that doctors know best. They rely on the drug companies for their med info. And the drug companies are more than happy to oblige and leave sample pills for the patients. Thus the pill becomes the almighty way to treat illness. And the drug company pockets the proceeds. Herbal remedies that have been used for centuries are put by the wayside because drug companies would rather sell their wares rather than someone else's. So doctors are steered away from natural medicines. They fall onto the same par as chiroprators and Dr. FeelGood's tonic. When I heard people shied away from pills and relied on herbs for most of their medicinal needs, I questioned their reasoning. I thought it a bit backwards. It didn't make sense. I had already bought into the idea that pills were the way to go for effectiveness. Then it seemed it was certain people lauded their herbal medications and remarked on how good they felt. I believed these people were into the yuppie cult and were brainwashing themselves to believe the herbs were making a difference. I still doubted the effects of the herb. I was of the mind that they were fooling themselves into believeing want they wanted, that taking an herbal remedie was really just a placebo effect. You felt better because you think you did something to help. When in reality the herb had no effect at all. It was in your mind. I had no faith in herbal medications at all. Since those days of skewed thinking, I have reversed my decision. I started taking psychiatric medications over a fifteen years ago. When I began taking the medications I was told by my doctor they would help me and I believed her. I took these drugs knowing that there were terrible side-effects. I was told these were the drugs that were going to help me. I was ill and I needed help and I relied on my doctor to treat me. No alternative methods were offered and I simply assumed herbs useless in something as severe as mental illness. This disease needed strong made made chemicals to do the proper job. I was still buying into the idea proliferated by the drug companies - ours is better. Now, so many years later, these drugs have left their mark. I have permanent damage from some of them. Those drugs are horrible. They all have a list of adverse affects from dry mouth to being down right deadly. How many people have I met who routinely overdose on their meds or suffer diblitating side-effects? I can't tell you. I see myself as a lifer now with lots of acquired knowledge. I understand my illness much better and the symptoms that give me the most distress. I have been through all the pyschatric meds I care to at this point. I have had enough. So, I am now the one who is looking for an alternative medication source that is not so brutal to my system. I simply want safer medications. I find I suffer the most from depression and anxiety. I also have major trouble getting a nights sleep. I am listless and seem to have no energy. I have compiled a list of herbs I want to investigate.  Valerian
Botanical Name(s): Valeriana officianalis Parts Used: Root and Rhizome. Uses: It is used as a sedative for insomnia or other sleeping disorders, to smooth the nervous system, and to slow the heart rate. For all these reasons the dried roots of the plant are taken to prepare teas or tinctures  Ginkgo Biloba
Botanical Name(s): Ginkgo Biloba Parts Used: Leaves Uses: Ginkgo increases blood flow to the brain and has excellent restorative effects on the nervous system. It is useful for disturbed brain functions, which result in dizziness, tinnitus, and headache with emotional lability and anxiety.  Ginseng
Botanical Name(s): Panax Ginseng Parts Used: Root Uses: Ginseng is considered valuable for feverish and inflammatory illnesses, for hemorrhage and for blood diseases. Women also take it for everything from normalizing menstruation to easing childbirth. Ginseng promotes both physical and mental vigor  Chamomile
Botanical Name(s): Anthemis Nobilis Parts Used: Flowers and Herb Uses: It is a welcome tea for nerves and menstrual cramps. Chamomile helps promote a natural hormone, like thyroxin, which helps rejuvenate the texture of the hair and skin, and also helps in youthful mental alertness. It is a soothing sedative with no harmful effects. It is useful for small babies and children for colds, stomach trouble, colitis, a gargle and externally for eczema and inflammation  Lemon Balm
Botanical Name(s): Melissa Officinalis Parts Used: The dried leaves, as well as the essential oil are used. Uses: Lemon Balm is used internally to treat nervous disorders, indigestion and/or excitability developing from nervous disorder, hyperthyroidism and depression, anxiety, palpitations and tension headaches. It is often used for sleeplessness and also for nervous stomach disorders in both children and adults. Fresh lemon balm leaves are used to give a lemon flavor to soups, salads and sauces.  St. John's Wort
Botanical Name(s): Hypericum Perforatum Parts Used: Herb Tops and flowers Uses: Used in all pulmonary complaints, bladder troubles, in suppression of urine, dysentery, worms, diarrhea, hysteria and nervous depression, haemoptysis and other hemorrhages and jaundice. It is recommended that people who are taking any antiepileptic medicines should avoid taking the herbal remedy St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). This is because St John's wort may affect the level of antiepileptic medicines in the blood and could increase the risk of seizures. There is no point in taking a medicine that counter-effects the other. |