How can I ease anxiety naturally?

In this blog I'm going to share the natural ways I ease anxious feelings, for me and for my family. Yes, I'll be talking about plant medicine. These are gentle, natural tools that sit alongside whatever support you already have, and they've made a real difference to me.

Panic onslaught

I'm not sure what's occurring energetically for me, but the most common thing people come to me for help with is anxious feelings, my own and everyone else's. Like attracts like?

Panic definition

Just so we're all on the same page about the emotion I mean, the dictionary calls it "a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome". (Cheers, Google.)

New to panic

I never thought I suffered from panic! I'm quicker to anger than worry. And I'd never had a panic attack... don't worry, I've had one now!

I saw myself more as a lion than a mouse. I now recognise that a shouty hissy fit is just another type of anxiety. Panic isn't just for the meek and the weak... it can happen to us all!

The writing on the menopause wall

I distinctly remember a conversation with my mother and sister-in-law, where they both said menopause made their anxiety worse, and me denying any connection.

Ha! I now get it in spades. Regular geyser-like temper eruptions are the first sign I've got it, the second a delightful hot sweat. No fainting fear for me, just pure unadulterated, often misplaced, rage?! A bit of a cover-up job...

Everything triggers

These days my memory is shot to pieces, and I find far too many things make me feel anxious. Quite ridiculous things too!

So I spend time, once I've picked everyone off the ceiling where I've blasted them to, talking myself down.

Uncovering the hidden sources

I weed through the detritus to find the cause, then take myself through a Byron Katie style line of enquiry, so I can calm right down and get some perspective.

If you haven't read her book Loving What Is, do. It's excellent for perspective and balance in life!

Expensive self-destruction

This behaviour is expensive, unwelcome and getting in my way! It feels like one of those rodeo bull rides you can only hang on to for about five seconds before you're flung off. I reckon I look permanently and publicly stressed, which is giving me more lines and wrinkles... no thank you!

How I ease anxiety naturally

So how am I handling this unwelcome angst, as a fiery, redheaded control freak who is very uncomfortable with "out of control"?

This is what's worked for me so far on my oily journey. Essential oils are like everything: some will suit you and some won't, and it really comes down to which smell works for you. Trust your sense of smell to tell you what you need at that moment. Things change; nothing is constant.

Lavender for the really big moments

For the heavy-duty hissy fits, I put a drop of Lavender on my palms, cup my hands over my nose and breathe in deeply. Then I rub it on the back of my neck. It brings the battle screams in my head to a calm.

As far as I'm concerned, there's never enough Lavender in my life. It works well on pulse points too (diluted in a carrier oil), and I diffuse it all over my house.

Calming kids

When my kids lose it and start fighting, which is currently daily, I get them to breathe it in from my palms, and I use it diluted in a carrier oil to rub into the soles of their feet.

My eldest can't get enough of a foot rub, so that contact is calming in itself. The Italians call it calmante; I think it should be an English word, so I'm making it one.

Wild Orange

Wild Orange works well with Lavender, or on its own, for some people's anxious feelings, especially children... not me, I hate it! You can diffuse it in a cold diffuser (never an oil burner, the heat spoils the oil), breathe it in, or dilute it and apply it to the skin.

Peppermint for grounding

I find Peppermint has a similarly calming effect. It's uplifting, eases tension and makes you feel really good. Breathe this one straight from your palms.

Rose for feelings of love

And finally, Rose. It promotes self-love, the emotional kind, and when diffused it brings some love back into the room and calms everyone right back down.

I dilute it in a carrier oil and rub it into the skin over the heart, especially when the panic comes with tears, which it often does with the kids. There's also a special kit for children where the oils are already diluted to the right strength. Read more in my blog on using essential oils on children.

A word on safety

Essential oils are for breathing in and for diluted use on the skin. If your anxiety is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP too. If you take medication for anxiety, keep taking it, and talk to your GP before changing anything. Natural support works best alongside them, not instead.

Wellness consultations

Book an appointment with me and I'll help you understand your triggers and which oils and herbal remedies could support you.

Buying essential oils

The world of essential oils isn't equal. It's unregulated, and an oil can be sold as "pure" with very little of the real thing in it. So if you think you're getting a bargain by paying next to nothing, which I used to, you're really not.

Buy from me, a qualified aromatherapist, and get proper advice and support.

Self health workshops

I run workshops, online too, for anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of essential oils and the best ways to use them in daily life.