Essential oils for Anxiety & Depression

I want to start off by saying that there is no scientific research that proves that essential oils can treat or cure diseases. So, it’s very important when it comes to anxiety or depression that you also seek out your doctors recommendations. HOWEVER, I do want to let you know that essential oils are remarkable for supporting your body and helping it heal itself.

There was an article recently shared by The Tisserand Institute on their FaceBook page and it was so wonderfully explained, I’m going to share it with you. Here is a quote from the article by Escentual Web, read the entire article here.

“Herbalism and aromatherapy don’t behave like a medicine. Yes, they do have properties and chemical components that are medicinal (and sometimes are extracted to create conventional medicines), but to fully understand them we need to think more holistically. Herbs and essential oils can support the body’s natural responses, but don’t necessarily target a specific problem. Those who have used oils for any length of time have experienced some amazing results. And maybe that is where the confusion lies, we see so many sources to tell us to use helichrysum for scars, or eucalyptus radiata for a cold virus and we understand it to mean that we can fix the problem with oils. We try it and indeed it helps. Next thing you know, people are claiming you can cure cancer and fix cavities with essential oils.I think it is useful to remember that almost everything that aromatherapy is good for, the body can handle on its own. Aromatherapy lends a helping hand and we get faster results, better results, and maybe emerge a little stronger and more resistant.” -Escentual Web

Now that we have some clarity on that, I’d love to talk to you about how you can support your anxiety or depression with the use of essential oils. I’m going to get real with  you here. Anxiety and depression is what led me to essential oils. I hate taking medicine. Seriously, I’m terrible at it. I forget all the time. And when we are talking depression meds, it’s never a good thing to miss doses. So I decided to try and look for some natural ways to help out with supporting the two. That is when I found essential oils and that led to so much contradictory information. So, as you know if you follow me, I went to Aromahead Institute to educate myself on how to safely and properly use essential oils. I use oils in conjunction with my meds with the plan to get off meds completely but under the direction of my doctor and therapist and doing it safely. So right now, I use them in a supportive role, which has completely helped me. Also, keep in mind, everyone has different levels of anxiety and different levels of depression. So, if you have a very mild case of one or the other, you may be able to stop using your meds sooner than someone who has a severe case of anxiety. Each individuals experience with what oils work for them and how quickly is going to vary.

I have a lot of anxiety with my job. So, while I’m working, I diffuse oils in my office. I have an aromatherapy bracelet that I wear while working. I don’t want to give false information that essential oils has completely replaced my medication 100% from the get-go. That would be irresponsible of me. I will never ever recommend to anyone to stop taking medication and replace them with oils. NEVER. I am not a doctor. I am not a therapist. I am just like you. A wife, a mother, a working woman, a busy human being trying to figure it all out and live a happy, healthy life. So while I am using oils to support my anxiety and depression, it has not cured it, it has not replaced my medicine and my therapy. My goal is one day stop my meds as I said but I don’t want anyone thinking that they can jump off depression meds and inhale some oils and be cured. It just doesn’t work that way and anyone that tells you otherwise does not have your best interest at heart.

Okay, so now that my rant on that is over lol, let’s get to the oils I recommend to help you support your anxiety and depression. When looking for oils to address both I wanted them to have a high content of the chemical components linalol or linalyl acetate. There has been a lot of research done on linalol and studies have found that it calms the nervous system, supports the immune system, decreases swelling and relieves pain. Linalyl acetate is another component that has been studied and research shows that its effective in calming the nervous system. So in reviewing the GC/MS reports for oils, I was looking for high percentages of both components.

The first is none other than Lavender, Lavendula angustifolia. There have been countless studies done on this oil. It has been established that when applied topically or inhaled, the two main components of lavender have calming and anxiety relieving properties. Neroli, Citrus aurantium var. Amara is another one that has high percentages of both components. There has been some research done on Neroli that was used on pre-op patients and it helped calm their anxiety. A substitute for Neroli can be used, it’s called Neroli/Petitgrain, which is less expensive. However, it’s just as powerful. It contains  high percentages of both linalol and linalyl acetate. Bergamot mint, Mentha citrata is another oil that is so supportive for anxiety and depression. It is very high in linalol and also contains linalyl acetate.  Clary Sage, Salvia sclarea is very high in linalyl acetate and also includes some linalol. Rosewood, Aniba rosaeodora ducke is also supportive for situation depression. One thing I want to mention about Rosewood is that it’s a precious oil, the trees that it’s distilled from are now on the endangered species list. Make sure that if you purchase it, it’s from a distiller that does it ethically. But if you are able to get it, it’s very high in linalol. Rosalina, Melaleuca ericifolia is another oil I recommend to help support your anxiety. It’s very helpful at night.

Some of the best ways to use these oils is to diffuse them, use an inhaler or a roll-on. A diffuser may not work if you need to be supported at work. In that case, an inhaler or roll-on are both personal devices that are small and can be kept in your pocket, purse, draw at work, wherever.

Try an inhaler with 5 drops Rosewood, 3 drops Lavender, 2 drops Clary Sage.

Try a roll-on with 10ml jojoba (vanilla infused if you can get it) 3 drops Bergamot Mint, 2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Neroli or Neroli/Petitgrain

At night try diffusing Rosalina and Lavender. If you are not able to diffuse, make a linen spray or personal inhaler. The two together are supportive for a good night’s sleep.

Another great resource I’d like to share with you all is a wonderful blog I found by Faith Mariah, The Radical Transformation Project. She is amazing. She has a library of resources available for anyone suffering from depression or anxiety. If you need additional support, check her out.

I also want to point out that when  you are dealing with either anxiety or depression or both, self-care is extremely important. This is something that I am working to improve on myself. I have a post about it you can read here and will continue to write more. The blog I shared above also has lots of great information related to self-care.

I hope this was helpful to you. This is a subject that is near and dear to me so I will continue to research and come up with more ways to help support you and myself on our journey.

Sending you much AromaLove.

P.S. If you need to purchase oils, I have the 7 essentials I recommend everyone have on hand available in my shop. Outside of those 7, I recommend Rocky Mountain Oils. They are affordable, high quality, responsibly resourced and provide GC/MS testing. I am an affiliate for them but would never recommend something I don’t use myself.

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Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. My products and posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases. They are not a replacement for doctor prescribed treatment and medication. Not intended for use on small children unless otherwise noted. If you are pregnant, nursing or under the care of a physician for chronic issues, please consult them prior to trying any essential oil products. All products/recommendations are for external use only.

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