Aromatherapy for Anxiety and Depression

What is aromatherapy? It’s the art and science of using essential plant oils in treatments.

Aromatherapy is a truly holistic therapy, it takes into account the mind, body and spirit of the person seeking help, as well as their life style, eating patterns, relationships etc.

Although the word aromatherapy was first used in the present century, (maybe we ought to spell it “aromathérapie” the French origin for the word). The principles from which essential oils from plants is described as a form of treatment are very old.

Aromatherapy has its roots in the most ancient healing practices of mankind, the plants from which we now derive essential oils have been used for thousands of years before the technique of distilling oils was discovered.

Archaeologists have found traces of many plants with known medicinal value in the burial places and living sites of primitive man (they can be identified by analysis of the fossilized pollen) and it is very likely that the primitive man knew nothing of their healing properties which they stumbled upon by accident in the first place.

Early man probably discovered that some of the leaves, berries and roots that they gathered for food made sick people feel better and their juices helped to heal wounds.

They likely also observed which plants sick animals chose to eat. Such knowledge would have been very precious to people who depended entirely on the resources they had in their immediate environment, they than were able to hand down the once discovered they were handed down within the tribe as part of their shared wisdom.

Antidepressants:

Many essential oils have marked antidepressant properties, this is probably one of the areas where aromatherapy is the most valuable in present day society, offering a safe, natural and non-addictive alternative to the millions of medications prescribed annually for depression and anxiety.

The oil of Bergamot, is probably the most widely known of the anti-depressant oils, with its fresh lively smell and uplifting effect, but there are many others, including basil, Camomile, Clary, Feranium, Jasmine, Citrus, Lavender, Melissa, Neroli, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Ylang-ylang.

Each of these oils is subtly different in its action, and in its appeal to the individual, and the aromatherapist needs to use his/her intuition and therapeutic skills to carefully choose the best oil or blend of oils for each individual. A person's preference for a certain aroma may tell us much about the person's mental/emotional state at the time and as the cause of depression are many and varied, so must be the choice treatments oils.

Anti-Anxiety

Anxiety in some circumstances is a perfectly normal and healthy response, but like I explained in the article called "Anxiety Disorders" if it disrupts your lifestyle on a day to day basis, then it is considered an anxiety disorder.

In aromatherapy, we have a valuable alternative to the psychotropic drugs and muscle-relaxants that are commonly used in the treating anxiety allopathically.

Any of the sedative oils may be of help. There are many for the therapist to choose from: Benzoin, Bergamot, Camomile, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Cypress, Marjoram, Melissa, Neroli, Parchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Verbena and Ylang-ylang.

I strongly believe in the benefits that come from essential oils, I have been using them for years. My favorite ones are: Lavender, Orange, Patchouli, and Sandalwood