|
Post by Brynn on May 20, 2009 18:57:40 GMT -5
I'm a huge herbal user; for example, I have a catnip and a lemon balm plant in my room right now, which I use almost daily for their respective properties (indegestion for the catnip, nerves and general malaise for the lemon balm), and one my feverfew plant starts blooming I plant to use it as well.
|
|
|
Post by Ela @ GK on May 20, 2009 19:24:20 GMT -5
I chose "Other".
For some things, I use herbal remedies. But for some of my medical problems, herbal remedies won't ever help them. For example, I have auto-immune pancreatitis which can only be treated by strong immune-suppressants (in my case, low dose steroids are the only thing that ever helps).
But when possible, I do use herbal remedies.
|
|
|
Post by Teh Skitch on May 20, 2009 19:42:46 GMT -5
Nah, I don't use herbal remedies, and I think most are silly, but there are a couple which have been proven to work. I don't really use ANY sort of medicine unless it is neccesary, simply because I'd rather ignore my ails and going about my normal life. Last month I successfully ignored and ran on a painful injury in my right pelvis, and a couple days ago I refused to pay a cold any attention, but I don't think I can ignore my shin splints any longer though. It's starting to be EXTREMELY painful.
|
|
|
Post by Feral on May 20, 2009 20:24:11 GMT -5
I chose other... because personally I don't use direct herbal remedies. But some of them do have a lot of merit, and many of todays drugs are originally derived from herbal-type remedies.
|
|
|
Post by Neco on May 21, 2009 9:27:41 GMT -5
I chose other as well.. since I don't use herbs or pills, etc. : X The only pill I take is for period regulation cause yeah... screw being sick for 3 days a month every month without it >>
But I'm definitely willing to try some. I had a HORRIBLE experience with thyroid medication that got to the point where I was dizzy, sick and unable to even get out of bed. And this was supposedly helping me : / Went to the doctor about it and they had NO idea that there were even side affects to this drug. So. Yeah. FTS, haha.
|
|
|
Post by loxfiredance on May 21, 2009 13:07:43 GMT -5
Sometimes. I think it's disgustingly narrow-minded to claim herbal treatments are nonsense, because that's what people used before modern medication. Medical and scientific research has made medicine what it is today, but before all that people relied on Mother Nature to supply cures for ailments. If I get conjunctivitis (eye infections) I still pour cold black tea into my eyes. & if I get a wart (I've only had two in my life but they're annoying) I put banana skin over them every night bound with tape, and they go within a week. I also eat jalopeno chillies when I have a headache, mainly because the pain diverts onto my tongue and forces me to think about that instead of the headache
|
|
|
Post by Alex@Marvel on May 21, 2009 13:09:12 GMT -5
Not a lot, mostly because I'm allergic to a lot of green things in nature and I try not to aggrevate my allergies or tempt fate in that manner.
I do use catnip though, I have some in tea.
|
|
|
Post by loxfiredance on May 22, 2009 9:26:02 GMT -5
^ LOL WHUT You eat catnip? Does it make you zing out? hahah I've got this image of you making all the face petz make when they eat nip XD
|
|
|
Post by Cat on May 22, 2009 9:44:26 GMT -5
what with my exams n all my mam came home with some emergency essence stuff, supposedly to calm my panic attacks down.. but i swear it was just brandy hahaha
it didn't work at all, just felt like i'd taken a shot and it hurt my throat ):
|
|
|
Post by Ela @ GK on May 23, 2009 1:07:15 GMT -5
^ Cat, I find that with a lot of herbal remedies geared towards mental issues (ie. anxiety/panic).
Sadly, I don't believe in herbal remedies working for any true mental health disorder since the mental health disorders are caused by imbalances in chemicals in your brains and 'crossed wires' (figuratively) which require chemical supliments (found in no herbal remedy I have ever encountered, read of, etc) or stablizers, which can be dangerous if not properly prescribed by a physician. Both of which are also man-made... not found naturally in nature.
For minor things, like infections, aches, common colds and flus, etc - I do believe "remedies" work quite well.
|
|
|
Post by Brynn on May 23, 2009 7:29:36 GMT -5
Sadly, I don't believe in herbal remedies working for any true mental health disorder since the mental health disorders are caused by imbalances in chemicals in your brains and 'crossed wires' (figuratively) which require chemical supliments (found in no herbal remedy I have ever encountered, read of, etc) or stablizers, which can be dangerous if not properly prescribed by a physician. Both of which are also man-made... not found naturally in nature. I find that interesting, if only from my personal experience. I was diagnosed with agoraphobia in high school, and just about the only thing that got me through it long enough to get the therapy I needed was an herbal supplement called 'Nerve 8'. The ingredients include: - Capsicum fruit (warming effect, opens up blood vessels)
- White Willow Bark (pain killer)
- Hops flowers (calming, soporific)
- Valerian root (calming, soporific)
And so on and so forth. It ratchets down my anxiety long enough so that I can function, and get myself out of the situation that triggered the attack. Without it, I can say with almost complete certainty that I would have had to spend some time at the hospital, or at the very least have had to leave school. I would have used a pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medication, but my family has a history of becoming psychotic whenever we're put on that stuff (my sister was diagnosed with ADHD, and because of the meds she was on missed out on a ton of friendships, and my father almost killed himself when I was a toddler). Valerian in particular has many of the same functions as commercial anti-depressants, like Xanax. As a rule I wouldn't trust any 'herbal' remedy I didn't find at a store that specializes in herbs/homeopathic remedies. And Lox - XD No you don't zing out, hehe. What I do is pick a leaf off or two, and go om nom nom. It helps a lot with my stomach when it's being grumbly, and tastes good too.
|
|
|
Post by Ela @ GK on May 24, 2009 17:41:35 GMT -5
^ Psychosis as result to medication is most often due to a mis-medicating the individual. People who are put on too high or too low of dose can become psychotic, or if they are put on meds geared towards something they don't have. I had that problem when they put me on anti-depressants when I in fact had Bipolar instead.
Honestly, There are plenty of things that calm your nerves that are "non-medicinal" but I do not believe they have long lasting effects like medications geared to correct the brain problems. Tobacco and Chocolate can calm a person's nerves, but that doesn't mean they will prevent an anxiety attack from happening. Medicines are geared towards not only immediate corrections, but preventions in the long term sense. Personally, no herbal remedy or over the counter stuff has ever worked in those respects. Having tried multiple ones in the past (including just generic "At Home Remedies" and (mental) exercises) I have never found a remedy that provided long lasting relief or prevention like my prescription meds.
Especially, this applies to some of the more complex mental health problems. I will use Bipolar since it is something I live with and know. If a person with BP takes something that "calms" your nerves (ie. marijuana, though illegal, is a common "calming herb") they can become psychotic in their rebounding manic episode because there is nothing there to stabilize them. If they take something that gives them energy and "pick me ups" (f.ex caffeine, primrose, excessive vitamin D) they can become abnormally irritable in their manic episodes and suffer a severe crash into abnormally bad depression after the manic episode desists. People with such a mental health disorder require mood stabilizers that neither bring you up or bring you down, which I believe cannot be achieved by herbal supplements or the likes.
* I am in no way saying everyone who has anxiety should be on meds. If you just have generic anxiety, basic calming items can help, but if it is routed to a mental health problem (ie, brain wires are developed incorrectly, chemicals are imbalances, etc) then herbal remedies only provide temp relief and are in no way (imo) comparable to the results you get from properly prescribed prescription meds geared toward the problem you have.
I just feel that when dealing with actual brain-malfunctions or disorders, medicine designs and geared specifically towards long term correction of it is the only safe way.
|
|
|
Post by Alex@Marvel on May 24, 2009 17:42:18 GMT -5
^ LOL WHUT You eat catnip? Does it make you zing out? hahah I've got this image of you making all the face petz make when they eat nip XD I don't eat the catnip, it's in my tea. And actually, it makes me very calm for the most part. It's great for an anxiety filled day for me.
|
|
|
Post by Ink on May 24, 2009 18:02:56 GMT -5
I normally try to stay OUT of convo's like this, but I believe STRONGLY in herbal remedies. I have been raised around then. Although I do have Ovarian problems, and have to take a certain BC that doesn't let me use most of the things I would normally, I still believe in it.
and Ela... there are HERBAL remedies for mental illness... x: ^ There are herbal remedies that are long lasting for SOME mental illness. And just because you haven't found anything, doesn't mean it doesn't help other people. EVERY person is different. I am not trying to be a know-it-all or a brat or whatever, but its not totally true that they don't help long lasting periods of time. I used to take St. Johns Wort for depression, and only stopped taking it because of my BC. there are things that can help certain mental health problems.
|
|
|
Post by Ela @ GK on May 24, 2009 18:44:44 GMT -5
^ I never said there wasn't herbal remedies geared towards mental health problems... I said I did not believe in them and personally would never use them because (in my opinion, as stated) I do not feel that using herbal remedies for serious issues is safe, nor do I believe they are as effective as medication that has been researched and tailored specifically for that one very issue.
You have your opinion, I have mine.
If others wish to use herbal remedies to help serious problems (mental health issues I believe are quite serious to dapple in) then that is their choice. I never said no one should use them. i stated my opinion as to why I don't believe in using them.
(edited for spelling)
|
|