Valerian and GABA

[kevinpanic]

So I have been researching natural remedies for anxiety, and apparently GABA and Valerian would have the same effectiveness as taking a benzo (such as Clonazepam).

I'm not going to lie, if I could take Clonazepam every day for the rest of my life I would, but I heard its not very healthy.

Does anyone have any experience with these drugs?

[square]

Yeah, the only one that worked was the benzo.

Everyone's different. Discuss at length with your doctor.

[joey9]

I tried Valerian root for a few weeks - it seemed to have a VERY mild tranquillising effect which was better than nothing, but it didn't have such a marked effect that I bothered to continue taking it. I have also tried 5-HTP, which rather than working as a tranquilliser seemed to work at the level of thoughts, if you know what I mean - so your body feels normal but your thoughts don't seem to rage out of control in the same way that they can do. I guess it depends what kind of anxiety you have. I don't tend to get any physical symptoms so it worked a treat for me. I've just read up on GABA and I think I'll give it a go.

[punkgod94]

I've tried Kava. Kava is known to cause liver damage and if you're on it, you should carefully be monitored by your doctor!!! It also shouldn't be used for extended periods of time. I also didn't take it as the label said to - 3 pills a day I believe. It didn't give me the feeling that Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, or Valium did. If you're in that much mental distress I say just go with a benzo. We're all going to die one day. If you have anxiety for the next 50 years would you rather have them be a happy 50 years or a miserable 50 years? Also, you don't have to be on them that long. From what I've heard, *disclaimer - not sure if this is true or not* sometimes those chemicals will "jumpstart" your brain back to working regularly. Also read some of the other posts on here that may help you in addition to medication or even without it. Eating properly, exercising, medidation, etc.

[motif]

I'm taking GABA since month and it does work, sure not that strong like Xanax etc but at least is healthy. You need to take much bigger dose then is stated on the box. This is not a drug BTW.