Anxiety & Chamomile

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Anxiety & Chamomile
Chamomile tea in a glass cup and saucer with chamomile flowers in and around it. Photo Credit Almaje/iStock/Getty Images
Anxiety is a relatively common mental health disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year. Not everyone who experiences anxiety has a clinically diagnosable anxiety disorder; anxiety is a common, normal response to fearful and stressful situations. While medication can often ease symptoms, some herbs, such as chamomile, can also help to lessen anxiety. Always consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety can manifest in a number of different ways. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, some of the more common symptoms are irritability, excessive worrying, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath or headaches. Anxiety disorders include specific phobias, which are fears of specific places or things, panic disorder, which is characterized by panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, which exhibits itself through obsessive, ritualistic behaviors and thoughts, and generalized anxiety disorder, which is a state of general fear, worry and tension.

History of Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb that has been used in traditional and herbal medicines for thousands of years. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used chamomile for its multitude of physical and mental benefits. Among its many other uses, chamomile may help to reduce anxiety, ease insomnia, calm upset stomachs and soothe minor burns.

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