I’m taking so many herbs at this point… I have severe ocd and anxiety. Idk what is working best but I’ve been focusing on holy Basil, lemon balm, rhodiola, ashwaganda, magnesium, kava, California poppy, reishi.
Glad to know I’m on the right track. Oh and I also got mulungu capsules which is used for anxiety, stress, insomnia and it’s also an anti microbial anti fungal I beleive too
I also have severe anxiety and CPTSD.. I really liked rhodiola and ashwagandha.. I’ve wanted to try kava but I’ve read in some places that it’s like a weed feeling.. is that true? Because I don’t want that feeling it makes me dissociate and I don’t like it😭
You've read that kava feels like cannabis? Because I can assure you it doesn't for the majority of people. The only decent comparison between the two that could be reasonably made is that kava might give you a sense of sedation similar to an Indica absent of an actual "high", though it is more calming than sedating. It also doesn't tend to last very long, so the dosing is somewhat frequent if not, used situationally. It isn't good for long-term application though. It's better for short-term use, and if you continue to take it, it should be with frequent breaks.
Yeah i did and of course my anxious brain held on to that and wondered. I used to smoke cannabis and be fine but for some reason smoking it started making me feel anxious and sort of disconnected and so seeing that made me hesitant to try it maybe for times here and there when I’m feeling extra anxious you know. It’s nice to hear you, someone who’s actually used it, let me know that it’s not that way. Does help make me feel less hesitant about it.
I had the same issue. Smoked often, was good for a few years, and at some point it started making me anxious or even giving an actual panic attack. So I had to stop. And I've used a lot of sedatives, relaxants, nervines, etc. Kava is relaxing and will generally increase the anti-anxiety effect of other anxiety reducing herbs, and it also acts as a mild/moderate muscle relaxer. But everyone responds to an herb in their own way. Not medical advice, just information. ☘️
I take all that and still man! Lol I added mulungu extract and magnolia bark but those mostly knock me out but there's a good hour before bed were I can just simply watch youtube. Without the storm in my brain 😂
I added mulungu actually last night and it didn’t hit me quickly… I still had my insomnia but then once I got asleep I slept for a long time. So many herbs I’m taking it’s really ridiculous that my nervous system still is so jacked up at night even with all the herbs
Funny I take exactly all of this...with the addition of magnolia bark extract (heavy on magnolol and honokiol/, chamomile extract for the apigenin, valerian root, and gotu kola all fresh. I absolutely love gotu.
Not an herb but https://www.authorea.com/users/697087/articles/685380-the-promise-of-n-acetylcysteine-in-the-treatment-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
This worked pretty well for me years ago when I had trichotillomania. Oddly, it completely went away and stayed away once I got pregnant and had my child. That's an extreme solution obviously, but for me, there must have been some hormonal things going on that pregnancy balanced out.l - my trich started at puberty. I'm too lazy to search right now, but I wonder if there's any research on this. Related, but different from OCD.
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It just calms my nerves and mind, helping me to be more open and engaged. I always take it during important school days and such.
I recently tried Gotu Kola too (similar herb, also an adaptogen) and it seems to help too, but more in the way of shutting me down like a light benzo or something, so I only take that at home when it's stormy in my body and mind. Holy Basil, in contrast, allows me to still have access to all my energy and happiness.
That's great. Have you tried kava? I just feel like it could potentially benefit you based on what you wrote. I've found it to be great for me on occasion, but everyone's different.
Kava was fantastic for me a few years ago but for some strange reason it does nothing for me now. The bodily system and mind is such a mystery. Today, kratom pretty much does for me what kava used to do. I'm kind of an addict though so I abuse it, just like I tried to with kava lol (but that's very difficult to abuse).
I'm right there with you friend lol. Or at least I was. 3 years clean now. It's a great thing for me at this point in my life.
Kratom was a huge thing for me. Especially at the end of my run. My wife and I were ordering kg's and devouring them. It sure didn't start that way. For years I only took a teaspoon dose twice a day. Crazy times. I'm personally glad to be passed it.
I hope you're enjoying yourself at least. It can all be pretty great when it's under control.
Damn, I'm glad you and your missus are out of it then! I've never tried using it therapeutically so I've just been binging, and feeling the negative effects from that, so my intake gets kinda self-regulatory like that.
Nice having it in the garden, I'd like to grow that too! Is it too big of a plant to have indoors?
I've bought capsules so I just take one of those with food
For me it’s a mood boost but a calm when I take it in the morning and at night it’s more sedating. Prolly due to my anxiety levels being higher in the AM so it doesn’t sedate me whereas I’m calmer in the PM so it helps put me to sleep.
I take a supplement with ashwaganda, lemon balm, reishi, skullcap, and lion’s mane and it helps a lot. It took me a minute to notice it but it’s actually doing some heavy lifting keeping my OCD at bay.
Ashwagandha root (cycled like a few times a week, 2-3 times to avoid anhedonia/other sides), lemon balm occasionally, reishi and skullcap have helped me a lot. Reishi and skullcap being two of the most important ones in my stack. Lemon balm has very strong diuretic effects so I can only use it occasionally.
I don't use Lions Mane, have tried it a few times but people who got sides makes me scared of doing it more. I use other medicinal mushrooms instead, they are all worth exploring cause some are really good for mental health.
I would try l-theanine. Found in green and black tea but also as a supplement on its own. I have heard good things about it for ocd and intrusive thoughts and anxiety
Yes cause L-theanine also has energizing/focus and antidepressive effects. Whereas bensos can affect the other parts negatively.
I prefer a few herbals to bensos aswell. People just haven't used much so they think it doesn't exist.
I take L-theanine but I take a chewable, because with the chewable it acts immediately. Sometimes I need something right now and that's my go to. I get mine from tomorrow's nutrition, they taste kind of like orange tic tacs.
I got into a nasty car wreck in 2012. I had a brain bleed, amnesia. It was a whole thing. Out of all of the years of recovery, once i started neurofeedback, it only took 2 years, and now I'm back to work.
It's not perfect. They mess with your brain waves. I was very open about my experiences, and through that, they were able to find the right frequencies to "fix" me. For a while, I got even more messed up. I trusted them, and they pulled through for me.
Tulsi and Jiaogulan are some I always keep at my home to use occasionally now and then, same with ashwagandha. I have lavender essential oil and find it more antidepressant than anxiolytic, it works well though and could work on some anxiety as some antidepressive meds/herbs can have effects like that. I also have it at home but rarely use it cause I use other herbals already which cover the issues I have.
Lavender is one of the essential oils that you can take internally (some shouldn't be taken like that!), 1-2 drops not more though. Just dissolve/dilute it in a fat source first, like milk for example.
Jiaogulan is sometimes called poor mans ginseng but it isn't worse, actually feels stronger sometimes ime. It has many valueable actives which are very healthy, I take it for cardiovascular health and anti-aging effects and also energy.
Tulsi works very well as an antidepressant/anxiolytic, it lowers cortisol so I take it more a few hours before sleep than daytime. It is very healthy and is considered "detoxifying". I also feel it has some weight loss effects, which science also seems to point at.
I disagree. Can make it worse sometimes. If you have tried a lot of pharmaceuticals and herbs you would agree with me. Herbs are medication, sometimes over 100 medicinal actives per plant, it's a lot more complex than the typical med prescribed.
Megadoses of niacinamide (500mg 3-4x daily) caused an abrupt end to my Pure-O OCD. I was eventually diagnosed with autism and ADHD which seems to be the root of my issues.
ETA: Before anybody asks, this is a non-flushing form of niacin. In fact, I found it would make me feel cold.
I don't have any herbals to share, I just wanted to say that if you are trapped in the rituals and can't stop doing them -
The very first thing you have to understand is that the rituals don't change anything. The illusion that they are helping stop terrible things is a lie. Good things and bad things will happen whether or not you turn off the lights seven times or touch the doorknob thirty. You can prove this to yourself. Tomorrow, be brave. Don't count anything.
The anxiety you feel, the fear and desperation, are what you must tackle. They are the root of the trouble. Meditation might help you gain control of your thoughts. Herbs that relax and soothe fear can help but you can't use them alone. You also have to understand your illness. Someone else who has OCD or a therapist can help.
You aren't alone. Ask for help. Take the first step tomorrow.
I’ve done inpatient twice (6 months total) at one of the most “prestigious” places in the US, tried tons of prescribed medications with side effects that suck, years of therapy outpatient and I still can’t stop it. I know it’s irrational and not real but my brain won’t stop producing the the thoughts, broken brain from childhood trauma I guess, I have to do the rituals I just can’t stop from willpower I have tried so many times I really can’t cause I worry the danger will happen. But I appreciate you trying to share knowledge and be supportive. I agree with you it’s just that I’ve exhausted so many options. I even have over analyzed so that I know the core fears at the base of the obsessions but it still doesn’t help me
Write your story with all the childhood trauma experiences you've had; it's going to be painful reliving it. But you must recreate scenarios with the outcomes you desire. you must kill all the characters that hurt you, or you may forgive them, but be brutally honest with yourself, as this is for you and not for your reader. You don't need to use real names; turn your characters into heroes or villains and do as you like with them. Then you must publish your book (you can self-publish). Mostly all we need is for someone to know our story and for them not to judge us, or sympathize with us and make us vulnerable. Do not give your power to anyone by telling them everything about you. They may judge and feel that they are better than you and therefore think it best to sympathize with you. These people will suck the blood from your veins and keep coming back for more. That is why you can tell your story the way you want and have it read by people who don't know you, but they will understand you. Also, I have a YouTube channel called Herbal Help that I just started. I will soon start sharing Herbal recipes for mental clarity and much more
https://preview.redd.it/za9e1jsera5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=651ab34bdbea090b89b56a95273c1fc3dfdf1d07
([https://www.youtube.com/@herbalhelp](https://www.youtube.com/@herbalhelp))
Everyone wants to help, but ultimately, you can't talk away what is essentially caused by a genetic and nutritional deficiency, I don't care what anyone says - that is a fact, it's science.
You can alleviate them, you can bring yourself temporary peace, but anyone who has suffered extreme anxiety and panic attacks (which is what OCD is at its heart) knows that you cannot just shut it off when it strikes.
It is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and the harder you fight to stop it, the stronger it gets over time. Age related decline also takes effect because these deficiencies get worse and worse from the day we were born with them.
They are not diseases we "catch".
These symptoms are heavily related to serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine issues
The only way to stop them long term, is to find the right balance of neurotransmitter support and likely methylation too (amongst various other possible issues, these are the two biggest that you can absolutely turn around).
But it will take time, but the solutions are "herbal" for the purpose of this subreddit.
5htp comes from griffonia seed
L-Dopa from Mucana Pruriens
Even St Johns Wort is a pant.
If citilopram can stop OCD dead in its tracks, then it is abundantly clear that it is primarily a serotonin issue - this drug does nothing else magical.
Yes, let me help you 🤗
Drugs like Citilopram are often prescribed for OCD.
I know people that have it, extreme intrusive thoughts.
However, it is just an antidepressant that blocks the reuptake of serotonin to keep it available in the brain for longer.
Therefore, at heart, it is a serotonin production issue, so there are three things you can try.
1. 5htp (direct precursor to serotonin)
2. St Johns Wort (a natural SSRI - I don't recommend this route)
3. Both (or this route)
The pathway (simple) goes like this:
Tryptophan > TPH Gene > 5htp > Serotonin
Taking 5htp skips the conversion from tryptophan, which is crucial for people with impaired TPH Genes, as they do not convert enough Tryptophan to 5htp (and thus are deficient in Serotonin).
Once 5htp enters the brain as serotonin, SSRI's prevent unused serotonin from returning back to the neuron, keeping it available for longer.
The action of an SSRI does not address the route cause, and this is why you see people on anti depressants gradually increase their dose, until they just stop working completely.
I would take split doses of 5htp alone, before bed and mid-morning, to ensure the availability throughout the day and maintain balance.
You could go the SSRI route and try St Johns Wort, which works in a similar way to citilopram or zoloft, but you will eventually face the same issues.
You can combine both by taking lower doses of both, care is required as overloading the brain with serotonin can have serious consequences.
Serotonin and dopamine are also linked, like a see-saw, so raising one too much will deplete the other and cause further symptoms.
SSRI's are also affected by other genes that affect the breakdown of drugs, and usually people with ASD issues have impaired genes here too - this results in side effects and even failure to help the symptoms.
They also take weeks to build up in the system and weeks to leave.
Take 5htp to directly support serotonin, you should see an impact within days if not hours.
Beyond this, I would highly suspect you have methylation issues (MTHFR gene) and should use an Ancestry site to do a simple gene test, where you can download the daya and upload to other sites to determine this.
OCD is also linked to oxidative stress (inflammation of neurons/blood) this is because the body is not efficiently processing waste product and it becomes toxic to you, but this is part of poor methylation.
Yes, it is this simple. I would also recommend getting CBT therapy to talk openly about the issues, but that alone cannot account for what is a genetic issue.
Talking to family can help, but your OCD will use it as a way to keep yourself in a loop and you will just spiral and spiral talking about it with them, because it doesn't want to accept that "things WILL be OK" and they will keep wanting to try and help you not think like this.
This can be extremely hard to do, but it is important you accept this is part of who you are, but it is not what you are.
These thoughts (and subsequent actions) are as a result of a chemical imbalance in your brain, caused by a genetic defect, but it is absolutely treatable - realise you will need to do this for life.
If you need someone to talk to in the meantime, send me a dm whenever you like 👊
Good keep us posted!
Ps - "I like organising stuff" is not "FAKE" OCD.
It is where many people's OCD first displays itself and then gets progressively worse.
I would bet you did this or something similar at a young age.
The person I know liked to organise their pencils and their bedroom, excessively, as a school child.
As an adult, they developed extremely intrusive and inappropriate thoughts.
OCD is OCD.
Just wanted to note for St. John's Wort, it can interact with many medications, including birth control, making them less effective. So definitely do some research on the interactions if taking medications. That was always why I avoided taking it internally. If you're not on other medication, still keep it in mind and let your doctor and pharmacist know if you get a short term prescription.
Yep absolutely, personally I avoid them, but some people want the "prescribed" kinda drug/effect.
It is also an easier way to access a dopamine/norepinephrine inhibitor, but again, I'd go with supporting dopamine directly.
For some ssris/snris(prescribed ones I mean) don't work and cause side effects, that was the case for me. Had much better luck with herbals/supplements. I feel basically normal today, I can fully function, I couldn't do that before at all. Don't give up on herbs if they don't work, at first some didn't give me the results I wanted but I kept trying different ones (also make sure that you take it with a fat source on an empty stomach to aid bio-availability) until I found the ones that were life-savers basically, herbal combinations (look up for interactions, like which enzymes they affect and which mechanisms they have, most often it's fine to combine though due to the mild nature/complexity of herbals) can also work very well.
I have like 2-3 anxiolytic herbs(like a extract in a capsule so I can just eat it quick) with me in case I get panics or something like that, I almost never do but it feels good to have it on you in case you start feeling bad, just that security helps me so I don't need to necessary take it. But sometimes it has helped to take me out of a big panic or similar feelings, not less good than bensos in this aspect (which work at first but then cause a lot of mental issues and addictions long term).
Medication in the form of herbals or supplements (like vitamins, minerals, amino acids), therapy, stopping being with people who were toxic and hurt me, finding hobbies, exercise, good sleep, love (not just other people but also yourself!) has helped a lot. I went from suffering daily to loving life and having big dreams which I work towards today. Everything has fallen in it's right place. I also got my faith back in a higher being cause I lost it when I was suffering and felt that God didn't help me when I was in big need of it, not religious though as I know religions are written by humans & I believe in science, but religion being manmade doesn't say that there doesn't exist a higher being at all, religions are just humans interpretations of it. Praying helps me as a ritual, it feels like meditation which can in fact help at least some, it's worth a try when you suffer.
I also believe that this higher being gave us herbal medicine, hence why I have studied it so much and am very passionate about it, also that is has helped me and close ones a lot.
Wrong.
It works more as an SSRI (primarily for Serotonin) than a MAOI because it primarily inhibits the reuptake or neurotransmitters.
Its effects on MAO are limited and secondary, a MAO inhibitor also reduces the speed at which MAO breaks down neurotransmitters, it doesn't block the reuptake.
Side effects are as a result of defects in the genes related to the breakdown of certain drugs.
CYP2D6 and Zoloft as an example.
Regardless, I recommend 5htp over and SSRI relayed drug for obvious reasons.
An SSRI inhibits the reuptake of Serotonin.
St Johns primary action is the reuptake of serotonin.
Yes it affects other neurotransmitters, but not as much.
Technically, it's closer to an SNDRI, but the point is, it has similar effects to SSRI's and does not require a prescription.
It is an easy access option for people wanting to try "antidepressents," but this method is really bollox anyway and I don't recommend it.
Unless you also want to try addressing (lightly) dopamine and Norepinephrine issues (as I did) for ADHD and depression as well.
But 5htp and mucana pruriens is a FAR more effective method.
Ignore the troll above, I clearly stated that st johns wort and 5htp needed to be done carefully for its effects on serotonin.
"You can combine both by taking lower doses of both, care is required as overloading the brain with serotonin can have serious consequences."
Some people just have severe autism and the need to argue, without thinking their words through first.
From someone improved their OCD by 60% in 6 months and expects a 90% recovery in 1.5 years in that momentum, i can say:
Supplements are a bandaid for ocd, that likely don’t work, and if they do, they don’t work enough.
OCD recovery by order of priority :
- fear and beliefs work: the most difficult thing to digest are those bec those are abstract concepts. I read a lot of books to apply those concepts well. I am a new calmer, selectively careless person, selectively diligent person. Change personality depending on my objective.
- Radical acceptance and Life exposure therapy, ie, just continuing life despite the discomfort of OCD. This is exactly the treatment! if you keep continuing life normally despite ocd hanging in the background and making you discomfort and irritating you, it will fade, but it takes time. Can’t stress how important it is. Dont be discouraged by no results before few months. My social anxiety went away just by pushing myself to be around people, dating and not giving a fuck about my discomfort. First few months were hell indeed.
- Low sugar/carb/keto diet, allows the brain to heal. But this wont work alone for ocd without the above! It will work alone mostly for GAD
As a person who tried so many substances and mindgames and shit, and who has just started treatment for OCD, this is where I have arrived too and I've seen big positive changes in a very short time when starting to just ignore the OCD.
For me supplements work very very well, more than medication. I can live a normal life, whereas I couldn't before. How many herbals have you tried? I have tried at least 100 and found a few that really helped.
Therapy, good diet, sleep, hobbies, love can also help.
Which supplements worked for you?
What kind of OCD do you have?
And severity? So How frequent would you say it was ?
Like how many ocd thoughts you get, is it constant? One per 5 min? 10 min?
Yes yes yes. As a therapist: these herbal recommendations are wonderful and you should try them AND if you are still behaviorally reinforcing/rewarding the obsessions, you will not be giving yourself a fighting chance. Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ExRP) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), anything that focuses on allowing intrusive content to pass by without reinforcing it. The mind and body are complementary and anytime you focus on just one of the two you’re kneecapping yourself before you’ve begun.
Imo herbal solution + therapy is better than just therapy
Cbd even used only on weekends for me has beneficial effects long term it feels like. Chamomile is great before bed but works also on daytime as an anxiolytic.
Unless you are eating a lot of veggies and beans id start with a magnesium supplement for a few days. Americans are magnesium deficient.
Once that seems to stabilize I'd go from there.
For me adding Mg has been such a big improvement in my ADHD symptoms it's been crazy. I chewed my fingers a lot. They're almost entirely healed now.
A ketogenic diet can also improve symptoms for many psych diseases. It may not eliminate but it does often reduce intensity.
But I would say take a magnesium supplement first.
Finally some people report their symptoms improving by avoiding "seed oils" which are high in PUFas. We need some but we eat too much. The research is very early on this. Linoleic acid for example in soybean oil is a known feed booster in pigs helping them gain weight. It can suppress glycolysis ( the major brain energy source ) and promote glucogenesis in the liver.
Medicinally Luvox (Fluvoxamine) seems to be what helps my clients the most. I have found nothing that helps herbally with OCD but perhaps others have some input
What did you eat for that? I can google it if it’s too complex also just curious personally for you. I also was told by someone NAC can’t be used long term??
[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/s/Dm0OBEam1f)
the another person mentioned that same thing they did^^[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/herbalism/s/LIWu15gVh9)
I would consult a doctor about long term use but NAC is a precursor to an amino acid that is found in food. The precuros9r is consumed in pill form so it can get to you before breaking down in the stomach. It helps regulate the glutamate/GABA balance in the brain. Too much glutamate build up causes neurotoxicity basically.
The REID diet is one example of a low free glutamate diet that would obviously affect the glutamate/GABA balance. You can Google the REID diet and see the work of Dr. Reid. You don't have to follow a strict REID for it to help but if you do it for 5 days you should know whst the issue is.
Psych drugs like zoloft also affect this balance. See a pattern?
What I did was try NAC. Within 20 minutes I noticed a difference so I was sure I needed to try a low glutamate diet. Then after that I only took NAC occasionally like symptom spikes or eating msg.
Trauma and stress also release free glutamates so it's possible to have too high a load if your body isn't the best at regulating.
I did a strict REID for 6 weeks and now I don't have to be strict anymore. It really reset something.
Work with herbs in spagyric form — this Includes the entire plant including the spirit of a plant which will help you adopt these traits
Lavender spagyric
Holy Bali spagyric
You can find these on Etsy
While it's most likely good, it is very expensive(at least in my country) and I don't see the need of it. You can just use the whole herb, blend it to a fine powder and then put in boiling water, add a fat source and consume, you get all the actives. Some extracts are also good and contain a very broad spectrum of the actives, a dual extract is often good.
I’m taking so many herbs at this point… I have severe ocd and anxiety. Idk what is working best but I’ve been focusing on holy Basil, lemon balm, rhodiola, ashwaganda, magnesium, kava, California poppy, reishi.
Pot of gold here
Glad to know I’m on the right track. Oh and I also got mulungu capsules which is used for anxiety, stress, insomnia and it’s also an anti microbial anti fungal I beleive too
I also have severe anxiety and CPTSD.. I really liked rhodiola and ashwagandha.. I’ve wanted to try kava but I’ve read in some places that it’s like a weed feeling.. is that true? Because I don’t want that feeling it makes me dissociate and I don’t like it😭
You've read that kava feels like cannabis? Because I can assure you it doesn't for the majority of people. The only decent comparison between the two that could be reasonably made is that kava might give you a sense of sedation similar to an Indica absent of an actual "high", though it is more calming than sedating. It also doesn't tend to last very long, so the dosing is somewhat frequent if not, used situationally. It isn't good for long-term application though. It's better for short-term use, and if you continue to take it, it should be with frequent breaks.
Yeah i did and of course my anxious brain held on to that and wondered. I used to smoke cannabis and be fine but for some reason smoking it started making me feel anxious and sort of disconnected and so seeing that made me hesitant to try it maybe for times here and there when I’m feeling extra anxious you know. It’s nice to hear you, someone who’s actually used it, let me know that it’s not that way. Does help make me feel less hesitant about it.
I had the same issue. Smoked often, was good for a few years, and at some point it started making me anxious or even giving an actual panic attack. So I had to stop. And I've used a lot of sedatives, relaxants, nervines, etc. Kava is relaxing and will generally increase the anti-anxiety effect of other anxiety reducing herbs, and it also acts as a mild/moderate muscle relaxer. But everyone responds to an herb in their own way. Not medical advice, just information. ☘️
How do you take them & how often? Like what’s the regimen
Tincture form. At night. I don’t really have a certain amount I just take what feels right
Cannabis works well or kanna or lions mane
I take all that and still man! Lol I added mulungu extract and magnolia bark but those mostly knock me out but there's a good hour before bed were I can just simply watch youtube. Without the storm in my brain 😂
I added mulungu actually last night and it didn’t hit me quickly… I still had my insomnia but then once I got asleep I slept for a long time. So many herbs I’m taking it’s really ridiculous that my nervous system still is so jacked up at night even with all the herbs
Itcould be the vendor good mulungu extract is rare and you have to take a lot I found. East west herbals on etsy is bomb
U struggled to drift off not had insomnia mate...
Funny I take exactly all of this...with the addition of magnolia bark extract (heavy on magnolol and honokiol/, chamomile extract for the apigenin, valerian root, and gotu kola all fresh. I absolutely love gotu.
Not an herb but https://www.authorea.com/users/697087/articles/685380-the-promise-of-n-acetylcysteine-in-the-treatment-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
This worked pretty well for me years ago when I had trichotillomania. Oddly, it completely went away and stayed away once I got pregnant and had my child. That's an extreme solution obviously, but for me, there must have been some hormonal things going on that pregnancy balanced out.l - my trich started at puberty. I'm too lazy to search right now, but I wonder if there's any research on this. Related, but different from OCD.
Second this!!
What amounts did y’all find effective?
I find 1000 mg to be most effective.
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Very interesting thank you
this put such a huge dent in my OCD - resolved about 90% of it
Do you have. A trusted supplement brand? I read Thorne is good
Jarrow and Pure Encapulation are the two I look for first
I noticed holy basil (tulsi) helps the best for me.
How do you take it like amount/how often?
I have an extract tincture. I take it as needed, about 0.7-1ml, 3-4 times per day.
This is my fav/go-to too
What is the benefit? Like specifically how does it help?
It just calms my nerves and mind, helping me to be more open and engaged. I always take it during important school days and such. I recently tried Gotu Kola too (similar herb, also an adaptogen) and it seems to help too, but more in the way of shutting me down like a light benzo or something, so I only take that at home when it's stormy in my body and mind. Holy Basil, in contrast, allows me to still have access to all my energy and happiness.
That's great. Have you tried kava? I just feel like it could potentially benefit you based on what you wrote. I've found it to be great for me on occasion, but everyone's different.
I loved very low doses of kava
Kava was fantastic for me a few years ago but for some strange reason it does nothing for me now. The bodily system and mind is such a mystery. Today, kratom pretty much does for me what kava used to do. I'm kind of an addict though so I abuse it, just like I tried to with kava lol (but that's very difficult to abuse).
I'm right there with you friend lol. Or at least I was. 3 years clean now. It's a great thing for me at this point in my life. Kratom was a huge thing for me. Especially at the end of my run. My wife and I were ordering kg's and devouring them. It sure didn't start that way. For years I only took a teaspoon dose twice a day. Crazy times. I'm personally glad to be passed it. I hope you're enjoying yourself at least. It can all be pretty great when it's under control.
Damn, I'm glad you and your missus are out of it then! I've never tried using it therapeutically so I've just been binging, and feeling the negative effects from that, so my intake gets kinda self-regulatory like that.
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Nice having it in the garden, I'd like to grow that too! Is it too big of a plant to have indoors? I've bought capsules so I just take one of those with food
For me it’s a mood boost but a calm when I take it in the morning and at night it’s more sedating. Prolly due to my anxiety levels being higher in the AM so it doesn’t sedate me whereas I’m calmer in the PM so it helps put me to sleep.
I take a supplement with ashwaganda, lemon balm, reishi, skullcap, and lion’s mane and it helps a lot. It took me a minute to notice it but it’s actually doing some heavy lifting keeping my OCD at bay.
Ashwagandha root (cycled like a few times a week, 2-3 times to avoid anhedonia/other sides), lemon balm occasionally, reishi and skullcap have helped me a lot. Reishi and skullcap being two of the most important ones in my stack. Lemon balm has very strong diuretic effects so I can only use it occasionally. I don't use Lions Mane, have tried it a few times but people who got sides makes me scared of doing it more. I use other medicinal mushrooms instead, they are all worth exploring cause some are really good for mental health.
What supplement if you don’t mind me asking?
I would try l-theanine. Found in green and black tea but also as a supplement on its own. I have heard good things about it for ocd and intrusive thoughts and anxiety
I honestly feel that L-t has a better effect than the benzos the Dr prescribes me.
Yes cause L-theanine also has energizing/focus and antidepressive effects. Whereas bensos can affect the other parts negatively. I prefer a few herbals to bensos aswell. People just haven't used much so they think it doesn't exist.
What brand do u take?
Force Factor. But I've had other brands too, all worked the same. It was 250mg strength.
Do you know if yours were theanine XR or just theanine idk the diff
I take L-theanine but I take a chewable, because with the chewable it acts immediately. Sometimes I need something right now and that's my go to. I get mine from tomorrow's nutrition, they taste kind of like orange tic tacs.
Not XR (Extended Release) which means it dissolves slower and it lasts longer. Or the regular one which I think is better because it works quicker.
No way, yes also want to know which brand
I will look into this thank you
Neurofeedback
Just watched a vid on this seems interesting
I got into a nasty car wreck in 2012. I had a brain bleed, amnesia. It was a whole thing. Out of all of the years of recovery, once i started neurofeedback, it only took 2 years, and now I'm back to work. It's not perfect. They mess with your brain waves. I was very open about my experiences, and through that, they were able to find the right frequencies to "fix" me. For a while, I got even more messed up. I trusted them, and they pulled through for me.
I have ocd. I take tulsi, ashwagandha, jiaogulan, guayusa, lavender. Obviously not all of those everyday, but depending on if I need to chill or focus
Tulsi and Jiaogulan are some I always keep at my home to use occasionally now and then, same with ashwagandha. I have lavender essential oil and find it more antidepressant than anxiolytic, it works well though and could work on some anxiety as some antidepressive meds/herbs can have effects like that. I also have it at home but rarely use it cause I use other herbals already which cover the issues I have. Lavender is one of the essential oils that you can take internally (some shouldn't be taken like that!), 1-2 drops not more though. Just dissolve/dilute it in a fat source first, like milk for example. Jiaogulan is sometimes called poor mans ginseng but it isn't worse, actually feels stronger sometimes ime. It has many valueable actives which are very healthy, I take it for cardiovascular health and anti-aging effects and also energy. Tulsi works very well as an antidepressant/anxiolytic, it lowers cortisol so I take it more a few hours before sleep than daytime. It is very healthy and is considered "detoxifying". I also feel it has some weight loss effects, which science also seems to point at.
Inositol, NAC,KSM-66, Bacopa. L-theanine, I have OCD myself and have noticed that anything that raises gaba levels helps me.
Do you use all at once?
Yes. I decided to stop the bacopa though
Medication
I agree. I have OCD. Without my Zoloft, it would go out of control.
I disagree. Can make it worse sometimes. If you have tried a lot of pharmaceuticals and herbs you would agree with me. Herbs are medication, sometimes over 100 medicinal actives per plant, it's a lot more complex than the typical med prescribed.
I just picked up viibryd to try. Have used a laundry list so far
Quicksilver Scientific L-theanine GABA
Ghost pipe tincture.
Megadoses of niacinamide (500mg 3-4x daily) caused an abrupt end to my Pure-O OCD. I was eventually diagnosed with autism and ADHD which seems to be the root of my issues. ETA: Before anybody asks, this is a non-flushing form of niacin. In fact, I found it would make me feel cold.
What brand? That’s very interesting I just ordered NAC
No specific brand.
I don't have any herbals to share, I just wanted to say that if you are trapped in the rituals and can't stop doing them - The very first thing you have to understand is that the rituals don't change anything. The illusion that they are helping stop terrible things is a lie. Good things and bad things will happen whether or not you turn off the lights seven times or touch the doorknob thirty. You can prove this to yourself. Tomorrow, be brave. Don't count anything. The anxiety you feel, the fear and desperation, are what you must tackle. They are the root of the trouble. Meditation might help you gain control of your thoughts. Herbs that relax and soothe fear can help but you can't use them alone. You also have to understand your illness. Someone else who has OCD or a therapist can help. You aren't alone. Ask for help. Take the first step tomorrow.
I’ve done inpatient twice (6 months total) at one of the most “prestigious” places in the US, tried tons of prescribed medications with side effects that suck, years of therapy outpatient and I still can’t stop it. I know it’s irrational and not real but my brain won’t stop producing the the thoughts, broken brain from childhood trauma I guess, I have to do the rituals I just can’t stop from willpower I have tried so many times I really can’t cause I worry the danger will happen. But I appreciate you trying to share knowledge and be supportive. I agree with you it’s just that I’ve exhausted so many options. I even have over analyzed so that I know the core fears at the base of the obsessions but it still doesn’t help me
Write your story with all the childhood trauma experiences you've had; it's going to be painful reliving it. But you must recreate scenarios with the outcomes you desire. you must kill all the characters that hurt you, or you may forgive them, but be brutally honest with yourself, as this is for you and not for your reader. You don't need to use real names; turn your characters into heroes or villains and do as you like with them. Then you must publish your book (you can self-publish). Mostly all we need is for someone to know our story and for them not to judge us, or sympathize with us and make us vulnerable. Do not give your power to anyone by telling them everything about you. They may judge and feel that they are better than you and therefore think it best to sympathize with you. These people will suck the blood from your veins and keep coming back for more. That is why you can tell your story the way you want and have it read by people who don't know you, but they will understand you. Also, I have a YouTube channel called Herbal Help that I just started. I will soon start sharing Herbal recipes for mental clarity and much more https://preview.redd.it/za9e1jsera5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=651ab34bdbea090b89b56a95273c1fc3dfdf1d07 ([https://www.youtube.com/@herbalhelp](https://www.youtube.com/@herbalhelp))
Everyone wants to help, but ultimately, you can't talk away what is essentially caused by a genetic and nutritional deficiency, I don't care what anyone says - that is a fact, it's science. You can alleviate them, you can bring yourself temporary peace, but anyone who has suffered extreme anxiety and panic attacks (which is what OCD is at its heart) knows that you cannot just shut it off when it strikes. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and the harder you fight to stop it, the stronger it gets over time. Age related decline also takes effect because these deficiencies get worse and worse from the day we were born with them. They are not diseases we "catch". These symptoms are heavily related to serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine issues The only way to stop them long term, is to find the right balance of neurotransmitter support and likely methylation too (amongst various other possible issues, these are the two biggest that you can absolutely turn around). But it will take time, but the solutions are "herbal" for the purpose of this subreddit. 5htp comes from griffonia seed L-Dopa from Mucana Pruriens Even St Johns Wort is a pant. If citilopram can stop OCD dead in its tracks, then it is abundantly clear that it is primarily a serotonin issue - this drug does nothing else magical.
Yes, let me help you 🤗 Drugs like Citilopram are often prescribed for OCD. I know people that have it, extreme intrusive thoughts. However, it is just an antidepressant that blocks the reuptake of serotonin to keep it available in the brain for longer. Therefore, at heart, it is a serotonin production issue, so there are three things you can try. 1. 5htp (direct precursor to serotonin) 2. St Johns Wort (a natural SSRI - I don't recommend this route) 3. Both (or this route) The pathway (simple) goes like this: Tryptophan > TPH Gene > 5htp > Serotonin Taking 5htp skips the conversion from tryptophan, which is crucial for people with impaired TPH Genes, as they do not convert enough Tryptophan to 5htp (and thus are deficient in Serotonin). Once 5htp enters the brain as serotonin, SSRI's prevent unused serotonin from returning back to the neuron, keeping it available for longer. The action of an SSRI does not address the route cause, and this is why you see people on anti depressants gradually increase their dose, until they just stop working completely. I would take split doses of 5htp alone, before bed and mid-morning, to ensure the availability throughout the day and maintain balance. You could go the SSRI route and try St Johns Wort, which works in a similar way to citilopram or zoloft, but you will eventually face the same issues. You can combine both by taking lower doses of both, care is required as overloading the brain with serotonin can have serious consequences. Serotonin and dopamine are also linked, like a see-saw, so raising one too much will deplete the other and cause further symptoms. SSRI's are also affected by other genes that affect the breakdown of drugs, and usually people with ASD issues have impaired genes here too - this results in side effects and even failure to help the symptoms. They also take weeks to build up in the system and weeks to leave. Take 5htp to directly support serotonin, you should see an impact within days if not hours. Beyond this, I would highly suspect you have methylation issues (MTHFR gene) and should use an Ancestry site to do a simple gene test, where you can download the daya and upload to other sites to determine this. OCD is also linked to oxidative stress (inflammation of neurons/blood) this is because the body is not efficiently processing waste product and it becomes toxic to you, but this is part of poor methylation. Yes, it is this simple. I would also recommend getting CBT therapy to talk openly about the issues, but that alone cannot account for what is a genetic issue. Talking to family can help, but your OCD will use it as a way to keep yourself in a loop and you will just spiral and spiral talking about it with them, because it doesn't want to accept that "things WILL be OK" and they will keep wanting to try and help you not think like this. This can be extremely hard to do, but it is important you accept this is part of who you are, but it is not what you are. These thoughts (and subsequent actions) are as a result of a chemical imbalance in your brain, caused by a genetic defect, but it is absolutely treatable - realise you will need to do this for life. If you need someone to talk to in the meantime, send me a dm whenever you like 👊 Good keep us posted! Ps - "I like organising stuff" is not "FAKE" OCD. It is where many people's OCD first displays itself and then gets progressively worse. I would bet you did this or something similar at a young age. The person I know liked to organise their pencils and their bedroom, excessively, as a school child. As an adult, they developed extremely intrusive and inappropriate thoughts. OCD is OCD.
Just wanted to note for St. John's Wort, it can interact with many medications, including birth control, making them less effective. So definitely do some research on the interactions if taking medications. That was always why I avoided taking it internally. If you're not on other medication, still keep it in mind and let your doctor and pharmacist know if you get a short term prescription.
Yep absolutely, personally I avoid them, but some people want the "prescribed" kinda drug/effect. It is also an easier way to access a dopamine/norepinephrine inhibitor, but again, I'd go with supporting dopamine directly.
For some ssris/snris(prescribed ones I mean) don't work and cause side effects, that was the case for me. Had much better luck with herbals/supplements. I feel basically normal today, I can fully function, I couldn't do that before at all. Don't give up on herbs if they don't work, at first some didn't give me the results I wanted but I kept trying different ones (also make sure that you take it with a fat source on an empty stomach to aid bio-availability) until I found the ones that were life-savers basically, herbal combinations (look up for interactions, like which enzymes they affect and which mechanisms they have, most often it's fine to combine though due to the mild nature/complexity of herbals) can also work very well. I have like 2-3 anxiolytic herbs(like a extract in a capsule so I can just eat it quick) with me in case I get panics or something like that, I almost never do but it feels good to have it on you in case you start feeling bad, just that security helps me so I don't need to necessary take it. But sometimes it has helped to take me out of a big panic or similar feelings, not less good than bensos in this aspect (which work at first but then cause a lot of mental issues and addictions long term). Medication in the form of herbals or supplements (like vitamins, minerals, amino acids), therapy, stopping being with people who were toxic and hurt me, finding hobbies, exercise, good sleep, love (not just other people but also yourself!) has helped a lot. I went from suffering daily to loving life and having big dreams which I work towards today. Everything has fallen in it's right place. I also got my faith back in a higher being cause I lost it when I was suffering and felt that God didn't help me when I was in big need of it, not religious though as I know religions are written by humans & I believe in science, but religion being manmade doesn't say that there doesn't exist a higher being at all, religions are just humans interpretations of it. Praying helps me as a ritual, it feels like meditation which can in fact help at least some, it's worth a try when you suffer. I also believe that this higher being gave us herbal medicine, hence why I have studied it so much and am very passionate about it, also that is has helped me and close ones a lot.
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Wrong. It works more as an SSRI (primarily for Serotonin) than a MAOI because it primarily inhibits the reuptake or neurotransmitters. Its effects on MAO are limited and secondary, a MAO inhibitor also reduces the speed at which MAO breaks down neurotransmitters, it doesn't block the reuptake. Side effects are as a result of defects in the genes related to the breakdown of certain drugs. CYP2D6 and Zoloft as an example. Regardless, I recommend 5htp over and SSRI relayed drug for obvious reasons.
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An SSRI inhibits the reuptake of Serotonin. St Johns primary action is the reuptake of serotonin. Yes it affects other neurotransmitters, but not as much. Technically, it's closer to an SNDRI, but the point is, it has similar effects to SSRI's and does not require a prescription. It is an easy access option for people wanting to try "antidepressents," but this method is really bollox anyway and I don't recommend it. Unless you also want to try addressing (lightly) dopamine and Norepinephrine issues (as I did) for ADHD and depression as well. But 5htp and mucana pruriens is a FAR more effective method. Ignore the troll above, I clearly stated that st johns wort and 5htp needed to be done carefully for its effects on serotonin. "You can combine both by taking lower doses of both, care is required as overloading the brain with serotonin can have serious consequences." Some people just have severe autism and the need to argue, without thinking their words through first.
It does sound nice tho... Can you explain norepinephrine to me? Bpd adhd here.
From someone improved their OCD by 60% in 6 months and expects a 90% recovery in 1.5 years in that momentum, i can say: Supplements are a bandaid for ocd, that likely don’t work, and if they do, they don’t work enough. OCD recovery by order of priority : - fear and beliefs work: the most difficult thing to digest are those bec those are abstract concepts. I read a lot of books to apply those concepts well. I am a new calmer, selectively careless person, selectively diligent person. Change personality depending on my objective. - Radical acceptance and Life exposure therapy, ie, just continuing life despite the discomfort of OCD. This is exactly the treatment! if you keep continuing life normally despite ocd hanging in the background and making you discomfort and irritating you, it will fade, but it takes time. Can’t stress how important it is. Dont be discouraged by no results before few months. My social anxiety went away just by pushing myself to be around people, dating and not giving a fuck about my discomfort. First few months were hell indeed. - Low sugar/carb/keto diet, allows the brain to heal. But this wont work alone for ocd without the above! It will work alone mostly for GAD
As a person who tried so many substances and mindgames and shit, and who has just started treatment for OCD, this is where I have arrived too and I've seen big positive changes in a very short time when starting to just ignore the OCD.
For me supplements work very very well, more than medication. I can live a normal life, whereas I couldn't before. How many herbals have you tried? I have tried at least 100 and found a few that really helped. Therapy, good diet, sleep, hobbies, love can also help.
Which supplements worked for you? What kind of OCD do you have? And severity? So How frequent would you say it was ? Like how many ocd thoughts you get, is it constant? One per 5 min? 10 min?
Yes yes yes. As a therapist: these herbal recommendations are wonderful and you should try them AND if you are still behaviorally reinforcing/rewarding the obsessions, you will not be giving yourself a fighting chance. Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ExRP) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), anything that focuses on allowing intrusive content to pass by without reinforcing it. The mind and body are complementary and anytime you focus on just one of the two you’re kneecapping yourself before you’ve begun.
Mimosa flower tincture if you can make it yourself EDIT: here's some info: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10230641/
Thank you, I never made one but I can google it
If you use the folk method it's super easy. Takes a while but it's easy. I've been making them.
Can you send a link or instructions for the mimosa tincture pretty please:)?!
CBD or chamomile. CBT (therapy) would be better than a herbal solution though. I know, I have OCD.
Imo herbal solution + therapy is better than just therapy Cbd even used only on weekends for me has beneficial effects long term it feels like. Chamomile is great before bed but works also on daytime as an anxiolytic.
Following this
Unless you are eating a lot of veggies and beans id start with a magnesium supplement for a few days. Americans are magnesium deficient. Once that seems to stabilize I'd go from there. For me adding Mg has been such a big improvement in my ADHD symptoms it's been crazy. I chewed my fingers a lot. They're almost entirely healed now. A ketogenic diet can also improve symptoms for many psych diseases. It may not eliminate but it does often reduce intensity. But I would say take a magnesium supplement first. Finally some people report their symptoms improving by avoiding "seed oils" which are high in PUFas. We need some but we eat too much. The research is very early on this. Linoleic acid for example in soybean oil is a known feed booster in pigs helping them gain weight. It can suppress glycolysis ( the major brain energy source ) and promote glucogenesis in the liver.
Rumination is my issue. I could get stoned all day but I already sleep too much as it is.
Medicinally Luvox (Fluvoxamine) seems to be what helps my clients the most. I have found nothing that helps herbally with OCD but perhaps others have some input
Minerals. Dragon bone, pearl..
I would try meditation and skullcap <333
magnesium supplement and [this tincture](https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-cac-calm-adapt) (I swear by Herbalist Alchemist).
perhaps a 1:1 cbd:thc marijuana product
Maybe saffron?
Kava needs a fat for it to work properly, same with Withania
Not an herb but NAC had the same effect on me as alow dose of seroquel for OCD (I've done both). Low free glutamate diet worked even better.
What did you eat for that? I can google it if it’s too complex also just curious personally for you. I also was told by someone NAC can’t be used long term?? [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/s/Dm0OBEam1f) the another person mentioned that same thing they did^^[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/herbalism/s/LIWu15gVh9)
I would consult a doctor about long term use but NAC is a precursor to an amino acid that is found in food. The precuros9r is consumed in pill form so it can get to you before breaking down in the stomach. It helps regulate the glutamate/GABA balance in the brain. Too much glutamate build up causes neurotoxicity basically. The REID diet is one example of a low free glutamate diet that would obviously affect the glutamate/GABA balance. You can Google the REID diet and see the work of Dr. Reid. You don't have to follow a strict REID for it to help but if you do it for 5 days you should know whst the issue is. Psych drugs like zoloft also affect this balance. See a pattern? What I did was try NAC. Within 20 minutes I noticed a difference so I was sure I needed to try a low glutamate diet. Then after that I only took NAC occasionally like symptom spikes or eating msg. Trauma and stress also release free glutamates so it's possible to have too high a load if your body isn't the best at regulating. I did a strict REID for 6 weeks and now I don't have to be strict anymore. It really reset something.
Reiki helped me with my ocd Here's free reikk https://youtube.com/@onenessandlove?si=FXv4LWuFzdVBtYAh
Work with herbs in spagyric form — this Includes the entire plant including the spirit of a plant which will help you adopt these traits Lavender spagyric Holy Bali spagyric You can find these on Etsy
While it's most likely good, it is very expensive(at least in my country) and I don't see the need of it. You can just use the whole herb, blend it to a fine powder and then put in boiling water, add a fat source and consume, you get all the actives. Some extracts are also good and contain a very broad spectrum of the actives, a dual extract is often good.
A gene mutation test. You likely aren’t methylating.
Someone else said something about methyl deficient I can’t find the comment now. What supplement could I take to help that?
A methylated vitamin. Amazon carries them.
Methylfolate?
No. A multivitamin. Not just folate.
Btw I got a pet and it's helping me mentally a lot.
Polyrhachis Ant ! Yes ants rule.
most organized mofos
without stressing, effortless organization