What a great little resource of ideas on using herbs to support wellness. I'd never really looked into much, but I knew that herbs are a wellness tool that a lot of people use with great results. Aside from the beneficial effects, I find the aroma and the appearance of herbs to be lovely and calming. I am thinking about lavender in particular. One of my favorite things to do is to go into the "bulk room" at the French Broad Food Co-op and just look at all the amazing jars of herbs and roots and spices that are lined up on the west wall. I think they are beautiful and find the nice rooms and tidy labels to be soothing and interesting and artful all at the same time. One day, I'll learn more about what can be done with all of them. This post was a nice start! Thanks so much!

Healing Depression with Herbal Medicine
by Rae Swersey, certified herbalist, Asheville NC 

Choosing herbs to support your mental health can be daunting.

Each plant has its individual nuances, just like you. We are lucky to have so many herbs that address our emotional and mental states. In this article, I hope to ease the approach into choosing which plants are right for you. 

First things first, let's lift the judgment we place on our emotions.

In my approach to healing emotional distress, we don't need to be "fixed" because we are not "broken." Herbal medicine allows us the opportunity to come back to a state of optimal wellness. At times, wellness could be about basic functioning; at other times, it could be about thriving.

With this holistic approach, mental health challenges can be opportunities for discovering and creating more happiness in our lives. Well, let's carve our way into the cave of happiness, where we design the lighting, the wall paper and tune back in to our bodies, to find out what feels right to our individual needs for a better life.

Plants speak directly to the vitality deep within us. That life force stirring; it wants to be unleashed. Carefully chosen herbs can help peel away the layers that bury our innate sense of self; they can help us feel ALIVE.

Let's get down to the details. When people are diagnosed with depression, this can be a pretty general label that doesn't address an individual's unique life circumstances. A certified herbalist will try to create an herbal formulation that addresses athe specific symptom picture, not just an umbrella term.

Below are five of my favorite herbs that work with depression in a variety of ways. Some work through the nervous system, some through the liver, and others through energetic medicine. Remember, in this holistic approach, you are already on the path to healing, the herbs are just here to assist in that process. 

Milky Oats

Latin name: Avena sativa

When I think of Milky Oats, the word "nourishment" comes to mind. It restores the nervous system and is indicated both during and after big events in one's life. Milky Oats are particularly helpful for people who have "bottomed out" from pushing too hard or who have nervous exhaustion. Milky Oats is beneficial for chronic or situational depression, especially in "Type A" personalities or hyperactive people who are emotionally brittle from chronic stress. When anger, stress, and anxiety come together, Milky Oats is the herb for you. 

Note: If there is a gluten intolerance, make sure your source is not cross-contaminated (most local herbalists will have a gluten-free source).

Lemon Balm

Latin name: Melissa officinalis

I can't say enough good things about Lemon Balm. It is the herbal ally that consistently showed up when nothing else seemed to touch my deep sadness. Lemon Balm is gentle yet powerful. It seems to reach the part inside of ourself that is buried during depression. Guiding it along the path to breath and light. I have seen a multitude of both clients and fellow herbalists have success with this herb. In one of my classes, we would joke about it's ability to bring on delayed or early menstruation because of its powerful ability to stimulate vitality. Lemon Balm is a very easy plant to grow, with a pleasant taste in tea. It is in the mint family, so it is wonderful for depression accompanied by lack of appetite, digestive upset, or emotions felt in the gut. It can be helpful for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in combination with St. John's Wort. Lemon Balm can be taken daily for a long period of time and is great in tea or tincture.

Rose 

Latin name: Rosa spp. (all species. as long as they aren't sprayed with chemicals)

Rose is one of my absolute all-time favorite herbs for the emotional heart. It helps our hearts remain open in challenging times. It is versatile in its ways of application because just being in Rose's presence offers up so much medicine. Rose grounds us back into our bodies and helps create in our bodies a safe place to be. I have seen it work wonders in formulas for social anxiety, relaxing into intimacy, and working through heartbreak. Do not overlook and underestimate this flower's ability to be a daily calming presence in your life. A little goes a long way, you only need a little in an herbal tea combination.

Passionflower

Latin name: Passiflora incarnata

Passionflower is my key herb for folks with an unproductive, cyclical thought pattern. When this pattern leads to insomnia, this herb is especially helpful. It puts a wrench in the out-of-control-thoughts wheel. It is my go-to herb for anxiety formulas used during the day, without the feeling of sedation. I once had a client with severe social anxiety. He craved interpersonal connection but couldn't bring himself to talk to others. When given a formula, he pinpointed the passionflower as being the herb that helped the most. This herb is often very helpful for nervousness, restlessness, and sleeplessness with muscle twitching. It has a nutty delicious flavor and is equally effective as a tea or tincture.  

St. John's Wort

Latin name: Hypericum perforatum

I mention this herb because it comes up often in conversation with herbs for depression. It is a beautiful mood uplifter and a specific antidepressant. It directly works with the nervous system and the liver and can be a good choice for "general depression."St. John's Wort can take up to 1 month to feel effects and up to 3 months to see its full benefits. I often combine this herb with faster-acting mood uplifters and herbal anti-depressant herbs such as lavender and rosemary. St. John's Wort is one of our best choices for treating the nerve cells/nervous system and lives up to its reputation.

Here are some facts to keep in mind when considering St. John's Wort. It clears out hormones, toxins and medications through a specific pathway in the liver. This can be excellent for those not on medications and for those for whom depression results from an overtaxed liver or high hormone levels.

However, if you are on ANY medication (including birth control), I would reconsider using this herb.

Medications make St. John's Wort a loose cannon, sometimes the herb clears medications too quickly and/or changes time releases as well. If you are on medications and this is an herb you want to investigate, be sure to consult a local herbalist and your doctor. 

St. John's Wort can also cause a photosensitive reaction to the sun. Please discontinue use if this happens. 

*This article is not claiming to diagnose and/prescribe anything. It aims to provide helpful information to educate and empower the reader. 

Rae Swersey is a certified herbalist with a focus on providing inclusive, accessible, and empowering health care. Take Care Herbals is her clinical community practice in Asheville, North Carolina. Rae is also a member of Sassafras Community Health Collective She can be reached at takecareherbals@gmail.com.

My family has worked with herbs in the past to support balanced moods and I have found chamomile to be a wonderfully soothing, gentle herb to promote calm. We have used chamomile in dried flower form in teas with honey and in bath sachets for our little ones. We have also used chamomile-based children's skin care products.

I have also used this herb effectively to soothe anxiety. My other favorite nerve-soother is fresh lemon balm, which I grow in my garden. Steeped in hot water, lemon balm makes a pleasant hot or iced tea and can be sweetened with honey or agave nectar.

Herbs are only one way we support our emotional wellbeing in our family. We also incorporate a healthy diet, exercise, stress management, meditation and practicing service to others. In addition to the healing power that may be present in the plants, taking time for a soothing cup of herbal tea or a bath have become a lovely self-care ritual that is healing in itself.

As with any substance or supplement, I believe that herbs should be used carefully and only after researching them and/or consulting with a specialist. Although St. John's Wort is a popular herb for depression, it has not worked well for my family and has produced unpleasant side effects.

I recently met a local certified herbalist who began using herbs when working with her own depression. With her permission, I am sharing some of her recommendations here.

I hope you find it helpful!