Treating Anxiety with Aromatherapy
Few feelings are worse than anxiety. Anxiety has a negative effect on our physical as well as on our emotional health. Stress can overstress the adrenal glands, causing physical symptoms which include headache, muscle spasm and joint pain. The long term ramifications of stress and anxiety can be devastating, including the instigation of addictive compulsions such as alcohol, nicotine and drug abuse.
While there have been pharmaceutical advances in the treatment of anxiety and some have given significant relief to those who have been debilitated by the long-term repercussions of stress, there are gentler treatments available which may be more appropriate for those seeking a way to relax and unwind after a particularly hectic day.
Lavender is indisputably one of the most beneficial of the essential oils. It seems as though the benefits of lavender could fill a large text (and probably have). One of the most common uses, however, of the extraordinarily beautiful and fragrant blossoms of Lavender is to treat tension, and the resulting symptoms, some of which are headaches and pain from muscle spasms. A few drops of Lavender on your pillow at night could contribute to a deeply peaceful night’s sleep.
Chamomile blossoms, which resemble tiny daisies (This is because it is a cousin of the daisy) is magnificently fragrant. The delicate sweet smell of the Chamomile in bath water, slightly heated over a candle, in a diffuser or just in a cup of tea, can calm almost any spirit and sooth any tension-related ailment.
Few things smell as extraordinarily beautiful as the rose. The delightful fragrance of the rose is familiar to many of those who are or who have ever been in love and the rose has earned a special place in our hearts. Is it any wonder that it’s also known to strengthen the heart! Rose is well known as an effective tool in wooing the heart of a suitor. Who wouldn’t love someone who bestowed such a thing of beauty also known for its power to promote peace, harmony and balance!
Ylang-ylang’s Latin name is Cananga odorata and means “flower of flowers”. The blossoms of the Ylang-ylang tree may not be as beautiful as the rose, but, like the rose, the oils from the flowers have been used in the finest of the world’s perfumes for centuries. Such coincidences aren’t surprising. What could be more appealing on the skin than a scent that is readily associated with happiness, contentment and radiance?
The essential oil of Neroli or orange blossom is also used in Aromatherapy for its potent positive effects on anxiety and stress. It has been used to ease panic attacks and emotional disturbances caused by stress or loss.
It’s difficult to imagine that anything could be more pleasurable and calming after a difficult day at the office or after a particularly stressful day with the kids, than to relax in a bath with just a few drops of a calming essential oil. Close your eyes and visualize yourself immersed in a tub of warm water breathing in the ethereal scent of the world’s most beautiful fragrances.