It has become (almost) taboo to even mention the term mental health due to its negative connotations as well as the fear and panic that it can evoke. Every so often it surfaces in the public domain when high profile cases hit the media headlines. The recent and tragic death of the actor Robin Williams is an example of how opportunities and a forum for discussion appears to only arise under such circumstances and how aware we are of mental illness but how society does not embrace this nor tackle it properly.In reality though, mental health is an issue that line managers are dealing with more and more regularly. It is encouraging to see events like this today being organised.
The Government’s report entitled ‘No health without mental health’ states that mental health problems affect 1:4 of us at some point in our lives with 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem every year. It accounts for 30% of absences in the workplace, the highest being in the NHS.
In 2012, it was estimated that poor mental health in the workplace cost the UK £26billion every year, that’s equivalent to £1,035 for every employee in the UK workforce. The average employee takes 7 days off sick every year with 40% of this being due to mental health problems.
Fig: Adult psychiatric morbidity in
England, The Health & Social Care Information Centre, 2009
Sadly, more recent statistics are not available.
Mental health can fluctuate along a spectrum in the same way that physical health does and there may be times when it is better than others. Mental health problems cover a range of conditions such as (the list is not exhaustive):
• depression
• anxiety
• panic attacks
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• phobias
• bipolar disorder (manic depression)
• schizophrenia
• personality disorders
• psychosis
For many people stress and mental health are closely associated. According to a report by CIPD / MIND, while stress itself is not a medical condition ‘...prolonged exposure to unmanageable stress is linked to psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression...’Managing stress is therefore a key part of creating a mentally healthy workplace.
Herbalism is the use of herbs for healing. People have been using herbs to cure diseases for centuries. Many herbal remedies worked and many did not, it is obvious that knowledge and technology would have played a big part (and still do) in finding nature’s hidden treasures and using them to achieving health benefits.
So how would a medical herbalist tackle a mental health problem? Well, first of all, a definitive diagnosis is key. This in itself is a problem eg. differentiating between MCI and true dementia…
Herbalists do not deal with serious mental health disorders such as paranoid schizophrenia or severe psychosis because they warrant conventional medical management. However, conditions such as depression (mild to moderate), anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disorders / insomnia, stress-related symptoms, and OCD amongst others…..
Although a little more straightforward, these conditions still have negative connotations and many people don’t readily want to admit a problem given the social stigmas and difficulties in accepting mental illness.
Equally, given that many employers, private companies, insurers and government agencies have access to so much of our personal information, including aspects of our medical records, it is unsurprising many are worried about declaring they have mental health problems.
More often than not, herbalists treat the more common symptoms such as mild to moderate depression, anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, restlessness and the gamut of symptoms associated with stress. Let's look at some examples:
Mild to
Moderate Depression
|
Antidepressants
|
St John’s
Wort
Rhodiola
Turnera
|
Anxiety
|
Anxiolytics
|
Lemon
Balm
Passion
Flower
Lime
Flowers
|
Panic
Attacks
|
Nervine Tonics
|
Skullcap
Wood
Betony
Verbena
Vervain
Rose
|
Insomnia/
Sleep Disorders
|
Sedatives
|
Chamomile
Wild
Lettuce
Indian
Ginseng
|
Hypnotics
|
Valerian
Hops
Californian
Poppy
|
|
Restlessness/
Agitation
|
Nutrients
|
Oats
Alfalfa
|
Nervines
|
Skullcap
Wood
Betony
|
|
Stress
|
Adaptogens
|
Korean
Ginseng
(Panax ginseng)
Siberian
Ginseng
(Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Indian
Ginseng aka Ashwaghandha
(Withania somnifera)
|
Stress-related symptoms
This requires a special mention as modern living makes it almost impossible to avoid stress. Prolonged stress can lead to all sorts of symptoms and part of our job as a herbalist would be to examine the bigger picture and to treat the patient in a holistic context.
Common symptoms of stress include:
- headaches
- skin breakouts & exacerbation of existing conditions eg. eczema, psoriasis
- IBS & exacerbation of other gut disorders eg. ulcers
- tiredness, fatigue, lethargy
- muscle aches & pains
- recurring and frequent infections eg. colds
- sleep problems & insomnia
- menstrual irregularities
- infertility
The treatment rationale invariably involves:
· adrenal support one of the first glands to be
compromised
adrenaline/noradrenaline
cortisol
(endogenous corticosteroid)
testosterone
aldosterone
·
nerve support adaptogens & their functions
Key
herbs: Korean
Siberian
Indian
·
immune support boosting immune function
preventing
recurring infections due to ↓ immune defence
powerful
immune boosters: echinacea
astragalus
turnera
wild indigo
St. John’s Wort (antiviral)
·
addressing
debility usually with a range of
stimulants, nervine tonics & nutrients
all
↑ energy levels and are excellent for debilitated
states:
rosemary
turnera
astragalus
ginsengs
oats
alfalfa
·
antidepressant St. John’s Wort (alternative
rhodiola if compatibility issues)
rosemary
(stimulant)
turnera
Siberian ginseng
Korean ginseng
Other important herbs include borage and licorice as there are important physiological mechanisms at play.
Stress Management
• exercise
• relaxation techniques
• hobbies & recreational pursuits
• diet
• herbal supplementation
