Aromatherapy is a great treatment for general anxiety. Certain fragrances can help calm nerves and panicky feelings. Learn more about Aromatherapy with Caidr.

Anxiety and Aromatherapy: the Benefits and Calming Effects

There are many studies that confirm that certain scents can influence brain activity and enhance certain mood states. Those known for improving mood are those of lavender, rosemary, frankincense, jasmine, and lemon. Aromatherapy can be a useful "drug-free" add-on to any other therapy, but is not enough to treat low mood by itself.

Next steps

Anxiety occurs when we feel under threat or stress and is a normal part of life – it's actually helped our survival in the past. These days some mild anxiety can help us achieve (a bit of adrenaline may help us perform well in an exam or spur us on in a job interview) but it becomes a problem if it gets in the way of us going about our everyday life and stops us doing things we’d like to do. 

It’s common to feel anxious: you may feel worried, tense or panicked. Feelings can vary in intensity and you might get physical symptoms such as your heart racing, breathing quickly, a heavy feeling in the chest, feeling sick or shaky, sweaty and getting a dry mouth. 

You often then start to avoid situations that make you feel like this but if it stands in the way of you leaving the house or stopping you from doing certain things, it has started to become a problem. 

This is a rash where the skin becomes inflamed, appearing on greasy areas with lots of sebaceous glands - on the cheeks, between eyebrows, the folds next to the nose and the chin, and also on the chest or scalp. 

Red, greasy, scaly or flaky patches are common and little red bumps known as papules may appear. It can cause a mild itch but it's that appearance prompts most sufferers to seek treatment. 

It is considered to be a type of eczema, but can also overlap with psoriasis and rosacea. Stress, tiredness and cold weather can prompt flare-ups in those susceptible. An overgrowth of a usually harmless yeast (posh name: Malassezia) is thought to be part of the cause, so treatment focuses on eradicating this and dampening down inflammation using a combined anti-fungal and mild steroid cream.

Anxiety is a feeling when someone feels under threat or stress. It is a natural response to threats that has helped with the survival of humans across the ages, but in today’s world, it becomes a problem if it stops us from living our everyday life to the full and we can’t get things done. We all get anxious from time to time – such as before a job interview or an important meeting - and this is normal but some people find that anxiety is constant and affects their normal daily life.  

Anxiety can cause symptoms of feeling worried, tense or panicky and physical symptoms can develop such as a feeling the heart is beating hard or fast, sweating, shaking, dry mouth, feeling sick, breathing fast and a heaviness in the chest. 

These occur in response to your body releasing adrenaline when it feels under threat. Everyone will experience this feeling at points in their life, but anxiety can also be problematic at times. If anxiety occurs without a reason, if it persists after the threat or stress is over, if the level of anxiety is out of proportion to the threat, or if it affects your day-to-day life, this might be reason to seek help. 

Anxiety disorder is an ‘umbrella’ term for many related conditions. People are affected with anxiety in many different ways but some of the more well-known or common anxiety disorder conditions include: 

- generalised anxiety disorder, which is near-constant anxiety about lots of different things in life

- panic disorder, where regular panic attacks occur without a specific reason

- social anxiety disorder, which is severe anxiety around social situations or the thought of social situations

- post-traumatic stress disorder, where severe anxiety occurs after a traumatic event

- obsessive compulsive disorder, known as OCD, where severe anxiety causes repetitive thoughts or actions

- phobias, which is severe anxiety around a specific thing or situation

Dr Kandi - Anxiety

Acne vulgaris, also known as pimples, acne, spots or zits, is very common, usually starting in the teenage years and continuing up to the age of 30. About 80% of teenagers suffer some degree of acne. Mild untreated acne typically takes several years to settle but severe acne can scar the skin for life if untreated. 

It coincides with the hormonal changes of puberty, and women may suffer into adulthood with hormonal changes in their menstrual cycle. Hormones affect the amount of oil (sebum) produced by glands next to hair follicles so the skin becomes very greasy, and these follicles then become blocked and inflamed. 

Acne can cause blackheads, whiteheads or pustules, or more inflamed lesions including red and sore cysts and larger nodules, which are more likely to cause long-term scarring. Acne usually affects the face - the T-zone is typical in teenagers (forehead, nose and chin), or the muzzle distribution in early adulthood, which includes the upper lip, chin, jawline and neck. However it can also affect the back and chest. 

Recognising depression and knowing where to turn for help

The first thing to know is that you are not alone in feeling low. Depression is extremely common, with 3 in every 100 people suffering in the UK. The second thing to know is that it is treatable, so you should seek help when you first notice the signs – we’ll talk you through what to look out for. And finally, we’ll outline where to go for treatment, even when things have spiralled and you’re in a severe depression or have thoughts of ending it all. If any of this rings true for you or a loved one, read on.

Emollients are moisturising treatments applied directly to the skin to soothe and hydrate the skin. They cover the skin with a protective film to trap moisture and protect the skin.  

Emollients are often used to help manage dry, itchy or scaly skin conditions such as [eczema](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/eczema!e33a168f-661f-40e1-9698-1d8a0975322a) and [psoriasis](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/psoriasis!9e01d538-a344-4cf5-8bb4-25adb8558408). They can come as cream, ointments, lotions, gels and sprays. Some emollients can also be used as soap substitutes in the bath or shower. All emollients are safe for babies, the elderly and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. 

Depression and anxiety: Any natural remedies to try?

Life can sometimes hit the buffers – stresses in your relationship, a heavy workload, or an exam or interview looming. Tension and negative thoughts can set in, even feelings of panic or gloom. You might want to try something yourself before getting a doctor’s opinion, and non-medical products can be a good choice for mild symptoms – our pharmacist is here to advise you.

Anxiety can set in ahead of big events such as an interview or an exam, or you may just be feeling a bit on edge without any particular cause. Some pharmacy products are known to calm mild anxiety and that panicky feeling that can rise up. Let’s take a look at some of them on the market.

Hidradenitis suppurativa occurs in areas where there are sweat glands around hair follicles. It is a condition that often affects the armpits but can also affect the groin, under the breasts, and around the anus, as well other areas of the body too. It is a chronic condition that can cause both abscesses and scarring of the skin. The cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is unknown. 
 
The symptoms are very painful lumps that range from blackheads to boils, cysts, or channels (called sinus tracts) that contain and sometimes leak pus. As it is a long-term recurrent condition that requires ongoing management it can cause quite an impact on an individual’s everyday life and can lead to depression. 

CBD oil also known as cannabis oil or cannabidiol oil is formed from extracting cannabidiol from the cannabis or hemp plant and putting this chemical into oil. It has recently become well known with many health companies advertising it and selling it legally as a health supplement. CBD oil comes under the umbrella of medical cannabis and has at times been controversial. All of the CBD oil available to buy is classed as a ‘novel food and so they undergo lower levels of scrutiny than medications. Because of this there remain questions over the quality of these "health supplements" with potential variations in quality.
 
There is not a huge amount of research on CBD but it has been shown that in some people it can help in the treatment of severe epilepsy that doesn’t respond to standard treatments. It is also thought to have some anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce anxiety and chronic pain. A very small number of people are able to get CBD oil prescribed by their doctor which is on the NHS. These are only for some cases of severe sickness due to chemotherapy, severe epilepsy or severe muscle problems in a condition called multiple sclerosis and is only used as a last resort if other treatments aren't working or unable to be used. These medications are very different from the CBD oil you can buy over the counter at your local pharmacy.
 
Potential side effects of taking CBD oil are sleepiness, dizziness and bowel symptoms. It can also affect your liver and may interact with medication including painkillers and anti-epileptic medication.

Sertraline is a medication used to help people with mental health problems. It works by increasing a chemical in the brain called serotonin and falls under the falls under the family of medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which helps to improve mood and reduce anxiety. Sertraline is commonly used to treat conditions like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. While it can be helpful for many people, it may have some side effects like nausea or trouble sleeping. It's essential to talk to a doctor before taking sertraline to ensure it's safe and suitable for your specific situation.

Dr Roger Henderson

Chief Content Officer

[Anxiety](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/anxiety!667ce944-d2bf-4d50-acff-5141cd79518f) can set in ahead of big events such as an interview or an exam, or you may just be feeling a bit on edge without any particular cause. Some pharmacy products are known to calm mild anxiety and that panicky feeling that can rise up. Let’s take a look at one of them on the market in more detail.

treatment

Anxiety and aromatherapy

Doctor’s advice

What can you find here?

Next steps

Related topics

article

Anxiety – seeking help

article

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

article

Anxiety

article

Acne

article

Recognising depression and knowing where to turn for help

treatment

Emollients

article

Depression and anxiety: Any natural remedies to try?

treatment

Anxiety products

article

Hidradenitis suppurativa

treatment

CBD oil

treatment

Sertraline

What can you find here?