Herbs for Obsesssive Thoughts

Having or suffering from obsessive thoughts; those thoughts that occupy and overtake your mind, can be due to having a mental illness or precursor signs of disorders -- such as anxiety, panic or depression. You can control such thoughts through prescription medication, and some natural herbs are also thought by some to help remedy obsessive thoughts. Though any additional of herbs or over-the-counter medication needs to be discussed with your personal physician, the addition of such herbs can help alleviate some obsessive thoughts or obsessive compulsive disorders.

Ginger, Chamomile and Licorice

• Ginger, Chamomile and Licorice are all naturally occurring herbs which can be used in the lessening of obsessive thought patterns. Though no clear cut studies have proven their effectiveness, many have opted to try such herbs as they are readily available, easy to ingest and pose no health risk, as they are commonly used. The benefit of trying these herbs, either individually or in combination, is that by drinking tea made with these herbs, you can ingest the herb in a much easier manner.

Valerian Root

• Valerian is an herb that is believed to be beneficial in the treatment of obsessive disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The herb is harvested from the root of the Valerian plant, which is a flowering plant. The sedative properties of Valerian, also referred to as Valerian root, can be useful for those having bouts of obsessive thinking.

St. John's Wort

• One commonly used herbs to treat depression is St. John's Wort. Made from both the flowers and leaves of the St. John's Wort plant. This mood lifting herb can be used to treat both depression and obsessive thought patterns. The elevation of mood is achieved through the two oils found within St. John's Wort, hypericin and hyperforin. Though clinical studies are inconclusive in making a determination of the true effectiveness for OCD, the long standing history of the herb, dating back to ancient Greeks, makes this an herb worth trying, if you are seeking relief.

Passionflower

• Passionflower is an herb which has been used to treat obsessive thoughts, depression and insomnia. The relaxing properties and mood stabilizing effects of the herb have given some with OCD a reason to use this herb as a complementary measure to traditional treatments. Though no studies have clearly shown the ability of passionflower to replace prescription medication or therapy; enough anecdotal evidence exists to make passionflower a viable option for many suffering from OCD or generalized obsessive thinking.