According to a recent CDC report, anxiety diagnoses among children and young people are on the rise, with statistics showing that one in six children in 2022 aged 5-16 had experienced a mental health problem, and over 2/3rds of these were related to anxiety and overwhelm. The figure was even higher for 16-24 year olds.
This makes for sad reading but as the Mum of late teens and early 20-somethings, I can definitely relate. The last few years have been on the turbulent side in our household and I know from speaking to friends that I am not alone.
While generalised anxiety can run as an undercurrent through the day to day lives of some young people, flash points can lead to feelings of complete overwhelm and this can be especially true when the new school and uni year starts.
New routines, worries about friendships, fears about work load, concerns about leaving home (if they are heading off to Uni) - these are all common,
There are lots of tried and tested things we can all do to help with stress, anxiety and overwhelm - diet, walks, nature, exercise, medication, meditation, hobbies etc. We've all read the news articles and know the drill by now. But while I'm not an expert on the full range of options available to us, I do know my essential oils. And I know which ones have been clinically proven to calm your mind and deepen your breath (which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve and also calms the nervous system),
A blend of essential oils often works better than just one, and I've listed below my choosen favourites based on the type of anxiety that you or your loved one are currently dealing with (because lets face it, the umbrella term 'anxiety' sometimes just doesn't cover the many and varied forms that are out there)
GENERAL ANXIETY AND OVERWHELM
Lavender - a tried and tester calmer and balancer
Ylang Ylang - relaxing, eases feelings of fear, encourages joy
Frankincense - soothing, calms the breath, supportive
Bergamot - soothing, comforting, generates optimism
Mandarin - mood brightening, good when anxiety is linked with low mood
Cedarwood - strengthening, resilient, calming
Geranium - balancing, supportive, calming
blend suggestion - 2 drops mandarin, 1 drop lavender, 2 drops cedarwood and 1 drop ylang ylang in a diffuser.
ANXIETY CAUSED BY RACING THOUGHTS, RUMINATION AND OVERWHELM
Vetivert - grounding, settling, protective against oversensitivity (good for autism)
Lavender - a tried and tester calmer and balancer
Geranium - balancing, supportive, calming
Clary Sage - great for racing and panicky minds, and settles 'crazy' thinking
Helichrysum - strengthening and settling, great for emotional wound healing
Petitgrain - helps with rapid heart beat and insomnia, calming (alternative to this oil is the more expensive Neroli, also helpful with depression, and taken from the same orange tree plant)
blend suggestion - 2 drops Vetivert, 1 drop Lavender, 1 drop Petitgrain in a warm bath by candlelight. Or 3 drops Vetiver, 2 drop Lavender, 3 drop Petitgrain, 2 drop Geranium in 50ml base oil. Massage into the body daily.
ANXIETY LINKED TO PHYSICAL TIGHTNESS IN THE CHEST
Litsea Cubeba (may chang) - cleansing and calming, great to open and relax the breath
Lemongrass - useful for exahuastion linked to anxiety, deepens the breath
Eucalyptus Citriodora - the gentle version of Eucalyptus Globulus, open and relaxes the breath and is also gently calming for the mind
Lavender - a tried and tester calmer and balancer
Frankincense - calming on the mind, and deepens the breath
Bergamot - bright and sunny, eases nervous tension and helps with tight breathing
Mandarin - similar in action to Bergamot, lifts the moods, eases the breath
Blend suggestion - 1 drop Litsea Cubeba, 2 drops Eucalyptus Citriodora, 1 drop Lavender, 2 drops Frankincense, 2 drops Bergamot in a diffuser or 2 drops Eucalyptus Citriodora, 3 drops Frankincense, 3 drops Bergamot, 2 drops Lavender in 50ml base oil, massage into the chest area morning and evening
ANXIETY LINKED TO PHYSICAL SENSATIONS OF A FUZZY AND CONFUSED HEAD
Basil - a potent cleanser, great for increasing the alertness of the mind. Also supportive and soothing.
Bay - another great mind clearer also emotionally warming
Lavender - a tried and tester calmer and balancer
Mandarin - cleanses the breath and the mind, warming, supportive, joyous
Rosemary - great for focus, and for anxiety linked to depression and confusion
blend suggestion - 1 drops Basil, 2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Mandarin, 1 drops Rosmeary in a diffuser
Although I've made some suggestions above on how to use the oils, there are other methods available to you for the use of neat essential oils. I've listed out the general rules below on how best to use them:
- Aromatherapy Diffuser: Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil to an aromatherapy diffuser.
- Bath Soak: Create a luxurious bath by adding 5-10 drops of essential oil to your bathwater. The warm water combined with the aromatic oils will increase feelings of relaxation and help ease anxiety
- Massage: Mix a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil like almond or jojoba oil and use this as a base for massaging directly into the body. Like a warm bath, touch is a great way to increase feelings of relaxation.
- Inhalation: Simply inhale the scent directly from the bottle or place a few drops on a tissue or cotton ball. This method can provide an instant sense of calm when you're feeling overwhelmed.
- Pillow Spray: Create a calming pillow spray by mixing a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle. Shake before use, then lightly mist your pillow before bed
- Meditation: Enhance your meditation practice by diffusing essential oils or applying them to your pulse points. The soothing scents can help deepen your state of relaxation and focus.
Remember, when using essential oils, always perform a patch test to ensure you don't have an allergic reaction, and consult a healthcare professional if you are pregnant, or have any health concerns.
And if you need any further information please do get in touch marie@bloomremedies.co.uk
Thanks for reading!
Marie x