Aromatherapy for Anxiety: A Case Study in Natural Anxiety Support
- Em
- May 2, 2024
- 6 min read
Aromatherapy is increasingly being recognised as a valuable support for people suffering anxiety. And with anxiety levels rising across the globe, the importance of essential oils to support conventional treatments shouldn't be understated.
Anxiety disorders are one of the most disabling mental disorders and a major contributor to the global burden of disease. This has especially become an issue over the extended period of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has increased the prevalence of anxiety disorders by more than 25% (1).
What's the medical approach to anxiety?
When you approach a medical physician exhibiting anxiety, they will most likely prescribe you benzodiazepines (BDZs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These are the most common medications used to treat anxiety disorders.
But what do they actually do to the brain and are there additional/other complementary options that work?
BDZs work by enhancing the effect of a chemical messenger in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA helps to calm down the activity of nerve cells in the brain, leading to a feeling of relaxation and reduced anxiety.
SSRIs, on the other hand, work by increasing the levels of serotonin, another chemical messenger in the brain. Serotonin is known as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter because it helps regulate mood, emotions, and anxiety levels. By blocking the reuptake, or reabsorption, of serotonin in the brain, SSRIs increase its availability, which can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and improve mood. These drugs provide a large short-term benefit, but their long-term efficacy is still limited and may cause certain side effects (2).
How can Aromatherapy help?
Aromatherapy has been used for many years, primarily through inhalation and massage, to reduce anxiety with great success in the complementary therapy community. Although in-depth scientific research and studies are only just catching up.
So far, it's demonstrating that inhalation aromatherapy may stimulate neurotransmitter secretion in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, through the olfactory system. This basically has the same affect as the SSRIs and is a natural way of potentially alleviating psychiatric disorders and issues like anxiety. Essential oils like lavender, rose, jasmine, lemon, bergamot, and citrus have been commonly used in aromatherapy and are the focus of emerging studies.
In addition to these affects on the nervous system, these essential oils are also showing impacts on the endocrine system, improving blood circulation, regulate blood pressure, pulse and respiration. This also helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety by helping to regulate things like heartrate and blood pressure. This is an exciting field of research for the medical community and its exciting for practicing aromatherapists, who have already seen these affects firsthand on sufferers!
Which leads us to this fascinating case study...
Let's meet 'Roberta'
In this blog post, we'll look at one case study showing the effectiveness of aromatherapy in supporting a client with acute anxiety.
This is a real example from a recent client, therefore personal identifying details have been changed for the privacy of the client.
Roberta is a 49-year-old executive whose job offers excitement and endless challenges. When she first reached out to me in distress, her voice laden with tears, she'd suffered a recent shock at the sudden passing of an old friend. This had left her grappling with a multitude of physical and emotional symptoms—shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and persistent stomach pains and a sudden obsession with the possibility of impending death. She turned to doctors, obsessed with the idea that she was physically sick. Despite countless medical tests, her results remained clear, pointing to the undeniable presence of anxiety.
My initial assessment of Roberta on this day was that she was suffering extreme anxiety, stress and possibly close to having a panic attack. My immediate approach to get her to calm down was to give her an inhaler with Ylang Ylang and Neroli.
Ylang ylang essential oil contains compounds such as linalool, geranyl acetate, and beta-caryophyllene, among others. These compounds have been found to help reduce feelings of anxiety and promote relaxation by modulating GABA levels. Similarly, neroli essential oil contains compounds like linalool, linalyl acetate, and alpha-pinene, which act on various neurotransmitter systems in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine, to promote feelings of calmness and well-being. (4)
It so happened that Ylang ylang is one of her favourite scents and she loved it and started to calm down immediately. She also requested a stomach blend to try and help with her digestive issues, which I made her to take away – a blend of peppermint and ginger.
We booked her in for a first consultation as well.
Treatment Plan: After the first consultation where I heard the full story and was able to glean more information about Roberta's multiple health challenges, we agreed on a plan of attack:
A series of 6 massage sessions using different essential oil blends
Blends to take away and use in between each session to help with the anxiety and digestive issues
A top-up of the inhaler for her to use in moments bordering panic attack.
Blend Intention: Each massage blend was designed to calm and soothe the nervous system, reduce stress levels while providing balance and equilibrium. The first few sessions were focussed on trying to calm down the nervous system, with later blends in the treatment sequence focussed more on uplifting and boosting mood. The take-away blends were designed to complement each treatment but also address some of the other digestive and immunity issues as well.
Oils used: The following essential oils were carefully selected for their calming, grounding, and soothing properties and used in different combinations for both the massage and take-away blends:
Mandarin: Known for its calming and uplifting effects, mandarin oil helps alleviate anxiety and digestive issues.
Roman Chamomile: Renowned for its calming properties, chamomile oil aids in relaxation and soothes the digestive system.
Sandalwood: With its grounding and stabilizing properties, sandalwood oil helps alleviate stress and promote emotional balance.
Frankincense: This versatile oil is celebrated for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety while supporting overall well-being.
Clary Sage: A potent sedative, clary sage oil helps relax the mind and body, making it ideal for managing stress and hormonal issues.
Bergamot: Known for its uplifting aroma, bergamot oil helps alleviate anxiety and promote a positive mood.
Jasmine would have been another excellent choice however Roberta expressed a specific dislike for the scent - and if the client doesn't like the scent, they won't use the oil!
The Massage Experience: During each session, Roberta experienced a combination of gentle massage techniques and the therapeutic effects of the essential oil blends. Observations from the sessions revealed areas of tension and congestion in her body, which were addressed with care and expertise.
Client Feedback and Aftercare: Following each session, Roberta reported feeling increasingly relaxed, calmer, and more in control of her emotions. She embraced the aromatherapy blends, incorporating them into her daily routine to manage stress and anxiety effectively. She was honest in her feedback which also meant I could tweak the blends according to her preferences ultimately resulting in an overall better result. Aftercare advice focused on hydration, nutrition, and self-care practices to support Roberta's overall well-being.
Conclusion - Embracing Holistic Healing
Roberta's journey exemplifies the profound impact of aromatherapy in alleviating anxiety and promoting holistic healing.
We made a lot of progress over the duration of the case study. She will be a life-long advocate of the oils and she loved all the blends for different reasons. The slow, softer massage sequence really made a huge impact on her emotional well-being and some shifts with the other health issues as she started to deal with some of her stress.
My intuition tells me that she will continue to get me to make her blends every now and then, but I don’t know that I will see her on the table again. I think she would like to, and I know she needs it, but I just don’t think she’s made the mental shift to value her emotional and physical health enough for her to practically justify the expense and time on herself in her own mind.
By combining the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy with carefully curated essential oil blends, individuals like Roberta can find relief from stress and anxiety, empowering them to embrace a life of balance, vitality, and inner peace. Whilst skeptical at first, her willingness to remain open-minded and follow recommendations have turned her from an aromatherapy sceptic to one of our biggest advocates.
If you're struggling with anxiety or stress, consider exploring the transformative power of aromatherapy.
Book a consultation today!
(1)(2) - Lehrner, J., Marwinski, G., Lehr, S., Johren, P., & Deecke, L. (2005). Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. Physiology & Behavior, 86(1-2), 92-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.06.03
(3) Tan L, Liao FF, Long LZ, Ma XC, Peng YX, Lu JM, Qu H, Fu CG. Essential oils for treating anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis. Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 1;11:1144404. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1144404. PMID: 37325306; PMCID: PMC10267315.
(4) Ballard, C., O’Brien, J., Reichelt, K., Perry, E., Aromatherapy as a safe and effective treatment for the management of agitation in severe dementia: the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with Melissa Journal: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry Year: 2002 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Pages: 553-558
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