Can Ashwagandha ease your fears?

Can Ashwagandha ease your fears?

‘Sir, I cannot walk through wooden bridges, it paralyzes me. The scenes from the movies where the bridge breaks start playing in my head and I can’t move my legs. Sir, is my fear common, or am I turning mad?’

‘Doctor, the sight of blood makes me nauseous. My son is injured and he needs to change his dressing, my wife asks me to do it, but the sight of his wound makes me nauseous. I can’t go near him until he covers it up. Is there a medicine to erase my fear?’

‘Sir, I am pregnant, my mother and mother-in-law are insisting I try for normal delivery, but I know I can’t do it. I have seen normal delivery videos. I am sure I will get unconscious in the middle and they will have to opt for a C-section. 

 The doctor is there a way to ease my fears.’

An Ayurvedic doctor often gets these questions. The most fears are fear of heights or closed spaces. But many people have many fears. There is something unique in each case.  

But one thing that remains constant is their uncomfortable palpitations of the heart. The numbing flush of emotions and the impaired decision-making capability causes trouble.

Before revealing the cure for such fears, let’s understand the psychology behind fear. 

Also Read: Easy Home Remedies of Ashwagandha

What is fear?

Fear is a natural psychological human emotion induced by perceived danger or threat. It is a powerful and primitive human emotion essential for survival. Fear is like an alarm system of the mind that makes the heart pound and skin sweat when danger approaches.

Though fear is uncomfortable and scary, it is not useless. It’s a survival instinct that triggers the flight-or-fight response. The physiological and psychological response to fear prepares the body to react.

However, it’s the constant irrational fears and phobias that can be detrimental. 

Also Read: Amazing Ashwagandha for women

The bad fear

Fear can be rooted deep in psychology due to a traumatic experience. Like the fear of fire, water, or height. Or it can be planted in one’s mind, like the fear of ghosts, darkness, etc. Sometimes some phobias can also creep into one’s mind without any reason. Like claustrophobia or hematophobia. 

You should eliminate such fears without any rational reasoning. Irrational fears can impair your judgment. Decisions that come from fear are often wrong.

Also Read: Ashwagandha for men: Fertility, Sex, and better performance

The good fear

Fear conditioning can also be effective. 

It enables one to think faster and act more quickly. It also supports rapid learning for predicting danger. However, the display of continuous fear in absence of danger can be detrimental.

The actions and causes of fear

Fear triggers stress, anxiety, and nervousness. It affects your ability to think clearly; impairs your immune system, affects your sex life, and messes with your brain.

Though fear is more common among the female population, many men too experience fear. It can be triggered primarily by two types of hormones – stress hormones and sex hormones, in some cases, the thyroid hormones can also play a role.

Low levels of sex hormones – estrogen and testosterone can affect anxiety. That’s why such irrational fears can reach a peak during times of hormonal changes like puberty, the menstrual cycle, and menopause.

The stress hormone cortisol also impacts psychology, it makes one feel anxious. Anxiety and stress can also trigger several kinds of fear, like fear for life, fear of failure, and fear of being judged and mocked.  

Also Read: 10 research-backed benefits of Ashwagandha

Can Ashwagandha ease your fears

There is hardly anyone who is immune to feelings of fear. Not in this materialistic world, where every soul is chained by lust, greed, and fantasy. While some fear for life, some for their possessions, some fear for their name and some spend sleepless nights fearing the loss of loved ones. 

It is important to ease such fears that do not possess an immediate threat. Also, fears of the inevitable should be rationalized for one to live life in a free flow. Ayurveda advises the use of Ashwagandha as a cure for such situations.

This herb has been used for many purposes in Ayurvedic medicines. A general tonic, and rejuvenator, Ashwagandha has several medicinal properties. It is an adaptogen and aphrodisiac that promotes the release of hormones in a healthy way. 

The efficacy of Ashwagandha in the management of stress, anxiety, fear, and emotional traumas is scientifically proven. This Ayurvedic herb acts on mental functioning, relieves nervousness, and improves sleep. It also improves cognitive functioning and rational thinking.

Thus, Ashwagandha is a potential herb that can be used for the extinction of fear. 

Also Read: Ashwagandha for athletes

Can Ashwagandha ease your fears – Ayurvedic Doctor

In my long career as an Ayurvedic doctor, I have recommended Ashwagandha to patients suffering from fear and stress. And it is seen that patients who administer Ashwagandha in the recommended way display better responses to stress, anxiety, and fear.

Of course, one reason is because of its actions on stress and hormones, but further research is needed to understand the action of Ashwagandha in the extinction of fear. As of now, I can comment that it is effective and safe in relieving the symptoms of fear to a great extent. But to better understand the how’s and why’s of this association, we need further research.