Something natural for anxiety?

GABA helps me enormously with anxiety. I take 1500mg in the evening. If I miss a dose, I'm an anxious wreck the next day... (in my case, the anxiety was stirred up by flagyl and other stuff I've been trying for Lyme/Bart).

Might also try Valarian (Valium is a synthetic version of Valarian), Vetiver, Homeopathic remedies (Arsenicum Alb. - depression and anxiety (esp. worse in evening), Aconite - panic attacks esp. at night, Hypericum - general anxiety, Lycopodium - anticipatory anxiety, etc.)...

I got rid of my own panic attacks over 15 years ago. Don't fight them - that gives them more power, and then you begin to fear the panic attack. Let the panicy feelings come, and let them pass at their own pace. Tell yourself that the panic is ok (feeling the panic won't cause harm) and it will pass when it is done - give yourself permission to feel it.

And try to focus on something else during the attack - watch TV, read, think about something specific (other than the anxiety/panic), play a game, go for a walk, etc., until the feeling calms down. And then reward yourself for getting through it ok - a tub soak or foot bath, a foot massage, a nap curled up in a cozy/soft spot with fuzzy warm blankets, etc. (something non-food-related is best).

There is also a homeopathic product called "Rescue Remedy" that comes in convenient pastilles that come in a convenient little tin. My doc recommended these or the spray form.

And some people find that the herb tincture of Motherwort helps with their anxiety attacks.

Breathing and yoga sound simplistic but they can really help with stopping the acceleration of the feeling.

I have also found a simple tea made by pouring hot water on a stick of cinnamon bark is remarkably effective.

Breathing and guided meditation....plus, I use the mneumonic FAFL - Face, Accept, Float and Let time pass. FACE the feelings and any emotions or thoughts that are behind them, ACCEPT them as normal waves of emotion and feelings, FLOAT with them, don't fight them, just let them be and even observe them and it will lose most of its power, LET TIME PASS....it will right itself in due time....I keep this yellow sticky with FAFL on my desk at work!

Also, and like springjean, I have taken a xanax from time-to-time but I am so anti-med that I take one 0.25mg tablet perhaps once every two months or so! LOL. This is the tiniest of doses and probably gives me more placebo effect than anything.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I think motherwort was the one I was thinking of (there is an H in it so I wasn't completely off!). Does it work as fast as something like xanax or ativan (ativan is pretty much the same thing but works even faster and is less sedating)?

I know these attacks like the back of my hand at this point, and find them to be more of a nuisance than anything else. It's like a panic attack on the physical level without any actual anxiety in my mind, if that makes sense - but if I don't nip it in the bud right away the anxiety will come!