Stress Versus Anxiety: How This Herb May Help 

Is it okay to take ashwaganda with antidepressants ( Zoloft) and antipsychotics ( Quetiapine)?????

I've been taking Ashwaganda for well over a year. It took a long time for it to work. Recently, I have been getting better sleep, getting to sleep earlier and stating asleep for a solid 7+years hours. I'm glad I stuck with it. I am ADD, have low self esteem, think too much, low motivation, lack of focus and the ability to follow through a project. I'll be in counseling within the next few weeks. I'm retired, 71, and should be enjoying life... but I'm not... but at least I'm sleeping better. Small steps....

One thing I find that helps me with anxiety is earplugs. For me when I am on high alert even background noise is enough to keep triggering my anxiety. Solution! well no .. but silence or sound deprivation definitely helps me calm down.

Anyone besides me click ‘like’ before she even starts speaking lol? Her videos are ALWAYS good! Even if the content doesn’t directly apply to my family or me, I learn something. As a forensic psychiatrist her content could be ‘over our heads’ but she communicates in a clear and succinct manner where even I can understand her. Thank you, Dr. Marks, for investing your time and expertise with your viewers. I appreciate your style of video - easy to understand teaching, uncluttered background (I have Inattentive ADHD and would be distracted), and talking to us directly as though we’re sitting in the same room. Thank you so much! Blessings 🌿

I started taking ashwagandha at the beginning of grad school, and it 10000% chills me out more. I love it. I've been taking it ever since.

ashwaganda helps indeed against anxiety.

Understand that when you're always saying yes to others when you really don't want to, you're saying no to yourself. 💙RU-vidr That Helps People Overcome Toxic Relationships

I've been consumed by both. A big cause of my problem was the obscene amount of caffeine I was consuming. I reduced my 10-12 cups of coffee a day, to a cup of green tea in the morning. And the difference is amazing. L-theanine and B100 complex helps also!!! I'm going to try the ashwaganda too.

Excellent video! Now I know that my day-to-day is actually not anxiety but stress response.

Video starts at 5:30

I started taking Ashwaganda a couple months ago and it's really making a difference. I highly recommend it. Glad to know you recommend it as well Dr. M! 👍🏾

Such a good topic!! As a kid, psychiatrists and therapists thought I had anxiety. Spent years trying to CBT my way out of stressors like parental ab*se and poverty. Guess what? When I had a living income and didn’t live with them my “anxiety” magically went away. Wish someone had helped me do that sooner. I wasn’t thinking of “the worst case scenario” when worrying we wouldn’t be able to pay our bills. That was a rational, reasonable scenario that happened to us, and others we knew. I think many poor people or traumatized people are told they’re “anxious” when we really just need help relieving the stressful situations. I also hope child psychiatrists today spot situational stress better.

Love to see you promoting herbs! Damiana has been a favorite of mine since 2005

So grateful to have discovered your channel. ❤️ I have a lot to go back and watch.

this is was so helpful because i struggle with social anxiety but i also struggle with situational stressors and i never knew the difference between all of these! thank you doctor your videos have been so helpful to me and my mental health journey!! i remember last year i was struggling so much and i stumbled across your channel and after watching for a while i decided to start therapy through betterhelp and i'm doing a lot better and never want to stop going :-) thanks for being so informative and inspiring!! you make an impact !

Thanks for explaining this difference between stress and anxiety!

This would explain why certain tasks frustrate me to do more when I first wake up, but are fine like an hour later.

I can relate to some of the symptoms, but even the ones I can't relate to, I still watch you because your voice is soothing and the topics are interesting to me. Keep it up!

Nice news & love your talks!! l've taken a blend of ashwagandha, rhodiola & turmeric for 3yrs now 90 days on 90 days off. Helps me all around. I live a full life of responsibility & play hard too going into my early 30s

OMG, you always explain things in such a clear and concise manner. Thank you!

Ashwagandha changed my life! Been taking it for a year!

I have been taking this for 2 years now. I highly recommend.

Please do one on the mineral Chromium! Its cheap, and can make a big difference, as it helps stabilize mood and regulate blood sugar. Its an important micro mineral thats not often found in good quantities in food anymore because of modern agricultural practices. I worked at a small health food store where the ND who owned it would often prescribe it to people, particularly tired moms. Pregnancy can deplete Chromium from mothers. The change in the customers was dramatic, and the supplements were like less then $5/month. Its not to be taken while pregnant. There are a lot of initial studies to prove it can help, but usually also in a bigger picture. I was at high risk for PPD because of past mental health/trauma issues, and I was fine, I sometimes wonder if its because I took chromium regularly a few times a week after my sons births.

I love and appreciate this woman so much.😭 Her videos are very informative and she explains complex topics in ways that are easy to understand. If you see this. Dr Tracey, thank you so much for making these videos!! They have been extremely helpful for me. I've learned so much and look forward to learning more💛

Found this video after asking about this herb on your magnesium video, thank you for educating us, its been helpful to learn the processes our bodys go through in these stressful situations

I have these issues in the morning. Everything you said is spot on with me.

Thanks, Doc! You're a wealth of information and inspiration!

I was hoping for a video on this! I love Ashwaganda. I have really intense anxiety during work sometimes and could stand to chill. (I work in customer service for Kay jewelers) This makes me feel like… yeah I could be stressed about this normally, but I’m just not…. I just handle things better. I feel more rational and less restrained by anxiety, less irritated.

This is what we needed

I didn't realize that the time of day it is taken makes a difference. Thank you.

You are always so helpful, to the point and make a psychology easy to understand. Thank you for all of your hard work and help that you gave all of us viewers!

Thanks so much for this video Dr Marks. I really had been wanting to know a bit more about adaptogens and their effect on GAD. It's good to know that Ashwaganda can relief stress cause aren't we all just sooo stressed lately!? I really appreciate your content, you've made mental health education accessible and that's really cool 🌻

Thank you for this information! It was very insightful to learn about the differences between stress and anxiety. This will better help me understand situations now.

Dr Tracy is so fine❤️

Dear Dr. Marks, I have started taking Ashwagandha as supplements recently and the results are amazing. I am able to stay calm and collected during any situations of daily life and able to analyse it objectively. Earlier before taking Ashwagandha, it was difficult to focus on solutions without getting overwhelmed by negative thoughts and emotions. Thank you for making this video. I'm really grateful.

Thank you. This discussion of stress is exactly what I experience, and it is, in my opinion, perceived stress rather than any measure of actual stress. I am trying ashwagandha, though it may have possible medication interactions. For me, stress has always been cumulative and it is difficult for me to return to the previous baseline after experiencing stress, and subsequent stressors elevate further this already raised stress level. I have been experiencing the symptoms you have described for years, and I will try to find more information on the subject in order to better understand and manage stress as the actual underlying cause of so many psychological and physical problems. TY

Fantastic video, great job 👌

Thank you for this video. This is the first time I’ve watched one of your videos. I found just seeing your smiling friendly face and listening to your voice helped ease my anxiety albeit temporarily. I’ve subscribed and will definitely watch more. Thank you 🙏😊

Thank you for another excellent video. I am post menopausal and struggling with daily anxiety which manifests as an internal shaking feeling, it's as if I have swallowed a large cell phone which is stuck on vibrate. I know other women of my age who are having the same experience and I believe that it is the daily grind of this distressing symptom that is creating my stress. I will certainly try to reduce my morning cortisol levels to see if that helps and I will also give the herb a try. Thanks again and best wishes from the UK.

Thank you for this - you are a Godsend!

Love learning with your videos! Thank you for all you do Doc!

Heya, thanks for these videos. these have made me more more sane. its really hard in my country right now to get mental health care. so thank you x

Correct me if I'm wrong, so essentially stress is what happens to you in the moment, in the present. Anxiety is worrying about what may happen in the future. For example for stress, you're crossing the road and see a car coming towards you and will hit you if you don't evade. For anxiety, you're waiting to cross the road but can't stop thinking that a car MIGHT run you over if you try to cross

This is so helpful. I love your videos.

try it 600 mg in the morning(it was a miracle for me). I also took 2 pills with 300 mg but it wasnt the same as when i took one pill with 600mg. I woked up every morning with a will to live and had less anxiety

I get butterflies in my stomach every Wednesday coz I'm so excited for Tracey Mark's new video. Should probably take an Ashgawanda for that 😁

Great clarification! Thank you!

After watching this and scanning over the comments I'm excited to try this. Your videos almost always provide a wonderfully eye opening learning experience that leaves me feeling empowered or at least well informed. Thank you so much!

Great video as always. Thank you.

I was hoping the herb was weed but I guess I can try this new herb she is suggesting.

Thank you, Dr Tracey! As always useful, well-articulated and relevant advice. many thanks for your work ❤️

Thank you Dr Marks! Amazing info as usual.

Thank you for evidence-based information.

Lemon Balm Tea works well too

Thank you for this I think I’ll try Ashwaganda!!!

Thank you very much for explaining stress vs anxiety. I knew the difference but also did not realize that I was also using them interchangably. I took Ashwaganda for several months and was happy with initial results but got depressed when it felt like my anxiety was creeping back in. I got frustrated, disregarded all short term gains, and had actually forgotten that I ever took it until I saw this video. Hearing you explain that It is most effective for cortisol control i.e. stress I now realize that I, as someone with an anxiety disorder, was only doing half the work. I was also running into some of the side effects (at 300-400mg twice daily) as I was a couple months into my usage. Seeing this vid has jogged my memory I have some advice for anyone considering using this: A) As stated it is effective for cortisol, NOT ANXIETY. You will be less anxious at first but that's because you are literally de-stressed. After a while, if you have a disorder or are still around your triggers, your anxiety will catch back up with you but remember this is but one of many herbs that do such things. Find a complimentary herb for your actual anxiety. B) Ashwaganda takes time to build up and can build up to toxic levels. This means you should be cycling. That means taking the herb in non-consecutive, but still regular intervals(i.e. one week one, one week off or any variation of that). This also means that it might not work immediately (It did for me but I have ADHD and am constantly checking on my mental state/lucidity so I notice when something is even slightly different in my head). DO NOT double your dose or take another right after because you're not "feeling it". After a while your tolerance will go up and having a little extra as a treat isn't so bad but it is a very slippery slope as with anything. This is not a cure. it is not supposed to work for everything always. All that being said Ashwaganda can be a great relief to a tired mind and feels like a really nice kick in the pants. Passion and motivation come back when stress is literally gone. I hyperfocused a lot and it gives a really good buzz behind the eyes and in the sinus cavity. It gave me my life back and had I known the protocol it wouldn't have been so habit forming. I kicked it when I felt like it with little to no side effects save for exhaustingly vivid dreams.

Doctor Marks please, talk about anxiety for being mad and have fearful thoughts about Madness and Mental Hospitals, and how to feel normal again, Please 🥺

Hi Dr. Marks, I see a lot of people especially young people who are addicted to their cell phones. When we look at addiction often times just beyond that addiction we see codependency. I would love to see a video that addresses this codependency because I don’t see a lot of people talking about it and we need to expand this conversation in order to begin to address it.

Ashwagandha reduces cortisol and it has helped me treat debilitating anxiety.

Drinking Ashwaganda tea as you talked about it

Thankyou👍💛🐈‍⬛You are one of the best!

It has made me have a libido again. Had to take it for 2-3 weeks to notice but I love it and don’t think I’ll ever stop taking it

This was very useful information.

Kratom is the ultimate stress and anxiety reliever. Ashwagandha is good BUT it will eventually mess with your cortisol levels. In my experience I found Red Vein Kratom to be the real MVP! In particular Red Thai and Red Borneo! 💯

Good video! Dealing with both all this week

I'm continue reinforcing my knowledge. Thank you. 😊

I was using the CVS brand of this herb and I could tell a difference while I was taking it (4-6 months of regular use).

I was under a lot of stress in my marriage, which caused the surfacing of guttate psoriasis, for which I was prescribed strong steroid ointment, which at times I had to spread all over my body. My stress elevated, and other illnesses arose. I did end the marriage, and some of the illnesses disappeared but not the psoriasis. I then went through a lengthy situation of emotional abuse, and developed a full on anxiety disorder, then was prescribed antidepressants, then the psoriasis went away. Makes me wonder if I should have been prescribed antidepressants in the first place, rather than steroid ointment, if it worsened my overall health, and thus, my life. The doctors wouldn't have known about this herb, though it sounds like it would have helped.

Really interesting learning about this

"You should expect to wake up relaxed and refreshed" Nope, can not relate lol. I don't think I've woken up refreshed once in my entire life

Your everything! Thank you Dr.

I take Tria Alchemy tinctures and notice a big difference! The Rest blend is awesome for anxiety… Synergy has Ashwagandha in it and I love that one also.

Around this time last year my husband wouldn’t buy me curtains for a month even though he has them in his room. He even put them in the living room so it was pitch black in the living room but bright as day until 8 pm in my room. We also had a streetlight that would wake up at around 3 am. I would usually be in flight or flight around then. I would have to go to work around. 4 or 5 so I would go ahead and leave the house to go get breakfast. It was awful. I almost left him. He’s tried to make up for it since then but idk if our relationship can make it. This morning he helped me get ready for work which was really nice since the last few mornings have been hard on me. My coworkers seem to be more demanding in the mornings as well I always wondered why the mornings were the hardest. I never knew cortisol levels were the highest in the mornings. I always just thought that everyone was tired in the mornings.

I have drug abuse ptsd and the feeling of ashwagandha making me feel dizzy / high triggered severe panic attacks. Be careful it's not for everyone

Awesome video. Super informative. I tried ashwaganda and it gave me stomach cramps. Primrose oil, vitamin D, Zinc, and magnesium, has calming effects for me.

Thank you for these valuable videos

Hi, can you do a video about the process of finding a therapist and mental health treatment that works for you? It's harder than one would think.

I'd love to see a video on the positive symptoms of metal health conditions in general and/or maybe follow up videos delving more into specific ones? Its easy to get bogged down in the negatives but there are some positive to neuroatypical thinking. Personally, I my ADHD, autism and BPD mean that; all emotions are very intense but in the case of positive ones it CAN be very rewarding, hyper-focus/ obsessions have made me very skilled/ knowledgeable in some areas, increases in empathy and abstract thinking often means people around me feel understood, an ability to be manipulative can be the best course for a positive outcome in many situations, and the ADHD or BPD stereotype of being "quirky" or "fun" does hold SOME merit. Other conditions also can have positives, some schizophrenic patients may live in a delusion that's peaceful and joyous. Autism can be linked to very high intelligence or proficiency in the case of savant syndrome. Neuroatypical minds tend to be more creative. And without psychotic symptoms many artists would not have had the inspiration to fuel their art, such as van gogh. I would love to see a video explaining why and how these positives can occur (perferably for each one [more perferably for each of mine]) And I think many people would find information on how to reframe their diagnosis' and utilize the tools that they can provide, to compensate for all the crap that they cause. (E.g. the percentage of ADHD in those that start their own business is higher than in the general population)

Ashwagandha/ l-theanine tablets really helped reduce my anxiety.

i was looking this up today!! 😯

I would check with your doctor if your currently on anti depressants before trying this

Best doc

Thank for your good explanation, I ve been dealing with stress and anxiety, now I realized my anxiety was due to my stress and I ve taking ashwaganda for almost 2 weeks and it’s helping me a lot ( just 550 milligrams per day) I don’t know how long should I take it though.

I was drinking Passion Flower tea to help me relax and sleep. It worked, BUT it is a DEPRESSANT and was causing me to get worse anxiety and depression. I've used herbs all of my life (I'm in my 60's) and this was an eye-opener. This tea should come with a warning that it can CAUSE severe depression. Bummer.

I have been using ashwagandha, magnesium citrate and lavender oil in tandem to help with my anxiety and stress for about 3 months now. Four days on, two days off. All of them have a noticeable positive effect, and each one is slightly different. If you are looking for herbal remedies, I (a random internet stranger, mind you, so do your research first!) strongly recommend trying all 3 of these. And also watching dr. Marks' videos on magnesium and lavender oil, of course.

TY for the video.

All of my mental health issues are treatment-resistant. I’ve felt hopeless for years. Tried every single type of anti-anxiety med, atypicals too. Have taken every possible supplement too. Every type of therapy (cbt, dbt etc.) I wish I had something left. For the t.r. depression I’ve even tried TMS, ketamine infusions nothing works. Going to finally do ECT soon but not hopeful. I love these videos but I’m at the point where I barely leave my apt, I can’t handle it. Agoraphobia is raging since the pandemic :( -Sorry for a long comment, not really worth reading I know.

Great video dr. Marks! I was wondering if you could make a video about your daily "supplement stack" for good mental wellbeing 🥺👉👈

works amazing im off most psych meds- use st johns wort for depression and valerian 4 anxiety.

Thank you for this video. Can you make one about the shadow self and typical shadow work practices in therapy??

Hi Dr. Marks, thanks for all the wonderful topics! Can you explain the reasoning behind why people with anxiety like familiarity? For example, watching shows and movies they’ve already watched countless times before and not changing their routine? That would be interesting to find out about. Thank you

Perfect timing! My counselor recommended I start taking Valerian Root for anxiety, but the corner store didn't carry it and only had ashwagandha. I've been using it but was skeptical of the results - I did feel something for sure, but it didn't seem to really click in the long term. Your explanation of taking it in the morning makes a lot of sense and I will be doing that going forward! As an aside, so you have a video on valerian root?

the tip to take it in the morning is really helpful, i didnt know that. ashwaganda is really helpful for me to relax. i used to wake up with a cortisol rush in the mornings now i dont anymore.

Great videos! You pack alot of very useful information in a shorter video...and without all those standard pics of people supposedly in topic-related situations. 😏 Thank you! ❤️

Awesome thank you 🙏🏾

❤️ Thank You For Enlighten The Ppl

I get Peak and Valley(a black woman owned company) supplemental powders that contains ashwaganda and other adaptogens. I make hot lattes which are delicious with almond milk 3/week. 🥛

Moringa helps so much with anxiety!!!

Love your channel Dr. Marks! I would love to know your opinions on using Ashwagandha during Benzodiazepine withdrawal. I cold turkey’d Xanax in 2014 and I was pretty manic for a few years after the worst of the withdrawal was over but I stayed on a low dose of Klonopin which I’m now tapering off of. Lots of people use Asheagandha to help with withdrawal but there’s a lot of stuff out there about how it impacts GABA and can make healing take even longer. I’d love to here your take.

Thank you I love ashwaganda