According to statistics released by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), as many as one in six South Africans suffer from anxiety, depression, or substance-use problems (this does not include more serious conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia).
Dr Eugene Allers, a leading South African psychiatrist and former President of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP), believes that when crime and motor-vehicle accidents are taken into consideration, up to 6 million South Africans could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
What is more, says Cassey Chambers, Operations Director at SADAG, because “people don’t know where to go to get help, or are too scared to seek it, the stats we have are still not a true reflection of what is happening on the ground.”
However limited, looking at what evidence we do have, one can safely conclude that the state of the country’s mental wellbeing is in crisis.
If you think you may be suffering from severe anxiety, watch out for these signs and symptoms:
- Excessive worrying
- Agitation
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Tense muscles
- Trouble sleeping
- Panic attacks
- Avoiding social situations
- Irrational fears
To combat the symptoms of anxiety, it is important to eat a wholesome diet of nutrient foods, avoid psychoactive substances, implement stress-management techniques and if necessary, seek professional advice.
Three ways to supplement whatever you are doing, behaviourally, to improve your anxiety levels:
- L-Theanine has shown to be beneficial in the treatment of anxiety and sleeplessness. L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea, which is best known for its relaxing and calming effects. L-Theanine has a chemical structure very similar to glutamate, a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that helps transmit nerve impulses in the brain. Some of the effects of Theanine appear to be similar to glutamate, and some effects seem to block glutamate. This action produces inhibitory effects. That inhibition to brain over-activity has a calming, relaxing effect in which anxiety fades. This could assist in promoting not only the time taken to fall asleep but also the quality of sleep – as general anxiety levels are lowered.
- Releaf Theanine is a product of natural origin used to assist and temporarily promote relaxation. It also helps with the maintenance of healthy sleep and acts as a caffeine antagonist.
- Releaf Pharmaceuticals also offers a product known as Emozac – a product formulated with ingredients of natural origin, for effective mood management. Published clinical studies show that Iranian Sargol saffron extract, administered at 30 mg/day, significantly relieves anxiety and depressive syndromes, in only 1 week.
The saffron efficacy has been shown to be statistically identical to Fluoxetine or Imipramine - the two main pharmaceutical drugs used to treat mood disorders - without any side effects.
Content extracted from: Sacap.edu.za, Healthline.com, Webmd.com
This article has been provided by Releaf Pharmaceuticals