Customer Reviews

Anxiety Epidemic

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Unlike a previous reviewer, I believe that GABA works, and this is from my own personal experience. (Actually, after reading that review, I had to check and see if it was the same book I had read. The review seemed to indicate that the author is promoting valerian root, but the book is about GABA, not valerian.) In any case, I believe GABA saved my life... and if you have anxiety or panic, you should give this natural supplement a try.

Prior to my panic & anxiety attacks I had a grounded, and very positive outlook on life. My panic episodes (which I suspect were triggered by the deaths of a friend and later a relative) gradually increased in frequency and intensity, due to the fact that multiple visits to both the emergency room (chest pains) and my doctor were not resulting in any help. It was a horror show. I switched doctors, but the new one just wanted to feed me antidepressants. (Do some internet searching on antidepressant drugs and you will find some startling correlations to violence and murder-suicide cases.) That approach was not for me. But I had to do something, because my attacks were starting to rule my life to the point that more than once, I imagined it would be better to be dead than to experience what I was going through. If I hadn't started out with as optimistic an outlook as I did, I might have tragically taken action on those thoughts.

Fortunately, a "chance" meeting led me to consult with a nutritionist, who recommended several supplements, one of which was GABA. It has made a world of difference, for me, and for my family. When properly used (dosage is key) a *high quality* GABA supplement can be a lifesaver. It worked for me, and has worked for countless others that I know. (TIP - it is a truism that with supplements, you get what you pay for. If you want good results, use only top notch brands, and consider enlisting the guidance of a nutritionist or knowledgeable staffperson from your local health food store.)

At the very least, this book is educational, and I recommend it to anyone with anxiety. You don't have to read the whole book to benefit. There are scientific chapters focusing on neurotransmitter function, for those who want such info... but there are also helpful chapters detailing what vitamins and minerals (and herbs) are especially helpful when the body is under stress... portions that deal with the emotional aspects of an anxiety condition... and practical instructions such as relaxation exercises and "How to stop a panic attack."

I've read a ton of books dealing with mental health, and this is the most personal of all. For some readers, this may be helpful and reassuring that a PhD also has anxiety and has at least partially corrected it with pharmacotherapy. The therapy Mz. Sahley chooses is Valerian root, which does have some anxiety-reducing properties. Obviously, the people like her that take valerian instead of benzodiazepines (ex. Xanax) and/or antidepressants are looking for a natural solution to their anxiety, and I don't blame them for that. What they don't understand is that large amounts of Valerian taken daily can cause physical dependence just like Xanax can, because they "hit" and downregulate the same GABA receptor. Thus, when either Valerian or Xanax is abruptly withdrawn, not enough GABA can signal the GABA receptor to inhibit excess neurotransmission, and seizures, coma, or even death can result. Valerian may also cause liver damage. Finally, for any of you thinking about taking GABA itself, it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, and it therefore useless as a brain supplement (Valerian's active compounds and Xanax CAN cross the barrier). So, unfortunately for people with pure-state anxiety, there are no natural shortcuts or quick fixes. Vitamin C may help somewhat, but not completely. There are dozens of vitamins and minerals that may act as antidepressants, and if your anxiety stems from being depressed, these supplements may reduce your anxiety. If your anxiety is more pure-state, be careful, these supplements may worsen it! Billy Jay puts her heart and soul into this book, and I admire that, but the book is basically useless and chock-full of grammatical errors. If you want to read a book that really objectively deals with anxiety and depression, I recommend The Failures of American Medicine.