What's new

Daughter’s anxiety

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dawnv8

Newbie
Hi there! I recently found out that kava can help anxiety and I could really use some help finding something for my daughter. My daughter is almost 18 and has struggled with anxiety her whole life. I had severe anxiety when I was younger also, so I know how awful it is, but when I got into high school it improved dramatically and I had high hopes that would be the case for her, but it wasn’t. She’s tried a number of anti anxiety/antidepressant meds but they always make her heart race which causes more anxiety. She goes to therapy weekly and will have stretches of time when it’s ok, but she recently had to quit her new job because she can’t eat or sleep. I’m being rather detailed because maybe people with similar experience can give some suggestions ...actually I’m open to suggestions from anyone who thinks they can help. This is what I need. What kind, where to get it, how much to start off with? Hopefully something affordable. It’s her senior year and prom time. Money is tight Thanks in advance!
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
Hi there! I recently found out that kava can help anxiety and I could really use some help finding something for my daughter. My daughter is almost 18 and has struggled with anxiety her whole life. I had severe anxiety when I was younger also, so I know how awful it is, but when I got into high school it improved dramatically and I had high hopes that would be the case for her, but it wasn’t. She’s tried a number of anti anxiety/antidepressant meds but they always make her heart race which causes more anxiety. She goes to therapy weekly and will have stretches of time when it’s ok, but she recently had to quit her new job because she can’t eat or sleep. I’m being rather detailed because maybe people with similar experience can give some suggestions ...actually I’m open to suggestions from anyone who thinks they can help. This is what I need. What kind, where to get it, how much to start off with? Hopefully something affordable. It’s her senior year and prom time. Money is tight Thanks in advance!
In addition to @Mrbinx69 suggestions I thought you might like to read a little of the research.
Also add-- in old Hawai'i 'Awa (kava) Nene was recommended for "fretful" children. I like it for adults also!
There are numerous research studies regarding kava beverage "shown to reduce anxiety". I am going to cut and paste one abstract here for you. The main author- Jerome Sarris can likely be googled and you could find more. If you cannot locate more, just reply and ask and I'll post more.--

Kava in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

Sarris, Jerome MHSc, PhD; Stough, Con PhD; Bousman, Chad A. PhD, MPH; Wahid, Zahra T. BPsych (Hons); Murray, Greg MPsych, PhD; Teschke, Rolf MD; Savage, Karen M. BSc(Hons); Dowell, Ashley BSc; Ng, Chee MD; Schweitzer, Isaac MD


Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, (published ahead of print) POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 30 April 2013

doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e318291be67


Abstract
Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant-based medicine, which has been previously shown to reduce anxiety. To date, however, no placebo-controlled trial assessing kava in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been completed. A total of 75 participants with GAD and no comorbid mood disorder were enrolled in a 6-week double-blind trial of an aqueous extract of kava (120/240 mg of kavalactones per day depending on response) versus placebo. [gamma]-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and noradrenaline transporter polymorphisms were also analyzed as potential pharmacogenetic markers of response. Reduction in anxiety was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) as the primary outcome. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed on 58 participants who met inclusion criteria after an initial 1 week placebo run-in phase. Results revealed a significant reduction in anxiety for the kava group compared with the placebo group with a moderate effect size (P = 0.046, Cohen d = 0.62). Among participants with moderate to severe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-diagnosed GAD, this effect was larger (P = 0.02; d = 0.82). At conclusion of the controlled phase, 26% of the kava group were classified as remitted (HAMA <= 7) compared with 6% of the placebo group (P = 0.04). Within the kava group, GABA transporter polymorphisms rs2601126 (P = 0.021) and rs2697153 (P = 0.046) were associated with HAMA reduction. Kava was well tolerated, and aside from more headaches reported in the kava group (P = 0.05), no other significant differences between groups occurred for any other adverse effects, nor for liver function tests. Standardized kava may be a moderately effective short-term option for the treatment of GAD. Furthermore, specific GABA transporter polymorphisms appear to potentially modify anxiolytic response to kava.

(C) 2013 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
 
Last edited:

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
Welcome the Kava Forums!

For someone busy and on the go, I don't normally recommend kava extracts, but the one I recommend is Bula Kava House's CO2 extract. They're selling it discounted right now actually: https://www.bulakavahouse.com/products/co2-kava-concentrate-honey-orange-vanilla-30-grams (they're throwing out discount code "CONCENTRATE5OFF" as of this writing.) Be advised that most kava extracts are often made using non-noble kava varieties as well as aerial plant parts to keep prices down. Exercise diligence if you find BKH's extract cost-prohibitive and want to look at other extracts.

Another solution which I highly recommend is using instant kava. Much like an extract, you're sacrificing cost-efficiency with convenience, but the nice thing about instant kava is they make it from grog using fresh root (in contrast to dried root) and then they dehydrate the grog so you have a powder you can reconstitute with the desired amount of water and you can simply drink up! In addition to BKH's CO2 extract, I also recommend their instant kava (as of writing, it's sold out.) Gourmet Hawaiian Kava also has great instant kavas but Chris only makes these on occasion and they sell out quickly. Rumor has it he's producing some Nene instant and will put that up for sale soon, so keep an eye out here at the forums so you can buy some in time.

Medium grind kava is your best value, but it requires some preparation, and it's often too time consuming for small quantities (at least without using an Aluball or two.) The traditional preparation for kava involves kneading the root (powder) in water for several minutes (5-10, but 15 is not unheard of) and then filtering out the solid material. A fine mesh strainer bag is essential for this method as some of the solid particles can cause stomach upset if ingested. A more convenient way to have medium grind is to use Kavafied's Aluballs. These are balls with a mesh inside to allow water to saturate the kava root powder contained within. You take an Aluball or two (a larger shaker could accommodate more balls), put root powder inside of each one, then you fill your shaker with water, then shake for about 1 minute (I hear 30 seconds also works, but I doubt many count the seconds), then you pour some into your cup and drink. While using medium grind powder has a bit of an initial cost, once you get into a kava grog habit, you save a lot of money compared to buying extracts or instant kava. The traditional prep method with a mesh strainer bag is typically best when you make large quantities of grog as kava grog is traditionally a social beverage consumed by multiple people. The Aluball is great for 1-2 people. What also makes medium grind very cost effective is that the medium grind powder can be reused. Depending on how much time you have, you can get 2nd washes, 3rd, or beyond. A blender is your friend to macerate used kava grounds further. I myself will use the same grounds to make a 2nd wash with fresh water, then mix the 2nd wash with the 1st to tone down the strength and have more volume of grog. But everyone around here is pretty varied on how they prep their grog. We have many threads here specifically about kava preparation, so give those all a read!

This may be a lot of information to absorb but kava is a complex subject and a message board like the Kava Forums wouldn't be so warranted if it was not possible to get so in-depth. But we're all here to help you start your kava journey, or in your case's, your daughter's. And if kava is ultimately not the solution to your anxiety problems, we won't hold that against you. We're all pretty easy here.

Welcome to the Kava Forums! We're here to help. :)
 

ThePiper

Kava Lover
I second the Nene suggestion. Nene is an awesome kava for relaxation that is gentle on the body and mind. She is old enough that i wouldn't worry about giving her kava. Many kids have experimented with alcohol before they are 18 and while that is not good, kava is 100x safer and more medicinal.

Another option is CBD. Its important to research products because you want something that is effective and has no thc. I have a coworker who is giving their 15 yr old daughter small doses of cbd for anxiety and it seems to help.

She could try both of those and see if one helps her. Start low and maybe even try using it at home before going to school or work etc to see how it affects her. I can say that both of these options are likely much better than benzos like Xanax and valium. Those substances can be very damaging to the developing (and adult) brain.

I am not a doctor and am only speaking from personal experience and my own observations of others.
 

Intrepidus_dux

Kava O.G.
Welcome to the forums! What a great mother you are to seek this out as a potential option for your child! I have given some to my special needs child on occasion for anxiety and it did help. The biggest hurdle was the taste. You'll find lots of great recommendations on that around here.

Without knowing much about your family, I'll just speak to was helped me a lot with anxiety; lots of work on self esteem. Also overcoming hurdles that have popped up in my life and then the people around me who love me being proud has helped too. Being a young woman isn't easy is it? It's really a lot of things to try to figure out all at once on so many levels. I commend you again for seeking to help your child. It's just lovely.
Kava takes some experimentation and definitely doesn't get rid of all the problems. It does help wind down the nervous system, but you still have to put in the work for self development. Some kava before a therapy session has been helpful to me in the past. Made the session much more productive.
 

Dawnv8

Newbie
Welcome the Kava Forums!

For someone busy and on the go, I don't normally recommend kava extracts, but the one I recommend is Bula Kava House's CO2 extract. They're selling it discounted right now actually: https://www.bulakavahouse.com/products/co2-kava-concentrate-honey-orange-vanilla-30-grams (they're throwing out discount code "CONCENTRATE5OFF" as of this writing.) Be advised that most kava extracts are often made using non-noble kava varieties as well as aerial plant parts to keep prices down. Exercise diligence if you find BKH's extract cost-prohibitive and want to look at other extracts.

Another solution which I highly recommend is using instant kava. Much like an extract, you're sacrificing cost-efficiency with convenience, but the nice thing about instant kava is they make it from grog using fresh root (in contrast to dried root) and then they dehydrate the grog so you have a powder you can reconstitute with the desired amount of water and you can simply drink up! In addition to BKH's CO2 extract, I also recommend their instant kava (as of writing, it's sold out.) Gourmet Hawaiian Kava also has great instant kavas but Chris only makes these on occasion and they sell out quickly. Rumor has it he's producing some Nene instant and will put that up for sale soon, so keep an eye out here at the forums so you can buy some in time.

Medium grind kava is your best value, but it requires some preparation, and it's often too time consuming for small quantities (at least without using an Aluball or two.) The traditional preparation for kava involves kneading the root (powder) in water for several minutes (5-10, but 15 is not unheard of) and then filtering out the solid material. A fine mesh strainer bag is essential for this method as some of the solid particles can cause stomach upset if ingested. A more convenient way to have medium grind is to use Kavafied's Aluballs. These are balls with a mesh inside to allow water to saturate the kava root powder contained within. You take an Aluball or two (a larger shaker could accommodate more balls), put root powder inside of each one, then you fill your shaker with water, then shake for about 1 minute (I hear 30 seconds also works, but I doubt many count the seconds), then you pour some into your cup and drink. While using medium grind powder has a bit of an initial cost, once you get into a kava grog habit, you save a lot of money compared to buying extracts or instant kava. The traditional prep method with a mesh strainer bag is typically best when you make large quantities of grog as kava grog is traditionally a social beverage consumed by multiple people. The Aluball is great for 1-2 people. What also makes medium grind very cost effective is that the medium grind powder can be reused. Depending on how much time you have, you can get 2nd washes, 3rd, or beyond. A blender is your friend to macerate used kava grounds further. I myself will use the same grounds to make a 2nd wash with fresh water, then mix the 2nd wash with the 1st to tone down the strength and have more volume of grog. But everyone around here is pretty varied on how they prep their grog. We have many threads here specifically about kava preparation, so give those all a read!

This may be a lot of information to absorb but kava is a complex subject and a message board like the Kava Forums wouldn't be so warranted if it was not possible to get so in-depth. But we're all here to help you start your kava journey, or in your case's, your daughter's. And if kava is ultimately not the solution to your anxiety problems, we won't hold that against you. We're all pretty easy here.

Welcome to the Kava Forums! We're here to help. :)
That is definitely a lot of information but it is much appreciated. I have done quite a bit of reading over the last few days so I believe I understand the basics. I want to keep it simple so I’m planning on getting some of the instant. I’ve seen Kalm with kava mentioned quite a bit so I might start there. They have a quick sample pack and you can get 3 different strains. I have also been looking into cbd and plan on getting some gummies to try.
 

Dawnv8

Newbie
If you don't mind my asking? What kind of anxiety does she have? Social, general, etc.
General anxiety....it started when she was little with like separation anxiety and social anxiety. Looking back now I remember how everyday was a challenge to get her to go to school. I would have to stay at school with her or come pick her up because she would throw up from a nervous stomach. Her social anxiety did improve when she got into high school. Now it’s general life anxiety. I wish more than anything I could fix it for her. Still open for more suggestions..
 

Krunkaroo

Kava Enthusiast
If money is tight look into "Lithium orotate" , alot of informative vids on youtube. Personally I find that it helped me more than kava in terms of anxiety. Iherb dot com should be restocking it soon. It's like $5 a bottle.

Also look into "Ancient minerals transdermal magnesium" before bed, iformative vids by "Dr.Sircus" on youtube.

Another product that I use (add to a little bit of water and hold sublingiually) is Lost Empire Herb's Ashwaghanda.

IMHO between experimenting with these 3 I feel her anxiety would be greatly reduced in an obvious way. I wish I had these options when I was in school.
 
Last edited:

Dawnv8

Newbie
If money is tight look into "Lithium orotate" , alot of informative vids on youtube. Personally I find that it helped me more than kava in terms of anxiety. Iherb dot com should be restocking it soon. It's like $5 a bottle.

Also look into "Ancient minerals transdermal magnesium" before bed, iformative vids by "Dr.Sircus" on youtube.

Another product that I use (add to a little bit of water and hold sublingiually) is Lost Empire Herb's Ashwaghanda.

IMHO between experimenting with these 3 I feel her anxiety would be greatly reduced in an obvious way. I wish I had these options when I was in school.
Thank you! I will definitely look into it....may even give you an update if we try it.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
fwiw, my wife cured her anxiety but it took 8 months of daily kava drinking.

I would recommend getting the cheapest kava that is acceptable and giving her essentially microdoses, a single 4 to 8 oz glass of plain grog every day, once a day, for two months, expecting no effects at all. Only then titrate up the dose. You'd want to buy an AluBall set up. Total investment just to see if it could help would be around $100 or so and you'd want to commit 3 months to it, and I mean really commit to doing it, or it's going to do more harm than good, or just do nothing but waste time and money and get your hopes up for nothing.

I understand what I say is completely different from what everyone else says. They're not wrong, and I might be. But this is still what I recommend.
 

Dawnv8

Newbie
fwiw, my wife cured her anxiety but it took 8 months of daily kava drinking.

I would recommend getting the cheapest kava that is acceptable and giving her essentially microdoses, a single 4 to 8 oz glass of plain grog every day, once a day, for two months, expecting no effects at all. Only then titrate up the dose. You'd want to buy an AluBall set up. Total investment just to see if it could help would be around $100 or so and you'd want to commit 3 months to it, and I mean really commit to doing it, or it's going to do more harm than good, or just do nothing but waste time and money and get your hopes up for nothing.

I understand what I say is completely different from what everyone else says. They're not wrong, and I might be. But this is still what I recommend.
I appreciate your suggestion and I’m grateful that you shared your wife’s experience. I think I’m going to try the kava along with some cbd and see how that goes.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I appreciate your suggestion and I’m grateful that you shared your wife’s experience. I think I’m going to try the kava along with some cbd and see how that goes.
Sounds good. I hope it goes great. Both of us found the combination to be quite impressive, with sufficiently high doses, and one has to build up to it, but the whole process is quite enjoyable. I think it takes about a month.
 

tarragon

Kava Curious
Welcome! All great suggestions. I third the one about nene. Think GHK might still have the micronized in stock if you hurry. I have never had any adverse side affects from Chris's micronized. One more suggestion is to try Caapi vine drops. I have recently started taking it with very positive results. The one I take is from a reliable source and works remarkably well. It is $39 an oz. or $19 for a half oz. , plus shipping. Tammy is good about shipping quickly. A one ounce bottle lasts about 3 to 4 months. www.MysticPlanet.shop
 
Last edited:

Dawnv8

Newbie
Welcome! All great suggestions. I third the one about nene. Think GHK might still have the micronized in stock if you hurry. I have never had any adverse side affects from Chris's micronized. One more suggestion is to try Caapi vine drops. I have recently started taking it with very positive results. The one I take is from a reliable source and works remarkably well. It is $39 an oz. or $19 for a half oz. , plus shipping. Tammy is good about shipping quickly. A one ounce bottle lasts about 3 to 4 months. www.MysticPlanet.shop
Is there a specific
Welcome! All great suggestions. I third the one about nene. Think GHK might still have the micronized in stock if you hurry. I have never had any adverse side affects from Chris's micronized. One more suggestion is to try Caapi vine drops. I have recently started taking it with very positive results. The one I take is from a reliable source and works remarkably well. It is $39 an oz. or $19 for a half oz. , plus shipping. Tammy is good about shipping quickly. A one ounce bottle lasts about 3 to 4 months. www.MysticPlanet.shop
Darn Looks like it's sold out...oops I was wrong. I found it. Can you explain the difference between the nene and the kava?
 

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
Can you explain the difference between the nene and the kava?
Nene is a Hawaiian variety of kava. I have not personally had any Nene but from what I hear it's a balanced kava leaning towards heavy, but it can do enough to both the mind and the body when it comes to relaxation. Our main man Chris at @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava off and on sells some Nene in medium grind, micronized, and instant forms. If you want a kava similar in function to Nene in the "balanced/heavy" category, there is Borogu, a light daily-drinking kava that the ni-Vanuatu are fond of on an ordinary day. Borogu is more readily available compared to Nene and multiple vendors carry it.

I'm sure some folks who have had both Nene and Borogu could chime in and either affirm or counter-recommend. The kavas I drink these days tend on the heavier side so if you want to merge with your furniture, I have some personal recommendations, but otherwise, I'm not much help.
 

Dawnv8

Newbie
Nene is a Hawaiian variety of kava. I have not personally had any Nene but from what I hear it's a balanced kava leaning towards heavy, but it can do enough to both the mind and the body when it comes to relaxation. Our main man Chris at @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava off and on sells some Nene in medium grind, micronized, and instant forms. If you want a kava similar in function to Nene in the "balanced/heavy" category, there is Borogu, a light daily-drinking kava that the ni-Vanuatu are fond of on an ordinary day. Borogu is more readily available compared to Nene and multiple vendors carry it.

I'm sure some folks who have had both Nene and Borogu could chime in and either affirm or counter-recommend. The kavas I drink these days tend on the heavier side so if you want to merge with your furniture, I have some personal recommendations, but otherwise, I'm not much help.
I’m thinking merging with the furniture might be exactly what I need. Clue me in ;)
 

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
I’m thinking merging with the furniture might be exactly what I need. Clue me in ;)
My personal favorite kava is another one from Gourmet Hawaiian Kava called Honokane Iki. I've personally felt a lot of relaxation from this particular variety. My first time drinking it, I felt like spirits were calling my name in my mind from the floor, beckoning me to join them on the floor. Luckily I knew better than to lie down on my hardwood floor but if it had been carpet, I might've heeded the call. But drinking a sufficient amount of Honokane Iki will make you feel pretty happy and then you'll want to fall asleep after a while of drinking it.

Another one I recommend that's on the heavier side is Kavafied's Kava Supreme. This is a skillful blend of Vanuatu kavas that works very well as a sleep aid. I've found even two cups of Supreme will make me want to do little else besides zone out. If you're lucky to have fired up a movie before you have any Supreme, you could at least commit your attention to the movie.

If you don't mind splurging on instant kava, Bula Kava House's instant kava is surprisingly sedative. I had my first cup with it and I underestimated its strength. I had some at work and I thankfully didn't have much going on. I knew to stop once I realized what I had gotten myself into, so I brought it home for evening cups of instant grog.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top