The short answer:
While nootropics are not an adequate replacement for professional help, if you are experiencing mild anxiety symptoms, they can help. Nootropics can help with anxiety by reducing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol which are typically high in anxious people. At the same time, nootropics such as fish oil enhance the brain’s “feel-good” neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which diminish anxiety. Some nootropics can even promote alpha brain waves which are linked to feelings of peace and reduced mental chatter.
Anxiety is tough. It drains the enjoyment out of life and makes us overthink things, leading to feelings of stress and misery.
Nowadays it’s almost impossible to find a person who hasn’t experienced anxiety at some point in their life. It affects people of all ages and backgrounds, and it’s the result of the world we live in today.
Whether you are a parent struggling to keep your focus or just an average person going through life’s challenges, you may wonder if nootropics could help with your anxiety.
In today’s article, we’ll be looking at just that.
How Nootropics Work?
It’s important to distinguish the difference between natural and synthetic nootropics. At Institute for Attachment & Child Development, we focus solely on natural nootropics. We do not cover synthetic compounds such as piracetam or noopept in our posts.
Natural nootropics can be used to increase creativity and enhance mental performance. They can also be used to reduce the impact of stress on the brain and improve the quality of life for an adult. Sometimes they can even reduce brainwave chatter to the point of making you feel fatigued – albeit rarely.
There are many different types of natural nootropics, but all work in a similar way. They contain substances that help people have a better quality of life by improving focus and memory, increasing creativity and emotional intelligence, reducing stress levels, boosting mood, or lessening the impact of cognitive decline.
More specifically, nootropics work in several ways which include:
- They affect your neurotransmitters – among these are acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin which regulate your motivation, sleep, memory, and mood among others.
- They support optimal brainwave state – this includes reducing the beta wave which is associated with fast-paced thinking, and promoting alpha brain waves which are seen in people who are calm and deeply focused.
- They enhance resistance to stress – by reducing stress hormones such as cortisol
- They protect brain cells from oxidative stress – thereby contributing to long-term brain development and overall health
- They increase brain energy production – which leads to increased mental clarity and less brain fog
So, Can Nootropics Help With Anxiety?
The answer is yes.
Nootropics are supplements that can help the brain function better. Some of these supplements are stimulants, while others are natural remedies.
Studies show that one of the most popular nootropics is L-theanine, which is found in green tea. It is thought to reduce stress and anxiety levels by calming the mind.
There have been reports about people who have used nootropic supplements for anxiety and have seen a reduction in their symptoms. One study showed that L-theanine could help with social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder when combined with prescription medication.
In a study conducted by the University of Oxford and published in the journal Nature, volunteers were given either a placebo or an active dose of a nootropic supplement. The volunteers were then asked to complete a series of tests designed to induce stress.
The results showed that those who had been given the nootropic supplement were less anxious and more able to cope with the stress.
Some people might think that using nootropics for anxiety is not a good idea but it can actually help you in many ways. You can use it for your work, school, or even social life which will make you feel more confident. Nootropics are also known as smart drugs and they are used by many people in order to help them focus on their tasks and improve their memory.