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Alternative medicine

By Mayo Clinic staff

Certain dietary and herbal supplements claim to have calming and anti-anxiety benefits. Before you take any of these for agoraphobia, talk with your health care professional. Although these supplements are available over-the-counter, they still pose possible health risks in some people.

For example, the herbal treatment called kava is marketed as a treatment for anxiety. Kava may reduce anxiety, but the supplement has been linked to multiple cases of severe liver damage. Several countries have banned the sale of kava due to safety concerns. The Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about kava but hasn't banned the sale of kava in the United States.

Coping and support Treatments and drugs

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References
  1. Agoraphobia. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  2. Panic disorder. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  3. Schatzberg AF, et al. Anxiety disorders. In: Schatzberg AF, et al. Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 7th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2010. 7th ed. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  4. Shih RD. Plants, mushrooms and herbal medications. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1102110593&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00162-6--s0135&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00162-6--s0135&uniqId=231117875-7. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  5. Hepatic toxicity possibly associated with kava-containing products - United States, Germany, and Switzerland, 1999 - 2002. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5147a1.htm. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  6. Ciechanowski P, et al. Overview of panic disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  7. Satterfield JM, et al. Panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00025-1--sc0035&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&sid=1102117058&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00025-1--sc0035&uniqId=231117875-8#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00025-1--sc0035. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
  8. Agoraphobia. Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
  9. Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 11, 2011.
DS00894 April 21, 2011

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