Oils and PTSD

I began using essential oils about a year ago, and have researched their many and varied uses as certain issues arise.

One of the most amazing things about essential oils is their work in the limbic system in the brain.

The limbic system is the part of your brain that many psychologists and neurologists would consider primitive. It is responsible for fight or flight, the stress response, breathing, heart-rate and temperature.  This is why essential oils are so incredibly helpful for any kind of emotional issue, be it heightened stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and even PTSD!

When someone experiences a traumatic event, that event can become hardwired in the brain to the point that anything that resembles the memory can trigger a heightened response. Without getting too clinical, there is a spectrum of PTSD. It can occur from one seemingly minor event or it can be more of a complex PTSD where one was exposed to highly stressful or traumatic events over an extended length of time.

When someone experiences what is called a trigger, they will experience increased respirations, increased heart rate, slowing of the intestines, pupil dilation, sweating, sensitivity to light and sounds, irritability and sleeplessness. This can come and go or it can be a prolonged trauma response and hang around until something snaps them out of trauma.

How could essential oils be beneficial for someone with PTSD? Well, for starters, Essential oils bypass the cognitive centers of the brain (the part of the brain that is responsible for logical thought, rationalization and reasoning that often gets shut down during periods of stress) and lands right in the limbic system, stimulating any number of emotional responses. (link) This is beneficial because it can bring someone out of a heightened state to a state of calm so that they can reduce the trigger response.

Why would you choose essential oils over a prescribed anti-anxiety medication? I will start off by saying that I am an RN who has worked in the medical field for almost 8 years. I can definitely speak to the benefit of pharmaceutical medications, especially when it comes to mental health issues. They can definitely increase functionality in many people. My issue with them is that it can suppress and can inhibit emotional processing.  More research is showing the harm in taking anti-anxiety medications long term,  affecting the liver and other organs, as well as the potential for addiction.

More evidence is showing the benefit of essential oils on the brain. One of those surprising benefits is increased oxygenation by inhaling various scents. Increased oxygenation leads to increased cognitive abilities, learning, and focus.


Lavender and Rosemary essential oils have demonstrated the ability to decrease cortisol levels in the brain which would prove to be very beneficial for someone with PTSD or any sort of anxiety disorder.

Personally, I have found Stress Away and Lavender to be very beneficial in reducing anxiety!

Click the link for information on ordering :)