Valerian Root

[Hannah Capps]

Benzodiazepines make me feel like a zombie…I’m finding that Valerian (presumably what the synthetic Valium comes from) helps me sleep and calm down without having next day hangovers from sleeping pills or memory loss and doing something I don’t remember consciously

Curious if anyone else has experience with valerian root?

Thanks

 

[BourbonMac]

Yes, I take some Valerian every night. Actually a blend of herbs: passionflower, valerian, skullcap, and lemon balm (oil extract). These all have nice gabagenic activity. I think valerian has the most. What do you mean by synthetic valium exactly? I take valium and find these can compliment it pretty well. I should come off the valium at some point, it's already been about a year since I was first put on it, 5mg at first, then 10, now up to 15. I was off it for a little bit but a lot has gone wrong the past few months and it's been a saving grace in some ways.

 

[Hannah Capps]

I just figured it was the chemical form of valerian root both are very sedating… if you look at the wording it makes sense…pharma is known for taking natural remedies and making them chemical drugs…

 

[G_Chem]

Yea tried an extract once that had me fucked up in a not so good way long into the next day. It took forever to hit too. Kind of a dizzyeffect any time I tried to stand up.

I’ve tried many Valerian extracts and that was the only one to do that. Most work like any other sleepy herb extract.

-GC

 

[cdin]

Careful, daily valerian can lead to tolerance and light benzo flavored rebounds/withdrawals

 

[Lil'LinaptkSix]

I have tried valerian root a few years back when I was basically drug free (other than phenibut every three days and kratom ) but was just using to keep stable enough to work cause I had dropped heavy usage of opioids and benzodiazepins all at once and felt the combo was helping me cope.
I do believe the valerian was helpful in keeping a calm-ish demeanour after going through one of the worse episodes of my life. Could it have been placebo? Possibly... but I still look back and think it has some calming effects.

daily valerian can lead to tolerance and light benzo flavored rebounds/withdrawals

Damn... I would not expect this from a natural element but can see how it could in retrospect. Like anything else we take for whatever reason.
For the past 3 weeks I have cut almost all sugar from my diet and think I felt a bit different (low? )after a few days but now seem to be more energetic and clear-headed. Hard to describe. Now sweets do not have a "draw" to me and I used to be a munchie big time for any sweets.
Life is weird. lol

 

[cdin]

I have tried valerian root a few years back when I was basically drug free (other than phenibut every three days and kratom ) but was just using to keep stable enough to work cause I had dropped heavy usage of opioids and benzodiazepins all at once and felt the combo was helping me cope.
I do believe the valerian was helpful in keeping a calm-ish demeanour after going through one of the worse episodes of my life. Could it have been placebo? Possibly... but I still look back and think it has some calming effects.

Damn... I would not expect this from a natural element but can see how it could in retrospect. Like anything else we take for whatever reason.
For the past 3 weeks I have cut almost all sugar from my diet and think I felt a bit different (low? )after a few days but now seem to be more energetic and clear-headed. Hard to describe. Now sweets do not have a "draw" to me and I used to be a munchie big time for any sweets.
Life is weird. lol

anything ocurring in 3d space is "natural" there are no "unnatural" things in the world. that would be something from another dimension etc.

and as far as man-made or produced in nature -- some of the most viciously addictive and toxic compounds known to man -- morphine, cocaine, ricin, atropine are all plant made.
so im not sure it's a useful distinction to think "o, from plant, must not have any negative side effects" i think it's a common misconception that we would do well not to propogate.

 

[lecroute]

Using this old thread because I don't want to create a new one.

While reading here and there in this forum, Valerian root came up every now and then. I happen to buy some today because you can't judge before you try.

Now I'm wondering how to best prepare it?
This is not some processed drugstore item in a nice box, but pieces of root in a plastic bag. Internet search results (mostly those blogs full of ads and copied and AI translated text) said to just make some tea from it.
But I'm wondering if there's more to it.

 

[Bleaney]

Using this old thread because I don't want to create a new one.

While reading here and there in this forum, Valerian root came up every now and then. I happen to buy some today because you can't judge before you try.

Now I'm wondering how to best prepare it?
This is not some processed drugstore item in a nice box, but pieces of root in a plastic bag. Internet search results (mostly those blogs full of ads and copied and AI translated text) said to just make some tea from it.
But I'm wondering if there's more to it.

There's no more to it than adding water to the valerian in a pan, and then gently warming it up to simmer point. Then either steep as desired for increased strength or strain off with a tea strainer or such like.

I found the natural unprocessed root form to be much better than the extracts and supplements. It provided highly effective relief to the inomnia I went through during a benzo withdrawal.

There are several different grades of the root available. From the 'high end' stuff you can get at herbal apothecary stores, which tatses so clean and fresh, but is very expensive. To the stuff advertised on ebay as "horse food". I kid you not. This form is a lot cheaper, and it's definitely not as clean tasting as the expensive stuff, but it's still fine for human consumption imo.

I rate it highly. It's the only supplement / natural remedy that I've found so far that is actually highly effective for insomnia. I don't recall ever trying it for anxiety but I imagine it would work well for that purpose too.

 

[lecroute]

There are several different grades of the root available. From the 'high end' stuff you can get at herbal apothecary stores, which tatses so clean and fresh, but is very expensive. To the stuff advertised on ebay as "horse food". I kid you not. This form is a lot cheaper, and it's definitely not as clean tasting as the expensive stuff, but it's still fine for human consumption imo.

I rate it highly. It's the only supplement / natural remedy that I've found so far that is actually highly effective for insomnia. I don't recall ever trying it for anxiety but I imagine it would work well for that purpose too.

I got mine from a herbal apothecary, though it might no be the kind which you have in mind . It's basically just the roots cut into small pieces, and it has a very strong (though not necessarily bad for valerian root) aroma and the brew becomes a deep green color (which turns brown with time).

I want it for insomnia, so I don't have to take benzos that I need/want for something else as sleeping aid. Or drink alcohol *which also makes me sleepy) after having taken those benzos earlier on.

 

[Bleaney]

I got mine from a herbal apothecary, though it might no be the kind which you have in mind . It's basically just the roots cut into small pieces, and it has a very strong (though not necessarily bad for valerian root) aroma and the brew becomes a deep green color (which turns brown with time).

I want it for insomnia, so I don't have to take benzos that I need/want for something else as sleeping aid. Or drink alcohol *which also makes me sleepy) after having taken those benzos earlier on.

Sounds good. Yes it does have a strong smell and tase. I quite like it though, especially the cleaner stuff.

I disposed of the used grounds outside as they smell too strong to put in the kitchen bin, and discovered to my amusement that cats go absolutely nuts for the stuff (literally fighting over it, and their place in the pecking order) and seem to be drawn to the smell from long distances away. My yard became very popular with the local cats for some time, while I was disposing of the grounds outside.

As for my own use, I didn't over use it, but I suspect it could easily become habit formiing.

 

[Hannah Capps]

Yes, it can become addictive. Remember, all petroleum-based medications come from plants, so this is better. To determine the right amount, do your research and experiment. The drops at my neighborhood herbal store and the owner's advice helped me a lot. This was perfect for me because I'm quite sensitive to petrol-based medications (basically any synthetic medication). When I mentioned autism, they were quite helpful, advising me to start small and stay small. Little is needed to get the intended effect, and it really helps me with anxiety or social burnout without making me feel like a "walking zombie."

 

[pnillyg]

I got mine from a herbal apothecary, though it might no be the kind which you have in mind . It's basically just the roots cut into small pieces, and it has a very strong (though not necessarily bad for valerian root) aroma and the brew becomes a deep green color (which turns brown with time).

I want it for insomnia, so I don't have to take benzos that I need/want for something else as sleeping aid. Or drink alcohol *which also makes me sleepy) after having taken those benzos earlier on.

Amnita Muscaria - check it out.. home brew always best can get the caps online or they make some great tinctures these days

 

[lecroute]

When I mentioned autism, they were quite helpful, advising me to start small and stay small. Little is needed to get the intended effect, and it really helps me with anxiety or social burnout without making me feel like a "walking zombie."

Interesting. Little doses are enough to feel effects. Same here. And then there's the unexpected side effects of certain medications/plants that seem to be much higher than in many other (especially neurotypical) people.

 

[lecroute]

cats go absolutely nuts for the stuff

Valerian is known as the "other" catnip, at least where I live. I, too, dispose of the boiled roots outside (I have a compost) and since Ana (one of my dogs) started to sleep inside with the rest, the neighbor's cats are having a party in my yard.

 

[Bleaney]

Valerian is known as the "other" catnip, at least where I live. I, too, dispose of the boiled roots outside (I have a compost) and since Ana (one of my dogs) started to sleep inside with the rest, the neighbor's cats are having a party in my yard.

I wonder if the cats get high, or if it just makes them enjoy lazing around and snoozing even more than they do normally

Maybe they are just drawn by the smell and have no idea about the effect it has on them.

Apparently dogs arent clever enough to work out when something they have eaten makes them sick, so I'm wondering if all animals are not that smart at working out the effects of what they eat.

Can't be though, as I read somewhere that mice have evolved to be very cautious about what they eat, either due to humans poisoning them, or if they've always been like that, i cant remember. So apparently they will only eat a small amount of a new food stuff and wait some time to make sure they are OK, before returning some time later to eat all of it. I dont know if a species could evolve that quickly over a few thousand years. But I s'pose for mice it would be like 50-100 times as many generations in the time they've been living close to humans over the last few thousand years.

In any case the mice in my house did not do the eat a little and then wait thing. They just wolfed down both poison pellets AND bicarbonate of soda both of which are meant to be lethal to them, but I must have had a super immune strain of mice invading my house. As neither had any effect on them.

 

[lecroute]

@Bleaney

I think catnip gets them a like confused, like drunk and sleepy. My aunt used to say valerian made them horny

My dogs know what not to eat, instinctively. Like I drop a piece of chocolate and they go and smell and don't even taste it. But they were raised semi-wild, they hunt, and I never feed them what I eat.

I had mice in the house where I lived before, and they loved those little baggies with poisoned pellets. Never managed to get rid of them, though because there were too many, and too many people moving the ground around (urbanizing) and the house had holes everywhere. Terminator told me the send out the old and weak and wait if they return and that's how they know if a food source is safe or not.

 

[Bleaney]

My dogs know what not to eat, instinctively. Like I drop a piece of chocolate and they go and smell and don't even taste it. But they were raised semi-wild, they hunt, and I never feed them what I eat

The only thing my Dad's dog would not eat was onions. He'd eat literally everything else, including any rotten animal carcasses he found outside that would make his breath stink, and give him the shits etc.

He'd be back for more on his next walk though, if given the chance.

 

[lecroute]

rotten animal carcasses

They are yummy to dogs. And they can do it without getting sick most of the time because they have bacteria that help them digest a lot of stuff without getting sick. They also may eat a small rabbit whole, which means with the fur. Or just furry pieces.That, of course will have to come out somehow and that's when they get diarrhea or puke.
Dogs also regurgitate food, like birds it's how they feed their young when they are weaning off (stopping to drink milk from mom).
They also like to roll in death things, so they get that smell on them which tells others what efficient hunters and skilled fighter they are, though they might not be.

 

[Bleaney]

Yes, it can become addictive. Remember, all petroleum-based medications come from plants, so this is better. To determine the right amount, do your research and experiment. The drops at my neighborhood herbal store and the owner's advice helped me a lot. This was perfect for me because I'm quite sensitive to petrol-based medications (basically any synthetic medication). When I mentioned autism, they were quite helpful, advising me to start small and stay small. Little is needed to get the intended effect, and it really helps me with anxiety or social burnout without making me feel like a "walking zombie."

I've heard that neuro divergent people can be sensitive to meds and need the dose and variety of medication to be just right. I can relate due to being ND myself.

The last thing I should be doing is recommending benzos, but at least in my case, they do help me out a lot with many of the sensory issues and with social anxiety.

Those that come in pills without any coating can easily be crushed down and weighed out for very precise almost micro-dosing. I was successfully using tiny doses of crushed down fractions of xanax bars for quite some time after my first round of using, increased tolerance, tapering off, abstaining, but then getting back on them again, as everything just seemed way too (uneccessarily) difficult and uncomfortable without them. I've done a similar thing with etizolam and clonazepam too.

There may be a better way, but I havent really found one that works as well for me. I doubt if I ever will do, seeing as how supremely efffective benzos are for my issues. Other than living in a permamanent Covid lockdown and getting paid furlough for ever. That would work!

But ofcourse problems will be in store for me and anyone else if unable to keep taking regular breaks to keep tolerance and dependance at bay.