Which remedy for anxiety
Anxiety is not one feeling, and there is no single remedy for it. Fear you can name sits somewhere different from dread that arrives out of nowhere, and both are different again from the loop that starts at two in the morning. Tick whatever sounds like you and this narrows eight remedies to the two or three that fit.
Common questions
Which Bach flower remedy is best for anxiety?
There is no single one, which is the first useful thing to know. Bach split fear into five kinds that sit in different places. Mimulus is for a fear you can name, Aspen for dread with no cause you can point to, Rock Rose for terror that has gone past ordinary nerves, Cherry Plum for the fear of losing control of yourself, and Red Chestnut for the worry you carry about someone else. Three more come up constantly without being fear remedies at all: White Chestnut for thoughts that will not switch off, Agrimony for anxiety you keep behind a cheerful face, and Elm for the week when everything lands at once.
How is this different from the main remedy test?
The main test starts by asking which of the seven emotional groups sounds closest, then asks about the remedies inside it. Anxiety does not sit still inside one group. The eight here are drawn from four of the seven, so this skips the sorting step and asks about the feeling directly. If you are not sure anxiety is the right word for what you are carrying, the main test is the better door.
Is Rescue Remedy the same as a mix for anxiety?
Not quite. Rescue Remedy is Nelsons' make of the crisis formula, the five remedy combination Dr Bach put together for shocks and sudden moments. It is the bottle to reach for when anxiety arrives as a wave, and you can find it almost anywhere. A personal mix is the slower approach, built from the two or three remedies that match how you feel most days. They do different jobs, and plenty of people keep both.
How long should I give it?
Two weeks, taking it four times a day. Some people notice something in the first few days and some notice nothing for a while, so two weeks is long enough to tell without being long enough to waste. If nothing has shifted by then it is more often the wrong remedy than a failed one, so come back, change an answer, and read the next one down.
Can I take these while something else is helping?
Yes. The remedies are taken in drops of water and carry no active dose in the usual sense, so they sit alongside whatever else is already part of your week rather than in place of any of it. If the anxiety is heavy at the moment, tell someone you trust how you are doing.
Do you store my answers?
No. The whole thing is worked out in your browser and nothing is sent to us or saved anywhere. If you copy the results link it carries the names of the remedies you matched and nothing else about you.
Prefer to read rather than answer?
The seven emotional groups cover the same ground at your own pace, and the full list is searchable by name and by how you feel.