Essential Oils for Emotional Burnout

Burnout can affect the mental and emotional processes which influence the physical. The body shuts down when the emotions shut down, when there are no feelings anymore or tears to cry. There are many reasons why someone could get burnout, perhaps caring for a relative with terminal illness for a long time or a break up from a spouse.

When someone gets burnout it may paralyze a person, it may seem like all the feelings that normally make up a person's personality are gone. The person may feel like he or she is in a vacuum and can't reach out to others. The person may simply feel depressed and exhausted. The emotional side has closed down to recharge the batteries but the feelings are still there of course.

Valeri Worwood recommends the following essential oils for those with all kinds of emotional burnout:

Vetiver, rose Otto, patchouli, lavender, clary sage, sandalwood, frankincense, ginger, Roman chamomile, bergamot, neroli, Melissa, marjoram, sandalwood, lemon, helichrysum, jasmine, petitegrain.

How to

When making blends for burnout it is better to start softly, Worwood suggests to start with half the amount and use 15 drops to the usual 30 ml (1 oz) base oil for massage that she recommends. Use only 1-2 drops of a blend  in the bath  or 1-2 drops in the diffuser. Over time you can increase the amount and eventually add 30 drops to 30 ml of base oil. 

Important

This information is for educational purposes only, and is not meant to diagnose or prescribe.  If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffer from a medical condition, consult with your health care practitioner prior to using essential oils. Be careful when using essential oils with hormonal activity and don’t hesitate to contact a professional. Make sure that you look over the safefy information before you start using essential oils.

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

• Topical Application
• Inhaling Essential Oils
• Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?
• How to Dilute Essential Oils
• Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide. 

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives. 

Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

 References 

The Fragrant Mind, Valerie Ann Worwood, New World Library, 1996

The Powerful Aroma of an Essential Oil

The aroma of an essential oil is very powerful. The fragrance can  directly affect our emotions as well as other functions in the body.
In order for an aroma to be detected it has to be volatile so it can be carried by the air to the 10 million sensory neurons located in the nostrils. The aroma finally ends up in the limbic system of the brain where it is perceived and analyzed. The limbic system is the main relay station, and it is there all the emotional responses are located.


The frontal lobes of the limbic system control the memory and attention, and it is also here the emotional responses are sensed. The limbic system is directly connected to the part of the brain that controls breathing, memory, hormone balance, stress levels, blood pressure and heart rate. This means that essential oils can have very profound psychological and physiological effects. Depression, anxiety, anger, joy and and fear originate from this part.


After the information about the scent has been perceived and analyzed of the limbic system, it is sent to other parts of the brain and then to storage in the memory. Interestingly enough the sense of smell is the only one of the five senses that is directly linked to the limbic lobe of the brain. The sense of smell connects emotions with memories as well as intergrate mind and body. The aroma from a special fragrance can evoke emotions and memories before we are aware of it. 


The limbic lobe can also activate the hypothalamus, which is considered one of the most important parts of the brain. It acts as the hormonal control center and it releases chemical messengers which can affect things like the energy level. Sex hormones, thyroid hormones, growth hormones, and neurotransmitters are governed by the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is referred to as the "master gland".


So,through the essential oils' molecular structure and fragrance, they can influence the limbic lobe and hypothalamus. Inhalation of essential oils can combat stress and emotional trauma, and also stimulate production of hormones from the hypothalamus.


As you can see, essential oils have a very powerful influence on both  body and mind.


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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives. 
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

This post is linked to:
Simple Lives Thursday