Essential Oils: A Natural Path to Mental Wellness for Teens
Teen years can be a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges. As young individuals navigate the ups and downs of adolescence, mental health plays a crucial role in their development. In recent years, essential oils have gained popularity as a complementary tool to support mental wellness. In this blog, we will explore the use of essential oils as a natural way to support the mental health of teens.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile plant extracts obtained through processes such as distillation, expression, or cold pressing. These oils capture the plant's scent and flavour, often referred to as its "essence." They have been used for centuries in various cultures for their therapeutic properties and as natural remedies for numerous ailments.
How can essential oils help support mental health?
Essential oils have different properties that can help promote relaxation, reduce stress, improve sleep, and support emotional balance. For teens experiencing mental health challenges, essential oils can serve as a complementary approach to promote overall wellness.
20 oils for your toolbox:
Lavender: Known for its calming effects, lavender is often used to reduce anxiety, stress, and promote restful sleep. The soothing scent helps create a sense of tranquillity and relaxation.
Peppermint: With its invigorating aroma, peppermint oil can help improve focus, concentration, and mental clarity. It can be beneficial for teens who struggle with attention or need an energy boost during the day.
Bergamot: This citrus-scented oil has uplifting properties that can help combat feelings of sadness, fatigue, and tension. It's known for its mood-enhancing effects and can help create a positive atmosphere.
Ylang Ylang: Recognised for its ability to reduce stress and promote emotional balance, ylang ylang is often used to combat feelings of anxiety and depression. Its sweet, floral scent can encourage a sense of calm and well-being.
Frankincense: This ancient oil is known for its grounding and calming effects. It can help with feelings of anxiety, stress, and emotional overwhelm. Additionally, frankincense is believed to improve focus and concentration, making it an excellent choice for studying or meditation.
Clary Sage: Clary sage is known for its uplifting and balancing properties, making it a popular choice for combating mood swings, irritability, and mild depression. Its earthy, herbal scent helps to create a calming and soothing atmosphere.
Rosemary: With its invigorating aroma, rosemary oil can help enhance memory, focus, and mental clarity. It's particularly useful for students during exam season or when they need an extra boost of concentration.
Jasmine: This exotic, floral-scented oil has a calming effect on the nervous system and is known for its antidepressant properties. Jasmine can help reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression while promoting a sense of happiness and self-confidence.
Vetiver: With its earthy and grounding scent, vetiver oil is often used to promote relaxation and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. It is particularly helpful in soothing an overactive mind and promoting restful sleep.
Cedarwood: This warm and woodsy essential oil is known for its calming and grounding effects on the emotions. Cedarwood can help reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and tension while promoting a sense of stability and balance.
Wild Orange: With its bright and uplifting scent, sweet orange essential oil can help alleviate feelings of sadness, stress, and anxiety. It is also known to enhance mood and promote a positive outlook.
Lemon: This citrus essential oil is known for its uplifting and invigorating properties. Lemon oil can help improve mood, reduce stress, and enhance mental clarity and focus.
Geranium: This floral-scented oil has a balancing effect on the emotions, making it an excellent choice for reducing anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. Geranium is known to promote a sense of inner peace and well-being.
Eucalyptus: Known for its refreshing and invigorating scent, eucalyptus oil can help improve mental clarity, focus, and concentration. It also has a calming effect on the mind, helping to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Patchouli: With its earthy and grounding aroma, patchouli essential oil is often used to promote relaxation and alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression. It can help balance emotions and create a sense of calm and well-being.
Marjoram: This herbaceous essential oil is known for its calming and sedative properties. Marjoram can help alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and tension while promoting restful sleep and relaxation.
Sandalwood: With its warm, woody aroma, sandalwood essential oil is often used to promote mental clarity, focus, and relaxation. It can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety while encouraging a sense of inner peace and balance.
Neroli: This floral-scented essential oil, derived from orange blossoms, has a calming and uplifting effect on the emotions. Neroli is known for its ability to alleviate feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression, promoting a sense of happiness and well-being.
Roman Chamomile: Roman Chamomile is often used to help soothe irritability, anxiety, and stress. Its calming properties make it an excellent choice for promoting relaxation and emotional balance.
Melissa (Lemon Balm): Melissa essential oil, also known as Lemon Balm, has a gentle, citrusy scent with calming and uplifting properties. It is known to help reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression while promoting relaxation and emotional balance. Melissa oil can also help improve mood and induce a sense of well-being.
How to use essential oils effectively:
When using essential oils for mental health support, it's essential to follow proper guidelines for safe and effective use:
Dilute oils: Essential oils are highly concentrated and should always be diluted with a carrier oil (e.g., jojoba, almond, or coconut oil) before applying them to the skin. A general rule is to mix 1-2 drops of essential oil with a teaspoon of carrier oil.
Diffuse oils: Diffusers are an effective way to disperse essential oils into the air for inhalation. This method allows teens to experience the benefits of essential oils without direct skin contact.
Essential oils offer a natural and complementary approach to supporting teen mental health. While they should not replace professional help or medication if needed, they can provide an additional layer of support and promote a sense of well-being. As each individual's needs are unique, it's essential to experiment with different oils and methods to find the best combination for your teen's mental wellness journey.
If you’d like more information on how to use essential oils, which brand I only use and how to purchase them, please get in touch with me. I am happy to help. I offer free consultations to get you started on your essential oil wellness journey.