Participant Notes

I hope you enjoyed our workshop. These notes explain the key points we discussed and maybe a little bit more!

Stress & anxiety

We all have mental health! Mental health describes our emotional state, which tends to fluctuate throughout a single day, or even a single hour. Therefore ‘mental health’ is not the same as ‘mental health problems’ or ‘mental illness’, though the terms are often, unhelpfully, used interchangeably.

Stress definitions

“Stress can be described as anything which disturbs the normal balance of mental and physical health...” (aromatherapy author Davis P, 1988)

“Stress is not a medical diagnosis, but severe stress that continues for a long time may lead to a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, or more severe mental health problems.” (www.mind.org.uk)

Anxiety definition

“Anxiety is a normal feeling of fear or panic. When we face stressful situations our brain tells us something is not right and that we need to deal with it…When we are not in stressful situations and still feel worried or panicky then anxiety can become a problem.” (www.youngminds.org.uk, edited)

Stress or anxiety - same or different?

Stress and anxiety both affect how we feel, think and behave. They can feel very similar when experienced (they involve the same nervous system responses) and confusingly the terms are often used interchangeably. There are some differences though. Firstly, stress is not a diagnosable medical condition in the UK, although anxiety can be (the most frequently diagnosed anxiety condition is Generalised Anxiety Disorder, often referred to simply as GAD). Precisely how stress and anxiety are experienced can vary from person to person, as can the triggers.

Stress can be positive! A little stress when facing challenging situations, e.g. a job interview or difficult conversation, may help you perform to the best of your ability. Stress is sometimes described as easing once the difficult situation is over, allowing emotions to return to a calmer, more positive state. However if stress is experienced for much of the time it may trigger the more challenging state of anxiety.

Anxiety can feel more severe and more difficult to manage than stress, though of course feeling anxious sometimes does not mean you have a diagnosable mental health condition. Most people experience anxiety from time to time - it is an expected and ‘normal’ reaction to difficult situations. However feelings of anxiety do not always dissipate once the nerve-triggering events (such as in the examples above) have passed.

Other signs that anxiety has become problematic is when everyday situations (with no obvious challenging events) tigger anxiety, or if we find ourselves feeling anxious for much of the time or about ‘minor’ events, eg answering regular emails or food shopping.

Good questions to ask yourself are, ‘Is my anxiety stoping me doing everyday things, or things that used to bring me pleasure? Or is it making these things harder to do and/or less enjoyable?’. If the answer to either question is yes then it is a good idea to seek support.

So although stress and anxiety are not quite the same there is certainly an overlapping area of how these states affect us. How we respond to stressful events is dependent on various factors, including our previous experience of coping with stress, how many stressful events we are facing at once and - crucially - what support we are able to access.

Change is possible

We often cannot choose which situations or events trigger our stress and anxiety, but we can choose to take steps to respond to them more positively. The pandemic - with its fears, restrictions, lockdowns and changes to life - has caused stress and anxiety levels to rise significantly (reference: Mental Health Foundation reports). So be extra kind to yourself! Learning which coping tools work best for you, and integrating them into everyday life, may take time, but the journey will be worth it.

There are lots of excellent sources of information about stress, anxiety and other mental health issues on-line. My go-to information sources are the charities MIND, Rethink Mental Illness and the Mental Health Foundation. You can read more about the brain’s response to stress here.

 Aromatherapy basics

Aromatherapy can be described as the use of aromatic essential oils: naturally occurring plant oils with distinct therapeutic properties which can be harnessed to support physical and emotional health. Holistic aromatherapy aims to boost physical and emotional wellbeing by supporting the body’s natural ability to heal, balance and maintain itself. 

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are naturally occurring substances produced by many aromatic plants. Not all essential oil bearing plants produce them for the same reason, e.g. some produce essential oils for protection from predators (they taste nasty when munched), whilst others produce them to attract pollinators. Note that the chemical structure of essential oils is different to that of vegetable oils. Some chemists argue that essential oils are not actually oils at all. Aromatherapy can be confusing sometimes!

The vast majority of essential oils are extracted by distillation (using steam and/or water). Citrus peel oils are different - they are most commonly extracted by cold expression, ie the peel (rind) is mechanically squashed until the oil comes out. Some floral oils are extracted by solvents, giving us ‘absolutes’. These are not strictly ‘essential oils’, though they may be used in the same way. The solvents are distilled off before bottling so are safe to use on the skin. A good quality absolute can smell exquisite and retain therapeutic qualities.

Storing & using essential oils

Essential oils and products containing them should be kept in a cool dark place. BBE / Use By dates should be respected!

Essential oils should not be applied neat (undiluted) to the skin or swallowed (taken internally). There is a lot of advice circulating in the public arena which actively recommends using essential oils in these ways, but they both have associated health risks. Some professional aromatherapists are clinically trained to high enough standards to formulate essential oils for internal use - check that any advice you are given regarding taking them internally in any form is from an appropriately qualified aromatherapist (usually with training exceeding diploma level), following a clinical consultation.

Buying essential oils

Essential oils are of course easily available and you can easily find oils from good quality suppliers on the high street, such as Tisserand and Neals Yard. For the best quality though I recommend ordering direct from a top quality supplier. I also suggest buying small qualities at a time. I mostly buy 5ml bottles of essential oils, to ensure I re-stock with fresh oils faster than if I bought them in larger quantities.

It is worth noting that the term ‘Therapeutic Grade’, as used by some suppliers, is purely a marketing term - there is no set industry standard which oils need to meet in order to use this term. This does not mean that products labelled ‘Therapeutic Grade’ are not good quality - they may be - but essential oils labeled as such do not meet externally agreed, industry-wide standards for therapeutic use. It is also not correct that essential oils labelled ‘Therapeutic Grade’ are safe to take internally, as is sometimes stated. The safety considerations regarding taking essential oils by mouth (or other internal routes) is complex and certainly not dependant on a supplier, or even solely reliant on the results of laboratory quality testing.

My top aromatherapy supplier recommendations are Materia Aromatica and Oshadhi.

Disclosure! I write blogs for Materia Aromatica. I was their regular customer for many years before I began writing for them and I do not receive any commission for recommending them. I do so because their essential oils are amazing!

The memory connection

From the Limbic Centre scent messages are relayed to the frontal cortex of our brain, where they are interpreted. This tiny delay between inhaling and scent interpretation helps explain why aromas often trigger strong memories or emotions, even before we can identify them. For instance smelling Pears Soap powerfully transports me back to my granny’s house, even though it sometimes takes me a few seconds to link the words ‘Pears Soap’ with the aroma.  

That scent is initially processed in the same part of the brain as memories and emotions also helps explain why our individual responses to essential oils (and other aromas) is so personal. Our reactions to aromas we have previously smelt, even if it was a long time before, may be rooted in strong memories and can trigger powerful emotional responses. For me, the memories of my granny’s house are very happy ones, but if I had experienced unhappy times in that house, or if I had unpleasant memories of my grandmother, the aroma of a common supermarket soap might trigger a very different emotional response. This is why, no matter how many websites you read which say ‘Lavender is relaxing’, it is only likely to have a relaxing affect if you enjoy the smell of lavender and have no negative memories associated with it. Lavender is just an example of course - it is many people’s top essential oil choice for relaxation!

This is all just a long way of saying that how you feel when you smell an essential oil, as an individual human with unique scent likes, dislikes and associations, is the source of the wisest and most insightful information you will find about how that essential oil can support you personally, emotionally. So listen to your nose and trust what it tells you!

 Your stress busters tool box

There are a zillion books, websites, blogs and social media posts which list essential oils for stress and anxiety. These sources can be great starting points, but the most important thing to remember is that your nose is the best guide to tell you which oils will help YOU. One person’s calming aroma is the next person’s stress-aggravating pong! In this workshop we look at some essential oils which I find helpful, not all of which appear in the many of the on-line guides.

 Your Stress Buster Products

Aromatherapy Inhaler

Drip 10-20 drops of your chosen essential oil (or oils) into a small clean bowl, like a ramekin or eggcup. 10 drops is usually a perfect amount for an emotions-supporting inhaler. ‘Hoover’ the oils into the little filter, by holding one end. Pop the filter it into the cylinder (oil end first) and fit the cap on tightly - it should be almost impossible to take off again! Gently inhale when needed. Your inhaler should last for about 3 months, sometimes longer.

Roller Ball Blend

Measure 10mls of a good quality vegetable oil into a small clean bowl, or carefully pour it straight into your bottle. Your workshop bottle is pre-filled with an organic, cold-pressed sunflower oil. Decide how many drops to use of each essential oil you would like in your blend before carefully dripping them in. A good, general essential oil dilution is 2% (ie the essential oils make up 2% of the total volume). This equates to approx 5 essential oil drops in 10 mls of base oil. There are times when a lower dilution is recommended, however 2% is appropriate for most adults - when in doubt ask a professional aromatherapist! Once you’ve added your drops to the base oil mix well (use a tooth pick, or shake well if adding direct to the bottle). Apply to your pulse points, temples or other small body areas as needed. Stored correctly your roller ball blend should last for a good 3 months. Be aware that old, degraded essential oils carry a risk of adverse skin reactions, so do not be tempted to use it long after its BBE date.

 General blending tips

• Get to know each essential oil first by gently inhaling and ‘listening’ to its aroma. Make a note of the messages it gives you.

• Have a clear aim for your blend - what would you like it to support you with?

• Try to blend in a quiet, calm and uncluttered space, away from other distractions.

• Take a few focused breaths before making your blend.

• More strongly scented oils can overpower a blend, so use fewer drops of those oils. For instance 1 drop of Rosemary is usually plenty in a 5 drop blend. Citrus oils are more lightly scented, so you may want to use more of those.

• Don’t worry if your blend does not have the exact aroma you were expecting or hoping for. Take time to inhale it anyway and listen - will it still meet your aim? Do you like its unexpected aroma? If it is still not quite right then try adding 1-2 extra drops of one of the oils in your blend.

• Label your product, giving it a name which makes it clear that it is yours and reflects your aim (the name does not need to make sense to anyone else, just you!). Write the date on the label too. Store it correctly and dispose of it after approx 3 months.

• Enjoy your blending journey and using your products, made with love and positive intentions!

  Possibly helpful resources!

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy book: Aromatherapy, by Louise Robinson. A great introduction to aromatherapy & how to use essential oils effectively and safely.

Good aromatherapy people to follow on social media:-

• @tisserandinstitute / www.tisserandinstitute.org

• @thewellschoolretreat / www.thewellschool.co.uk

• @aromahead / www.aromahead.com (USA)

• @ifparoma / www.ifparoma.org

• @emmaearthflowertherapies - me!

To find a professional aromatherapist near you search on the IFPA website (my professional body).

Mental health support

See the charities linked at the top of these notes. There are lots of other excellent sources of mental health information and support on-line, as well as useful apps. I have listed just a tiny selection in these notes. GPs are an essential gateway to mental health support for many people.

Every local authority has a centrally funded IAPT service (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) which provide talking therapy (usually CBT) and other support around stress, anxiety and mild depression. Your local council’s website should list the details, or ask your GP. You should be able to self refer (borough-dependant). In LB Richmond this service is provided by Richmond Mind. Every borough also has a 24/7 mental health crisis service, for when urgent help is needed (in an emergency phone 999).

To find a private therapist try BCAP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).

Additional support:-

For men - CALM

For young people - Kooth and Young Minds (also check out what’s available locally, particularly your local CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)

Suicidal thoughts and feelings: The Samaritans and Maytree