I have generalized anxiety disorder and am under treatment of a doctor. Lately, for obvious situational reasons, I’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety - just an amplified, constant day-to-day stress.
Is there anything over-the-counter, herbal, supplementary, etc. that I can take that will legitimately help, even a little bit? I know there are all sorts of herbs and homeopathic things, even chamomile tea and so on, but does anything work, even a little bit?
Alcohol works but it has side effects.
Anything OTC is gong to be relatively little benefit if you’re looking for something that “WORKS” in capital letters. Yoga and intensive exercise are likely to be your best non-alcohol bets. Why has your doc not prescribed anti-anxiety meds?
St. John’ Wort?
A friend of mine has had some success with massive doses of vitamin B12.
Not so much.
Cognitive therapy works pretty good, if one is committed to doing it and not just going through the motions.
Combine cognitive therapy with certain prescription medications, and the results are generally even better.
Prescription medications on their own don’t have such a good track record, frankly.
Non-prescription meds (at least those in the US) don’t have even that good of a track record, frankly. There are no good studies that consistently show them to be any better than placebo for anxiety.
My wife (who will no doubt be posting in here shortly) had great success at getting off the meds by committing to a cognitive therapy program. She hasn’t taken an anti-anxiety med in a couple years and she hasn’t needed one in that time either. So there is hope of beating it. 
I’ll leave the details to her, though.
I find that listening to recorded guided visualizations helps. You can get them as CDs or MP3s. It’s a question of setting aside a half hour once or twice a day to listen, do some deep breathing, maybe some progressive muscle relaxation. I’m not the kind of person who can just sit down and meditate, but with the right recording leading me through it I get some results.
I’ve used the Bach Rescue Remedy with success. It’s a homeopathic formulation intended to ease stress and trauma. Perhaps it’s placebo effect, but it has worked wonders for me many times (even helping me prevent or resolve acute panic attacks).
Knitting!
Of course, this tends to have the side effect of Complusive Yarn Stashing, but I like to think of this as a bonus.
FWIW, I’ve had some luck with a product called “Rescue Remedy” that I purchase at our natural food store.
I’ve also used it on my pets with good results.
It certainly is useless for severe depression, which is what thet study looked at. Some still think it might work OK in mild depression.
*"Professor Philip Cowen, of Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, and a member of the British Association for Psychopharmacology, said the study confirmed the prevailing view among UK doctors.
He told BBC News Online that doctors’ common view was St John’s wort was an ineffective treatment for depression of any severity.
Questions remain
But he said: “Whether the herb might work in people with milder depressions, many of whom do not present for medical treatment, remains an open question.” *
Sam-E is used by some
“In the United States, SAM is sold as a nutritional supplement under the marketing name SAM-e (also spelled SAME or SAMe; pronounced “sam ee”). SAM is also marketed under the Gumbaral, Samyr, Adomet, Heptral and Admethionine brand names as a prescription drug approved in Russia, Italy, and Germany. Some research has indicated that taking SAM on a regular basis may help fight depression,[7][8][9] liver disease, and the pain of osteoarthritis. An authoritative report on SAMe is from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Dept Health and Human Services) at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=hstat1a.chapter.2159. Multiple clinical trials indicate benefits for depression, some liver conditions and osteoarthritis. All other indications are not yet proven”.
There’s also Kava-Kava
Your MD may prescribe *lorazepam (Ativan), * which is fairly safe at mild doses. However, it can be dangerous and very habit forming as dosages get higher, so be sure to take your time and discuss this fully with your MD.
Homeopathic formulations not only don’t work, but *can’t *work, except as a placebo.
I’ve taken massive doses of B12 not for any medical reason, but as part as non sugar energy drinks. And WOAH did it it work. To the point I stopped taking it. I like feeling awake in the morning… Not like OK MUST DO EVERYTHING FAST FAST OK WHERE ARE MY KEYS LETS GO GO GO!! Later on in the day I’d feel a bit more tired than usual.
That’s kinda how I felt. I liked being kinda sleepy instead of that.
Unless you want that… Don’t go for it. YMMV.
Antihistamines like benedryl have some effect on anxiety. Its questionable whether or not that effect is worth the drowsiness though.
I’ve seen the needles and the damage done…— Neil Young
Not sure of your gender, Freejooky, but if you are a woman on birth control, St. John’s Wort can reduce its effectiveness.
The wife reporting in.
Yup, as Qadgop says, my experience with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (commonly referred to as CBT) was very effective. If you are already on an SSRI and/or some form of tranquilizer (Ativan, Xanax, etc.) and you combine that with a therapist who specializes in CBT, you could be well on your way to conquering your anxiety problems. The thing about effective long-term treatment of anxiety disorders is that it isn’t a quick fix, and you get benefits proportional to the work you put in.
You also need to address the sources of the stress that are causing the anxiety. Just treating the symptoms doesn’t fix the problems. Meditation and learning to relax (like the visualizations mentioned earlier) are excellent for relieving stress.
I used alcohol in the past… A stiff shot an hour or two before a job interview does wonders for nerves. Just be sure to thoroughly brush your teeth. 
The only thing I found that even comes close would be kava kava. I don’t think they sell it anymore, but you may be able to get it off the net.
It does relax you