I don’t know that I could ever recount the entire story of how I got into herbalism without sounding like a complete kookypants, so let’s just start with some very important truths:

• I still use regular medicine. The headaches I get, I can’t exactly ignore that ibuprofen exists.
• Part of this is because I’m sick and tired of my Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder making each month a living hell (more on that later). And
• I don’t suggest things I don’t try on my own. In fact, my goal here is tell you exactly what I experience when I try this stuff, so that you can decide on your own whether to try it.
  
  

While we’re at it, let me just throw in here that you should never change anything about your medical care without first talking to a professional. I’m just an amateur herbalist, learning as I go, with absolutely no certification or professional background, so DON’T JUST LISTEN TO ME.

Before we move on, here’s a little more about me, because I know that I like to know who the hell I’m comparing myself to:

• I’m a Black woman in my late 30’s.
• I have two children and live in a tropical climate.
• Despite my health problems, I’m generally healthy, with no blood pressure issues, blood sugar issues, and no heart issues that I know of.
• Those health problems I mentioned aren’t many, but they fuck with my life pretty regularly. I had a nasty flare of mononucleosis in 2022 that gave me Chronic Fatigue for about six months. I also have that PMDD I mentioned, and a number of food sensitivities (specifically to nitrites, nitrates, brown liquor, and it’s now looking like I’m also gluten sensitive). I also tend towards anxiety, and have obsessive-compulsive tendencies tied most likely to my ADHD.
• Perhaps because of the above, medications pretty much always work the way they’re supposed to with me, which is a blessing and a curse.
• Because of everything I just listed, I tend to be most interested in herbs that help mental and reproductive issues.
  
  

Ok. So, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk a bit about my experience with Blue Vervain.

What, exactly, is Blue Vervain?

Blue Vervain, also known by its common name as Verbena hastata, is a flowering plant that’s found throughout the continental US and Southern Canada. It’s not one that a lot of people would know by name, but it’s probably seen in fields everywhere if you’re living in any of those locations. In folklore and witchcraft, Blue Vervain has been connected to warding off everything from spirits to storms to vampires.

The leaves and flowers are the parts used in herbalism.

How best to use Blue Vervain?

I, personally, use this in a tincture, which is basically just the herb soaked in booze for two weeks to a month (it’s a little more nuanced and elegant than that, but this is a bit of a crash course. I’ll get into making tincture later, if you’d like). Generally, I take 0.5-1 mL of tincture, and that’s enough.

This can also be taken as a tea, but I would advise against it, because this plant is also as bitter as your last ex-partner. Even in tincture form, it tastes like I owe it money. It is SO bitter. Don’t do it.

What is Blue Vervain used for?

So Blue Vervain has a number of chemical constituents in it, including cornin, hastatoside, and verbalin. The first two are great for relaxation, and verbalin has been found in a small study on rats to be a possible neural protectant against certain types of stroke. It’s a brain herb, best used against panic and anxiety. Its bitterness also comes in super handy in liver and bile stimulation; most bitter herbs do, to be honest.

One thing that a lot of people tend to forget when thinking about this kind of thing is, not all anxiety is created equal. Sometimes, it’s purely mental. Other times, it starts in the stomach. Some people feel restless, while others feel tired and depressed. This version of vervain is going to be best for the anxiety that starts with circular, continuing, ruminating thoughts. If you find yourself thinking and worrying about the same thing over and over and you know that you could stop the rest of your symptoms if you could just stop obsessing, this is going to be herb you need.

Ok, so how does Blue Vervain feel?

So, as mentioned, I use this herb in tincture form, and I do tend towards anxiety and panic. After making the medicine, I’ll say this was the first time in my life that I’ve ever felt excited to panic.

And I did, finally, one day over things I can’t remember. I had the usual: nausea, headache, cold sweats all stemming from the same terrified thoughts and obsessions. As usual, I couldn’t seem to stop thinking long enough to calm myself down.

Enter Blue Vervain. I started with 0.5 mL and told myself that I’d take another half if I didn’t feel better soon. Ten minutes later, I was sitting and writing something down, when I realized I wasn’t thinking those horrifying thoughts anymore. Not only had the ruminations gone, but they’d gone so subtly that I hadn’t even noticed that my body and mind were calm again.

I’ve since used Blue Vervain a couple times more, and only once have I had to up my dosage to 1 mL. During that (really rough) panic episode, it still worked, but not for longer than about an hour. In the event of intense panic, I’d probably suggest taking this to help you calm down enough just to be able to think, which is still important in the scheme of things.

I also really like that this herb doesn’t make you sleepy or loopy. My gripes with other anxiety-fighting herbs like skullcap or lemon balm have a lot to do with the fact that, if I take it, I better be ready to sleep directly after. Sometimes, I can’t do that. So it’s nice to have something that stops the Anxiety Choo-Choo without stopping your day.

More of this to come, of course. Let me know if there’s an herb you’re curious about and if I’ve tried it, I’ll talk about it!