Essential oils have been used for centuries to relieve both physical and mental suffering.
In recent years, they’ve become wildly popular. An entire industry has sprung up. Numerous essential oil companies now well blends designed to address a particular emotional state. You’ll find formulas marketed for relaxation, balance, moodiness, forgiveness and even trauma.
There’s a long-standing believe that essential oils can influence our mood. Lately, this theory has withstood scientific testing.
It’s now known that certain plant-based aromatics, such as lavender essential oil, can help stabilize the mood, help you sleep, help you focus and reduce anxiety.
The source I’m citing – the University of Maryland Medical Center – did not come right out and say lavender essential oil can also help with emotional abuse. But sleep problems and anxiety can follow an encounter with a malignant narcissist. So it’s possible that lavender essential oil can help mitigate the fallout.
Essential Oils for Emotional Abuse
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This site is dedicated to natural health. Because of that, I also feel it’s important to write about narcissism. That’s because morally disordered people can make us sick, if we allow negative emotions to fester in our hearts. We can also (hopefully) take steps to remove ourselves from toxic work situations.
Workplace bullying is an epidemic. It’s so widespread that 35 percent of workers now say they’ve become targets, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute.
This is happening along with a documented rise in narcissism. Adult abusers often have narcissism or another personality disorder. Normal healthy people don’t abuse others. Abusers are mentally unwell.
Essential Oils for Post Traumatic Stress
It’s now known that narcissistic abuse can cause post traumatic stress, with symptoms similar to what’s seen in war veterans.
I can’t claim essential oils can help you recover from PTSD. But I’m really happy we’re now able to use aromatics from all over the world. I like to think these oils are God’s gift to us, to help us during these very trying times.
So, if you’ve been abused, you can consider using essential oils to support yourself during this process. Personally, though, I see aromatics as one part of recovery. You may also want to explore homeopathy. There are also homeopathic remedies designed specifically for abuse survivors.
Essential Oils for Healing Emotional Trauma
Rather than focusing on the word “trauma,” I’m going to talk about some of the fallout. This can include increased anxiety and inability to sleep. Many people now use essential oils to mitigate these conditions, judging by the number of aromatic stress and relaxation blends on the market.
There are many brands to choose from. However, on this site I typically recommend a handful of brands that I use myself. Two of the relaxation blends I have in my house are sold by Edens Garden. You can see the two formulas that I own below. They smell incredible and really do seem to put me at ease.
Edens Garden Stress ReliefEdens Garden Anxiety Ease
Essential Oil Blends for Trauma
If you already own essential oils, you can also make your own relaxation blends. Anxiety is such a common aftereffect of emotional abuse. So you can use essential oils to treat this naturally. Aromatics are very safe when used as directed. Also, they are non addictive.
It’s believed that mixing two or more essential oils together creates a synergy. So here’s an easy recipe using lavender essential oil. This aromatic is often the first one many people choose for relaxation.
2 teaspoons of fractionated coconut oil (It’s available here)
1 drop of frankincense essential oil (It’s available here)
2 drops of elemi essential oil (It’s available here)
3 drops of lavender essential oil (It’s available here)
Mix these aromatics together and store in a clean glass jar with a cover. Keep it away from light and heat and use as needed. I like to rub essential oil mixtures on the inside of my wrists. Always make sure to use a carrier oil. That’s because essential oils are too strong to apply directly, without a buffer.
Essential Oils and Trauma
Essential oils are great. But education is healing as well. (I’m speaking from personal experience.) It’s really helpful to learn about narcissists and the games they play. This gives you a lot of perspective. You now see the problem lies with them, not you.
Also, some of us seem to be narc magnets. We attract these characters, who wear many different disguises. That’s why I devoted an entire section of this site to narcissistic abuse. If you click on that link, you’ll find more links to previously published posts on narcissistic abuse. Here are a few more links.
Can Workplace Bullying Make You Sick?
What I’ve Learned About Malignant Narcissism
Characteristics of Adult Female Bullies
Dealing With Toxic Situations Created By Malignant Narcissists
Essential Oils to Heal Trauma
I believe it’s also really important to forgive an abuser. Otherwise, you won’t be able to move on. You’ll be stuck in a spot where anger grows. This means the abuser still occupies your thoughts. He or she still dictates how you live, and whether or not you are happy.
Forgiving an abuser is the key to moving forward. If you need help with this (and I know it’s difficult) read this post for tips on forgiving a malicious person, who will probably never apologize. Or, if you do hear an apology, it may not be sincere.
But we have to forgive them anyway. For ourselves, and not for them. Forgiving allows us to reclaim our peace.
How To Spot Narcissistic Symptoms
One of the best ways to deal with narcissists is to avoid them in the first place. However, this is much easier said than done. People with personality disorders are chameleons. They come across as living saints. Eventually the mask slips. However, at that point, they’ve created a lot of chaos.
So to spare yourself, it’s a good idea to learn the warning signs of narcissism. These are not foolproof. But, hopefully, they can give you a heads up early on in a relationships. I think avoidance is important. So I wrote an eBook called Are Women Getting Meaner? This book describes the frightening rise of narcissism, and it explains why female narcissism seems to be under reported. You’ll also find information that can hopefully help you spot these charlatans in the first place. (However, no method of spotting narcissists is foolproof.)
Essential Oils for Abuse
Since there’s no study I can point you to, specifically showing that essential oils can heal emotional abuse, I can’t make any claims that they do.
However, it is known that certain essential oils can improve your emotional well being, at least temporarily. That’s what I often use them for.
For instance, if I need a quick mental boost, I usually reach for a citrus-based essential oil. If I want to focus on something, I often use rosemary essential oil. Science has now confirmed that inhaling rosemary oil can help with mental recall. This is something we know, because of a study.
It’s also possible that scientists will one day confirm that essential oils can, indeed, help us heal from emotional trauma. However, in the meantime, feel free to use them for relaxation, and to naturally relieve anxiety.
For More Reading
Lavender and The Nervous System Study
Lavender Research From The UMMC
Disclaimer
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils or homeopathic remedies unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.