A depressant (or sedative) is a psychoactive substance that reduces the activity of a certain part of the brain or body. Basically, like alcohol, it slows your reaction speed and lowers your attention. It can also produces a feeling of relaxation and euphoria.
Dried flower buds and leaves of the marihuanilla plant are used in Eastern medicine as a way to cleanse toxins from the blood and fight infection. It also increases circulation, lowers blood pressure, and can help with clotting issues. Marihuanilla is also mildly intoxicating, reduces anxiety, and causes feelings of relaxation.
Gotu Kola is typically smoked or brewed into a tea that helps with depression and nervousness. It reduces blood pressure and instills a sense of calm, along with a peaceful body high. Gotu Kola has also been used to increase memory and as a learning aid.
Known as the ‘dream herb,’ the dried flowers and leaves of calea zacatechichi are used to promote lucid dreaming. Calea also helps its users to fall asleep, makes dreams more vivid, and increases feelings of restfulness after waking.
Ginseng root is known to promote focus and mental clarity, improve memory, and help with mood. It’s been shown in scientific studies to help keep the minds of its users sharp, and is used traditionally to help with memory problems associated with aging. It’s also been used as a supplement to fight against ADHD.
As one of the most popularly used herbal remedies, St. John’s Wort is very effective. It’s used almost exclusively to help with mood disorders. Scientific studies have been done proving that long-term use helps to eliminate depression and anxiety, and is sometimes smoked for mental clarity.
The dried rhizome of the calamus plant has been used for hundreds of years as a natural stimulant. Calamus root also reduces anxiety, promotes calm, and provides mental clarity and focus.
The dried flowers, leaves, and stems of passion flower are used to promote well-being, calm, and relaxation. The plant is traditionally used to fight anxiety and insomnia. When smoked, passion flower immediately causes feelings of sleepiness and is frequently used in herbal blends to cure insomnia.
With its pleasant, fruity taste raspberry leaf is a popular addition to smoking blends and herbal teas. When used in tea, raspberry leaf helps to stabilize blood sugar and adds flavor and essential vitamins and minerals. It can also be smoked, either alone or as part of a blend, to help soothe sore muscles and promote relaxation.
This pleasant tasting herb is used to help with sore throats, persistent cough, and breathing problems. Coltsfoot helps to open up the airways and reduce inflammation. It’s also sometimes included in smoking blends to ‘smooth’ the smoke and reduce harshness.
The primary use for wormwood is to fight off intestinal parasites, which is where the herb gets its name. Wormwood is also a mild hallucinogen which causes distorted vision and enhances tactile sensations. When smoked, wormwood is also a mild pain reliever and causes a pleasant sense of relaxation.
Kava kava is a member of the pepper family, and its typically used to make a slightly spicy tea with relaxing qualities. It provides a pleasant, tingling body high while it promotes calmness and relieves anxiety. Kava kava can also be chewed or taken in a capsule in order to provide longer-lasting effects.
The California poppy is a relative of the opium poppy, and also has similar pain relieving effects. It can be smoked or brewed into a tea which will decrease anxiety, lessen pain, relieve insomnia, and reduce tension.