Essential Oils for ADD and ADHD

Better focus, quicker learning, calm and grounding - thanks to scent

Mar 5, 2007

Essential oils are one of the most effective alternative treatments for ADD and ADHD. Find out how these oils can cross into the brain and help children and adults.

Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder is the childhood epidemic of our age. It has been estimated that as many as 20% of children currently in school exhibit ADD or ADHD behavior patterns, while studies suggest that only half that number are medicated with the drugs used to treat ADHD. The number of “untreated” children may, in part, be due to parents who choose to pursue an alternative route, rather than medicating their children. One of the most effective approaches to treating ADD and ADHD - without drugs - is the use of pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Because many pure essential oils contain small chemical components, they are among the few molecules, natural or synthetic, that can cross the blood-brain barrier and directly heal the brain. This makes essential oils a powerful tool to treat brain disorders and emotional issues.

Some of the basics of essential oil use were discussed in a previous aromatherapy article. The oils discussed below are especially helpful in addressing the needs of adults and kids dealing with ADD and ADHD.

A study conducted in 2001 by Dr. Terry Friedman compared the effects of lavender, vetiver, and cedarwood essential oils in improving focus and learning in ADD and ADHD kids. Vetiver was found to be the most effective in observations and brain wave scans - showing improvements in 100% of subjects. Cedarwood essential oil was 83% effective, and lavender 60%.

How to use these oils:

Lavender - Known as the “universal oil,” lavender is good for almost everything. One of its most well-known properties is as a sedative and for calming the body and mind. Rubbing a few drops on a child’s feet, shoulders, or chest can help them relax and sleep more easily. But be aware: lavender is one of the most commonly adulterated oils and difficult to find pure (labels can be misleading on this one).

Cedarwood - Considered one of the holy healing oils, cedarwood is often referred to in Christian scriptures. It is high in sesquiterpenes, the chemical compounds which stimulate brain function and mental synergy, and help the body to rewrite old genetic patterns into healthier new ones (useful because ADHD is considered an inherited disorder). This oil can be applied on the forehead and neck, inhaled, and massaged on the brain stem at the base of the skull.

Vetiver - This musky, smoky essential oil is not well-known, but in a few years it might be. Just the smell of vetiver has an almost magical ability to calm over-energized kids and help them to connect and relate to people in more patient and agreeable ways. Small children may want or need only to smell it, while teenagers and adults can apply the oil gently on the shoulders or neck. Vetiver is especially helpful for those ADD adults and teens who also suffer from depression.

Frankincense - Frankincense was not tested in Dr. Friedman’s study but it is often used for mental, emotional and spiritual healing. It has been used in many cases of brain injury, emotional and physical trauma, and with learning difficulties to improve mental function.

Blending can be another way to harness the healing power of essential oils.

Some blends recommended for ADD/ADHD kids include:

Peace & Calming - a blend developed specifically for diffusing and for use by inhalation, Peace & Calming can also be used on the feet and is great for calming adult stress tension as well as hyper kids. It has a mild, citrus-y smell.

Clarity - useful for students, Clarity contains peppermint and rosemary, both of which awaken the mind and help with learning, studying, and test-taking skills.

Brain Power - Containing frankincense, cedarwood and lavender, Brain Power can relieve “brain fog” and helps the brain to shed heavy metals and other toxins.

Author’s Note: Essential oils, as discussed in this article, are not the same as the “aromatherapy oils” you’ll find in many stores. Most aromatherapy products available to the public contain oils that have been pressed poorly, contaminated or combined with solvents and other ingredients that destroy the medicinal value of the herbs - which is why so many people are skeptical of aromatherapy. If you’ve only been exposed to the diluted imitations, it may be hard to believe that essential oil medicine works. If you’d like to see more information about the different qualities of essential oils and why the source of your oils can make such a difference, please contact me

The copyright of the article Essential Oils for ADD and ADHD in Aromatherapy is owned by Victoria Anisman-Reiner. Permission to republish Essential Oils for ADD and ADHD in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.