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Updated: September 20, 2022 @ 6:56 pm
Roseburg author Dr. Scott Mendelson holds his book, ‘Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions’ Friday in Roseburg.
Roseubrg author Dr. Scott Mendelson’s new book, “Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions” was published this summer.
Special Sections Editor
Roseburg author Dr. Scott Mendelson holds his book, ‘Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions’ Friday in Roseburg.
Roseubrg author Dr. Scott Mendelson’s new book, “Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions” was published this summer.
After 22 years of treating psychiatric patients in Douglas County, Dr. Scott Mendelson retired — but he isn’t quite done helping people yet. He plans to do that with his most recently published book “Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions.”
This is Mendelson’s second book in a clinical pharmacognosy series, published by CRC Press. His first book, “Herbal Treatment of Major Depression: Scientific Basis and Practical Use,” was published last year. In both books, Mendelson details a variety of herbs — up to 52 in the case of his newest book — that have all been scientifically proven to help with depression and anxiety.
“I wrote this book for several reasons. One, it’s interesting how these plant substances affect the brain and the mind,” Mendelson said. “But also, because there is a real crisis in the treatment of anxiety in medicine recently.”
According to Mendelson, over the last five years doctors have developed a reluctance to prescribe medications known as benzodiazepines. Medications like Xanax, Valium and Klonopin, all benzodiazepines, are the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders, but they are dangerous and can be easily abused.
“Many doctors have absolutely refused to prescribe them anymore. And there are even some people who have used them for years who were told they could no longer have them,” he said. “So that got me thinking that there really needs to be some safe, effective, easily accessible means to treat anxiety for people because some don’t respond to just talk therapy. Some people need something to thrive.”
Psychiatry wasn’t Mendelson’s first foray into the medical field. He first earned his Ph.D. in biopsychology at the University of British Columbia, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in the laboratory of neuroendocrinology.
He was 41 years old when he decided he wanted to see how the research he was working on was actually helping people. Mendelson attended medical school at the University of Illinois, graduating top of his class in 1996.
Mendelson and his family moved to Douglas County in 2000, taking a position at CHI Mercy Medical Center’s behavioral health unit. Eight years later, the unit was shut down. Mendelson spent seven years working in the inpatient mental health unit at the Roseburg VA Health Care System before deciding he would like to slow down and step away from inpatient care. He took a position with Umpqua Health, the organization he retired from earlier this year.
“I’m 70-years-old,” he said. “I figured it was time.”
He wasn’t familiar with all the herbs and plants he details in this new book, but he is no stranger to suggesting his patients look into more natural remedies.
“As a psychiatrist, I’ve always prescribed my patients the most effective modern medicines but at the same time, I’ve always told them that there’s no better medicine than good food and exercise and fresh air and good friends and sleeping well,” Mendelson said. “And also, there are many substances in plants that we need to to stay healthy — vitamins for example — but there’s also far more subtle substances that can help us stay well. So as a scientist, I came to understand how that works.”
Every herb mentioned in his books has been scientifically proven to be helpful for anxiety. He also details dosing, drug interactions and other safety issues, such as taking certain herbs during pregnancy. He even delves into aromatherapy, with sited studies to support his claims.
The book can get somewhat technical, he said, but he hopes it is helpful to the lay person as well as to medical professionals.
“Something that I tell people is that herbs don’t work through magic. They work through molecules, just like other medicines do. And they work through a mechanism. So if you can get a sense of that, then you know how it can be combined and used with other medicines and where certain herbs might be helpful. It’s anchored in science and I wouldn’t have done it any other way,” he said.
Mendelson advises talking to your doctor before starting treatments of any kind.
“Herbal Treatment of Anxiety: Clinical studies in Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic Traditions” can be purchased through multiple online retailers and Mendelson said he plans to donate a copy to the Roseburg Public Library.
Erica Reynolds is the special section editor for The News-Review. She can be reached at ewelch@nrtoday.com.
or 541-957-4218.
Special Sections Editor
Erica Reynolds is the special sections editor for The News-Review, mother of two and a native of Roseburg. She is an alumni of RHS, UCC and Western Oregon University. Contact her at ewelch@nrtoday.com or 541-957-4218.
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It’s wonderful when people of this age publish a book. They have a lot of experience behind their backs and they can teach us a lot. I devote a lot of time to books, despite the fact that I study at the university. I have to find a writing service, I use https://writix.com/ for this. All to save my time. It’s hard to set aside a whole day for things. I’m sure many will support me.
Congratulations, Scott. It’s an important topic that can help many people.
I did find your book on-line, along with your novels. Very well done.
Thank you, Sir.
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