The biggest challenge with relying on natural anxiety aids to treat mental health issues is that most of them don't involve a "next step," Dr. Ramsey says. A clinician serves as a expert partner, so people can discuss what to do if treatments aren't working, he says. To that same point, if you are seeing a mental health professional, it's important to let them know what types of natural aids you're using to cope, Dr. Cassiday says. "I have patients who are self-medicating on the side of their psychiatric drugs, because they say they're not 'feeling the results,'" she says. Being honest about what you're using will not only ensure that you get the appropriate treatment, but also save you a lot of money. "Most people spend much more on ineffective supplement regimens than they ever do on mental healthcare, and they feel it's very expensive to see a mental health clinician," Dr. Ramsey says. "Somehow the math of that doesn’t make sense to me."