What Can Help With Relentless Anxiety?!
Are you feeling under the gun? Trapped inside a matrix you see no end to? Are you finding that social engagements or even going out to get groceries a major feat of facing your fears? Are you cancelling almost every engagement that you surmise will trigger your already heightened anxiety?
We get it. You’re not alone. Anxiety and panic attacks are becoming more common recently even in the most cool-headed folk who never experienced sweaty palms or a heart palpitation in their whole life. We’ve all gone to dark, anxious places of recent that we never thought were possible. You may even wonder at times if you were truly meant for this life if it seems fraught with so much anxiety and fear.
Thankfully, non-chemical, safe homeopathic remedies can come to your rescue without causing an ounce of harm. Did you know that some recent drug vs homeopathy trials yielded that carefully applied homeopathics can be just as effective as Lorazepam or Ativan (benzodiazepine) or Valium (diazepam) for treating nervous disorders or anxiety? All this without any harmful side effects that you hear listed on the television or in the more mammoth ‘Compendium of Pharmaceuticals.’
In fact, the homeopathic remedies were trialed by a professor of psychiatry with favourable results; sixty percent of the participants suffered major issues with panic disorders, major depression and social phobias and they all responded favorably to homeopathic treatment. Even anxious control mice had also benefited from homeopathic remedies and they didn’t know they were taking anything!
The big advantage is that you never have to worry about debilitating side effects of weaning off the drug once you feel that you’ve dealt with the root cause of your ills. The bottom line is that you can lead a calmer, happier, anxiety-free life without all the trappings of chemical drugs. It’s not only peace of mind, but its comparative efficacy is a win-win for your body and your mind.
Ten Remedies For a Calm Mind
Below, you’ll find 10 homeopathic remedies that we most commonly use to address the symptomatic aspect of nervousness and anticipatory anxiety. If you find that you’re struggling even after taking the rx, it’s because the root cause of the chronic disease (inherited Genetic Miasm) is still at large. Try not to think that it’s homeopathy that has failed you – as quite often with emotional issues, they’re more deep-seated than what a single remedy can deal with.
1. Aconite napellus (Acon.)
Aconite is one of the best remedies for a quick, sudden onset like a panic attack or waves of fear. Their symptoms come on quickly with little or no forewarning and can feel extremely intense such as a reaction to a natural or manufactured disaster, a car accident or the sudden loss of a loved one. The individual can feel extreme agitation, fear and restlessness or may even be predicting their own demise. Look for dry mouth, extreme thirst, profuse cold-hot sweat and a thudding heart. Aconite is also a great remedy to treat ongoing fear and anxiety caused by a past trauma, and is often coupled with Ignatia for loss, disappointed love, and ongoing grief from a death of someone dear.
Remember: Rapid onset, intense symptoms, agitation, fear of death, panic attacks.
2. Argentum nitricum (Arg-n.)
This is one of our chief remedies for anticipatory anxiety. Think of someone who’s about to give a speech, move away from home for the first time or perhaps is taking their solo flight after completing their pilot lessons. The more this individual thinks about their anxiety potentially compromising them, the more apprehensive they become. This state can also be triggered by a feeling of being trapped, particularly in small places. Arg-n, is hurried, craves sugar often with digestive upsets, diarrhea and gas. Their behavior may be extremely restless, with pacing or some form of fidgeting. Folks who suffer an Arg-n state are often fatalistic with lots of strange scenarios ruling their trepidatious nature. You’ll hear them manufacture implausible scenarios that are unlikely to happen other than in their imagination that they’re seeking reassurance for. The problem is that they’re rarely consolable and the “What ifs …” just keep cycling until they get the rx. So if you hear them saying they could fall from a cliff, get hit by a subway train, end up stalled on a railway track or under fallen power lines, a combination of Arg-n and Acon would do wonders. It also helps to get them out in fresh air and away from people as feeling overheated at a concert would only exacerbate their issues.
Remember: Apprehension and anxiety. Strange imaginings and “what if …” thoughts. Craving for sugar. Worse when overheated.
3. Arsenicum album (Ars.)
The anxiety of Ars. is focussed on fear of the future, not having someone secure in the room next to them, having someone forget their needs, feelings safe or secure especially at night. Generally, any situation which triggers a sense of a losing control will often trigger an Ars state. Their avaricious nature has them often concerned about money or left alone at night as they’re sure that burglars are hiding in the bushes waiting for the perfect time to steal their worldly possessions. Their biggest anxiety triggers are money, robbers, and health issues. As a result they overcompensate by hyper-managing their money, being fastidious, clean freaks, perfectionists and often very controlling of their environment and others. Although they like company, especially in the next room, but if this person messes with their idea of cleanliness or perfectionism, look out! They’ll feel their wrath and sarcasm due to their critical, controlling behaviors. They’re often chilly and enjoy a warm fire or hot bath, but they’ll clean the bathtub both before and after their soak.
Remember: Anxiety about health, security, the future; perfectionists; critical; chilly; desire company.
4. Calcarea carbonica (Calc.)
Calc. is one of the six genotypes, which are the remedies connected to the six basic personality types. Anyone may benefit from this remedy in a given anxiety state, whether or not it also matches their fundamental personality type. To understand its use as an anxiety remedy, it is helpful to understand the basic personality characteristics as a genotype. At their best, Calcs. are known to be grounded and reliable. The proverbial “salt of the earth” who are affable and easy-going. They can be quite systematic or rhythmical in their life, but this may belie a deeper fear or resistance to change. They don’t transition quickly or easily, particularly when they aren’t the initiators. Such forms of stubborn behavior may emerge from their anxiety over losing control. Anything which upsets their daily routine may feel to them as if they are being assaulted by Chaos itself. They may suffer fears of snakes, insects, spiders, or predatory animals like wolves or bears. They’re prone to catastrophizing and they can be sure that they’re in harm’s way even in a perfectly safe environment. Under stress, they can act confused with odd gestures, dark jokes, while wondering more deeply to themselves if they’re going insane.
Remember: Fear of change and losing control; tiring on exertion; perspiring easily; anxiety on hearing about unpleasant things.
5. Gelsemium sempervirens (Gels.)
An individual needing Gels. is suffering from anticipatory anxiety. Unlike Arg-N who is extremely restless, Gels. is frozen in fear. Think of the classic nightmare where someone is on the train tracks while a train approaches, but they cannot move a muscle out of terror. This is the proverbial “deer in the headlights”. Whether they’re about to give a speech, perform in a play or direct others where they could suffer ridicule, their heart will be thumping in their chest, their muscles will feel weak, their hands and whole body may tremble. They can feel so helpless that they want to run away and hide. Gelsemium can also be used for those suffering fear of people, heights, or wide open vistas.
Remember: Anxiety, weakness, trembling, desire to hide away, unable to cope.
6. Kali arsenicosum (Kali-ar.)
This state of anxiety shows up mainly at night. This individual can suffer panic attacks induced by their anxiety over their health, especially related to heart issues like a potential angina event. Anxious thoughts can cause them to sleep with their hand on their chest and they’ll even avoid going to bed for fear of not waking from their sleep. Kali-ar can imagine they see spectres, ghosts, or people who’ve passed on to the other side. These individuals are often chilled and have trouble accessing their internal warmth.
Remember: Anxiety about heart problems, anxiety worse at night, sees dead people.
7. Kali phosphoricum (Kali-p.)
This is a state of utter overwhelm made worse by added stress. Their anxiety is provoked by too much on their plates and they come across as overly tired, quite delicate and oversensitive. Think of the person who is irritable from overwork, worry and feeling overstimulated by all of the tasks loaded heavily on their plates. The Kali-p. Individual fears that they might have a nervous breakdown if they reach their breaking point and they have a constantly ominous feeling that something terrible is about to happen making them feel irritable and nervous about every little thing. Over time, this state will start to manifest physical issues from the nervous exhaustion and adrenal fatigue.
Remember: Oversensitive, overwhelmed, anxious with constant exhaustion. Look for irritability with anxiety.
8. Lycopodium clavatum (Lyc.)
Individuals needing Lyc. often feel lack of confidence and insecure about their capacities. No matter how much you reassure them, telling them that they’re sure to succeed, the Lyc. person will rarely believe you. They will suffer stage fright, anticipatory anxiety but when they actually find themselves in the middle of their presentation, they realize they’re not half bad and that their audience is appreciating their wit and charm. Lyc. can obsess constantly about how they’re going to fail at a task, especially involving people they’ve never met. Lycopodiums’ stress and anxiety shows up often as digestive issues; diarrhea, bloating and cravings for sweets and chocolate. If a Lyc. develops a heightened false ego, you’ll see compensating tactics like bravado and bragging about how great they are at everything. Underneath is a scared child who was often the brunt of overt criticism by a parent who always thought they could do better. Like Calcarea Carb., Lyc. is also one of our six genotypes or basic personalities. Someone with a Lycopodium form of anxiety may or may not be this permanent personality type, underneath.
Remember: Lack of self confidence, boasting and bragging, bloating and a desire for sweets.
9. Phosphorus (Phos.)
Phos. despises being alone and can develop many fears and anxieties as a child, including that they will be abandoned by their parents. If their parents come home late, Phos.’ very active imagination will have taken them to very morbid and horrific places. A Phos. type will always feel better in company and they love to talk about that which goes bump in the night and how silly they were for being so frightened. This most hypersensitive type will be most anxious about natural disasters, the dark, those they care about suffering injury or death, visitations by those who’ve died, thunderstorms, etc. Phos. have tendencies to be psychic, empathic, highly suggestible and can be easily misled. Their very vivid imagination often has them adroitly feeling the anxiety and pain of animals or other humans in their midst. Phosphorus also does well with the Bach Flower remedy Walnut to help them contain their boundaries better as they can be the receiver of all the world’s problems causing them extreme anxieties. Phos. is also very sensitive to their environment so constant dog barking, chaos, bad odors and sounds can cause them to shut down with the stress. They need a quiet sanctuary with much beauty, symbols, rituals, meditation and grace to hold them steady if suffering tumult. Phosphorus types love lemon, vanilla, spicy foods, cold drinks, and sour pickles and will crave more of these foods under duress. Like Calc. and Lyc., Phos. is also one of our six basic genotypes.
Remember: Many fears and anxieties, especially of being alone. Friendly, empathic, suggestible, and having issues with their boundaries.
10. Trinitrotoluene (TNT)
TNT feels under extreme pressure like they’re going to blow! We’re seeing this state more and more as individuals feel the need to succumb to yet another lockdown, feeling muzzled by masks, and further requirements being placed on them without the usual pleasures to off-gas some of the tension they’re holding at bay. If you restrict an individual’s capacity for liberty and freedom for socializing, going out to restaurants, spending time with their friends or family, taking a vacation, doing their job, successfully making an income, paying their bills or fulfilling their dreams, they’re going to feel mounting anxiety and depression. The TNT individual can start to suffer frontal headaches, aversion to company, apathetic, mental sluggishness, extreme fatigue, and weeping easily. In more extreme states, TNT can experience breathlessness, a faint feeling, wild palpitations, muscle cramps, cyanosis, aplastic anemia, toxic jaundice, delirium, convulsion, and even coma. Look for the face appearing very dark and a yellowish hue to the skin and whites of the eyes.
Remember : Mounting tension in the form of anxiety and/or depression. A powder-keg ready to blow.
Further Help
For more guidance on what a homeopathic remedy is and how to take them, see our other blog article.
If none of the above remedies suit your symptoms, or they’re not resolving your particular anxious state, please see a qualified Heilkünstler for a more appropriate treatment plan to resolve the underlying cause, including the deeper level of the inherited chronic miasms.
References
Heulluy, B, Essai Randomise Ouvert de L.72 (specialite homeopathique) Contre Diazepam 2 dans les Etats Anxio-Depressifs. Metz, Laboratoires Lehning.
van den Meerschaut, Lodewijk and Sunder, Andrea. The Homeopathic Preparation Nervoheel N can Offer an Alternative to Lorazepam Therapy for Mild Nervous Disorders. eCAM 2009 6: 507-515; doi:10.1093/ecam/nem144
http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/6/4/507?etoc
Davidson, J, Gaylord, S, ?Meeting of Minds in Psychiatry and Homeopathy: An Example in Social Phobia, Alternative Therapies, July, 1995,1,3:36-43.
Davidson, J, Morrison, R, Shore, J, et al., Homeopathic Treatment of Depression and Anxiety, Alternative Therapies, January, 1997,3,1:46-49.
Magnani P, Conforti A, Zanolin E, Marzotto M, Bellavite P. Dose-effect study of Gelsemium sempervirens in high dilutions on anxiety-related responses in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010 Apr 20.