Angst Anhang 2
[Prof Dr. Sven Voelpel hat einen Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaft an der Jacobs University Bremen und ist Gründungspräsident des WDN - WISE Demographie Netzwerks]
Altersforscher: Angst im Alter ist Kopfsache
Ein Interview von Lena Ruppert
Aktualisiert am 11. April 2019, 13:23 Uhr
Kleine Kinder erscheinen uns oft furchtlos, mit zunehmenden Alter werden viele Menschen jedoch vorsichtiger. Manche entwickeln etwa plötzlich Höhenangst oder trauen sich ein Hobby nicht mehr zu. Warum das so ist und wie man dem entgegensteuern kann, darüber haben wir mit dem Altersforscher Sven Voelpel gesprochen.
Der Eindruck ist, dass man im Alter immer ängstlicher wird. Können Sie das bestätigen?
Sven Voelpel: Ja, das ist so. Es geht nicht allen so, aber bei überdurchschnittlich vielen Menschen nehmen die Ängste im Alter zu.
Warum werden wir denn immer ängstlicher?
Da spielen verschiedene Faktoren eine Rolle. Natürlich sammelt man über seine Lebenszeit Erfahrungen, darunter auch negative. Dadurch erwartet man [mit fortschreitendem Alter, Anm.d.Red.] auch mit einer höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit Negatives und wird ängstlicher. Ein Kind ist dagegen noch unerschrocken.
Das heißt, wir müssen das einfach akzeptieren?
Dass die Ängste zunehmen, ist der Ist-Zustand - nicht aber der Soll-Zustand. Um dem vorzubeugen müssen wir an unseren Verhaltensweisen, Denkweisen und Einstellungen ansetzen. Dann muss es nicht dazu kommen, dass wir ängstlicher werden. Wissen wirkt auch hier Wunder.
Wie kann man der Angst aktiv entgegenwirken?
Vieles ist Kopfsache, die Einstellung ist entscheidend. Eine positive Einstellung zum Alter verlängert mein Leben nachweislich um 7,5 Jahre und ich bin dann auch 7,5 Jahre länger fit. Das heißt, ich bin biologisch auch um 7,5 Jahre jünger.
Eine positive Einstellung zum Alter ist sehr wichtig. Durch die richtige Einstellung bleiben wir länger jung. Nach dem Motto "Glaube versetzt Berge".
Was passiert, wenn ich ängstlich an etwas herangehe?
Wenn ich ängstlich an etwas herangehe, wird die Wahrscheinlichkeit größer, sich zu verletzen. Die Unbedarftheit eines Kindes ist also eigentlich etwas sehr Gutes.
Eigentlich sollte man die Erfahrung eines Älteren mit der Einstellung eines Kindes kombinieren.
Was würden Sie jemandem raten, der immer gerne in den Bergen war, es sich heute aber nicht mehr zutraut, weil er Höhenangst bekommen hat?
Wenn man die Einstellung hat, dass man etwas nicht mehr kann, weil man alt ist, dann ist das so. Wenn man sich Studien zum Ruhestand ansieht, dann stellt man fest, dass bei denjenigen, die aktiv in den Ruhestand gehen, also sich beispielsweise sozial engagieren oder ein neues Hobby beginnen, der Blutfluss im Gehirn ansteigt, weil sie sich auf neue Dinge einlassen, neue Leute treffen, etwas Neues lernen und so weiter.
Diejenigen, die passiv in den Ruhestand gehen, die es sich also eher bequem auf der Couch machen, bei denen nimmt der Blutfluss im Gehirn ab. Krankheiten wie Herzinfarkte, Bandscheibenvorfälle und Depressionen nehmen bei diesen Menschen zu.
Wenn wir nicht sozial isoliert werden, weiterhin unsere Hobbys ausüben und in Vereine gehen, dann bleiben wir aktiv. Wenn man also Angst hat, dann wäre also die richtige Einstellung, erst recht in die Berge zu fahren. Das ist eine mentale Einstellungssache. Man kann wirklich alles machen, dafür gibt es genügend beeindruckende Beispiele.
Ist also wirklich alles nur Kopfsache?
Vieles. Auch in der Pädagogik gibt es dafür Beispiele. So hat man Lehrern gesagt, dass bestimmte Kinder hochbegabt seien, was gar nicht der Fall war. Nach einem Jahr waren sie [die Kinder, Anm.d.Red.] es aber tatsächlich, weil sie anders behandelt, gefördert und entwickelt wurden.
Wenn ich mir vorstelle, dass etwas passiert, dann passiert es auch zu einer höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit, als wenn ich es mir nicht vorstelle.
Wie kann man konkret an seiner Einstellung arbeiten?
Folgendes kann man als älterer Mensch machen, wenn man Angst hat: Sich in Dankbarkeit üben. Ich sollte mir einfach sagen, ich bin dankbar und glücklich darüber, dass ich jetzt in die Berge gehen kann und werde das total genießen. Dann stelle ich den Zustand, den ich erreichen will, schon in meinem Unterbewusstsein her.
Wenn ich mich darauf programmiere, also beispielsweise abends mit dem Gedanken einschlafe und morgens damit aufwache, dann erkennt mein Körper nicht den Unterschied, ob ich mir das real vornehme oder nicht. Im Englischen sagt man dazu "Mindfulness".
Wenn derjenige aber dennoch zu dem Schluss kommt, dass er sich in den Bergen nicht mehr wohlfühlt, was würden Sie ihm dann sagen?
Ich würde ihm dringend raten, sich schnell ein anderes Hobby zuzulegen, um den Alterungsprozess nicht zu beschleunigen.
Es ist ganz wichtig, dass nicht einfach etwas wegfällt, sondern dass man etwas anderes findet, von dem man begeistert ist. Man soll vor allem das machen, was einem wirklich Spaß macht.
[Astrid Süßmuth]
• Amethyst D30–D200: Fördert Konzentrationsfähigkeit und Intuition, stärkt die Willenskraft, etwas durchzuziehen, und sorgt für ruhigen Schlaf.
• Argentum nitricum D8: Lampenfieber, akute Blackouts in Prüfungssituationen, man fühlt sich völlig gehetzt; Prüfungsangst schon am Abend vor der Schulaufgabe,
mit Bauchschmerzen und Durchfall; Angst vor Prüfung verhindert das Einschlafen.
• Argentum phosphoricum D12–D20: geistige Erschöpfung, schwierige Konzentration; stärkt die Erinnerung.
• Calcium phosphoricum D6 nach einmaliger Hochpotenz: Konzentrationsschwäche ungeduldiger Kinder, die von Misserfolgen gleich frustriert sind.
• Gelsemium sempervivens D12: Prüfungsangst der Schulkinder mit Bauchweh und Durchfall; sind wie gelähmt vor Aufregung.
• Kalium phosphoricum D6/D12: Hektische Erwartungsspannung vor Prüfungen von eigentlich gut organisierten Schülern – als Folge von Überarbeitung.
• Lachnantes tinctoria D4: Lampenfieber, Redehemmung vor Publikum.
• Rp. „Da-geh-ich-jetzt-rein-Mischung“ für Nervenkraft und Eloquenz vor dem Prüfungszimmer
Lachnantes tinctoria D4
10 ml
Verbena officinalis Ø 10 ml
Turnera diffusa Ø 10 ml
Vinca minor D4 10 ml
Rosa canina Ø 10 ml
Emerald X6, Helios 10 ml
Rhodiola rosea Rx., Fluidum 10 ml
• Magnesium phosphoricum D6: Lampenfieber und Prüfungsängste, die sich in Schreibkrämpfen äußern.
• Manganum sulfuricum D6: Wenn beim Lernen Gedächtnis und Konzentration als Folgen von Überarbeitung leiden; der Schüler ist nur noch müde.
• Pallasit D12 Trit., Weleda: Durchhaltemittel zur Prüfungsvorbereitung; nimmt Prüfungsängste und die Angst zu versagen.
• Rosa canina Lampenfieber und Versagensängste, gepaart mit Stimmverlust.
• Rhodiola rosea Wurzelextrakt: Hauptmittel der Prüfungsvorbereitung; steigert Erinnerungsvemögen und Konzentration.
• Rp. Das „15-Punkte-Abi-zeit-Begleitrezept“
Rhodiolae roseae Rx., Fluidum 40 ml
Agaricus D6 10 ml
Argentum phos. D20 20 ml
Rubellit D10 10 ml
Aqua marina D12 10 ml
Avena sativa Ø 10 ml
• Rubellit D10–D30: Konzentrations und Gedächtnisschwäche im Zusammenhang mit Prüfungsangst, („Morgenmuffeln“); steigert geistige Leistungsfähigkeit.
• Stannum metallicum C30: Schüler, die nie besonderen Erfolg hatten und jetzt Angst davor haben, als völliger Versager dazustehen.
• Strophantus kombe D4: Prüfungsangst der Schulkinder mit totalem Blackout direkt vor der Prüfung.
• Succinum D10–D60: Prüfungsangst, die zu Hysterie, depressiver Verstimmung und Panikattacken führt.
• Uranium metallicum C200: Eklatante Prüfungsangst mit Lernblockade und diffusen Zukunftsängsten völlig „überlernter“, älterer Prüflinge.
• Vinca minor D4: Zittern nach geistiger Anstrengung; steigert Hirndurchblutung für aktive Prüfungsgestaltung.
Neurodoron (Aurum metallicum, Kalium phosphoricum, Ferrum sulfuricum, Mel, Vinum, Quarz), Weleda: Schulkopfschmerz, Lampenfieber, depressive Gemütsstimmung vor Prüfungen
Verbascum F Komplex 129 (Actaea spicata, Asarum, Crocus, Gelsemium, Iris vers., Melilotus, Melissa, Strontium, Verbascum), Fa. Nestmann:
Konzentrationsstörungen, Kopfschmerzen, Lernstörungen, Schulkopfschmerz, geistige Überanstrengung
[Farokh Master]
What is anxiety?
Every day we hear this word in our day to day
practice.
Some people consider anxiety as stress, some
people consider anxiety as worry, many people come to us in our clinic with
different causes of anxiety and different pattern of anxiety.
People do tend to worry and become anxious over
many different activities and events. Manytimes I have seen such kind of
disorders very commonly running within a family
so somehow I feel that there is an element of
the genetic trait.
Anxiety disorder is such a common thing I see
it in every age and sex. But this has to do a lot with the personality of the
patient because many times these anxious patient can say that
they have being anxious as long as they can
remember.
Being anxious many times is a state where there
is little or no cause to worry but they have been habituated to worry from one
problem to another. The most common
area of worry is family, relationships, work
issues, money, health and other problems.
Sometimes the anxiety becomes so severe that
its difficult for patient to control because there are many other symptoms that
are associated with the anxiety like difficulty in concentration,
fatigue, irritability, difficulty in falling
asleep, if at all they are sleep their sleep is quite restless and unrefreshing
or in general the patients becomes quite restless and startles very easily.
There may be headaches or tension headache or
there may be little trembling or shakiness, sometimes one may also get nausea
or loose stools.
The goal of homoeopathic treatment is to help
the patient to function well in day to day basis of life. A combination of
proper constitutional homoeopathic medicine is the best answer
as many anxiolytic drugs can produce severe
side effects.
Only in an extreme case I refer my patient to
psychotherapist for cognitive behavioural therapy.
If the patient is already on anxiolytic drug
like serotinine, nonepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, benzodiazepine such as
alprazolam, then I try to reduce it as early as possible.
Let me quote some interesting cases from my
clinic. The first case is of a man who was 55 years old, who was diabetic for
last 17 year and was on anti-diabetic drugs. He was keeping all the
dietetic restriction for his diabetes. He was
working in a bank on a good post. Suddenly he developed irritability, and
started losing his temper quite frequently and later he developed anxiety,
when this happened his blood sugar levels
started to go high. He was never like that before. All these things started in
the last 6 months. I tried to find out the cause but I could not.
The only thing that has changed in last 6
months was his place of work, he was transferred to a new office and in that
particular office the work was quite chaotic and hence he had to spent extra
energy and the staff who were working under him
were not cooperative slowly he started to feel neglected and humiliated, on the
other hand suddenly his wife had to go to United States to meet
her sick mother so for about three and a half
months he was all alone managing home and office.
His symptoms were mostly in the morning when he
wakes up in the morning he develops sudden anxiety and also in the night when
he goes to the bed and wants to close his eyes
suddenly all the anxiety comes up. The anxiety was
related to his health viz. what if something happens to him??? or if diabetes
does not remain under control??? or if he develops some heart
problem??? or if he develops some paralysis???,
Whenever he becomes anxious he also gets
eructation’s with distension of the abdomen and then to divert his attention
from the anxiety he goes out of his house for buying grocery or shopping
or in the open space in presence of company of
people.
Slowly he observed that he cannot focus and
concentrate properly in his job especially in the morning hours. This happens
from 7 h. to almost 13 h. in the afternoon, he does not feel like
getting up, he does not feel like eating his
breakfast, doing his routine coures; otherwise he is extremely responsible and
duty bound, conscientious person who really wanted to improve
the situation at his work place.
As a child he had strict parents and hence with
this fear he was obedient and performed well in school, this affected his
confidence to some degree and later he would always take opinion
of people around him before making any
decisions. He also complained to me about acidity if he eats during the period
of anxiety.
Whenever he is nervous he develops little loose
motion; he sleeps on sides; he sweats all over his body whenever he exerts even
slightly; he complained that he cannot have a heavy meal;
his body functions very well when he takes a
light meal like a soup or a salad which he enjoyed eating.
I started treating him with Lycopodium but
nothing much happened excepting that his acidity and eructations were little
ameliorated but rest of the symptoms were the same. He was a hot
patient; he needed fanning; he needed an
air-conditioner, he wanted hot water bath even in Bombay but may be that is due
to the culture because 60% people who live in Bombay are taking
a hot water bath in the morning even in summer.
I was trying to figure out a remedy based on
causative factor. Now I took two more additional symptoms: ailments from
responsibility and ailments from rudeness of others because
the staff that used to work under him was not
cooperative and this new situation required extra responsibility, I added this
symptoms with his previous symptoms like:
anxiety in bed, anxiety with fear; anxiety
about his health;
anxiety morning waking on; business in capacity
for; wants company; concentration difficult morning; self-confidence want of;
confusion of the mind morning; fear waking on;
eructation empty; heartburn; constant nausea;
nervous diarrhoea; sleeps on side; perspiration after exertion slightest; and
loves soup and salad.
Now I selected Mag-m. 30C it was given every
day one dose for three weeks. After three weeks he reported to me that he felt
much better. I continued the same medicine for three more
weeks where I see a definite improvement in his
anxiety levels even though his bank doctors had advised him allopathic drugs;
he never took it because in his family there was a strong
faith in homoeopathy. After 11/2 month his
anxiety came down almost 70% and this is the time when I gave him placebo and I
said that look now you have to change your life style, you have
to accept people’s handicaps, you have to
accept things as it is. I gave him little session on psychotherapy, asked him
to take a morning walk, asked him to listen to the music and less dependent
on homoeopathic medicines.
After 11/2 month he reported that he rarely
gets an anxiety attack,
I gave him Mag-m. 1M 1 dose and then asked him
to be on placebo for a long period. After 4 months there was no trace of
anxiety, he happily accepts his new job all the problem related
to stress, physical problem emotional problem
were much better, he could sleep nicely and enjoyed his life.
The second case was of a 37 years old male
teacher working as a mathematics teacher in a secondary school, he developed
sudden anxiety, weakness of memory.
He considered this quite normal but when it
become troublesome it started affecting work and now students started making
comments on his mistakes, he was forced by his wife
to see a general practitioner who gave him some
tranquilizers but the drugs did not suit him, one of his relative who was my
patient recommended homoeopathy. He came to me with severe
anxiety in the morning as soon as he wakes up,
he does not want to go to school, he does not want go for work, he has a strong
fear that he won’t be able to perform, he daily forces and drags
himself to the school to teach.
He was quite discouraged and negative when he
came to me thinking that he won’t be ever able to teach mathematics because
when he wants to talk in the class and teach he suddenly
forgets; he forgets equations; he forgets
calculations; he makes mistakes; he forgets the things which he had kept.
He is quite sad and depressed in the morning
because of his anxiety because that is hindering his routine life and that is
also hindering his job giving him fear of financial insecurity in future.
Basically he is quite timid individual, not
much ambitious, always wanted to do simple job, earn money for his family, never
had big dreams. He was suffering from male pattern
baldness this gave him some complex. As a
student he suffered from migraine and so he always thought it is better not to
do lot of education and strain his brain. His migraines were
always < a warm congested room and > cold
open air. He was thirsty and constipated, in the morning he has to visit toilet
2 - 3 times to clear the bowel, His hands were always
cold and rough because of cracks. He sleeps on
right side; he does not like to eat vegetables he prefers eating legumes, rice
and meat.
I asked him why this anxiety started? He
replied this is a slow ongoing process since last year but it became worse in
the last three months, he said that ever since one of his colleagues
died because of a road accident two years back.
He observed that his health detioriated since then, he kept on thinking what if
something happens to my health?
This affected also his mind very strongly,
other than this there was no other cause.
He was mild, He mentioned that in the night it
became difficult for him to go to bed and sleep because it takes lot of time
for him to go to sleep deeply also his sleep is quite interrupted and
restless, he wakes up at 2 – 3 h. in the
morning, in the morning it becomes difficult for him to wake up, after waking
he does not like to go to the school. I basically also thought that he was
teaching in a class of 65 students which is big
number, keeping that in to consideration I started first Kali-p. 30C and later
Kali-p.
My main indication for that remedy was anxiety
in the morning, confusion in the morning, fear of work, making mistakes,
sadness in the morning, headache better in the open air, and coldness
of the hand. He was not better so I increased
the potency to 200 and then 1M but nothing happened.
The symptoms remaining the same, the totality
remaining the same, I discovered that he had a yellow discoloration of his
tongue, It was dirty yellow then I thought about a remedy which has
extreme degree of thirst with yellow
discoloration of the tongue who is hot patient with anxiety in the morning
especially after waking up, fear of work, fear of death, memory problems
especially for what he was about to say or what
was about to do, with constipation for soft stool, these were the leading indications
of the remedy Kali-s.
I immediately changed my prescription to
Kali-s. 30C one dose every day for next 15 days. The response was dramatic. The
first thing to improve was his sleep, he could sleep comfortably
the remedy did not help him in his anxiety, so
I repeated Kali-s. for one more month, now his memory improved, his mistakes
were less often and he became more confident which was
a good sign. After three months his anxiety
became better by more than 60%. I asked him now that are you tormented or think
about the incident of your colleague who died in a road accident
?? he said no, I now never think of it, I am
not now much concerned about what happens to me, I have left everything in the
hands of God, I just do not realize why I was so anxious being an
intelligent educated why did I take so many
things on my mind and destroyed my happiness, the self realization came with
Kali-s. which is a very good sign.
Kali-s. as you know is a remedy which does not
have a big mental picture but we can use this remedy many times by knowing the
common traits of Kali and Sulphuricum.
The only difference that I see with other Kali
is that Kali-s. are basically mild people, they are not obstinate and
headstrong like other Kali’s (Kali-c. or Kali-i.).
Many times I see the element of self pity in
Kali-s. they are quite warm blooded and thirsty. They have a yellow coating of
the tongue; hands are cold to touch; and they have cracked
and dry skin.
[Lia Bello]
Do any of you have any fears or anxiety when you
get on an airplane? This is one of the more common phobias. I actually have
first hand knowledge on this one. I have had the start of
some panic attacks on airplanes. For me it is
the feeling of being closed into too small a place and something might happen
and I can’t get out. Very unpleasant. I can totally see why there
are some people that just won’t get on a plane
or those who need some kind of drug or alcohol to help them relax to get
through the flight.
I have found a more natural medicine to use for
fear - one that I had been prescribing for years to my patients for phobias
like not wanting to drive on crowded 4 lane highways, or over a big bridge,
or for the fear of flying. Acon. covers this
panicky feeling of being hemmed in, fear of death, cannot be calmed. The heart
suddenly starts pounding and the person is restless.
They look terrified So if I do start to feel
panicky when the plane doors close I just take out my little vial of Acon. C30
and pop one or two pellets in to my mouth and suck on them. About 10
seconds later the whole feeling is gone and I
feel calm inside again.
Another scenario. The family car is hit from
behind, it skids around crazily and screeches to a stop. You check in with the
kids in the back and your husband and there don’t seem to be any physical
injuries -but everybody is very upset- the
shock and scariness is felt by all, your little one is crying and your body is
very tense. Give everyone a dose of Acon. My experience shows that the
emotional wounds of life can predispose us to being susceptible to physical
ailments so giving the remedy is actually a preventive medicine. It is much
better to give it when the shock and fear has just happened
but it will help even days later if it can’t be
given immediately.
Well, think how many people had some major fear
and fright on September 11th, 2001. Acon. was the universal remedy
that day. In homeopathic circles Acon. was called the Genus epidemicus for
the country (New York) that whole month. Many people
are still dealing with the effects of the stress they felt.
Our vital force (governing system) is
susceptible to emotional traumas and will create physical manifestations when
it is forced out of balance by stresses. Sleep disrupted, mood is definitely
impacted,
digestion is off, along with the concentration
and memory, some peoples immunity plummets, even menstrual cycles can be thrown
off by a shock or fright. While orthodox medications can ease the
pain, they don’t deal with the underlying cause
or causes of the symptoms. There is also a possibility of side effects and
dependency, and drugs can make some people feel emotionally numb and
mentally dull. Homeopathy, a complementary
therapy, has much to offer those who wish to pursue an alternative to drug
treatment.
Acon. goes straight to the cause of fright and
fear, and the nervous system can heal itself because the remedy, chosen on the
principle of Like cure like, works to help the body find its balance, not
by suppressing the symptoms -as a tranquilizer
would- or by changing the chemistry of the brain to dull the emotions.
I used Aconite earlier this year on a beautiful
6-month-old baby boy after he had to have open heart surgery. Think of the
shock and fright he had to his delicate nervous system! Acon. is an excellent
first remedy for heart attack or any shock to
the system.
One more case about fright before we go on to
talk about stress and other emotional upsets and their homeopathic treatment.
A child who has had a shock or fright may retain
this in his nervous system and start to have bad dreams or insomnia or fears
arising. Acon. is the remedy to give as soon as possible after a fright or
if a child is fearful of an upcoming surgery or
other ordeal. The mother of a 6 year old complained to me that her son would
not go into the bathroom alone anymore after seeing the movie “Jurassic Park”.
Acon. helped to bring him back to balance. To insure mind and nervous system
wellness, I recommend giving it first after surgery or accidents, right before
Arn., which is the remedy used for speeding
the healing of any trauma to the physical
body.,
If Aconite is the leading remedy for fear then
the leading remedy for anxiety is Arsenicum Album. The symptom picture for this
remedy is anxiety about the person’s own welfare, with restlessness, insomnia,
worry about the future, health, and germs. The person who needs this remedy
seems to have an affinity to being worse after midnight, they might pace or
fidget or their physical ailments will be < at this time.
This person can be perfectionistic and
compulsive. Ars. also a remedy for people whose physical ailments may be
exacerbated by anxiety like some people’s asthma, colitis and eczema.
Have any of you heard of RESCUE Flower Formula,
a mixture of 5 Flower Essences? This is a liquid remedy which seems to help
when there are emotional situations, large and small, that call for immediate
action and calming. Though it is not actually “homeopathic” I wanted to tell
you about it. Smart Mothers keep it handy for the myriad of daily upsets and
major crises, too. I wish that it was used at emergency rooms, crisis centers
and by school nurses. I always have it available while assisting at home births
and at birthing centers for laboring mothers and their families, and for the
newborn if things are not going well.
The sometimes emotional process of going to a
doctor or dental visit or having surgery can be soothed if pre-visit doses of
the appropriate remedy are given. I always tell the story in my Homeopathic
courses about how my mother, who was a nurse, gave me Seconal sleeping pills
before I had to visit the dentist for fillings when I was 5 and 6 years old.
How I wish that she had known about the remedies that Homeopathy has to offer for
children or adults who need calming. Acon. or Ars. for fear, or anxiety, and
RESCUE Formula for any and all upsetting feelings. Cham. probably the remedy
that I needed back when I couldn’t stay still long enough to sit in the
dentist’s chair. It is a good remedy for fussy children and babies -who get
angry if they can’t have their own way- and are inconsolable till given what
they want.
Also Cham. is specific for calming teething
babies.
Things just go a little easier when you add
these helpful remedies into an emotional situation. They do not make everything
perfect—they just help you though without the need for drugs which are toxic to
the body.
Have you tuned in to the effects that STRESS
has upon you? How it makes one more susceptible and triggers problem areas? H.
spoke of the “morbific influences which untune the vital force” as the cause of
disease. I think that stress is in that category. 20 years ago my family made a
big transition from a busy suburban life in the Washington, D.C. area, and
moved to rural, northern New Mexico where there is very little sign of the rat
race (it is rare to see a man in a business suit there). Since this life style
change away from stress we have so many less headaches and colds and flu’s.
Homeopathy can help with stress, too.
Case—A patient of mine, a 40 year old, mother
of two, has a husband who travels frequently for his job and leaves her to
handle most everything at home. She also runs a busy home-based business. This
summer, between all of the kid’s activities, illnesses, family vacations and
her own mid–life issues and worries, she entered a state of overwhelm in which
her body felt “tight and knotted” and as if she “was jumping out of her skin”.
We looked in to checking her thyroid and estrogen levels, she practiced stress
reduction techniques, and we started to research a constitutional remedy for
her. In the meantime she just had to have” something quickly” so I suggested
Kali-p.
The next day she called to rave about how much
better she felt -things were not bothering her so much- she had stopped being
so impatient and knew that things were all going to be OK!
This remedy takes the edge off of stressful
situations, exhaustion and overwork. When you have to leave the house early and
fight traffic and you have schedules and deadlines, it can be used daily if
necessary in a low potency to help you deal with these stresses. Sometimes you
can just feel the stress being lightened from your shoulders after taking it.
“Rat race” headaches, exhaustion at the end of the day, and the daily stresses
that our kids undergo in their busy lives before, during and after school call
for Kali Phos. I suggest that any busy, stressed out person use this remedy
frequently in a low potency to find nervous system balance and to prevent illness.
Kali-p. is one of the 12 cell salts, or minerals which make up our bodies and
is nick-named “the nerve-nutrient remedy”, but I also call it “Homeopathic
Valium”.
Mommy!! They’re after me! Waah! Can I come in
your bed? I had a bad dream. Every parent knows this plea from a child after
they’ve had a nightmare and we wish that we could prevent any more frightful
dreams. When bad dreams or nightmares are recurrent a parent can administer
acute remedies like a dose of Bell. before bedtime for 1-3 nights. If you know
the child’s bad dream was from a frightful experience, then Acon. can be given
to clear the mind.
How about performance anxiety? “No Mom, I just
can’t go to school today–we’re each supposed to do our big book report in front
of the class and I know I’ll mess up. Besides, I have a stomach ache.” The fear
of public speaking or tests can be devastating to some school children’s
wellness. As many an occasional public speaker knows, stage fright or
performance anxiety is experienced by adults too. Does one have to go through
this stress un-aided?
When someone is performing in front of a crowd,
competing in a sporting event or taking an exam and their anxiety levels are
high, there are several remedies to help them cope. Lyc. insecurity is an
anticipation that arises even though the person has prepared well for the
event, and then subsequently does well. A person with butterflies in the
stomach, weak knees and trembling voice and body needs Gels. Arg-n. can be used
to help if is there is a restless, nervous anticipation that brings on diarrhea
or flatulence, this remedy picture can include hyperventilation. Again Rescue
Formula can be an adjunct to calming the system.
Grief is a particularly devastating emotion,
and for some it can cause a a good deal of physical symptoms. The sorrow of a
loss through death or divorce cannot be medicated away. Homeopathic Ign. helps
those who are reacting to the effects of separation, sorrow or grief. They are
moody, find it hard to work or study, are oversensitive to noise and sigh a
lot. You’ll probably realize they need this remedy when thy burst into tears a
few times.
Many people have been known to go to the
emergency room for the symptoms for a lump in the throat that seems very
physical but is just a somatic sensation from acute grief. Lump in the throat
and sighing are keynote symptoms of Ign. Situations of loss and worry, like
parental divorce or separation will warrant giving everyone in the family some
Ign., as will the death of a loved one.
A child just starting to be away from Mom for
day care, pre-school, or for longer stays at summer camp will naturally go
through separation anxiety and home sickness. Those children who are
particularly emotional during this time will do better with a few doses of Ign.
Of course, each person will have his own
personal way of reacting to a stress. The remedy chosen should fit the patient
and the circumstances as closely as possible. Homeopathic remedies are often
effective when used to treat acute, emotional and physical ailments but, when
symptoms become chronic, and do not resolve in an appropriate period of time,
it is best to refer to a professional Homeopath to treat the person
constitutionally.
A deeper level of cure can be reached in this
way.
Sleep Disorders
It seems that when I do an initial homeopathic
interview and ask “How is your sleep?” 75% of people respond that they have
some form of chronic sleep disorder. Many have trouble getting to sleep and the
rest have the problem of waking too early and not being able to get back to
sleep. These are very frustrating problems. They need to be looked at from
several perspectives.
First rule out or remove causes like caffeine,
and need for nutrition and physical obstructions like sleep apnea and airway
resistance syndrome. Then do stress reduction techniques and enough exercise to
ensure that the nervous system is ready to sleep after a stressful day.
Sometimes there are emotional or spiritual causes that need to be addressed.
Chronic sleep problems need a constitutional
approach. The homeopathic practitioner you consult will take all of the
symptoms–body/mind/emotions– in to account in choosing the remedy and then
expects the body to balance itself in the months after the similar remedy is
given. Follow up is essential to work on these long term problems. Menopause
can be a time of sleep disturbance. Instead of manipulating the hormones,
balance the whole system using your constitutional remedy. Although you can
help your homeopath choose the remedy by describing your symptoms well, and
tell them which ones seem to match you, it is best to leave the final decision
to them as we are not objective about ourselves (or our family members) when it
comes to mental and emotional issues.
For occasional sleep disturbances you can try
one of the following remedies:
Try it before bedtime for a few nights, 1-3
times after bedtime if sleep doesn’t come easily and 1-3 times if wakened and
you cannot return to sleep. If no better after 3 days, do not continue with the
same remedy. Consider getting a constitutional workup if insomnia comes up more
than once a month.
If anticipation of the next days events and an
alert mind just won’t be turned off at bedtime–then COFFEA CRUDA can be given
every 15 minutes for a few doses. This is the best remedy when the insomniac is
too awake and can hear the smallest noise and their mind just won’t turn off.
ARSENICUM ALBUM insomniacs are anxious and restless, and worrying and perhaps
fearful. They wake after midnight and toss and turn. IGNATIA can be used for sleeplessness
when grief or emotional worry is the cause. Crying and big sighs are signs that
point to the need for Ignatia.
Each of these remedies can be given before
bedtime for a few nights, and 1-3 times after bedtime if sleep doesn’t come.
[Basil B. Williams]
‡ Overcoming Stage Fright With The Help of Sanguinaria
Comp (= Sanguinaria Canadensis, Ferrum sulfuricum, Quarz)
The term “stage
fright” is generally used for what some people may experience when required to
appear before an audience and perform in some way. While a normal degree of
excitement, anticipation and even anxiety accompany most people, some are
overwhelmed by the feelings. The feelings hinder or decrease the ability to
calmly and clearly bring the message to the audience. When these symptoms occur
therapeutic intervention can be helpful. Individuals who have come for
treatment tell of a wide range of symptoms. They tell of shaking of the body,
blood rushing to the head, disorientation, sweating, stammering, incoherent
speech and so on. While some say that they feel in control before the event,
the moment of standing before the audience brings forth the symptoms.
The primary substance
in the compound is the root of the plant Sanguinaria canadensis e radice D2. It
is used traditionally as therapy when strong emotions, arguments, mental
overwork and excessive sense impressions trigger migraine and cephalalgia. When
the emotional or astral body reacts to the excessive stress, the sanguinaria
enhances the ego organization of the patient to overcome the dis-organizational
forces of the astral activity. This compound also contains Quartz cum ferro
sulfurico D3. The essential form-giving forces of quartz and the incarnating
forces of iron augment the work of the ego organization process in the patient.
My patients have told
me that they have felt more focused, in-control, alert, and that they had the
ability to organize thoughts for more precise speech presentations when they
took the Sanguinaria Comp before going on stage. In a few cases the stage
fright symptoms occurred in college students before taking an exam. Again the
Sanguinaria Comp is safe and is effective. The students were grateful.
Sanguinaria Comp is helpful for episodes of stage fright, a broader question of nervousness and a hope not to feel overwhelmed by stresses of modern life can be pondered further by exploring various anthroposophical insights. ‡
[Dr. Phil. Reinhard Müller]
Die Angst
vor Versagen und Nichtbestehen -
Selbstbewusstsein
und Selbstvertrauen sind durch Erfahrungen von Maßregelung, Abwertung,
Einstufung und Ohnmacht in Kindheit und Jugend oft in entscheidendem Maße
geschwächt.
Die
anerzogene Orientierung an Autoritäten und deren Maßstäben lässt trotz der
Loslösungs-Phase von ihnen in der Adoleszenz-Phase häufig "Reste"
zurück, die sich - aus teilweise noch vorhandener innerer Abhängigkeit von
ihnen - in Form vielfältiger Versagens-Ängste und der Furcht vor mangelnder
Bestätigung äußert. Lampenfieber, Prüfungs-/Erwartungs-/Versagens-Ängste werden
häufig vor Prüfungen, prüfungsähnlichen Situationen, Vorstellungs-Gesprächen,
Präsentationen und Gesprächen (in der Gruppe) erlebt. Trotz vorhandener
Fähigkeiten, Talente und Stärken besteht ein tiefes Misstrauen in die eigene
persönliche Kraft, das Selbstwert-Gefühl ist herabgesetzt und die eigenen
Ängste vor Wiederholung früherer traumatischer Situationen werden auf Personen
der Umwelt (z.B. die Prüfer, die Gruppe) projiziert. Und trotz rationaler
Selbsterkenntnis dieser Situation und der eigenen persönlichen Anteile kommen
die Gefühle aus der Vergangenheit per Schlüsselreiz immer wieder hoch. Diese
gefühlsmäßigen Knoten können nur über den Weg der gefühlsmäßigen Arbeit an
unseren unbewussten Anteilen angegangen werden. Die Homöopathie mit ihren
energetisch wirkenden Heilmitteln ist hierbei eine mögliche Hilfe.
3 wichtige
homöopathische Mittel zur Behandlung von Prüfungs-, Erwartungs- und
Versagens-Ängsten:
Arg-n.:
häufig im Zusammenhang von Lampenfieber und Prüfungsangst.
Das Element
Argentum hat kreative und schöpferische Fähigkeiten, die er auch gut entwickeln
kann, hält aber an bisherigen Erfolgen und Positionen fest (anstatt seine
kreativen Energien frei fließen zu lassen). Argentum hat in seiner Kindheit
häufig die Botschaft erfahren: "Du sollst dir mit deinem Erfolg nichts
einbilden".
Argentum
ohne Urvertrauen, trägt die innere Empfindung mangelnder Geborgenheit in sich
und fühlt sich nicht gleichberechtigt und angenommen.
Das Element
Nitrogen sucht nach Lebensgenuß, persönlichem Glück und positiver Außenwirkung.
Hiermit einher geht ein Bedürfnis nach Expansion, Weite und Raum. Enge führt zu
innerer Spannung und symbolisch auch zu kongestiven Beschwerden (Röte,
Schwellung, innere Hitze).
Sucht
persönliches Wachstum, Expansion und Weite durch die Anwendung seiner schöpferischen
und kreativen Fähigkeiten und durch individuelle Selbstverwirklichung. In der
Regel macht sich dies symbolisch in Form irrationaler Ängste bemerkbar:
Empfindungen der Enge (Fahrstuhl/Menschenmenge) verstärken dieses Gefühl.
Schwäche-Empfindungen werden "durch Belastung deutlich". Die
hierdurch entstehende geistige Schwäche wird von Erregbarkeit, Nervosität und
Impulsivität im emotionalen Bereich begleitet. Die geistigen Fähigkeiten sind
reduziert, während die Gefühle überstark sind". Sein eigentliches Problem
sind das Gefühl mangelnder Geborgenheit und mangelndes Urvertrauen. Fordert
Nestwärme ein. Er hat, das Gefühl, nicht gestützt und geschützt worden zu sein,
obwohl es dringend gewünscht ist.
Und in der
rauen Wirklichkeit der Außenwelt hat er häufig die Empfindung, diesen Schutz
nicht zu haben, deshalb kommt bei ihm eine teilweise aus der frühen Kindheit
herrührende Angst vor, in seiner Selbstentfaltung gehindert und beengt zu
werden. Hierdurch fühlt sich Argentum nitricum seines inneren Friedens und
seiner Vorstellungen von persönlichem Glück durch Entfaltung seiner Fähigkeiten
beraubt. Zugleich hat er genau hiervor Angst: ein Glücks-Zustand, mithin die
positive Erfahrung seiner Selbstentfaltung, könnte ihm zugleich den tiefen Fall
in Situationen seiner schlimmsten Befürchtungen bringen. Die Höhen-Angst steht
symbolisch hierfür. Sein Erfolgsstreben ist zu hoch, es wird ihm schwindelig
und taumelig wie auf der Höhe des Berges, des Turms, der Brücke - und es zieht
ihn in die Tiefe. Argentum nitricum strebt aber diesem unerreichbaren
"Glücks-Zustand" ständig nach. Er zieht bevorzugt Situationen (wie
z.B. Prüfungen oder prüfungsähnliche Konstellationen) an, die seine
irrationalen Ängste vor deutlicher Verweigerung seiner ständigen Suche nach
Bestätigung und somit Geborgenheit auslöst.
Argentum
nitricum als Arznei deckt die wahre Intelligenz dieses Menschen auf, die durch
Angst, Ärger, Unsicherheit und Unrast kaschiert wird. Sie schenkt Halt, Ruhe
und Überlegenheit.
Magen:
"Völle bis zum Zerplatzen", lautes Aufstoßen, Magengeschwür sind
ebenso Symptome wie die Neigung zu Blähungen. Dem starken Verlangen nach
Süßigkeiten korrespondiert eine - hierdurch bedingte - Unverträglichkeit und
die Verschlimmerung von Beschwerden. Dies symbolisiert den Menschen, "der
den Bezug zur Lebenssüße verloren hat". Auslöser der Symptome ist mit
großer Häufigkeit die Erwartungsspannung.
Angst, nicht durchzukommen
Angst, durchzufallen
Angst vor Absturz
Angst vor Alleinsein
Platzangst
Angst vor Prüfungen
Angst in engen Räumen
Angst vor einer Verabredung
Erwartungsspannung
Angst im Tunnel
Furcht in einer Menschenmenge
Furcht auf offenen Plätzen
Furcht, in Ohnmacht zu fallen
Typische
Träume:
Absturz,
Fallen, Schwarzes Loch, Prüfung, enge Räume, in einen Abgrund fallen, von einer
Höhe herabfallen, Schiffsuntergang, Hunger, Gespenster.
< 17 h.
Hitze ist unverträglich (Sommer).
Sil.:
Zusammenhang mit Prüfungen sowie Situationen des Sich-Beweisen-Müssens und des
Bestehens vor der Welt hat vornehmlich mit seinem mangelnden Selbstwertgefühl
und seinen hohen Ansprüchen hinsichtlich der Wirkung auf andere zu tun.
Zeigt sich
nach außen hin nachgiebig, zart, feinsinnig, ruhig, gelassen und zuweilen etwas
schüchtern, zugleich aber auch korrekt, reserviert und steif.
Achtet in
großem Maße auf sein Image. Hieraus resultiert eine große Furcht vor Versagen
und davor, von den anderen als unfähig angesehen zu werden. Aus diesem Grunde
gibt Silicea in Angriff genommene Möglichkeiten oft vorzeitig auf, weicht vor
seiner Verantwortung zurück und ersetzt diese durch rigide und enge moralische
Prinzipien, pedantische Kleinlichkeit und Intoleranz.
Tiefgreifenden
Erlebnissen des Verlassen-Werdens in der Kindheit zu suchen, aber auch im
Extremfalle körperliche Misshandlung oder Missbrauch sind wesentliche
Spielarten der kindlichen Verletzungs- Erfahrung. Hieraus ergibt sich ein tief
verletztes Selbstwertgefühl, verbunden mit der Empfindung der eigenen
Unfähigkeit und großen Ängsten vor Ungewissem. Die tiefere Ursache dieser Haltung
kann auch in der Pränatal-Phase gefunden werden. Mangelndes Zutrauen zu sich
selbst, zum anderen das Bestreben, in einer Geborgenheit zu verbleiben, die
Schutz bietet. Silicea hat eine starke kindliche Sehnsucht nach der Höhle im
Mutterleib. Zugleich ist in ihm ein Bestreben nach Selbst-Werdung: er möchte
sich gern aufrichten, der Vater als starkes Leitbild und seine Zuneigung sind
ihm deshalb sehr wichtig. Hieraus resultiert ein Schutzwall, den sich Silicea
aufbaut und der sich in folgenden Merkmalen äußert:
Großer Drang nach Perfektionismus und
Vollkommenheit.
Tendenz zu
Flucht, Sich-Entziehen, Weggehen und Distanz zu schwierigen Situationen hängt
hiermit unmittelbar zusammen. Damit verbunden ist ein Zurück-Weichen vor und
ein vorzeitiges Aufgeben von angstbesetzten Situationen, die Umdeutung
schwieriger Gefühle durch Rationalisieren und Intellektualisieren.
Generelles
Problem ist das "Verkopft sein". Durch Verletzungen wurde das
"Eigene" der Individualität und der Gefühle weggedrückt. Das Leben
soll per Kopf-Intellekt gelebt werden, damit eine emotional unerträgliche
Situation nicht mehr so belastet. Zentrales Thema "tiefe Furcht vor
Misserfolg". Diese führt zuweilen - gleich einer self fullfilling-prophecy
- zu dem eigentlich unerwünschten Ergebnis:
Seine
Versagensangst bringt - durch Über-Perfektionismus und hohes Anspruchsdenken -
in einer Reihe programmierter Verhaltensweisen das befürchtete Versagen
geradezu hervor. Sil. leidet unter mangelndem Selbstvertrauen, trotz
offenkundigen Hervortretens seiner Talente und Fähigkeiten.
Angst vor Nadeln und spitzen Gegenständen
Angst zu zerfließen
Angst vor Auftauen
Angst vor Leistung und Aufgaben
Angst vor engem Kontakt
Angst vor Prüfung
Angst vor Versagen und Misserfolg, vor allem
bei Prüfungen
Angst vor Unordnung
Angst vor geistiger Arbeit
Angst vor literarischer Arbeit
Mangelndes Selbstvertrauen
Eis hat als
Traum-Motiv mit dem Einfrieren von Beziehungen, der Empfindung seelischer Kälte
und der Gefahr der inneren Vereinsamung zu tun. Die Eisscholle verstärkt dieses
Bild noch, die Eiswüste verweist auf eine seelische Stagnation in diesem
Bereich. Das Glashaus beinhaltet die Verkapselung und Abschottung der eigenen
Überempfindsamkeit und Verletzlichkeit. Fenster schaffen so etwas wie eine Trenn-Wand
zwischen Innen und Außen: von innen beobachte ich mit Distanz die Vorgänge in
der Außenwelt. Schnee hat eine ähnliche Bedeutung wie Eis. Wasser verweist auf
den Bereich der tiefen Gefühle, und klares Wasser deutet auf das Bedürfnis nach
gefühlsmäßiger Klärung und Klarheit hin. Kristall ist das Symbol für
Empfindlichkeit, Verletzlichkeit, Misstrauen und Distanz zu den Menschen und
zugleich auch für sachliches, nüchternes Denken. Sand als Symbol für Zeit und
Vergänglichkeit verdeutlicht die Angst vor Alter und Tod. Der Hund gilt als
Schutz gegen Angriffe, steht aber symbolisch auch für Aggressionen. Sinkendes
Boot: Zweifel, Verunsicherung, mangelndes Selbstvertrauen durch hochkommende
Gefühle; Angst, hierdurch unterzugehen und sich nicht mehr stabilisieren zu
können. Die Überschwemmung ist ein Symbol für die Überflutung mit Gefühlen, die
in das Bewusstsein dringen.
Die
tageszeitliche Verschlimmerung liegt sowohl bei 10 h. als auch bei 15 h.
Körperlich wirkt Silicea bei Migräne, Hautentzündungen (Ekzeme), Wachstumsstörungen
und wird als Mittel zur Austreibung von Fremdkörpern aus dem Gewebe eingesetzt.
Akute und chronische Eiterungen sowie Eiterungen durch Fremdkörper sind ein
weiteres Anwendungsgebiet.
Gels.: kann
von seinem vorrangigen und typischen Kennzeichen als Zitter-Mittel verstanden
werden: "Wenn man zu gehen versucht, zittern die Beine. Die Hände zittern,
wenn man sie zu heben versucht. Die Zunge zittert, beim Versuch, sie
herauszustrecken". Von den Gemüts-Symptomen ist der Gels.-Typ vor allem in
für ihn schwierigen Situationen "träge, schläfrig und scheut
Bewegung". Die geistigen Fähigkeiten sind schwach: kann weder klar denken
noch seine Aufmerksamkeit auf einen Punkt richten, will ungestört sein, wünscht
nicht zu sprechen oder irgend jemand zur Gesellschaft zu haben, selbst wenn die
anwesende Person schweigt.
Gels.
befindet sich in dem circulus vitiosus, dass Angst Schwäche erzeugt, und dass
jede weitere Schwäche seine Angst noch verstärkt. Sein Grundmuster in der
Erwartungsangst ist die Befürchtung: "Irgendwann werden sie mich
umbringen". Er zittert vor Angst. Seine "innere Sicherheit geht durch
Erwartungsangst vollständig verloren".
Überreichliches
Wasser-Lassen und Durchfall korrespondieren auf körperlicher Ebene diesen
Symptomen. Von ihrer Symbolik deuten sie darauf hin, daß Gels. davor
zurückscheut, sich auf Erfahrungen überhaupt einzulassen und daß er sie - aus
Schwäche - möglichst schnell hinter sich bringen möchte.
Gels. weicht
der Verantwortung, der Realität und Begegnungen mit der Umwelt aus. Die Angst
vor Eigenverantwortung führt dazu, dass er sich jeder Anforderung durch
Schwäche und Ohnmacht entzieht. Vor allem unvorhergesehene Ereignisse,
Situationen und Herausforderungen sind für ihn furcht- und somit Schwäche
auslösend. Seine Fall-Ängste sind ein Ausdruck dessen, wie sehr er sich in
seiner Schwäche bedroht und ausgeliefert fühlt.
Mit letzter
Kraft versucht er, sich an etwas Greifbarem festzuhalten, um nicht irgendwo
hinunterzustürzen. "Alle Bewegungen nach unten rufen in ihm große Ängste
hervor, weil er dabei wohl im übertragenen Sinne sehr stark das Gefühl hat,
dass es mit ihm 'abwärts' geht. Er bangt um seine augenblickliche und
einigermaßen sichere Situation, und so kann jede Bewegung nach unten ihn wieder
mit seiner Furcht vor dem Fall in Kontakt bringen".
Schwermut,
Traurigkeit, depressives Verhalten und stiller Kummer gehen mit diesen
Schwäche- und Ohnmachts-Zuständen einher.
Gels.
antwortet einsilbig bzw. kurz oder barsch, damit seine Schwächen nicht entdeckt
werden, oder seine Antworten kommen langsam.
< 9 - 11
h./Frühjahr.
Die
Unsicherheit, die Neu-Anfang und -Aufbruch mit sich bringt, ist für Gels.
besonders lähmend. Körperlich wird Gels. bei Nervenschmerzen, Muskellähmungen,
Herzmuskelentzündungen und als Fieber- und Beruhigungsmittel eingesetzt.
Erwartungsangst
Angst auf offenen Plätzen
Angst vor Öffentlichkeit
Angst vor Prüfungen
Angst vor Terminen
Angst vor Verabredungen
Angst vor dem Tod
Angst vor ungewissem Ausgang
Angst vor Loslassen
Angst vor Ohnmacht
Lampenfieber
Angst vor Verlust der Selbstkontrolle
Angst vor Misserfolg bei Prüfungen
Furcht, das Herz würde aufhören zu schlagen,
wenn nicht ständig in Bewegung
Typische
Traum-Motive:
Kälte
Prüfung
Nicht vorbereitet sein auf Prüfungen
Schwangerschaft
[]
What is Fear?
Emotions play an important part in our daily lives. Fear is one such
emotion that is pre-programmed into all animals and people as an instinctual
response to potential danger.
As for what is fear biologically speaking, when a person experiences
fear, certain areas in their brain such as the amygdala and the hypothalamus
are immediately activated and appear to control the first physical response to
fear. Chemicals such as adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol are released
into the blood stream causing certain physical reactions such as:
Rapid heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Tightening of muscles
Sharpened or redirected senses
Dilation of the pupils (to let in
more light)
Increased sweating
People who have experienced this will often remember the moment when
disaster stuck and how time seemed to slow down. They knew exactly what to do
without consciously thinking about it, they
had great strength (some have even been able to lift a car to save their
trapped child) and they felt no pain. All these are protective mechanisms to
increase our chances of survival.
There are numerous causes of fear. Some are better known than others
such as fear of flying or Aviophobia, fear of spyders-Arachnephobia, and fear
of confined spaces-Claustrophobia. Others types of
fear not so well known are fear of mirrors-Catoptrophobia, and fear of
hair-Chaetophobia. Fear of being tickled by feathers-Pteronophobia, and
Papyrophobia or fear of paper are yet other not so well known causes of fear.
Still new causes of fear are being diagnosed.
Fear is not always adaptive. A small amount of fear before an important
speech serves a purpose – it encourages you to focus on your topic and avoid
making a fool of yourself. This is one of the types
of fear that can be useful to sharpen our minds. However, some types of
fear that are excessive can become crippling, or even make you feel like
escaping when it is not appropriate to do so.
When fear gets out of control, or when we fear something that cannot
actually harm us, it can escalate to a point where it effects our daily
functioning. Fear is no longer adaptive if we find we are constantly afraid of
events that haven’t happened yet.
Future-orientated fear is known as anxiety. While fear happens at the
moment danger arises, anxiety is characterized by apprehension because we don’t
know what’s going to happen next, and we cannot control upcoming events.
Experiencing an alarm response when there is in fact nothing to be
afraid of is known as panic. Many people are familiar with this type of fear
and it is often (although not always) accompanied by a phobia.
Panic is an immediate physical response to unrealistic and irrational
fears. This can have a huge affect on both your emotional and physical
well-being – as well as your ability to reach your full potential.
What Causes Fear?
While it is important to be aware of potential and real threats, it is
just as important to react appropriately to them. For most of us, our initial startle
response subsides as soon as we realize that there is no actual threat or
danger.
However, this is not always the case. There are many people for whom
fear becomes maladaptive, as they struggle with anxiety, phobias and panic
attacks. Children are also at risk of overactive fear, as they are not always
able to rationalize fears that are unrealistic or unfounded.
What is fear like for children?
Children experiencing fears and phobias feel very real threats and
parents often have difficulty consoling or reassuring their child that there is
actually nothing to fear. Childhood anxiety can have a negative impact on their
healthy development and may predispose them to problems in later life.
Fear of :-
- Falling; downward motion Borax.
- Of pointed things; knives and
forks etc. Spigellia.
- Of Dogs; animals Belladonna.
- Being alone; thunder strom,
ghosts etc. Phosphorus 200.
- Appearance before audience;
examination etc. Argentum Nit.
- Fear of failure, stage fright
(examinations etc) Gelsemium.
- Aeroplanes flying over the head
Aconite.
- Child fears to go to bed alone
Causticum.
- Fear to be alone; feels better
in open air even though patient is chilly Pulsatilla.
- Fear of poverty Calcarea Flour.
- Fear of accidents Carbo Veg.,
If Carbo Veg fails, Psorinum.
- Fear of being touched Arnica.
- Fear of Cholera Lachesis.
- Fear of consumption; contagious
disease, going to a dentist Calcarea Carb.
- Fear of cutting face while
saving Caladiums.
- Fear of dark Stramonium.
- Fear of death; impending
illness, disgust for life Pneumococcin.
- Intercurrent remedy Sulphur.
And here are the Homeopathic remedies used for Anxiety due to different
reasons :-
-….. Sudden with restlessness and
fear of death Aconite.
- Prolonged with periodic and panic
attacks Ars.
- With fainting spells; profuse
sweating; worse in the morning Sulph.
- Makes patient walk fast; due to
anticipation Arg-n.
- < lying in bed and closing
the eyes Carb-v.
- Anxiety aggravated by upward or
downward motion; going in an elevator; < till 23 h. Borx.
- Anxious about business even
when seriously ill Bry.
- Full of apprehensions in the
evening Caust.
- Anxiety and fears in the
evening with restlessness and palpitation Calc.
- Anxiety < lying still. Sad
music > Mang-act.
- Anxiety due to fright, fear,
exciting news; stage fright; < appearing for examination or interview etc
Gels.
- Anxiety due to grief or shock
in the subconscious mind Ign.
- Anxiety; > after eating
Anac.
- P.S :- Rescue Remedy is another
very good option.
TIPS TO OVERCOME FEAR !!
1. Identify your fear. Exactly what are you afraid of?
2. Analyze your fear. Is your fear rational? Will it hurt you? Fear is a
good thing if it keeps you safe and prevents you from getting eaten by a wild
animal or burned by a fire. Most fears, however, are of things that won’t harm
us. Those are the fears we need to banish.
3. Use gradual desensitization. Start small. Take baby steps to
gradually melt the fear away. If your dream is to travel, start travelling in a
“safe” way with someone to hold your hand until you’re ready to stand on your
own.
4. Consider what others are doing. If they can do it, why can’t you?
What do “they” have that you don’t? Chances are: nothing.
5. Change the way you think and you change the way you act. You can
control your thoughts. Whenever you find yourself dwelling on the things you’re
afraid of, change your thoughts to think positive thoughts about the good parts
of your dream.
6. Be on the offensive rather than defensive. The vast majority of those
things you fear will never happen. What you imagine is nearly always worse than
the truth. Just start walking and face the fear.
7. Go public about your fear. Somehow there is power in letting it out.
Tell everyone how scared you are and, chances are, the fear will dissipate.
Getting Over Lost Love (HEART BREAK) !!
HEART BREAK !!
“Breaking up is hard to do,” just as the song title says. An emotional
wound like this happens to most of d people at some point in our lives. With
the break up comes a sense of rejection, insecurity, fear, and hopelessness
that can be overwhelming.
things u can do is......
- wishing that things were different than the way they are.
- Remember that in time you will heal. You can learn to take good care of
yourself and make the emotional hurt serve your growth.
- Talk to a friend or a Counselor, someone who can give you perspective
and understanding.
- Allow yourself time to heal. Avoid rebounding into another
relationship.
- Invest time and energy in yourself. Learn something new.
- Do something you have always wanted to do so that you expand your
horizons.
- Remember that the initial raw pain will subside. A wounded heart
requires time to heal just as does a broken leg.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol, they only delay the pain.
- Read something Inspirational
Capture the beauty of time shared together, and note the valuable life
lessons learned. Be thankful for having experienced love, and know that you are
a better person because of it.
No challenge is ever presented to us, if we are un-able to handle it.
For those currently in relationships, cherish and honor your partner for
who they are as form and formless Beings. Accept the reality that life is full
of change, and dance with the changes and challenges as they come. And when
they come, view each one as an opportunity for personal growth – when you do
that, nothing is lost.
PTSD
If you went through a traumatic experience and are having trouble
getting back to your regular life and reconnecting to others, you may be
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When you have PTSD, it
can seem like you’ll never get over what happened or feel normal again. But
help is available – and you are not alone. If you are willing to seek
treatment, stick with it, and reach out to others for support, you will be able
to overcome the symptoms of PTSD and move on with your life.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop
following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel
helpless. Most people associate PTSD with battle-scarred soldiers – and
military combat is the most common cause in men – but any overwhelming life
experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event is perceived as
unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally
experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the
pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It
can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the
actual trauma.
Traumatic events that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
include:
War
Rape
Natural disasters
A car or plane crash
Kidnapping
Violent assault
Sexual or physical abuse
Medical procedures (especially in
kids)
SYMPTOMS
Following a traumatic event, almost everyone experiences at least some
of the symptoms of PTSD. It’s very common to have bad dreams, feel fearful or numb,
and find it difficult to stop thinking about what happened. But for most
people, these symptoms are short-lived. They may last for several days or even
weeks, but they gradually lift.
If you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), however, the symptoms
don’t decrease. You don’t feel a little better each day. In fact, you may start
to feel worse. But PTSD doesn’t always develop in the hours or days following a
traumatic event, although this is most common. For some people, the symptoms of
PTSD take weeks, months, or even years to develop.
The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can arise
suddenly, gradually, or come and go over time. Sometimes symptoms appear
seemingly out of the blue. At other times, they are triggered by something that
reminds you of the original traumatic event, such as a noise, an image, certain
words, or a smell. While everyone experiences PTSD differently, there are three
main types of symptoms, as listed below.
Re-experiencing the traumatic event
Intrusive, upsetting memories of
the event
Flashbacks (acting or feeling
like the event is happening again)
Nightmares (either of the event
or of other frightening things)
Feelings of intense distress when
reminded of the trauma
Intense physical reactions to
reminders of the event (e.g. pounding heart, rapid breathing, nausea, muscle
tension, sweating)
PTSD symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing
Avoiding activities, places,
thoughts, or feelings that remind you of the trauma
Inability to remember important
aspects of the trauma
Loss of interest in activities
and life in general
Feeling detached from others and
emotionally numb
Sense of a limited future (you
don’t expect to live a normal life span, get married, have a career)
PTSD symptoms of increased arousal
Difficulty falling or staying
asleep
Irritability or outbursts of
anger
Difficulty concentrating
Hypervigilance (on constant “red
alert”)
Feeling jumpy and easily startled
Other common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
Anger and irritability
Guilt, shame, or self-blame
Substance abuse
Depression and hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts and feelings
Feeling alienated and alone
Feelings of mistrust and betrayal
Headaches, stomach problems,
chest pain
GETTING HELP FROM HOMOEOPATHY
Homoeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic
treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological
condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing
examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the
patient, physical and mental constitution etc.
“ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND ITS HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT”
Anorexia nervosa, commonly referred to simply as anorexia, is one type
of eating disorder. More importantly, it is also a psychological disorder.
Anorexia is a condition that goes beyond out-of-control dieting. A person with
anorexia initially begins dieting to lose weight. Over time, the weight loss
becomes a sign of mastery and control. The drive to become thinner is actually
secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one's body. The
individual continues the endless cycle of restrictive eating, often accompanied
by other behaviors such as excessive exercising or the overuse of diuretics,
laxatives, and/or enemas in order to reduce body weight, often to a point close
to starvation in order to feel a sense of control over the body. This cycle
becomes an obsession and, in this way, is similar to any type of addiction.
Who is at risk for anorexia?
Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female, but males
can develop the disorder as well.
What causes anorexia?
At this time, no definite cause of anorexia nervosa has been determined.
However, research within the medical and psychological fields continues to
explore possible causes.
Some experts feel that demands from society and families could possibly
be underlying causes for anorexia. For many individuals with anorexia, the
destructive cycle begins with the pressure to be thin and attractive. A poor self-image
compounds the problem.
Other researchers feel that this disorder can stem from a particular
dysfunction often seen in families of anorexia patients. In one particular type
of dysfunction, family members become so interdependent that each cannot achieve
their identity as an individual. Thus, family members are unable to function as
healthy individuals and are dependent on other family members for their
identity. In children, part of this dysfunction includes a fear of growing up
(especially girls). Restrictive dieting may prevent their bodies from
developing in a normal manner
And, in their thinking, restricts the maturational process and maintains
the parent-child relationship that the family has come to rely on. Other family
situations that have been suggested, but not proved, as possibly being related
to the development of anorexia nervosa include high parental expectations, poor
communications skills, and problems with conflict management.
Some studies also suggest that a genetic (inherited) component may play
a role in determining a person's susceptibility to anorexia. Researchers are
currently attempting to identify the particular gene or genes that might affect
a person's tendency to develop this disorder.
Although no organic cause for anorexia has been identified, some
evidence points to a dysfunction in the part of the brain (hypothalamus) which
regulates certain metabolic processes. Other studies have suggested that
imbalances in neurotransmitter (brain messenger chemicals involved in signaling
processes levels in the brain may occur in people suffering from anorexia.
Symptoms of anorexia
There are many symptoms for anorexia, some individuals may not
experience all of they symptoms. The symptoms include: Body weight that is
inconsistent with age, build and height (usually 15% below normal weight).
Some other symptoms of anorexia are:
1.Loss of at least 3 consecutive menstrual periods (in women).
2.Not wanting or refusing to eat in public
3.Anxiety
4.Weakness
5.Brittle skin
6.Shortness of breath
7.Obsessiveness about calorie intake
Homeopathic medicines are known to have deep effect on human economy and
have been found effective in various psychological and devlopmental disorders. The
focus of homeopathy is not to treat the isolated symptoms of Anorexia but to
treat the person as a whole. Not only the symptoms of Anorexia but also the
general physical and mental constitution of the patient, past medical history,
medical history of parents, information about pregnancy and vaccination - all
are used to find the probable cause in a given case and based on the final
analysis a remedy is chosen for a patient.
HOMOEOPATHY IN MENTAL DISORDERS!!
The Challenge of Psychiatric Conditions
Psychological disorders pose one of the biggest health challenges today.
According to one study, one out of five suffers from psychological disorders.
The trend is rising. The common causes, apart from biological causes,
are setbacks in life, grief, poor coping skills, faulty upbringing, high pace
& high demands of modern life, complex social structure, rapidly changing
human values, lack of role models, poor support system, influence of media etc.
Our society is changing fast and the demands are challenging. These
demands call for in-depth acceptance and constant adjustments.
Everything happening at personal, social, professional or day-to-day
life has profound psychological impact. Job stress and poor interpersonal
skills at both social and family level are beginning to show its effect. Modes
of communication are rising but true communication is lacking.
More and more people feel misunderstood, alone and unwanted. Emotions
are unsatisfied and mind management skills are lacking.
Result is obvious. This affects people’s ability to think, feel, act and
relate in effective manner. They affect the happiness and progress in life.
Psychological complaints are rising alarmingly. And to add there are
many organic and functional disorders. The world needs a healing system, which
has safe and effective treatment for such complaints. The answer lies in
homeopathy. It is the most safe and effective treatment method of
psychological, psycho somatic and psychosexual complaints.
The Advantage of Homoeopathic Psychiatry
It is effective in treating
psychiatric diseases and gives peace of mind.
It improves alertness &
functioning of mind. It does not make mind dull.
It is safe for all ages and
conditions. It has no side effects.
It does not create dependence.
It is proactive and prevents
sickness from developing.
It has unmatched reputation in
treating psychosomatic conditions helping at both physical and mental level
simultaneously.
It is suitable for both acute and
chronic phases of sickness.
It values the significance of person’s
thoughts, feelings, behavior as well as life incidents & circumstances.
It very well deals with emotional
traumas and pent up emotions.
It can deal with chemical
imbalance in brain and brings that back to balance
Homeopathy has given high emphasis on psychology and personality of the
person to be treated of any physical disease or psychological complaint.
It takes mind and body as a complete whole. Its treatment of
psychological complaints is positive i.e. it not only relieves complaints but
also makes the person more functional to become more adaptable and better
equipped to handle stress of life.
Homeopathy understands and values minute feelings and also physical
impact of emotions. It does not ridicule strange looking feelings and
sensations but takes them as important messages of inner health. It ‘cures’ the
root cause of psychological complaint be it impact of grief, disappointment or
discord in personal life. It can even resolve pent up emotions & bad
memories. It is said to restores the chemical imbalance in brain.
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