My Top Five Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety
‘At least we got one day between the pandemic ending and the start of the war.’
Comedian Stewart Lee, Brighton Dome, Feb 25th 2022
We are all feeling the strain of the war in Ukraine, hot on the heels of the pandemic, which followed the political turmoil of Brexit. Stress has been high on the agenda for the last seven years and that is now giving rise to a surge in anxiety, with many people feeling that they have reached a tipping point or that they can’t cope any longer.
Although we share many of the same feelings at this time, each person’s experience will be different - which is why using the individualised medicine that is homeopathy for anxiety makes perfect sense right now.
If you have symptoms of anxiety, join me to learn which homeopathic remedies will work for you.
What is anxiety?
When our natural reactions to external stressors – broadly speaking flight, fight or freeze – become embedded over the long term, the accompanying rise in stress hormones (eg cortisol, adrenalin) starts to affect us physically and mentally and we see the symptoms of anxiety.
We might experience anxiety in a variety of ways:
panic attacks
racing or spiralling thoughts
excessive tension, worrying and catastrophising
fatigue and brain fog
insomnia
aches
rashes
palpitations
sweating
loss of appetite or turning to junk/comfort food
using drink or drugs to self-medicate
Can homeopathy help with anxiety?
The good news is that homeopathy for anxiety has been used successfully for the last 200 years and you can buy it over the counter at chemists and health food shops, including those commonly found on the high street.
If you are keen to use natural remedies for anxiety then homeopathy would be an excellent start, but they can also work alongside medication from your GP. I would always encourage you to seek advice from your medical practitioner if you feel you need it.
Patients I’ve treated using homeopathy report feeling calmer and more able to relax and sleep. Most experience a reduction in feelings of anxiety which then lessens physical symptoms. They feel more able to face the challenges of their lives.
How to choose the right homeopathic remedy for anxiety
Homeopathy differs from other forms of medicine as you choose the remedy based on your own experience of anxiety, including how it came about, the symptoms you have, and the kind of person you are.
With a herbal remedy, most people with anxiety will benefit from a generic treatment such as lavender or valerian. In homeopathy, the remedy must fit the person and their experience specifically, so that two people experiencing anxiety may need two completely different remedies.
An additional benefit of using homeopathic remedies over the counter is that they will never interact with other medications and have no toxic side effects.
My Top 5 homeopathic remedies for anxiety
These are remedies you can buy over the counter to help yourself if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Try to match the remedy to your experience (but don’t worry if not everything applies):
Aconite
Feelings – you feel intense, overwhelming anxiety that comes on very suddenly with fear of death and foreboding
Personality – you are a strong person who suffered a sudden trauma and was laid low with anxiety, restlessness and panic
Symptoms – panic attacks with flushed face, palpitations, shortness of breath. Phobia of impending disaster; an exaggerated startle reflex. Everything takes on a life or death quality
Cause – trauma or sudden shock
Ignatia
Feelings – you start to feel heightened anxiety or hysterical grief following a loss
Personality – you are a sensitive, alert, emotional person
Symptoms – hypersensitivity to light, noise and emotion; laughing or crying uncontrollably; fainting fits; deep sighs; feeling a lump in the throat
Cause – emotional shock, bereavement or relationship breakup
Arsenicum Album
Feelings – you feel vulnerable with high anxiety and a need to be in control, this can tip into obsessions
Personality – you may be extremely fearful of losing everything including health, wealth, possessions and loved ones. Seeing the world as a chaotic place makes you anxious and insecure, so you become a perfectionist with an eye for detail as a means to combat fear of loss
Symptoms – Exhausted but restless; insomniac; anxiety leading to stomach problems and asthma
Cause – financial losses, abandonments and losses
Arg Nit
Feelings – you suffer the most intense anxiety, which is impulsive, occurs in anticipation of an event and creates shaking and extreme nervousness
Personality – a nervous person with an overactive mind, you are prone to phobias and irrational impulses. You dislike feeling trapped and always wants an escape route
Symptoms – Anxiety and wakefulness at night, sugar cravings, diarrhoea as part of nervous anticipation
Cause – Anticipation of an event (eg dentist, public speaking, performance). Fright
Gelsemium
Feelings – Like Arg Nit, the Gelsemium person has anticipatory fears but expresses them with shaking, trembling and a feeling of paralysis. You can be paralysed with fear
Personality – You fear failure and losing control in public. You wants to be left alone and quiet; you feel weak, tired and shut down
Symptoms – Trembling, apathy and drowsiness. Symptoms come on just before public speaking, unlike Arg Nit which can build for weeks or days
Cause – Hearing bad news; fright; fear; trauma; upcoming events
How to take homeopathic remedies for anxiety
Once you’ve selected the remedy that most closely fits your situation – which might take a bit more research if you can’t find a match for you within these five – here’s how to take it:
While anxieties are running high, chose a 200c strength (potency).
If 30c is all you can get, choose that
Take one pillule and wait for an hour to see how it goes
If your symptoms improve, don’t take any more
If symptoms improve but then return, take another pillule
If nothing happens, repeat over five days
If no change is observed by the end of the five days, seek another remedy
Should I see a homeopath?
If the remedies aren’t helping with your anxiety within a fortnight, or if they help but don’t stop the problem, consider seeing a professional homeopath like me to guide you back to balance.
Here’s an analogy for you - if anxieties are like a crop of roses with blackspot, as a homeopath I seek to treat not the roses but the soil they are growing in. When the soil is healthy the whole organism comes back into balance and the roses can flourish again.
If you'd like to explore the possibility of us working together, do book a free 30 minute Discovery Call with me. Meanwhile, have a look at my work on easy stress-reduction techniques to find out how to relax today.
Where to buy homeopathic remedies
On the High Street - Boots, Holland and Barrett and Neal's Yard
try your local chemist or health food shop
Online - Helios Homeopathy
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