Anxiety disorder

What is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder.  It is the concern or worry of the unknown future which is usually associated with palpitation/increased heart rate, shivering, nervousness, and sweating.

It is more common in females than males.

 Types of anxiety disorder

There is a vast variety of anxiety disorder according to DSM of mental disorders:

1.  Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

2.  Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

3.  Panic disorder.

4.  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

5.  Phobias- social and specific phobias.

6.  Substance-induced anxiety disorder.

1) GAD - This is the common anxiety disorder.  Here there is no specific concern or worry.  When a person continuously worrying for about 6 months related to daily routine issues then it is considered as generalized anxiety disorder.

 He will have problem in concentrating over daily events with sweating, increased heart rate, sleep disturbed, contraction of muscles/spasm of muscles etc.

 It is seen in children at the age group of 7-10 years.  Anxiety starts at this age in case of children with the symptoms:  Lack of concentration in studies, abdominal pain, irritability, headaches, increased heart rate, sweating, restlessness etc.

2) OCD - In this, there is continual obsessions which could be a non-specific persistent imagination or thought process and compulsions which could be a specific repetitive act or behaviour.

Example:  A person starts some work and keep on doing the same work again and again, or if he is washing his hand then again and again will wash his hands, if he has locked the door then again he will recheck and relock the door.

3) Panic Disorder - In panic attack, there is a brief attack of intense fear which is associated with trembling, sweating, nausea/vomiting sensation, breathlessness etc.

4) PTSD- This starts after a trauma or after extreme mental stress.  Eg- After accidents, abuse, any frightening incident, violence etc.In this disorder, there will be an attack of fear, flashbacks of the past events, increased heart rate, anger, irritability, depression and nightmares.

 5) Phobias - In this, there is fear and anxiety which is triggered by a specific situation or incident.  Here person usually avoid these specific type of situation or incident.

Phobias can be social and specific.

In social phobias- There is anticipation in every act or performance.  Fear of facing the society like social gatherings, meetings, functions.  Fear of facing the new.

In specific phobias- There is fear and anxiety triggered by a specific incident, object, subject, animal etc. like fear of height, fear of water, fear to animals, fear of human beings, fear of crowd etc.

6) Substance-induced anxiety - Certain medications continued since long time by the patients for chronic disorders may lead to substance-induced anxiety.  For example: Medications like – steroids, antidepressants, sedatives, antiparkinsonian, caffeine, over-the-counter pain medications, anti-diabetic medications etc.  Withdrawal of coffee, tea, alcohol, ginseng etc.

After a long use of above substances and a sudden withdrawal have the symptoms like irritability, anger, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, restlessness, sweating, forgetfulness, weakness and headaches.

Anxiety in children - Children may have anxiety due to any event in the past or in the school with friends or teachers.  They would have fear going to school due to the past experiences of punishments given by their teacher, a fight with the classmate, stage phobia, exam phobia etc.

Causes of anxiety disorder

 1.  Genetic- There would be a family history of anxiety or any psychological disorder.  This runs in a family.

2.  Stress- Any mental stress may lead to anxiety disorder like personal or professional stress.  Mental tension in the family due to certain disputes or could be a job related pressure.

3. Drugs- Abuse of certain drugs like steroids, anti-depressants, anti-diabetic, antiparkinsonian, caffeine, narcotics, certain beverages (tea, coffee, alcohol) and a sudden withdrawal of the drugs tend to cause anxiety in an individual.

4. Pre existing health issues - People suffering with chronic diseases such as skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis etc.), respiratory diseases (Asthma, COPD etc.), cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, MI, congenital heart disease etc.), neurological disorders (Epilepsy/seizures, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease etc.) may have anxiety disorder associated with the existing chronic disease.

Diagnosis of anxiety disorder

By taking the overall case history and the history of psychological illness in the family. History of any other associated medical history of chronic diseases.

Conventional treatment of anxiety disorder

Therapies and medications.

·        Therapies include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) – where people are treated by showing the evidences that what they feel and think is not true and the reality is completely different than they think.  This is a gradual therapy where the person is taken out, slowly approaching to the external environment and by introducing them to their provoking situations or things.  Showing them the actual reality behind it by convincing with solid evidences.

·        Meeting new people, visiting public places, crowded areas and showing them the real picture and positivity behind every single event or incidence.

·        Medications for anxiety disorder include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, tricyclic anti-depressants, MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors).

 Theses medications have many side-effects as the patient totally depends on the medicines and withdrawal of medications causes withdrawal symptoms like shivering, sweating, increased heart rate, irritability, restlessness, sleeplessness, or drowsy.  Without the medications they do not get sleep and with the medications they feel drowsy throughout.

Homeopathic treatment for anxiety disorder

Taken complete history of the patient and analyzed properly gives a constitutional medicine which helps the person in his overall health which includes his physical complaints as well as his mental complaints.

Homeopathic medicines work wonderful in psychiatric cases as this consider the past history, family history, childhood history, lifespan history, mental makeup of the person and thus touches the inner core of the patient as an individual.

There is a vast case taking method in psychiatric cases which enables a homeopathic physician to prescribe the medicine on an overall individual makeup of the person.

Homeopathic medicines have no side-effects so can be taken for longer duration as psychiatric cases take long time according to their severity and chronicity.  It helps to reduce the dependency on conventional medications.

It works wonderfully in an acute attack of anxiety, panic, fear and phobias.

Why Imperial Homeopathy for treatment of Anxiety Disorders ?

At Imperial Homeopathy we suggest Holistic Therapy for faster and safe recovery in anxiety neurosis. This holistic approach not only helps faster but also prevent relapse of anxiety even after medicines are stopped.

Holistic Therapy = Homeopathic medicines + Stress management techniques + Lifestyle modification + Dietary modification.

Based on the individual patient’s case details, we guide our patients how to add supportive tips in their routine. These tips are tailor made. Once the case is studied in detail, we share all these tips through mail or whatsapp.

This type of holistic treatment is unique and more effective than the other homeopathic treatments.