That summer he sang amazing solos in concerts, had a big party for his birthday and went out to the beach with friends. His social anxiety massively reduced and has never been back to that level since’.
Mum, UK – After homeopathic treatment June 2017
In clinic I see a wide variety of anxiety issues in teens and adults. Often there is a definite trigger, such as a death of a friend or family member, parental separation, bullying or trauma. Increasingly there is a link with the use of social media, difficulty with friendship groups and pressures at school or college. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.
During the homeopathic consultation I explore how the individual copes in the world, physically, mentally and psychologically – rather than always finding a reason or ‘blaming’ the behavior on a person or a situation.
Each person presenting with anxiety may require different remedies as they will be responding and ‘coping’ in different ways. For some clients the anxiety they experience is so intense that it causes them to become self-conscious and painfully embarrassed. They may have difficulty breathing, start to sweat, blush, tremble or shake and feel nauseas. They may experience muscle tension and diarrhoea, their voice may become shaky and their hands cold and clammy, they cannot make eye contact or having a normal conversation with others in public.
Social Anxiety Disorder can wreak havoc and disrupt daily life for suffers and is not very well understood.
When you have Social Anxiety Disorder, your anxiety or fear is out of proportion to the situation. You then start to worry about the symptoms of the disorder and avoid situations that may trigger them for example interacting with strangers, avoiding situations in which you may be judged, avoiding situations where you might embarrass or humiliate yourself or become the centre of attention, avoiding activities such as hobbies, school projects, etc. This creates a vicious cycle that can make symptoms worse.
Treating Social Anxiety with Homeopathy
Many people have experienced a tremendous amount of relief from their social anxiety thanks to homeopathy.
I have a son who is 15 and on the autistic spectrum. He suffered from really high levels of social anxiety which was seriously debilitating. After we came to see Mary and she gave him some specific remedies and something in him changed really dramatically. Instead of receiving texts telling me that he felt so horrible and didn’t know what to say to anyone, I started receiving texts telling me things like ‘Mum, I actually feel OK’, ‘I don’t feel awkward’ and ‘it’s going well’. For me to hear that he was doing well without my support was amazing.
Mum, UK
Homeopathy takes a holistic approach to health and treats the whole person and recognises that all responses on these levels are important in the healing process.
Here are some Homeopathic remedies which help with Social Anxiety. You may be able to discern some of the remedies which may be of help for you but professional help is always a good idea:
Aconite – The key symptom of Aconite to be used as a homeopathic remedy for Social Anxiety is the ‘suddenness of symptoms’. Anxiety or distress will come very suddenly and without any warning. Feeling of impending doom.
Arsenicum Album – Often with depression and particularly when there are gastric symptoms of indigestion and diarrhoea, combined with panic. Somebody doing well with Arsenicum will probably be neat, tidy but restless. They may look anxious and drawn.
Arsenicum – Fear is a prominent symptom, causing apprehension and dread, with an overwhelming feeling that everything will go wrong. These can be patients that are hard to reassure.
Argentum Nitricum – this remedy is more suited to people who are in a constant state of anxiety. It differs from Aconite which is used when the attacks of anxiety are sudden in nature and are violent. In Argentum patients the anxiety is not violent but is constant. The patient that requires Argentum lives in a world full of fear, irrational impulses and a forsaken feeling. The thought of meeting a new person gives palpitations, trembling, a cramping pain in the abdomen and at times a strong urge to pass stool. Argentum patients avoid crowded places, parties etc.
Ambra Grisea – This is an unbeatable remedy for melodramatic, timid people who get hysterically numb with Agoraphobia, they dread people, desire to be alone, and are unable to do anything in the presence of others. They are unable to express themselves, and must make tremendous effort to keep any conversation going. They are very self-conscious about what others will think about them regarding their personal habits and work. These patients are weakened by age or overwork, are anaemic and sleepless.
Baryta Carbonicum – This remedy is suggested to individuals who lack confidence, are bashful, confused, have no friends, fear strangers and grieve over trifles. They have mental weakness and are under-sensitive to pain. They are dependant in their relationships and are easily suppressed. They stay aloof, inhibited and fantasize that everyone is laughing at them.
Gelsemium – This remedy is recommended for coward, timid persons who have ailments from stage fright, fear of falling, fear of crowds and exciting news. With fear, they feel almost paralyzed, start trembling with muscular twitching, become sluggish, dizzy and desire to be quiet and left alone. Their face gets red, hot with fear and they start stammering preceding any event such as a public performance, an interview, a test, impending visit to the dentist, etc.
Natrum Muriaticum – The primary characteristic underlying Natrum Muriaticum is introversion arising out of a feeling of great vulnerability to emotional injury. Natrum mur. patients are emotionally very sensitive and feel that any form of rejection, ridicule, humiliation or grief would be personally intolerable. Consequently, they create a wall of invulnerability, become enclosed in their own worlds, and prefer to maintain control over their circumstances. They avoid being hurt at all costs.
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