Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

It is perfectly natural to feel fluttering in the stomach or a thumping heart when giving a presentation in front of others, doing an interview or being observed while demonstrating a specialised skill. Most people adapt in such situations and will eventually relax and become unconcerned with the process. Yet, for others the anxiety they experience is so intense it causes them to become self-consciousness and 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. This disorder is not simply shyness. It is an extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in a social or performance situation.  A sufferer may avoid communication with the public as they are unwilling to draw attention towards themselves.  It can manifest in early childhood / teenage years  as a generalized social phobia around people other than their own family. It can also materialise when one has to speak, eat/drink in public and when one is being observed or introduced to others. Socially anxious people stay withdrawn as they dread making mistakes and being degraded in front of others. This thought process in turn affects their social skills, education, work and relationships.  People with this disorder may have few or no social or romantic relationships, making them feel powerless, alone, or even ashamed.

Social anxiety is not very well understood and can be misdiagnosed for Psychological disorders such as Manic Depression or Schizophrenia. 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.

Social Anxiety Disorder symptoms can change over time. They may flare up if you're facing a lot of stress or demands. Or, if you completely avoid situations that would usually make you anxious, you may not have symptoms. Avoidance may allow you to feel better in the short term but disregarding it will make your symptoms persist over the long term. Homeopathy will help you recover from Social Anxiety Disorder, lessen anxiety, help you stay calm, secure, sanguine, live a more productive life and make your world a more enjoyable place.

Treating  Social Anxiety  Disorder Symptoms with Homeopathy

Many people have experienced a tremendous amount of relief from their Social Anxiety Disorder thanks to homeopathy. This disorder affects your whole being. It can create a physical, behavioral and psychological reaction all at the same time.   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. 

Far from a “one-pill-fits-all” course of treatment, homeopathy is highly individualised taking into account each person’s own unique experience of the disorder i.e. when the disorder started,  how it impacts on your life, stresses, triggers and how you cope with it. A homeopathic remedy is then prescribed specifically to your needs.  Homeopathic remedies offer a non toxic, non addictive and non-invasive system of medicine for people of all ages.  They can be used safely alongside conventional medicine.

Listed hereunder are Homeopathic remedies to help with Social Anxiety Disorder: 

Aconite - I would rank Aconite as one of the top homeopathic remedies for Social Anxiety Disorder. The key symptom of Aconite to be used as a homeopathic remedy for Social Anxiety Disorder is the ‘suddenness of symptoms’. Anxiety or distress will come very suddenly and without any warning. Feeling of impending doom Aconite can be used in low potencies e.g. 30c every few minutes in treating acute anxiety attacks.

Arsenicum Album - One of the first medicines that I think of when I see someone with all the symp­toms of Social Anxiety Disorder with depression, 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 I have to try very hard to reassure and I will often use a 30c dose, three to four times a day, with Aconite 30c taken as needed if they are having additional panic attacks.

                                                                                                                                                    

Argentum Nitricum -  Argentum Nitricum actually leads the list of homeopathic remedies for disorders that are chronic. It 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. This remedy is suggested when there is marked anxiety before a big event like an interview, public speech or social gathering. These patients have a strong craving for sweets, salty and strong flavoured foods.

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.

Ignatia -  is the closest of all remedies to Natrum mur. In many respects, they are virtually identical. For this reason, they often replace one another in particular cases. Generally, Ignatia acts more superficially and is more likely to be indicated in cases where patients' reactions are more superficial. This remedy is indicated for emotionally sensitive patients who become nonverbal after a traumatic event. These patients have a marked hyperesthesia of all senses with disturbed coordination. These patients are alert, apprehensive, hysterically sensitive, easily excited, quick to perceive and close themselves off. They brood silently with mood swings and reject company with no communication at all.