"We are, perhaps, uniquely among the earth's creatures, the worrying animal. We worry away our lives." ~Lewis Thomas
We all have things that scare us, so a certain amount of fear and or anxiety is
actually healthy. It is a premonition of danger and allows our body to prepare itself for an imminent threat. This might turn into a phobic reaction if your fear is irrational and inhibits you from acting. A phobia is a stress related disorder, that is an over-exaggeration of fear and terror towards a particular object or situation that is not in itself harmful. The harm is in the way you react when you perceive it. Some of the symptoms that you may experience are similar to a panic attack, they consist of sweating, rapid heart rate and breathing, trembling, and confusion, as well as abdominal pain and stomach cramps.There are three types of phobias that are recognized in the field of mental health.
- Simple phobia is a fear of insects, flying, elevators, escalators, some animals, etc.
- Social phobia is an intense fear of attending social events, speaking in public, etc.
- Agoraphobia is the most serious of all phobias because in extreme cases, you are afraid to leave your home and have an intense dread of public places.
Phobias, like panic attacks, are caused from childhood trauma, the way you are brought up, or by a myriad of fears that you can't quite explain. Try to figure out how unwarranted a fear is as well as how it effects your life. There are techniques to conquer your phobia such as behavior therapy, soothing herbs, homeopathic remedies, floral essences, herbal teas, aroma therapy, and relaxing exercises.
Help is on the way, Please read on.
Systematic desensitization is a type of behavior modification that consists of small amounts of exposure to the object or situation perceived as a threat so that the
phobia can be alleviated. A certified counselor or therapist will show you some relaxation techniques to utilize while confronting your fears. For example, an individual who has a fear of reptiles might begin a therapy session by reading about snakes and looking at pictures of them. In subsequent sessions, they might be asked to look at a caged snake, and eventually to hold one. If the phobia has to do with riding in a elevator, the therapist will go in an elevator with them until their fear subsides.
phobia can be alleviated. A certified counselor or therapist will show you some relaxation techniques to utilize while confronting your fears. For example, an individual who has a fear of reptiles might begin a therapy session by reading about snakes and looking at pictures of them. In subsequent sessions, they might be asked to look at a caged snake, and eventually to hold one. If the phobia has to do with riding in a elevator, the therapist will go in an elevator with them until their fear subsides.Find a comfortable, non-threatening place, and begin by inhaling deeply. This will activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers blood pressure, heart rate and relaxes tense muscles. Sit erect placing your hands on your rib cage. Feel your ribs expand and contract as you breath slowly and deeply.
Thinking in a positive manner is an excellent way to help yourself. Pay attention to your inner thoughts, and when something negative creeps up, do an about face and think about something positive. Instead of saying "I can't", say "I can and I will".
Now, I would like to speak about some medicinal teas which very helpful in alleviating phobias
- Valerian and Lemon Balm together alleviate anxiety, fear and help you to
sleep. They also have a soothing effect on the psyche. For extreme reactions, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp of each herb. Let the tea sit for 15 minutes and strain. Drink 1 cup 2-3 times a day. - Skullcap is a gentle sedative that helps you sleep as it soothes anxiety and muscle tension. Take 1 cup of boiling water and 1 tsp of the dried herb. Let sit for 10 minutes, strain and drink a few cups a day.
- St. Johns Wort may help to alleviate fear and anxiety that are accompanied my mild depression. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp of the herb, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drink 3-4 cups everyday. It takes about 3-4 weeks for optimum benefit.
Here are some floral essences which you may remember from my previous blogs. Place 4 drops of the oil under your tongue each day, or during an attack.
- Cherry Plum for fear and panic.
- Rockrose for sudden extreme panic and terror..
- Rescue Remedy for acute fear, anxiety, a panic attack, and rapid heart beat.
Let's not forget about Aromatherapy which has a calming and soothing effect. You can use scented oils such as Lemon Balm or Cedar which can create a relaxing ambiance and help to ease phobias.
Finally, there are some homeopathic remedies that are a great help. Let 3 pellets dissolve under your tongue.
- Aconite when symptoms get worse at night, your heart is racing, and you are feeling acute fear.
- Argentum Nitricum for test anxiety, fear of going on stage, bloating and diarrhea.
- Stramonium when you have a fear of darkness and being by yourself.
The information here is not meant to take the place of advice from your practitioner.
Remember that you are not alone, there is help if you want it.
References
The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers,
Pittsburgh, PA.
Robert W. White, The Abnormal Personality, The Ronald Press Co., N.Y. 1964
Pittsburgh, PA.
Robert W. White, The Abnormal Personality, The Ronald Press Co., N.Y. 1964
Posted by: Aravis on Sunday, January 20, 2008
So true about the desensatization. My husband bought a pet snake several years ago, and while I was sort of OK with it, I had nightmares all the time!! Knowing that she was harmless, I eventually took a turn at holding her. Once I was able to get to that point, I stopped having the nightmares!!! Great information!!