Understanding Stress, Anxiety, Panic, or Phobia
Stress, anxiety, tension, panic, and phobias are fundamental to human experience – indeed that of all creatures. The instinct to fight or flee from perceived threat is built into DNA and basic internal brain structures and brain chemistry. Instinctive brain structures such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and others – the so-called “reptilian brain” – govern survival mechanisms.
When these natural instincts become pathological – a limitation of freedom, something from which you cannot move on beyond – there is a need for treatment. At this juncture, there are basically two types of reactions: acute and chronic.
Acute stress, anxiety, panic, or phobia is sudden, transient, and in response to an actual life circumstance. These occur when life, well-being, livelihood, or safety are threatened. This is readily treated by answering the Q&A section and taking the chosen eRemedy. Immediate relief can be expected.
Chronic anxiety, stress, or panic states are based in a misperception of reality. Delusional thinking perceives threats where they don’t really exist in the moment. This may come from past traumas that have left imprints on brain function. Such misperceptions are not likely to be relieved by Q&A and eRemedies. A better solution is to see a classical homeopathic practitioner who can go deeper into the entire story.
Once a threat is perceived, a cascade of involuntary responses ensue. Adrenaline and dopamine rise instantly. Heart rate increases, pupils dilate, sweat is enhanced, mouth becomes dry.
A primary response is called “hyperventilation,” characterized by rapid shallow breathing. The internal experience is that you feel you are not getting enough oxygen, even though the opposite is true. It is a primitive response to enable running or fighting if needed. Of course, in complex modern lifestyle situations, these are not possible.
A difficulty in hyperventilation has to do more with carbon dioxide (CO2) than with oxygen (O2). Carbon dioxide acts like a sedative to the brain, helps us fall asleep, and keeps us calm. In hyperventilation, carbon dioxide is blown off, so anxiety and panic are enhanced. The common medical advice is to breath into a bag into order to re-breathe the carbon dioxide, rising blood levels, and helping you to calm down. Easier said than done! In a panicky state, very few people can do this successfully.
Doctors tend to give anti-anxiety medications, usually benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, etc.). These do help in the moment, but they carry side effects. In a large proportion of people with addictive tendencies, these medications create addictions which are very challenging to recover from.
A natural treatment for rapid relief is a Bach Flower Remedy called Rescue Remedy. If you have access to this in health food stores, this is a safe and effective way to deal with such things as acute work stress, exam phobias, performance anxiety, fright, etc.
A more precise method of dealing with such acute conditions is to take an eRemedy after completing the Q&A. For this, go to https//eremedyonline.com.