Tips for Anxiety – ChatterTip April 2013
Since we gave you some Tips for Minor Accidents last year for Aries, this time I’m going with some Tips for Dealing with Anxiety. Whenever you feel anxious about something, it is the Planet Mars at work. Just miss that train? Wonder when the next one is coming? Will you make it to your important meeting on time now? Did you remember to bring the right notes or are they still sitting on your desk at home? Mars literally speeds time up, and because of that Anxiety, we become more prone to those Accidents!
Anxiety is described as a state of apprehension or fear that surfaces in the face of danger, but nowadays our everyday lives in the “modern world” can be so stressful that we can easily become anxious, even when our lives are not in danger. As a natural “fight or flight” response to some potential peril the body prepares itself through Adrenaline to cope with the threatening situation – we’ve all heard of people who after a bad car accident suddenly have the strength to free themselves from the wreckage, or rescue their child from some imminent danger. In normal circumstances, they might not have been able to do what they did, but under extreme anxiety and with the adrenaline pumping, they found that inner reserve they didn’t even know they possessed. But what happens when that state of Anxiety takes over? Not so good. The adrenaline is still produced, but it is not utilized, so the body goes into a state of physiological confusion, or what’s known as a panic attack. Re-occurring panic attacks can turn into Chronic Anxiety, ultimately leading to a constant state of worry and depression. In other words, it can take you right out of your game!
Chinese herbalism might suggest Ginseng, and treatment would be designed to strengthen the spleen and enliven the liver. Traditional folk remedies for Anxiety suggest Oats, which I find very interesting, and starting your day off with a bowl of Oatmeal is not only said to be great nutrition, but also aids in reducing depression. Who knew? Other useful herbs are Skullcap (notice the blatant anatomical reference to the head – we are still talking about Aries, after all!) and Valerian. A tea made with Lady’s Slipper and Lime Blossom may also work to ease anxiety and tension. And another interesting note, while we’re mentioning Lime, is my favorite cure for a headache (again, we’re dealing with Aries), which is to take a piece of fresh Lime and simply rub it on your temples and forehead. Repeat a few times and see how that headache starts to dissipate – and it costs a lot less than Advil or Aspirin! For the bath, it is suggested using a blend of relaxing essential oils, such as Lavender, Geranium and Bergamot.
An increase in the intake of Vitamin B is said to help the nervous system, and in Homeopathy, Aconite (or Monkshood) is used to dispel a sudden panic attack, and Arsenicum (or White Arsenic) may be useful if you feel insecure, restless or tired (notice they both begin with the letter “A”). And for the Bach Flower Essences, Elm is used to help feelings of being unable to cope, Red Chestnut when dealing with the welfare of others, and Aspen (another “A” word) for anxiety that is caused by no reason in particular! And last but not least, Rescue Remedy, which my sister and I used constantly when dealing with the stress of losing both parents and everything else that accompanied those emotional and physically stressful times. Rescue Remedy is an equal blend of 5 essences – Cherry Plum for feelings of desperation, Rock Rose to ease terror, fear or panic, Impatiens to soothe irritability and agitation (that’s pretty funny since Aries can be pretty “impatient!”), Clematis to counteract the tendency to drift away from the present (well, if the present is making you feel kind of anxious, who wouldn’t want to drift away some place else?), and Star of Bethlehemto address the mental and physical symptoms of shock.