Ayurveda recommends a combination of medicines for internal administration and external applications. These medicines are in addition to counseling or treatment of the psyche and behaviour. The treatment process commonly recommended for management of anxiety include purgatives, enema, nasal instillation, streaming of medicated buttermilk, oil or decoctions on the forehead and application of medicated wet cakes on the head.
Ayurvedic treatment
Listed below are the compound medicines commonly used for management of anxiety.
5 grams of any one of the three medicines including Brahmi Ghrita, Kalyanak Ghrita or Pahchagavya Ghrita to be taken twice a day with milk.
20-30 millilitres of either Saeaswatarista or Aswagandharista to be taken after meals twice a day with equal proportion of water.
125 milligrams of Smriti Sagar Rasa to be taken with honey two or three times a day.
3-5 grams of Saraswata churna thrice a day with milk.
125 milligrams of Manasmitra vatika to be taken with water or milk thrice a day.
5 millilitres of Ksheerbala Tail to be taken orally with milk three times a day.
Dhanvantari Tail or Asanvilvadi Tail is recommended for causing profuse sweating and therefore removal of toxins from the body.
Tonics recommended for anxiety include any one of the following medicines: Kusumanda rasayana, Chayavanprash, Brahmi rasayana, Asvagandhavaleha or Shatavari Leha. Depending on the totality of your symptoms, ten grams of any one of these medicines is recommended once a day with milk.
HomoEopathic treatment
Detailed below are some of the medicines that are more commonly used to manage anxiety.
Arsenic Album : This is one of the most important medicines used in the management of anxiety. Symptom that respond well to this medicine are anxiety over small, trivial situations, associate fear of death or disease, intense mental restlessness and general physical weakness. In addition, there may be dryness of the mouth and you may need to sip water very frequently.
Aconite : This medicine is effective for severe fear and anxiety resulting from past experience of fright or shock.
Argentum Nitricum and Gelsimium : Both these medicines are useful in cases of anxiety in anticipation of meetings, interviews, exams, etc. Some people develop loose motions in anticipation of such situations.
Kali Phos : This medicine is commonly used for treating insomnia due to anxiety. It is usually prescribed as tablets in low potencies.
Natrum Mur and Ignatia : Both these medicines are very effective in managing anxiety when there is history of grief. It is especially effective for people who are usually reserved and do not express their sorrow. They are more likely to brood over situations and become anxious.
Aurum Met : This medicine is very effective for people who have anxiety with depression, to the extent that they become suicidal.
Staphysagria : It is effective if anxiety and depression is the result of suppressed emotions or indignation over unmerited insults.
Tranquil : This is a biochemic compound that is effective in treating anxiety without any apparent cause.
The present day life-style predisposes to immense stress and there is hardly a person who can claim to be free of anxiety in some form or the other. Homoeopathic medicines such as Tranquil are very effective in controlling the adverse effects of these stresses.
Naturopathic treatment
Nature cure recommends relaxation techniques, supportive behaviour and reassurance from friends and family, exercises and diet for management of anxiety. In case of severe or long-standing anxiety, counselling and other forms of treatment from a mental health specialist may be necessary. It is also important to live in a congenial atmosphere with fresh air, sunshine, calm and quiet place for relaxation and exercises and eat natural food. Above all, there is a need to develop self control that will enable you to remain calm in moments of stress and tension.
Self-control
The only sure method to control anxiety is to relax. Try to analyse the conditions or situations that cause anxiety and identify options or solution that you believe is most suited to you. Try to develop a positive attitude.
Support
Support from family and friends may provide temporary relief but it cannot prevent or cure anxiety. Seek their help to identify solutions and implement them. Their support will also help you to take up activities that interest you and help you direct your mind in gainful ways.
Physical measures
Treatment options with air, water, mud and exercises, especially yoga, are very effective for development of positive attitude and for relaxation.
Exercises
Exercise improves blood circulation, especially to the skin, clears the blood channels and maintains normal conditions of the nerves. It also reduces congestion to the brain and other organs of the body
Deep breathing is one of the most effective methods of relaxation. You can do it either while sifting or lying down, with both the nostrils or alternate nostrils .You should learn the correct method of deep breathing from a qualified person. If the technique is not correct, you may not have any benefits. You can practice deep breathing in the morning on empty stomach, just before going to sleep and whenever you feel exhausted, stressed or anxious during the day.
Sleep
Sleeping for six to eight hours in the night will restore the energy you have spent during the day. Regular practice of meditation, Shavasana and deep breathing will help you sleep better. It is important to remember that you should sleep about two to three hours after dinner so that the food is digested.
Music
Several research studies have persuasively indicated that listening to soft music can relax the mind and hasten recovery during illness.
Diet
Just as for all health problems, Nature cure lays special emphasis on diet. It is desirable to avoid adulterated and processed foods as they increase the production of ‘poisons’ in the body. These poisons contaminate the food and therefore irritate and reduce efficiency of various organs of the body. Natural foods are preferable.
Anxiety often leads to indigestion. This is because of improper chewing of the food, and reduced production of the digestive juices by irritated organs of the digestive system. Irrespective of the food intake, you will feel sick most of the times because of indigestion.
Avoid excess intake of starch, protein and fat such as oil, ghee, butter, etc. as they adversely affect normal chemical processes in the body. Eat foods that are rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. You should also avoid irritants such as condiments and spices, chilies, pickles, etc.
Your Nature cure doctor may recommend fasting or a juice diet for a few days in order to remove ‘poisons’ from the body.
Water and mud treatments
The following treatments options are effective for relaxation and soothing irritated nerves.
Neutral bath : Lie down in a bathtub filled with water slightly cooler than the body temperature (about 90-95 F) for thirty minutes to an hour. Neutral bath reduces the irritation of the nerves of the skin and therefore, results in a calm and relaxed feeling.
Full-wet-sheet pack : Wrap the body with a wet cloth dipped in cold water and wrap it with a blanket. Keeping the full-wet-sheet pack for 30-40 minutes relaxes the body and mind.
Cold water : Allow a stream of cold water to fall on the entire body for 2-3 minutes. Cold water shower results in relaxation by soothing the nerve ending of the skin.
Hot and cold application : Pouring hot water or doing hot fomentation of the backbone for 5-10 minutes followed by pouring cold water or doing cold fomentation of the backbone for 15-20 seconds results in relaxation.
Cold spinal bath : Lie down in a tub partially filled with cold water in such a way that only the backbone comes in contact with the water. In addition to relaxation, cold spinal bath for 30-45 minutes everyday also strengthens the nervous system.
Foot-bath : Alternate hot and cold foot bath is also an effective method for relaxation. Pour hot water on the feet for 3 minutes followed by cold water for 30 seconds. Instead of pouring water, you can also immerse the feet in hot and cold water alternately for the same time duration.
Warm bath : A warm bath just before you go to bed will help you relax and sleep well cold pack. A cold pack to the back of hand and neck provides good relaxation.
Walking : Walking bare foot on the snow or dew reduces congestion of the brain and therefore results in relaxation.
Massage : A whole body massage relaxes the tense muscles and nerves of the body.
Mud bath : Application of mud on the body once or twice a week relaxes the mind.
