Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

MIND & EMOTIONS• 211PHOBIASA phobia is a fear so disabling that it affects a person’s ability to cope with everydaylife. Minor phobias are extremely common, but most people learn either to keepthem in check or to overcome their fears. Someone who is seriously phobic will beovertaken by an intense, irrational fear when confronted by the object of their phobia.CASE HISTORYMaria, 24, was phobic about havingcontracted AIDS. She was unable to touchanything for fear of passing it to othersand suffering unbearable guilt as a result.Maria’s fears had been exacerbated aftershe terminated a pregnancy, causing herto feel extremely guilty.Symptoms• Intense anxiety, even a panic attack, whenfaced with the object of the phobia.• Possible depression.• Possible obsessive-compulsive behavior inorder to avoid the perceived harmful effectsof the feared object.• Possible attempt to relieve the anxiety byconsuming alcohol or drugs.CausesA phobia may be the result of a personal pastexperience that was extremely unpleasant,or it may be “inherited”—from a parent,for example. It may be a fear that has beentransferred from another object or set ofcircumstances, or dredged up from thecollective unconscious—a term that is usedto describe the collective memory of thehuman species. Occasionally, phobias canbe due to organic disease such as epilepsyor to a brain tumor.There are various types of phobias.These include a fear of animals such asdogs, mice, spiders, or snakes, or a fearof situations, such as enclosed spaces(claustrophobia), or open or public places(agoraphobia). Social phobias involve adread of being in public, and anxietyabout being observed by other people.They may lead ultimately to an inabilityto speak or perform in public, to eatout in a restaurant, or even, in severecases, to use any public facilities at all.Conventional careIf, on examination, no organic cause ofa phobia is found, antianxiety drugs suchas tranquilizers may be prescribed. Morecommonly, antidepressant drugs are given,especially the “new” selective serotoninreuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac.These drugs are often combined with someform of behavioral therapy. This may involvedesensitization techniques, whereby the personis increasingly exposed to the object of fearwhile, at the same time, being instructedin relaxation techniques.Homeopathic medicineJust as a person’s psychological state providesclues about remedies for physical conditions,with a condition such as phobia it is often theaccompanying physical symptoms that indicatea specific constitutional remedy (see page 18).Argentum nit. is prescribed for multiple phobiasassociated with anxiety neuroses that originatein previous experiences. Calc. carb. may beused to treat fears of heights and open spaces;while Calc. phos. is often prescribed for phobiascentered around school. Phosphorus is used forfears that develop into phobias when thesufferer spends too much time alone. Otherconstitutional remedies include Aurum met.,Graphites, Ignatia, Lycopodium, Nat. carb.,Psorinum, Sepia, and Stramonium.Remedies given for specific symptomsinclude Borax, for fear of heights associatedwith a sensation of falling; Sulphur, when a fearof heights is associated with great giddiness;and Gelsemium, for a fear of appearing in publicassociated with weak limbs. Anacardium or.is used to treat the sensation of having a plugin the stomach, especially in performers;and Aconite is given for a fear of dyingwith palpitations.LifestyleParticularly in the case of claustrophobia,agoraphobia, and some animal phobias, if themotivation is strong enough, it may be possibleto desensitize oneself by very gradual exposureto the object of fear. It is advisable at the sametime to learn simple breathing or relaxationtechniques, or practice yoga, meditation, or taichi. Breathing techniques are able to defuseanxiety when it threatens to overwhelm. Drugsand alcohol should not be used in an attempt tosuppress fear since this may lead to dependence.CAUTION• If a person is feeling suicidal, contact theirdoctor or a counseling service immediately.• If simple fear is greatly interfering withdaily activities, consult a doctor.PERSONAL DETAILSMaria had been the victim of bullying atschool. She had left university becauseof depression and agoraphobia. She wassensitive, lacked confidence, and feltdetached from herself. She would decideon a course of action, but would then doubtthat she could see it through. She hadreceived psychiatric help.FOOD PREFERENCESMaria craved sweet foods, vinegar, andfat, particularly the fat on meat. She hatedlicorice, and avocados and bananas upsether digestion. She felt as though there wasa plug at the end of her gullet.GENERAL DETAILSMaria felt generally unwell after studyingor emotional stress. She disliked drafts andthe open air—particularly if it was cold—and was sensitive to strong smells. Shefelt worse in the morning and evening, butbetter for eating and hot baths. She wasprone to eczema on her wrists, and had lostmore than 20 lb (9 kg) in weight overnine months.PRESCRIPTION & FOLLOW-UPMaria was given Anacardium or. andadvised to write about the terminationto release her suppressed feelings. Onemonth later, she felt better and was lessdepressed. She was better able to makedecisions, except before menstruation.She was given Alumina to takepremenstrually. Soon after Maria went intodramatic decline, having learned that thefather of the baby she had lost might moveinto the area. She felt angry, guilty, andhurt. Anacardium or. was repeated and,with behavioral therapy, she was able toovercome her phobia. It recurred briefly,but over the next few months, with Lac can.for fatigue and headaches that she haddeveloped and repeat doses of Anacardiumor., Maria made a full recovery.