Anxiety in Adolescents.
Anxiety in young adults seems to be on the rise, in fact anxiety in society in general is becoming more prolific. Why is this happening and what can you do?
Modern life pressures are affecting the younger generation on a huge scale, referrals to CAMHS have escalated in recent years and for every anxiety case I see in young adults they tell me of a handful more of their peers who are under CAMHS and many more on anti-depressants.
My most recent cases all have anxiety in common, but the reasons for their anxiety range from bullying, parental issues and pressure from academic and parental expectations. It can be difficult to spot the early signs of anxiety, typically teenagers become more private and withdrawn from their parents as they become more independent. I find a couple of the first tell-tale symptoms of anxiety is sleep disorders and eating habits. Anxiety can cause insomnia or the opposite, spending more time asleep, yet never feeling like they’ve slept enough. Disturbed sleep and troubled dreams are a complaint that I hear in almost all of my cases. Appetite can diminish or comfort eating can become out of control.
I tend to find constitutional homeopathic remedies can have a very positive affect on anxiety disorders. I’ve had 2 recent cases that have responded very well to Nat Mur, although I have used many other remedies in other cases. These 2 particular patients were both expressing their anxiety in different ways, with very differing physical symptoms from migraines, irritability & restlessness, difficulty in concentrating, memory lapses, panic attacks, nausea and IBS, aches and pains in the body, eating disorders and self harming, all of these ailments in these 2 cases were caused by a suppression of emotion from within, being unable to express their grief and feeling utterly overwhelmed by life and external pressures, “I cry on my own in my room, no one can see me” and “Whatever I am feeling inside I never let it show on my face” are statements I hear frequently, hence the potential for Nat Mur and its association with suppression of emotions and grief.
The remedies I use are chosen through a process of conversation and observation, getting to know the patient and listening for clues is paramount. Every piece of information offered (or extracted) from the patient is a determining factor in their treatment. There are many remedies indicated in cases of acute and chronic anxiety and seeing a qualified homeopath is beneficial in pinpointing the right course of action for each individual.