Anxiety is one of the most common complaints in doctors’ offices.
Modern life demands a lot of energy, attention, mobility and flexibility. There is less time for sleep and rest. We are almost always thinking, planning, solving problems every minute of the day. Life puts pressure on us to achieve more: successful careers, having a family, buying a house, taking care of aging parents, etc. We eat on the go, sleep less, and are always on electronic devices (it is hard not to as we are surrounded by them).
Thus, being anxious becomes part of life. It may start interfering with daily activities. There are certain genetic predispositions that can lead to high anxiety states:
- MTHFR mutations
- depression disorders,
- attention deficit disorder,
- digestive conditions (irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel diseases),
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),
- metabolic syndrome,
- endocrine imbalances (thyroid dysregulation, cortisol imbalance), and many others.
In addition, anxiety can be a side effect of pharmaceutical medications:
- Albuterol, salmeterol and theophylline
- Methyldopa
- Oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
- Benzedrine, Dexedrine, and Ritalin
- Steroids, cortisol, dexamethasone, prednisone
- Thyroid medications
- Cough medications
- Decongestants, such as phenylephrine (Sudafed PE).
To name a few.
It is not surprising that most the of population is anxious and may even develop anxiety disorders which can comprise around 3 million of cases in the USA.
How can naturopathic medicine help?
As naturopathic doctors will look at the whole person, take in-depth history and have a number of natural therapies to offer patients.
Anxiety is not always easily treated but if a patient follows the treatment plan and is open to trying different natural modalities, the results can be very promising – anxiety can be significantly diminished.
One of the principles of naturopathic medicine is to identify and remove the cause. Thus, before implementing therapies or even recommending medications, naturopathic doctors strive to pinpoint why anxiety is there in the first place. It can be challenging in some cases but through different types of testing (blood testing including) and history, naturopathic doctors with the help of patients can find the cause of chronic anxious states and reduce them.
Combination of homeopathic medicine, herbs, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, life style changes can help patient feel less anxious on day- to- day basis.