Natural Anxiety Disorder & Panic Attack Treatment – Perth clinic

Natural Treatment of Anxiety & Panic Disorders – Perth clinic

Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger, enhancing cardiac output and alertness in a fight or flight situation. There are a number of effective natural treatments for anxiety that focus on balancing the brain chemistry without the need for pharmaceutical medications.

Anxiety disorder is a medical condition characterised by persistent, excessive worry or fear.

Anxiety disorders can take a number of different forms:

• Generalised anxiety disorder: persistent, excessive or unrealistic worry
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): uncontrollable compulsions or obsessions
• Panic disorder (acute anxiety disorder): characterised by panic attacks associated with an overwhelming sense of disaster
• Phobia: intense, irrational fear of everyday objects or situations
• Hypochondriasis: a belief that physical symptoms are a sign of serious illness, even when there is no medical evidence to support the presence of an illness; unrealistic fear of having a serious disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a type of anxiety disorder which occurs after seeing or experiencing traumatic event(s) that involve the threat of injury or death (e.g. assault, domestic violence, rape, prison term, war etc)
• Social Anxiety: difficulty to interact in social situations, increased self-consciousness, inability to relax and relate in social situations, particularly large groups, with new people and in unfamiliar environments  

Some people may have more than one type of anxiety disorder, and may also experience other mental health issues such as stress, depression or ADHD.

Causes of Anxiety Disorder

The cause of anxiety disorders is often a result of several interacting factors, including stressful life events and personality traits. It may also result from medications, drugs or medical conditions. 

The direct cause is thought to be an over-stimulation of the HPA axis, leading to an increased output of cortisol and catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine).

Clinically, many factors present in anxious individuals, some of the most common contributing factors are;

• Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as dopamine, adrenalin, noradrenalin and serotonin
• MTHFR polymorphisms causing imbalances in methylation
• Nutrient imbalances
• B Vitamin deficiencies in the cell
• Pyrrole Disorder
• High Copper to zinc ratio
• SIBO
• Gut dysbiosis
• Hormonal imbalances
• Poor diet, lifestyle and/or environment

Risk factors

• Family history
• Anxious family environment
• Traumatic early life experiences
• Female gender: twice as many women as men suffer anxiety
• Prolonged stress
• Low blood sugar
• Hyperthyroidism
• Alcohol of substance abuse (e.g. methamphetamines)
• Certain medications e.g. Ventolin, thyroxine, diet pills
• Iron deficiency
• Sleep deprivation

Signs & symptoms – Anxiety

Vary depending on type and severity of disorder, but may include:

• Persistent or excessive worry
• Fast heart rate or palpitations
• Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• Upset stomach
• Muscle tension or aches
• Increased sweating
• Trembling
• Dizziness or faintness
• Loose stools
• Frequent urination
• Reduced salivation and dry mouth
• Difficulty swallowing

Signs & symptoms – Panic attacks

Panic attacks start suddenly and unpredictably. Symptoms peak within 10 to 20 minutes and may continue for an hour or more. They often mimic the symptoms of heart attack. At least 4 of the following symptoms must be present:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Dizziness or faintness
• Fear of dying, losing control or impending doom
• Feeling of choking
• Feelings of detachment or unreality
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Numbness or tingling in hands, face or feet
• Palpitations, tachycardia or pounding heart
• Shortness of breath of sensation of smothering
• Sweating, chills or hot flushes
• Trembling or shaking

NATURAL TREATMENT STRATEGY FOR ANXIETY 

• Balance Neurotransmitter levels
• Clear any pathogenic bacteria in gut and small intestine
• Balance methylation
• Calm sympathetic nervous system response / support GABA production
• Regulate HPA axis and support adrenal function
• Balance minerals and ensure sufficient supply of vitamins getting into the cells
• Manage stress
• Balance blood sugar levels
• Identify and address any underlying drivers (e.g. stimulants, external stressors, medication or drug use, insomnia, hypoglycemia, food allergies, hyperthyroidism, iron deficiency etc.)

Diet plan guidelines for Anxiety

• Balanced, whole food, low-GI, high fibre diet to ensure healthy blood sugar balance
• Complex carbohydrates and high tryptophan foods (e.g. pumpkin seeds) to boost serotonin levels
• Magnesium-rich foods to calm nervous system response – nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, raw cacao
• Eat regular meals and avoid missing meals
• Emphasise warm grounding‘ foods e.g. root vegetables, warm soups and stews
• Include herbal teas to support GABA production: chamomile, saffron, lemon balm, passionflower, valerian
• Avoid stimulants such as sugar, alcohol and caffeine
• Avoid tyramine-rich foods: (e.g. aged cheeses, fermented foods) : can cause release of catecholamines, which can increase anxiety
• Avoid food additives such as aspartame and MSG

Supplements that support Anxiety

The below supplements will support someone suffering from anxiety. 

A thorough assessment is required for chronic anxiety to determine to root causes of the condition and assess various metabolic markers to be able to prescribe accurate natural supplementation to balance the neurotransmitters and other biochemical pathways of the body.

• Magnesium –  to calm sympathetic nervous system
• Calcium – to calm sympathetic nervous system
• GABA –  calm sympathetic nervous system
• Vitamin C –  supports adrenal glands
• Activated B Complex – support

Herbal Medicine treatment that support Anxiety

• Calming herbs –  passionflower, valerian, lavender, oats, California poppy, zizyphus (especially with excessive sweating), kava
• Mild sedatives: chamomile, corydalis, California poppy, hops, lemon balm, lime flowers, valerian, passionflower, skullcap
• Nervine tonic: St John‘s wort, skullcap, oats, vervain, motherwort, bacopa
• Adaptogens: withania, Siberian ginseng, astragalus, gotu kola, schisandra, rhodiola
• Adrenal tonic: licorice, rehmannia
• Blood sugar balance: gymnema, goat‘s rue, cinnamon, fenugreek

Lifestyle / Physical measures

• Regular exercise – very important for all mental health disorders
• Slow abdominal breathing techniques: very effective in controlling anxiety and preventing panic attacks:
• Meditation, yoga and Qigong
• Ensure good sleep hygiene
• Acupuncture and massage can be very effective in reducing anxiety and alleviating stress
• Counselling and hypnotherapy to address underlying psychological issues
• Lifestyle counselling to look at lifestyle factors e.g. work/life balance

Functional Medicine Natural Treatment for Anxiety – Perth clinic

The above considerations will assist to support the severity and frequency that someone is suffering from anxiety.  True relief from anxiety comes from understanding the individual mechanisms that are driving the condition. 

These are often different from one person to the next and many patients we see present with multiple underlying causes that must be treated and cleared before they feel substantially relieved from anxiety.

At our Perth clinic of Advanced Functional Medicine we have experience with anxiety and other mental health disorders.  We use targeted and specialised testing to help pinpoint imbalances and blocks that could be contributing to the condition. 

We then work closely with our patients to clear these imbalances and bring balance to the individual.  Often there are multiples systems in disarray with chronic anxiety sufferers.

If you or a family member are suffering from Anxiety and would like to get to the bottom of the condition we would love to hear from you. 

Do you know what has been causing your anxiety?  Have you uncovered Pyrrole disorder, MTHFR polymorphisms or gut dysbiosis?  Have you tested your neurotransmitters?   Please leave a comment below.

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