Panic attacks and anxiety case study

Presenting condition:

Anxiety and panic attacks. Sore blistery hand rash which appears as a delayed reaction to panic attacks.

Brief History of condition:

Anxiety triggered by lockdown March 2020.

Other relevant factors:

Current medication: Oral combined contraceptive pill

Stressful job, house move and lots of travelling between workplace and new home.

Relevant Emotional/Timeline incidents:

7yrs: Dyslexic and dyspraxia. Slow diagnosis.  Teachers didn’t believe her and thought she was lying.  Some lifestyle changes were implemented e.g. wedge seat, someone to write her schoolwork for her etc. She felt ‘different’ to the other children.

14yrs: Eye-sight became a lot worse and was suffering with migraines daily. Hearing became worse, but again teachers didn’t believe her.  She was embarrassed to sit at the front of the class. Her teachers had to wear a microphone which transmitted to a receiver she wore.

16-18yrs: Internal pressure to do well.  She felt that everyone thought she was lazy and couldn’t be bothered.  The seeds of self-doubt were sown but she wanted to prove them all wrong.

18yrs: Got her own hearing aids which meant she didn’t suffer with daily headaches.

19yrs: Diagnosis of severe anxiety and depression. She tried CBT but didn’t like it. She found it impersonal and with no continuity. She tried some therapy classes to learn coping techniques.  Some of these were helpful.

23yrs: Finished her master 1yr full time degree which was very stressful. Got prescribed propranolol from the GP to try and regulate mood swings. Very tearful, tired, and negative.

24yrs: Anxiety triggered due to lockdown March 2020. Craves and eats chocolate daily.

Relevant familial History:

Father: Dyslexic with previous history of depression.

Paternal grandfather: Heavy drinker who suffered liver cirrhosis.

Brother: Dyslexic

Sister: Dyslexic and suffers with anxiety/depression. Also suffered with hearing loss at age 14yrs.

Main homeopathic remedy given: Pulsatilla

After 1^st prescription:

Hand rash remedy worked! Panic attack mix worked a little. Reduced chocolate craving to only 2/7 days. Used EFT to help with anxiety. Tickling sensation in throat just before anxiety sets in.

After 2^nd prescription:

2 full blown panic attacks. The remedies worked on the physical symptoms but not the emotional. Not craved any ice-cream. Chocolate craving is now more in her control. She feels it is her decision now! Tickling sensation in throat all gone. Stools are now normal. Bach flower custom blend added for emotional support. Energy: 4/10

After 3^rd prescription:

Bach flower mix made a big difference and helped greatly.  Had no panic attacks this month.  Urge to cry is much less now.  Vocalising more of what is bothering her which is really helpful.

After 4^th prescription:

Energy: 7/10. Daily anxiety is now being kept at bay. Had 1 panic attack but it stopped quite quickly.  Less menstrual pain. ‘I can’t remember the last time I craved chocolate’. She is eating larger portions for dinner and so snacking much less.  She used to rely on food as a comfort at school due to her anxiety.

After 5^th prescription:

Hand rash has not come back despite having a stressful month.  No panic attacks this month. Slight nausea before her period.

After 6^th prescription:

Had some mild panic attacks but the remedy mix helped. Sleep is good and waking up feeling refreshed. Hardly any menstrual pain.

After 7^th prescription:

Panic attacks not really an issue this month. Sticking to a routine, journalling and meditating helps.

After 8^th prescription:

No panic attacks this month.

After 9^th prescription:

No panic attacks this month. Nausea before period all gone now. Fungal nail infection almost gone after applying essential oil bespoke mix.

After 10^th prescription:

Hand rash didn’t appear at all! Delayed reaction seems to have disappeared.

Summary:

No more panic attacks after 6^th Rx. Hand rash which was previously triggered by stress/anxiety is now not appearing at all. Daily chocolate craving vastly reduced after 1^st Rx but by 4^th Rx ‘I can’t remember the last time I craved chocolate’. Itchy tickly sensation in throat triggered by anxiety now all gone and hasn’t returned. Nausea before period gone after 3 months, but this is a common side-effect of the contraceptive pill.