Argentum phosphoricum for panic attacks

A Case Study

The patient is a 29-year-old woman, married, one son. She works as a massage therapist, runs workshops and is a singer.

Mood: Her son was born a year earlier. “I was very afraid of the delivery and it was terrible. I had to go to hospital and the birth was induced with an oxytocin infusion. For me it was like torture, I had no control at all, I freaked out and they had to calm me with a sedative.

The thought that I might be pregnant again turns my whole life upside down. Then I panic and can even hyperventilate. When this feeling comes over me while I’m out, I no longer know which direction to go. It’s as if I’m not there. I then have to talk to myself to calm down. I will not survive another delivery. Last week I thought I was pregnant and that’s why I’m here with you. I love my son; he is like a wonderful gift.”

“The first time I had sex, it felt like a rape.”

“As a child I also had such out-of-body experiences. That went on until I reached senior school; it always happened when I was hurt, had fallen or similar. When I was three years old they thought I had epilepsy because sometimes I would just fall down. I had to take medication for a while because of that. It then went away with a homeopathic remedy.”

“I like to sing and to be on stage. But I can only do that with my band/ensemble and when I’m wearing my stage costume. It’s a show, an act. At home I have my own studio where I record. Being on stage is important to me; I would do it for free, without pay. I had a break for a while and during that time I developed a skin rash. It disappeared when I started singing again.”

Observation: She sighs a lot.

She reports: “For two weeks I have had to sigh very often. I may look confident, but I’m actually very insecure. Since I was twelve years old I have worn only black clothes. Even my underwear is black. I am very self-critical, everything must be perfect. My stage performances, but also other things I do. I am very perfectionistic about everything.

I have a great fear of failing and exams are a drama. I then have to take tranquillisers. I learn everything by heart and often repeat, I know everything in advance. After an exam I tremble. I can be very impulsive and I’m always in a hurry, always busy. To relax I do yoga.”

Fears: small spaces (lift, toilet); narrow streets, tunnels; spiders; the dark when alone; being locked in; crowds.

“In the theatre I must sit near the exit. I am also afraid that something will happen to my husband.”

She has clairvoyant abilities, always knows who is on the phone when it rings. She can foresee many things which then occur. She can feel the souls of the dead who give her messages for other people (she is not happy about this gift).

Very empathetic, also in her massages. Twice she has already been overworked, very likely because she reacts to other people’s energy. She had to remove things from the house because they were possessed by evil spirits.

Abdomen: a week of bloating and rumbling; a kind of ligament pain that reminded her of her pregnancy. “As if I were pregnant, with nausea, like paralysed.” “I can feel everything bristle, many thoughts in my head.”

Worse: sitting or standing still; better with movement.

Stomach: good appetite, tries to manage her bad feelings by eating. Eats vegetarian because the animals suffer.

Cravings: chocolate (4), cheese (3), vegetables and fruit.

Aversions: sour foods (4), butter (2), milk.

Worse from: eggs.

Drinks enough.

Bowel movements: sometimes does not go to the toilet for days (“I know that then I am holding back my feelings”); she then gives herself an enema.

Energy: good in the mornings; poor in the afternoon if I don’t have a nap.

General: I can’t stand fluorescent tubes; when I’m in the supermarket I get disoriented because of them.”

Cold hands and feet, rather chilly than warm.

Loves fresh air and always has the window open; likes to walk around in the garden.

Sleep: very good; Dreams: many and vivid, of things that will happen in the future; dreams of what happened the day before.

Female genitalia: periods regular and heavy.

Remedy: Argentum phosphoricum

Follow-up

Telephone call one week later:

Dreams a lot about childbirth; all the feelings she experienced in her own delivery returned. Now feels stronger, more rested. At peace with herself.

After six weeks:

“For five weeks everything went well, then my husband became unemployed, there was a suspicion of cancer concerning my father-in-law and my parents-in-law moved into a new house. I can’t cope with everything anymore.”

Argentum phos. 200K was given again.

Three months later:

“After the last remedy I felt like a primal woman. Living a new life. From time to time the panic still comes very briefly, but I can deal with it. I feel the pains and the panic of the delivery disappearing; I have much more joy in my little son. I can give him more love; the pain of the delivery had stood between us.

It is now easier for me to take responsibility. I can now wear other colours, I like them. I wear a lot of blue, but also red and green. I have a lot of trust in the future, even though my husband has no job. Everything will be fine. I can let go; my husband must take responsibility for his affairs.”

Her son fell down the stairs and had to stay overnight in hospital. There she met her gynaecologist and thought “I would rather undergo childbirth than see my son here.”

Stomach: drinks less coffee and has less craving for chocolate.

Bowel movements: regular.

Groin: large abscesses that discharge heavily; these have existed for ten years but are currently getting worse.

Energy: good.

General: less sensitive to cold.

Back: had back pain for a while, “these are old complaints”.

Therapy: wait and see.

After ten months:

Phone call. She is 13 weeks pregnant and feels well. “I trust that everything will be okay, no fears.” Touches her belly several times a day and everything is fine. The husband still hasn’t found a job, but she is certain that this will change.

Currently wearing a red blouse; she doesn’t like black garments, loves the colour white.

Energy: lower since she has been pregnant, sleeps a lot and well.

Stomach: coffee no longer appeals to her, she has stopped smoking.

Groin: no findings.

Dreams: many; clairvoyant dreams.

Therapy: wait and see.

One year later:

On the phone: She has given birth again and everything went well; it was a great experience. “I was present the whole time.”

Two years later:

On the phone: “The anxieties are back, I feel tense and nauseous; it’s like when I first came to you, only not as severe.”

Remedy: Arg phos 200K

Three years later:

Phone call: She has delivered a third child, a little girl. Everything went well; it was a quick birth. At present she has mastitis with symptoms matching Phytolacca and the remedy helps her a lot. A few days later I receive a postcard from her. She is well and enjoys life with her daughter.

Since then she has been well (observation period almost five years).

Analysis

She is quite precise, a perfectionist; she reports in a fairly structured way and I thought of a mineral/metal.

The woman sings in a band (she must; she needs it to feel good). Singing and being on stage belong to the silver series. She has reached a certain level; she is almost where she wants to be: at the very top. This corresponds to stages 9-10-11. (She even owns her own studio where she can record).

I chose Argentum because of the extraordinary anxieties, the impulsiveness and the feeling of haste. These symptoms are known for Argentum.

The phosphorus aspect: She is very open and accessible, very sensitive, can hear and see things. She is clairvoyant and can make contact with the dead. Furthermore she does not like to study; she feels a little stupid. She had begun training in naturopathy and abandoned it. For this reason I gave her Argentum in combination with Phosphorus.

Category: Cases

Key terms: Argentum phosphoricum, panic attacks, impulsive, haste and urgency

Rita Walstra, Ede

Source: http://www.interhomeopathy.org/argentum_phosphoricum_panic_attacks

Photo: 1150971305 by Tero Vesalainen