Case Study: Joan, 49
This patient came for a consultation wanting help understanding what was happening to her mind and body. Joan was also concerned about the fact that she went to see her dentist and felt panicky when she sat on the dental chair and eventually had to leave without having the work done.
She had been previously told that her symptoms were caused by a hormonal imbalance, had many tests, and tried many different modalities to no avail.
Joan was a single parent and very successful business owner. She had been working for the past six months with a venture capital firm that was willing to put a substantial amount of money, five million dollars in equipment, for her to take her business to the next level. Many hours had been put into formalizing the business plans and putting the contract in order. Joan liked the idea of making even more money, but she had an unsettling feeling about the whole thing. Lately, she had been waking up in the middle of the night reliving what had been happening through the day.
Joan otherwise had a healthy history, she was planning to set time aside for exercise. She had recently had a normal, complete, physical exam and all her lab work were within normal limits.
I realized that Joan’s physical symptoms were related to her present life situations. She
was suffering from a case of moderate anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, dread, and fear that happens as a result of thoughts rather than real and immediate danger in your present environment. There is a feeling of uneasiness, insecurity, and uncertainty about the future.
Over 65 million Americans are living with anxiety. More than 30 million have been diagnosed with clinical anxiety disorders, including panic disorders, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Another 35 million with anxiety suffer mild to moderate symptoms. Nearly twice as many women as men are affected.
Cause of Anxiety
Anxiety can be caused by an actual danger, emotional stress such as grief and depression, a medical illness, medication side effects, cold remedies, decongestants, caffeine, antidepressants, thyroid supplements, withdrawal from alcohol, drugs (including caffeine and nicotine) an hyperactive thyroid, low blood sugar, cardiac problems, a poor diet, and in rare cases a condition called pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal gland. Anxiety can also be caused by genetic predispositions or exposure to certain stresses particularly early childhood. In many cases, it is simply a question of how stressful the current environment is.
Treating Anxiety
Successful treatment of anxiety depends greatly on finding the cause and addressing it. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to find the cause of anxiety. Joan did not know that her dream of taking her business to the next level was the culprit.
If you feel anxious, please do not attribute it to a hormone imbalance. You should:
· Take an inventory of what might be causing it. Could it be that you have unresolved childhood issues?
· You can be having difficult situation at home and at work, try to find what do you worry about most.
· Take a look at your lifestyle. Do you drink too much caffeine?
· Learn stress management techniques, including yoga, meditation, qigong, and biofeedback.
· Consider seeing a mental health care professional.
· If all fails, consider using an anti-anxiety medication while trying to get to the bottom of your anxiety.
.....................................................................
Six-month follow-up with Joan:
Joan realized that during her childhood her mother was very difficult to please. Since then, she always put herself into situations looking for approval, love, and acceptance. Working with her therapist, she eventually healed her relationship with her mother and forgave her. She also learned to heal her angry inner child as well!
She decided not to sign the contract and continue with her business the way it was. What she really wanted was a company that gave quality services to her existing clients. Financially, she did not need to make more money. Going into this new partnership would have earned her more money, but could have compromised the qualities of her services. In her own words, “I felt that the bottom line was what was important to my new partners.”
At her 6-month follow up most of her symptoms had disappeared. She was still working with her therapist and felt that she was having the best time of her life!
She had been previously told that her symptoms were caused by a hormonal imbalance, had many tests, and tried many different modalities to no avail.
Joan was a single parent and very successful business owner. She had been working for the past six months with a venture capital firm that was willing to put a substantial amount of money, five million dollars in equipment, for her to take her business to the next level. Many hours had been put into formalizing the business plans and putting the contract in order. Joan liked the idea of making even more money, but she had an unsettling feeling about the whole thing. Lately, she had been waking up in the middle of the night reliving what had been happening through the day.
Joan otherwise had a healthy history, she was planning to set time aside for exercise. She had recently had a normal, complete, physical exam and all her lab work were within normal limits.
I realized that Joan’s physical symptoms were related to her present life situations. She
was suffering from a case of moderate anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, dread, and fear that happens as a result of thoughts rather than real and immediate danger in your present environment. There is a feeling of uneasiness, insecurity, and uncertainty about the future.
Over 65 million Americans are living with anxiety. More than 30 million have been diagnosed with clinical anxiety disorders, including panic disorders, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Another 35 million with anxiety suffer mild to moderate symptoms. Nearly twice as many women as men are affected.
Cause of Anxiety
Anxiety can be caused by an actual danger, emotional stress such as grief and depression, a medical illness, medication side effects, cold remedies, decongestants, caffeine, antidepressants, thyroid supplements, withdrawal from alcohol, drugs (including caffeine and nicotine) an hyperactive thyroid, low blood sugar, cardiac problems, a poor diet, and in rare cases a condition called pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal gland. Anxiety can also be caused by genetic predispositions or exposure to certain stresses particularly early childhood. In many cases, it is simply a question of how stressful the current environment is.
Treating Anxiety
Successful treatment of anxiety depends greatly on finding the cause and addressing it. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to find the cause of anxiety. Joan did not know that her dream of taking her business to the next level was the culprit.
If you feel anxious, please do not attribute it to a hormone imbalance. You should:
· Take an inventory of what might be causing it. Could it be that you have unresolved childhood issues?
· You can be having difficult situation at home and at work, try to find what do you worry about most.
· Take a look at your lifestyle. Do you drink too much caffeine?
· Learn stress management techniques, including yoga, meditation, qigong, and biofeedback.
· Consider seeing a mental health care professional.
· If all fails, consider using an anti-anxiety medication while trying to get to the bottom of your anxiety.
.....................................................................
Six-month follow-up with Joan:
Joan realized that during her childhood her mother was very difficult to please. Since then, she always put herself into situations looking for approval, love, and acceptance. Working with her therapist, she eventually healed her relationship with her mother and forgave her. She also learned to heal her angry inner child as well!
She decided not to sign the contract and continue with her business the way it was. What she really wanted was a company that gave quality services to her existing clients. Financially, she did not need to make more money. Going into this new partnership would have earned her more money, but could have compromised the qualities of her services. In her own words, “I felt that the bottom line was what was important to my new partners.”
At her 6-month follow up most of her symptoms had disappeared. She was still working with her therapist and felt that she was having the best time of her life!
