Homeopathic Healthcare: More Homeopathic Articles
George Guess, MD
Performance Anxiety
Performance anxiety, or stage fright, can be a very disabling malady for some folks. Excessive nervousness prior to any significant event — an exam, a job interview, a court appearance, public speaking or performing — can dramatically affect the outcome. I remember a case of a young man I saw while studying homeopathy in Athens, Greece. In addition to his great pre-examination anxiety, he suffered debilitating headaches and depression, largely the result of his having failed three college entrance examinations. He was desperate to pass the next exam and to be rid of his headaches. The remedy Helleborus quickly transformed his condition. His headaches and depression quickly disappeared, and his confidence level going into the next exam was greatly enhanced. He passed and his future academic prospects became much brighter.
Symptoms of performance anxiety vary, but generally include: feelings of anxiety and dread, sweating, rapid heart beat, diarrhea or frequent urination, weakness, butterflies in the stomach, tremulousness.
Acute homeopathic treatment is often successful in alleviating such symptoms before a big event in a person’s life. Chronic constitutional homeopathic treatment can frequently permanently cure the predisposition to performance anxiety.
Three homeopathic remedies are most often indicated for acute “stage fright.” Their symptom indications are listed below. One should try one dose of the 30C potency of the indicated remedy approximately every thirty minutes beginning two to three hours before the event until relief ensues. If there has been no improvement after three doses, try a different remedy. Once improvement is apparent the remedy should be stopped; resume the remedy at the first sign of a relapse.
Remedies for Performance Anxiety
Argentum nitricum: Persons needing Argentum nitricum become terribly excited in anticipation of an important event and they anxiously, fearfully imagine all kinds of “what if” scenarios. Strong palpitations of the heart and frequent urination often accompany the anxiety. They may appear hurried and impulsive, claustrophobic, and intolerant of heat. Apprehension before plane flights or any other occurrence requiring them to be in a confined or crowded space is especially characteristic of this remedy.
Gelsemium: Prior to and during an important event, usually perceived an as intolerable ordeal to persons needing this remedy, these sufferers experience weakness (verging on faintness), trembling, dizziness, and often diarrhea. They seem as if impaled by fright, sort of like a deer frozen in an oncoming car’s headlights. Great fatigue is typical. Trembling chills may be seen.
Lycopodium: Persons responding to Lycopodium are usually afraid of looking foolish during a public performance, of making mistakes and embarrassing themselves. They lack self-confidence. They might feel similarly in anticipation of just meeting some new people at a social gathering. Typically, however, once they begin to perform they usually do so effectively. These persons are very prone to suffer digestive disturbances and diarrhea from their anxiety.
Dr. Guess, a family physician, has practiced classical homeopathic medicine for 25 years. He is the editor of the American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine. He practices in Charlottesville. 434-295-0362. Web page: www.doctorguess.com
Back to Chapter Top
Dr. George Guess
2776 Hydraulic Rd, Suite 101
Charlottesville, VA 22901
office: 434-295-0362
fax: 434-295-0798
email: gguessmd@earthlink.net
website: http://www.doctorguess.com/
Back to ChapterTop
All rights reserved ®, do not reprint without express permission from Dr. George Guess
