Navigation

Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: October 6:Thirty-year-old David Scott suffered from claustrophobia, an unnaturalfear of closed spaces and crowds. At the same time, he needed company. The problem had begun after he had once been struck in his office lift, alone. While there had been no accident or any other untoward incident, it gave rise to an unnatural fear in him.

Fear, medically referred to as a phobia, is an instinctive, fearful reaction to a situation or stimulus which is out of proportion to the danger exuded by that particular stimulus. Generally patients tend to so rearrange situations that they are able to avoid all the fear inducing stimuli. Such avoidance however may upset growth and development, thus disturbing one's peace of mind. Medical and psychological help thereforeis a must.

Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of certain objects or situations. Phobias occur in several forms; the fear associated with a phobia can focus on a particular object (specific phobia) or be a fear of embarrassment in a public setting (social phobia). People who have phobias are often so overwhelmed by their anxiety that they avoid the feared objects or situations.

Specific phobias involve a fear of an object or situation, such as small animals, snakes, closed-in spaces, or flying in an airplane. Social phobia is the fear of being humiliated in a social setting, such as when meeting new people, giving a speech, or talking to the boss. Most people experience these fears with mild to moderate intensity, and the fear passes. For people with social phobia, however, the fear is extremely intrusive and can disrupt normal life, interfering with work or social
relationships in varying degrees of severity. These illnesses consist of unjustified fear which is firmly related to precise stimulus either a place or an object.

Symptoms
Occasionally, physical distress such as sweating, coldness of the body, internal trembling, a sinking sensation or diarrhoea may accompany the attack. Generally, patients tend to so rearrange situations that they are able to avoid all the fear-inducing stimuli. Such avoidance however may
upset growth and development, thus disturbing one’s peace of mind.

Partial List of Phobias
There are over two hundred specifically named phobias.
Phobias listed by their action
Fear of Phobia Name:
air aerophobia
bees apiphobia
the cold sychrophobia
being confined claustrophobia
dogs cynophobia
embarrassing self, doing something social phobia
everything panophobia
flowers anthophobia
ghosts phasmophobia
heights acrophobia
lightning astropophobia
being naked gymnophobia
odors osmophobia
being separated from safe persons and places agoraphobia
phobias phobophobia
rustiophobia
sermons homilophobia
certain object, place, or situation simple phobia
snakes ophidiophobia
the number 13 triskaidekaphobia
vomiting emetophobia

Treatment
In the case of David Scott, temperamentally, he was timid, sensitive, touchy and moody. When physically examined, a few warts were found on his neck. He was short and overweight. Keeping in mind these observations, he was prescribed a single dose of Thuja Occidental in its 200c potency
followed by a single dose every week of Pulsatilla in its 200C potency for a month. In his subsequent visits, Mr. Scott looked happier. He had actually traveled alone by train, and had felt no fear. Pulsatilla twice a month was advised in the same potency for another two months. After the
completion of that course, Mr. Scott reported no further attacks. There are other specific phobias such as fear of thunderstorms, darkness or animals. Such fears are usually symptomatic, but they indicate the possible phobic symptoms a person could suffer from. For such patients, Argentum Nit, a medicine prepared from silver nitrate, is helpful. It is taken in its 200C potency twice daily for a few days. Whenever fear of trivialities is accompanied by anxiety, Aconite is useful. It is an
infallible remedy for the fear of death. It should be given in its 200C potency three times a day till the symptoms subside. When the fears develop without any noticeable cause, Valerianum is helpful
in its tincture form. It is taken 10 drops in half-a-cup of water twice daily for few weeks. Belladonna is beneficial in its 200C potency twice daily for few days for fear of animals. It is also useful for imaginary fears.
Homeopathy can help remove examination blues with the help of Aethusa. It is indicated in its 200C potency thrice a day, a few days before exams. In some cases behavioral therapy along with the appropriate medicines can be very useful in treating various types of phobias. Specific phobias
related to an object or person can be treated through systemic desensitition, which involves a gradual exposure of increasing intensity to the phobic situation.

Approach
Sound mental health and mental fitness is the key to success in all areas of human endeavor. A holistic approach to prevention and cure of mental ailments is by far the most meaningful and fulfilling effort we can undertake. The holistic approach enables us to become aware of the
totality of the person and thus makes it possible to formulate a strategy for treatment. The main element of the holistic approach is homeopathy. Thus, through homeopathic medication the idea is not to change either the person or circumstances or to get a perfect person, but to restore
equilibrium so that he can continue effective coordination at both the mental and physical levels.

By Dr. Mukesh Batra,
L.C E.H (Mumbai), F.H.M.A (UK), F.S.R.H. (Med), M.D.H. (U.S.)
Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Batras’ Positive Health Clinic Pvt. Ltd.