I.

Anxiety
A. What is Anxiety?
i. Definition – Anxiety is characterized by feelings of apprehension,
uncertainty, and fear without a clear reason. Mild anxiety can intensify
and erupt into panic attacks, a severe involuntary reaction where “fight or
flight” reflexes respond incorrectly. The reaction triggers the
physiological changes, which allow the body to cope with emergency
situations, compounding the stress and impact of the episode on the
sufferer.
Anxiety and panic disorders may manifest in a variety of
conditions. Disorders range from continuous, low-intensity feelings of
uneasiness to crippling attacks that occur multiple times a day.
Disturbing symptoms and changes in lifestyle, will compromise the
productivity of a normal lifestyle.

ii. Etiology – Anxiety and Panic disorders were originally considered

purely psychosomatic in nature. However, physical imbalances are being
examined in conjunction with emotional events to understand the
development of these conditions. Anxiety and panic related disorders are
among the most common mental disorders (along with stress); women
being twice as likely as men to have and report symptoms.
Stress and emotional trauma play a significant role in the
development of anxiety disorders. In each condition, stress aggravates
symptoms and continues to reduce a person’s ability to cope. Most
sufferers of a panic disorder will fall into one (or more) of the following
conditions.
Phobias involve heightened fears of events, situations, or things,
such as heights, flying, or close spaces. Exposure to trigger items or
places will result in heightened uneasiness and apprehension. A full-
blown panic attack may result, as well. An unresolved emotional trauma
involving a trigger event or place could begin the cycle of fear in a
sufferer.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a cycle of anxiety triggers and
automatic coping reflexes. A sufferer will obsess about a fear or anxiety
then routinely perform the compulsive task to deal with a problem.
However, performing the task compulsively does nothing to resolve any
feelings of anxiety, or heal the route cause. The compulsive tasks merely
waylay fears for a brief period, awaiting the continuation of the cycle.
Panic disorder is characterized by spontaneous episodes of high
anxiety. Intense fear debilitates a person for up to half an hour. Anything
can set off an attack, which may also happen several times a day. Often
the sufferer’s consciousness of the attack will heighten the affects. Many
sufferers alter their lifestyles, because they fear being alone or having an
attack in public places. This fear only heightens the person’s
vulnerability to having an episode.
Post-Traumatic Stress disorder is similar, although the root of the
problem lies in a traumatic event(s). People with this disorder may be
haunted by nightmares, and feel like they are actually reliving the event
during episodes. This disorder is common among veterans from war ,
 who have been exposed to nerve racking events repeatedly, and was
once known as shell shock.
Generalized anxiety disorder is a chronic feeling of uneasiness
and worry. This condition surpasses any natural reactions to unfamiliar
situations, causing the sufferer to have difficulty sleeping, tension,
irritability, and headaches. Stress contributes to the intensity of the
symptoms, which may develop over time.
As with any mental or emotional disorder, the first steps you can
take in providing beneficial therapy is at home. Physical wellbeing can
alleviate the symptomatic impact of many diseases. Having a well-
balanced nutritious diet will allow the body to perform optimally. A
moderate amount of exercise can do wonders for keeping the body and
mind performing together.

B. Anxiety Symptomotology Self Test

When you visit your physician for your annual check he puts you on his
examination table and begins to check you over form head to toe. What is
he/she looking for? The doctor is looking for irregularities, body signs and
symptoms that are related to a checklist of possible medical conditions.
If your physician is a Naturopathic or alternative Medical doctor he will
look for early warning signs related to toxicity and nutritional deficiencies.
Naturopathic medicine believes that every disease began as a deficiency. The
naturopathic doctor will not wait for a disease to begin attacking the system.
Rather, he will attack the disease process at its earliest inception – the
deficiency stage.
You can learn to identify deficiencies that may lead to disease with a little
practice. You can perform a self-help examination to check yourself out by
simply going through the following checklist.
This self-help exam is not meant to replace a professional diagnosis, but
rather, to help put you in touch with your own body. Let this tool assist you in
listening to your body and its needs, in a medical era where the drugging of
symptoms and dulling of senses is considered the practice of medicine.
The following checklist is designed to put you in touch with your body and
its nutritional needs, helping you achieve a higher state of wellness while
preventing degenerative disease and premature aging.

Severe anxiety:
i. Tachycardia, palpitations, precordial pain usually noted as sticking or
sharp, and occasional escape beats.
ii. Cold sweats and/or general sweating are common.
iii. Fine tremors of the hand.
iv. Dizziness.
v. Overall motor weakness.
vi. "Butterflies in the stomach", nausea and sometimes diarrhea.
vii. Hyperventilation may occur. This may lead to secondary alkalosis and
the sensations of pins and needles in the fingers, toes and around the
mouth, as well as muscle stiffness in the extremities.
viii. The patient may feel disconnected with their surrounding including
people, with an overall sensation of the surreal.
 ix. Hyperventilation, disconnected feelings may exacerbate the attack
inducing the sufferer to believe he or she may fall unconscious or die.

Chronic anxiety: These symptoms are less intense than in an acute attack, but
may last for extended periods of time (i.e. days, weeks, or months).
x. General and undefined sense of tension, apprehension, or dread.
xi. A tendency to startle easily.
xii. Uneasiness in the normal situations of life such as work or shopping.
xiii. A vague, persistent fear of the future.
xiv. Generalized fatigue, insomnia.
xv. Weight loss or gain.
xvi. Headaches, and other symptoms related to the chronic subacute
stimulation to the autonomic nervous system.
xvii. Varying amounts of dysfunction in personal relationships and daily
activities.
xviii. Work is compromised by fatigue and an inability to maintain
concentration.
xix. Pancreatic hypoglycemia invokes anxiety< nights; insomnia (Easley).
xx. Liver hypoglycemia invokes anxiety all day long (Easley).

C. Associated Anxiety Conditions

i. Depression
ii. Phobias
iii. Chronic Fatigue
iv. Myocardial infarction.
v. Grave's disease.
vi. Pheochromocytoma.
vii. Chronic viral fatigue syndrome.
viii. Post-traumatic stress syndrome.
ix. Vitamin and/or mineral deficiency.

D. Medical Prognosis: Pending on the condition. Drug therapy is

prescribed to help cope with acute attacks. New tools and behavior
modifications are helping some to cope with their problems. Reduction of
stress and increased tolerances to triggers make coping easier. Up to a
third of sufferers are able to overcome symptoms. Some symptoms
become less severe with age.

E. Medical Treatment: Drug therapy for acute attacks comes from a

family of drugs called benzodiazepines. These drugs replaced barbiturates
as the drug of choice. Although the potential harm from side effects were
greatly reduced, extended benzodiazepines use may develop into
dependence. Usage needs to be monitored closely in patients who have had
alcohol dependency problems. Buspirone is available for people with
generalized anxiety. The drug is not chemically or pharmacologically
related to the benzodiazepines or interactive with alcohol, and usually
takes two weeks before its benefits become apparent.
 i. Known side effects: benzodiazepines (alprazolam,
chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, flurazepam, lorazepam,
oxazepam, temazepam, triazolam)
1. Xanax (alprazolam), Libritabs (chlordiazepoxide), Valium
(diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Serax (oxazepam), Restoril
(temazepam), Halcion (triazolam)
a. Possible fetal harm during pregnancy
b. Central nervous system depression
c. Drowsiness
d. Physical and psychological dependence may begin from one
week to four months
e. Should not operate machinery
f. Sedation (Ativan)

2. Buspar (buspirone)
a. Should not be used with monoamine oxidase inhibitor, it may
cause elevated blood pressure
b. Although side effects are generally weaker than other sedative
drugs, cognitive and motor skills may be impaired.
c. Possibility of developing dependence.

ii. Contraindications:
1. Xanax (alprazolam), Libritabs (chlordiazepoxide), Valium
(diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Serax (oxazepam), Restoril
(temazepam), Halcion (triazolam)
a. Known sensitivities to the drug
b. Acute narrow angle glaucoma (Xanax, Valium)
c. Children under the age of 6 months (Valium)

2. Buspar (buspirone)
a. Known sensitivities to the drug

F. Comprehensive Treatment Protocol for Anxiety

i. Avoid:
1. Eliminate all stimulants: coffee, chocolate, cola, black tea
2. Foods with malic acids: most apples (apples without malic acid:
Astrachan, Belleflower, Jonathan, Delicious); coffee, tea, fried foods,
sugar and sweet foods
3. Meat, alcohol, hot sauces, spicy foods, fatty foods, rich foods, salty
foods, food additives, tobacco

ii. Cut Down:

iii. Special Healing Foods:

1. Increase foods that calm the Shen (Spirit), tonify the Heart, harmonize
the Stomach and Spleen, clear Heat, invigorate the Liver Qi
 2. Longan, oyster, rice, rosemary, wheat, wheat germ, mushroom
3. Oatmeal (Zeff)
Fresh juices:
4. One tsp. cherry concentrate, one tsp. chlorophyll, and one egg yolk
5. Celery, carrot, and prune
6. Lettuce and tomato
7. Carrot
8. Oatstraw juice or tea
9. Lime juice and whey
10. Radish, prune juice, and rice polishings
11. Carrot and spinach (Walker, p. 146)
12. Carrot and celery (Walker, p. 146)
13. Spinach (Walker, p. 146)

iv. Bach Flower Emotional Health Remedies:

1. Agrimony #301
2. Aspen #302
3. Cerato #305
4. Cherry Plum #306
5. Crab Apple #310
6. Gorse #313
7. Mimulus #320
8. Olive #323
9. Red Chestnut #325
10. Rock Rose #326
11. White Chestnut #335

v. Type of diet:

vi. Color Therapy:

1. Violet (acts as a tranquilizer) on face
2. Purple (raises the threshold of pain and is soporific) on face, throat
and chest if pulse fast or throbbing
3. (Dinshah, 1985, pp. 48, 49)
4. Indigo
5. Green or magenta
6. (Gardner, 1988)
7. Indigo, blue, green and orange (Bhattacharya, 1981)

vii. Acupuncture:
1. Patterns
After assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns:
a. Disturbance of Heart Yin; Qi and Xue (Blood) Xu
(Deficiency); Heart Misted by Cold Phlegm; Imbalance
between Yin and Yang; Shi (Excess) of the Yang Qiao Mai
(Yang Motility Vessel), Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel),
and/or Du Mai (Governing Vessel); Xu (Deficiency) of the
Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel); Obstruction of Xu Li
channel
Illustrative combinations:
b. • TW-10, TW-3, PC-6, UB-62, UB-60, SI-17, St-45, CV-7 and
Kd-6 (-) for nervousness (McWilliams, et al., Lesson 31, p.
160)
c. • Xu Li ashi (tender) points on left chest, including St-18,
upper Kd points, PC-1, together with CV-12, CV-17, PC-6,
Ht-7, St-40, St-43; esp. with an overworked person who is
flushed above the diaphragm and has a reddened face (Seem,
p. 52)
d. • Lv-3 and LI-4: open the Four Gates; regulate Qi and Xue
(Blood) circulation; remove Obstruction of the channels;
release bodily tension; relax clenching of jaws; free constraint;
calm the mind; relieve mental cloudiness; provide sedative and
analgesic effect to calm the nervous system; pacify Liver Yang
(Finkelstein, p. 7; Flaws, 1989, p. 76)
e. • UB-14, UB-20, PC-6 and St-36 for palpitations due to Heart
Qi and Blood Xu (Deficiency); add Ht-7 and Sp-6 if insomnia
is present; add CV-6 and CV-17 if with breathlessness (Qiu
and Su, p. 28)
f. • Ht-7, Kd-3, UB-15 and UB-23 for palpitations due to Yin Xu
(Deficiency) causing Heat (Qiu and Su, p. 30)
g. • UB-17, CV-17, PC-6, UB-14 and Sp-6 for palpitations due to
Stagnant Heart Qi and Blood (Qiu and Su, p. 31)
h. • UB-15, UB-23, GV-4, CV-4 and St-36 for palpitations due to
Heart Yang Xu (Deficiency) (Qiu and Su, p. 32)
i. • PC-6 and Sp-4: activate Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel)
which connects all the Yin channels and tonifies Xue (Blood);
Master point and Couple point of the Yin Wei Mai (Yin
Linking Vessel)
j. • UB-62 and SI-3: regulate the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility
Vessel) and the Du Mai (Governing Vessel) for which Shen
disorders are a symptom of Shi (Excess)
k. • UB-62 and SI-3; Yu (Shu Associated) points: relieve "excess
nervous tension" (Mann, p. 116)
l. • UB-15 and Ht-7 (-): calm the Shen; nourish Heart Xue
(Blood); regulate and tonify the Heart
m. • GV-24 and Ht-7 (-): quiets the Soul and clears the Brain
(Finkelstein, p. 82)
n. • GV-24 and GB-13 (-): relieve "severe anxiety and fears"
(Maciocia, p. 472)
o. • PC-6, CV-17 and Ht-7 (-): soothe the Heart; calm the Shen;
clear chest and regulate Qi
p. • CV-14 and CV-15 (+): tonify Heart Xue (Blood); pacify the
Shen; esp. with anxiety and restlessness
q. • PC-6, Ht-7, GV-26 and SI-3 (also consider LI-4, Lv-3, Lu-
11, PC-7, Kd-1, Kd-5 (listed as "Kd-4"), Sp-6, LI-11, GB-34,
GB-30, yi lung, TW-21,TW-17, CV-22, UB-1, TW-23, GV-20
and Kd-6) for hysteria (Lee and Cheung, p. 322)
r. • consider treatment for "Internal Dragons" or "External
Dragons"; External Dragons: GV-20, UB-11, UB-23, UB-61;
 Internal Dragons: Master point 1/4" below CV-15, St-25, St-
32, St-41; In both treatments, sedate first. If the person and the
pulses change, fine. If no change with sedation, then tonify.
(Worsley)
s. • CV-22, CV-12, CV-4 and GV-9: Reunion points of the Yin
and Yang, needled when there is conflict between Yin and
Yang, according to Su Wen (Finkelstein, p. 78)
t. • PC-6 and Sp-4: open the Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel)
for which timidity, fear and nervous laughter are Xu
(Deficiency) symptoms
u. • UB-62 and SI-3: open the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility
Vessel) which transports Yang and for which restlessness is a
Shi (Excess) symptom
v. • Kd-6 and Lu-7: open the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel)
which transports Yin and for which restlessness is a Xu
(Deficiency) symptom

2. Points
Palpate and consider:
a. • an mian (-): pacifies the Shen; clears the Brain
b. • UB-15 (-): calms the Heart and the Shen; nourishes and
strengthens the Heart; reinforces the Heart Qi; nourishes Heart
Xue (Blood); disperses Yang Shi (Excess) in the Heart; Heart
Shu Associated point
c. • GV-24 (-): quiets the Soul and clears the Brain
d. • yin tang (-): clears Heat; pacifies the Shen and clears the
Mind; promotes relaxation; allays dream-disturbed sleep;
eliminates Interior Wind
e. • GB-13 (-): calms the Mind; dissipates Heat in the Gall
Bladder
f. • SI-3 (+): opens the Du Mai (Governing Vessel); pacifies the
Shen and clears the Mind; Small Intestine Wood and
Tonification; Master point of the Du Mai (Governing Vessel)
g. • Ht-5 (-): pacifies the Shen; regulates and tonifies Heart Qi;
opens Heart Orifices to calm palpitations and relieve nervous
condition (Finkelstein, p. 32); clears Heart Fire and Xu
(Deficiency) Heat; Pericardium Luo Connecting point
h. • Ht-3 (=): pacifies the Shen and Soul; enhances stability with
nervous exhaustion; regulates the Heart Qi; Heart Water point;
"Joy of Life" point (Finkelstein, p. 32)
i. • Ht-7 (-): pacifies the Shen; calms and tonifies the Heart, esp.
Heart Qi; relieves palpitations, insomnia and fear; general
sedative and regulating effect on the inner organs; nourishes
Heart Xue (Blood); found to be more effective for calming the
Shen in men and Xu (Deficiency) patterns (Maciocia, p. 436);
Heart Yuan Source, Earth and Dispersion point
j. • PC-6 (=): pacifies the Shen; tranquilizes the Heart; regulates
Heart Qi and Xue (Blood); releases and expands the
diaphragm; relieves Liver Qi Stagnation; Pericardium Luo
 Connecting point; Master point of the Yin Wei Mai (Yin
Linking Vessel)
k. • PC-7 (-): pacifies the Shen; clears Heat; draws Xu
(Deficiency) Fire back into the Mind; clears Heart Fire;
nourishes Heart Xue (Blood); esp. useful for emotional upsets
from breaking off relationships and found to be more effective
for calming the Shen in women and Shi (Excess) patterns
(Maciocia, p. 436); Ghost point; Pericardium Yuan Source and
Dispersion point
l. • PC-9 (-): opens the Orifices; expels Wind; clears the Heart;
esp. with melancholy, distress and extreme fright when the
person reports feeling extremely hot but does not perspire
(Mann, p. 53); Pericardium Wood and Tonification point
m. • TW-10 (=): pacifies the Shen and Heart; clears the Brain;
expands and relaxes the chest; regulates Qi circulation of the
Triple Warmer; Triple Warmer He Upper Uniting and
Dispersion point
n. • CV-17 (=): calms emotions; regulates and smooths Qi
circulation in the Upper Warmer; reinforces the Zhong
(Ancestral) Qi of the chest; reverses adverse flow of Qi in the
chest; expands the chest and soothes the diaphragm;
Pericardium and Upper Warmer Mu Alarm point; Hui Reunion
point of the Qi
o. • CV-14 (-): pacifies the Shen; moves Heart Qi; regulates and
invigorates the Qi; benefits the diaphragm; acts on the nervous
system and brain through the solar plexus (Finkelstein, p. 90);
releases tension throughout whole body (Finkelstein, p. 90);
Heart Mu Alarm point
p. • CV-12 (D): for non-responsive hysteria due to excess worry
or fright (Lee and Cheung, p. 323); builds Heart Yang;
strengthens and calms the Spleen; benefits and soothes the Qi;
Stomach and the Middle Warmer Mu Alarm point
q. • GB-23 (=): regulates the circulation of Qi and Xue (Blood);
moves the Liver; maintains downward flow of Qi; calms
dyspnea; Mu Alarm point of the Gall Bladder, according to the
Great Compendium (Ellis, et al, p. 313)
r. • St-36 (+): builds and stabilizes Qi; nourishes Kidney, Liver
and Spleen; Stomach He Sea Lower Uniting and Earth point
s. • Sp-6 (+): nourishes Yin and Xue (Blood); clears Fire due to
Xu (Deficiency); spreads the Liver Qi and suppresses Liver
Heat; benefits the Kidney; Jiao Hui Intersecting point of the
three Foot Yin channels
t. • Sp-5 (+): regulates and strengthens Spleen and Stomach;
relaxes muscles, sinews and tendons; Spleen Metal and
Dispersion point; Hui Reunion point of the Veins
u. • Kd-9 (+): pacifies the Shen; opens the chest; sedates fright;
dissipates Heat from the Heart; tonifies Kidney Yin;
strengthens Yuan (Original) Qi; particularly useful in case of
anxiety and emotional tension of Kidney origin (Maciocia, p.
 253); Xi Cleft Accumulation point of Yin Wei Mai (Yin
Linking Vessel)
v. • Kd-6 (+): pacifies the Shen and stabilizes the Will; nourishes
the Heart; clears Xu (Deficiency) Fire; balances excess or
deficiency of any hormonal secretion and stimulates adrenals
(Finkelstein, p. 53); brightens the eyes and sends Zhong
(Ancestral) Qi to the eyes via the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility
Vessel); tonifies Kidney (especially Yin); strengthens lower
back and loins; frees the channels and invigorates the collateral
vessels; esp. for performance anxiety, e.g., on stage (Mann, p.
44); Master point and Entry point of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin
Motility Vessel); Couple point of Ren Mai (Conception
Vessel)
w. • Kd-4 (+): nourishes the Shen and Yin; regulates the Kidney;
reinforces the Liver and Kidney; facilitates the flow of Qi and
Xue (Blood); supplements the Jing (Essence); "susceptibility
to fright or anger; ... insufficiency of spirit qi" (Ellis, et al,
1988, p. 249); esp. with a person who is fearful and
discontented, completely lacking in motivation and desiring
only to lay around at home, possibly due to insecurity, lack of
confidence, or a feeling of inferiority (Mann, p. 45); Kidney
Luo Connecting point
x. • Kd-3 (+): nourishes and enriches Kidney Yin, supplies Liver
Yin, and tonifies Yin of the entire body; pacifies Xu
(Deficiency) Fire; tonifies Kidney Yang; stabilizes Kidney Qi;
Kidney Yuan Source and Earth point
y. • Lv-3 (-): pacifies the Shen; soothes the Liver; clears
Stagnation and promotes flow of Liver Qi; Liver Yuan Source
and Earth point
z. • UB-62 (=): clears the Shen and Heart; clears Fire and Heat;
opens the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel); Couple
point of the Du Mai (Governing Vessel)
aa. • ear: shen men, sympathetic, occiput, heart, stomach, brain
stem

viii. Sound therapy:

1. Mi (Gardner, p. 72, 78)
2. Fa# (Gardner, p. 82, 87)
Mental/emotional:
3. Rhythmic folk songs
4. County Derry
5. Songs of Steven Foster
6. Spanish tangos
7. Brahms' Hungarian dances
8. Sousa's marches
9. Strauss' waltzes
10. Gilbert and Sullivan
11. Indian Love Call
12. My Wild Irish Rose
13. Wishing
 14. Estrellita
15. (Heline, p.18)

ix. Electromagnetic therapy: Abrams: 41 (6); Digitron: 89.3-95.9

x. Aromatherapy:
1. Oil: Sara Alarm Point: Emotional Point
2. Oil: Joy Alarm Point: Capillary
3. Oil: Valor Alarm Point: White Blood Cells
4. Oil: Sandalwood Alarm Point: 3rd Eye
5. Oil: Acceptance Alarm Point: Ilium
6. Specified oils can help with identified triggers.

xi. Special Notes:

xii. Sources:

Balch, James F. M.D. & Balch, Phyllis A. C.N.C. Prescription for

nutritional healing: a practical A to Z reference to drug-free remedies
using vitamins, minerals, herbs & food supplements 2nd Edition.
Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group 1997

Barnhart, Edward R. Physicians’ Desk Reference 44th Edition. Oradell,

New Jersey: Medical Economics Company Inc. 1990

Berkow, Robert M.D. The Merck Manual of Medical Information Home

Edition. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. 1997

Mein, Carolyn L. Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils. San

Diego, California: Vision Ware Press (1998)

Segala, Melanie. Disease Prevention and Treatment 3rd Edition. 2000