Seeking Wisdom and Advice About Medicine Vs. Herbal Supplements for Anxiety.

Rescue remedy. It comes in many forms, liquid, little candies, dissolvable strips...It is sold at many "good" grocery stores.

I know its a delicate situation because it's with a child. I am in no way suggesting you shouldn't seek treatment with a professional, but I have very successful treated my own anxiety with a Bach Flower Remedy blend called Rescue Remedy. It is completely safe for children and certainly worth a try.

My daughter was diagnosed with anxiety disorder in 2005. At first it was like normal(I thought)anxiety because she was starting a new school. Before the school year was over my mornings and nights were full of drama. She hates herself and thinks the world hates her too. She gets so worked up emotionally that she has trouble sleeping. I got her diagnosed and she has been going to counseling for 3 years.
Believe me it does help. She hasn't been on any medication.
I did try herbal stuff but it didn't help. Its nice to have the counselor helping because when I am struggling to calm her down I have someone that she trusts I can call to help me.
Anxiety takes a new level when you mix it with not enough sleep and puberty. Having someone monitoring it with you helps to make sure she is getting what she needs. Someone on the outside looking in will see what we can't.
Basically what I am saying is it could get worse and having a professional on board will help you make these type of decisions. I love my daughter so much and for me it gives me some peace of mind to have this counselor monitoring her. When I tried the herbals her counselor and I discussed it. We both kept an eye on her to see if it worked. It worked at first a little bit but it didn't work for a daily treatment. I have been puting off Psych. meds because she is going through hormonal changes. Who knows how much of this is caused by hormones. There is a chance that she will get better after her bodies hormonal levels even out.
I hope you and your daughter find peace and happiness.

GAD or General Anxiety Disorder is just as real an affliction as diabetes. Puberty and the surge of estrogens can instigate/exacerbate the symptoms of the underlying imbalances. I suspect that this what she is happening. A doctor needs to make the diagnosis, obviously.

There are things that can be done to help her, such as diet, exercise, talk therapy, alternate medicine(as has been suggested in this column) meditation or prayer. However, at the bottom of this disorder are very physiological explanations. Chemicals and chemical receptors need to be in balance. Sometimes one can bring life into line with the genetic programing of the body...diet, exercise, etc. Sometimes one can't.

Our culture is inherently very stressful. So, if all else fails, consider that your girl may have an imbalance of the brain chemicals and brain receptors which may make it difficult for her to deal with it all. Then find a doctor who can help to medicate her for her specific symptoms. Having to deal with anxiety is painfully distressing mentally. It also takes a toll on the bodies resilience to life and its challenges.

I have had the mental/physical illness of GAD since I was three. By using a balanced approach to the disease, I have less discomfort due to nasty symptoms than others may have to endure.

GAD is as real a physical disorder as is diabetes. You are so smart for seeing the symptoms and acknowledging the problem. Now is the time to take advantages of the solutions available, starting with obvious life choices first,(diet and exercise, etc) working up to talk therapy and perhaps medication.

I have two grown children with the disease also. Sometimes medication is required and sometimes life choices will suffice, depending on the level of stress at any given time.

GAD is classified as a mental illness. But let me assure you, in my well read opinion,it is not~! The symptoms are manifest in the brain, but it is a whole body disease.

I hope that this doesn't frighten you. Your daughter is fine. Just a bit different. You may discover, that because she may have GAD of some type, she has an artistic gift. The two often go hand in hand. She may even have an alternate learning style.

You are fortunate to have decided to act immediately to get your daughter help as teen years can be made a bit more difficult without intervention.

Best to you.

Chris RN

Hello D.:

Sorry to hear that your daughter is going thru this. I also have a daughter around her age that has trouble sleeping thru the night. I give her rescue remedy and we also are seeing a therapist. I would seek therapy and or a sleeping disorder clinic before giving her prescription drugs. There could be something going on in her life, that she needs help coping with and therapy will help her learn to self-soothe. Not sure where you live but I have a wonderful therapist to recommend, in the SW area. Best of luck to you and I commend you for reaching out.

Deb, these sound like very real panic attacks which are too serious to self treat. Panic attacks can be caused by different things. I strongly recommend that you talk with her pediatrician or make an appointment with a naturopath who could possibly help her with natural things.

I wonder about taking the calcium supplement because it can cause constipation. I would increase calcium by adding more milk and dairy products such as yougurt and cottage cheese. Stay away from other cheeses because they too can be constipating.
M.

She's scared of something and it manifests itself in her dreams at night. Maybe seeing a therapist to talk about things for a few visits would be helpful. If you live in Washington State, we have mental health parity so the co-pays for these visits would be no more than a specialist co-pay on your health insurance. Something to think about. What has she watched on TV? seen or heard at school? is there anything discussed at home that she could have over heard that would trouble her? Maybe she's afraid of 'growing up'? Let her go to talk with a therapist and see if that helps. Dietary changes don't always effect mental/emotional aspects of our lives. I wish her restful, peaceful sleep.

Hi D.,

I have been reading quite a bit about homeopathy and remedies for various behaviours and your request made me think maybe it might be something you might want to explore? My daughter has had a terrible time sleeping since she was born and she would wake up crying and seeming very upset. I always wondered about night terrors but was never sure. I turned to homeopathy for her sleep and some other issues and it has done wonders for her.

I use a wonderful lady in Redmond. If it's something you are interested in I would highly recommend her. Homeopathy has helped my daughter who is now 3.5 and sleeps wonderfully in many many ways.

The homeopath I use is

http://www.marlev.com/

Good luck,

D.

i just want to underscore the last post .... look into Homeopathy! it seems to help with this type thing, it has helped me. It is very different than a MD. The appointments are really indepth going into both body and mind and how the two affect your life. SO as i found out the appointments are a sort of therapy in themselves. There is no judgement there is just the question of how she veiws her world and her position in it, and how she reacts both mentaly and physicaly. There are no wrong or bad answers. It is just someone asking her who she is and wanting to know as and understhand her as best they can. It can be spendy but it is worth it!!! I have personal experience. look into Homeopathy!
best of luck

acupuncture is really great in treating night terrors in children as well as constipation, anxiety, shortness of breath, and a myriad of other things. you can go to the Acupuncture college here in town where you get discounted rates by going to the student clinic there (all the students are supervised and they are all very good). Since she is starting puberty, now is a great time to introduce acupuncture into her life to help her stay balanced as she transitions into puberty.

Hi there,

What you are describing sounds exactly like how my dairy allergy manifested when I was little. When I was about two or three, I had night terrors (exactly as you described) 3-5 times a night, and I was very morbid in the day. It sounds weird to me, even now. My mom called my doctor who told her to take me off dairy for a month to see how it affected me, and, within a week, I was better. I second all natural methods (acupuncture, allergy testing, naturopathic doc, etc.), and I would give allergy elimination starting with dairy a try to see if it helps.

I wish you the best!
L.

Hi D., I have two suggestions both are what our family uses and have been for the last 12 yrs. PLUS is helpful with the endrocrine system dealing with supporting it and would be great for her entering puberty. If she is dealing with stress and lack of sleep this will help as well. Constipation is helped with Mannacleanse. Both of these are fully natural, safe and guaranteed thru the company. If not satisfied 100% money back so it is a safe source of help for you to do. The companies website is www.exploremannatech.com. Click on the company and the products to learn about the research done and what they have earned in recongnition. If you are interested and have any questions let me know - W.

Hi D.,

My girl is 7 and is what I would term highly sensitive, just like me! I notice a very definite difference in her ability to sleep without nightmares or leg pains, and go through her day being able to handle her emotional up and downs if she doesn't get enough Niacin. It is one of the b- vitamins. All I have to do is make sure she gets her vitamins every day and we are good. It sounds like you may be dealing with more than this but I thought I'd through this out there just in case it is a possibility.

Try probiotics and make sure she gets lots of exercise. Exercise helps me sleep properly. Also, I would check for food allergies.

This is normal fr some children.
I had one child that would wake up screaming and trying to hit things off of him, that was not there. When we asked the DR they said it is a normal thing.

Please keep in mind that just because it is herbal does not mean it is not a drug. Herbal supplements can also have side effects, reactions, and over dosing.

I would take her to the DR just to make sure everything is ok.

When she wakes up does she remember what she was scared of? It could be a movie, or event in her life.

Good luck.

Do you live in the Seattle area? I also homeschool a 9 year old girl and a 4 year old girl. The nine year old was born with sensory integration disorder which caused some developmental issues requiring 2+ years of physical/occupational therapy. Now she does not have any "special needs" but she does sleep with her 4 year old sister. Would that help in your case? She might need somebody to sleep with. You could also see a naturopath about this issue and give the HANDLE institute a call because they specialize in dealing with brain differences without the use of drugs.

H.

Chinese herbs, tui na bodywork, or acupuncture/acupressure may help, but may be hard for a child. A good traditional chinese medicine doctor would know. But, I would try tai-chi, or another martial art class for children. If taken by the right master, they use meditation techniques that help calm the person, and build confidence and sense of control.

Hi D.,
I value what Christine P wrote. Though it would be best to have a professional determine if GAD is what your daughter is struggling with. Does she have any sensory issues? Clothing preferences? Sensitivity to noise or easily hurt when she falls, where others may be less so? It could very well have a lot to do with her neurology/brain. Exercise, diet and some occupational therapy are all things to pursue. Chinese Medicine and homeopothy as well. However, I would add that you all may benefit from doing some cognitive behavior therapy, so that your daughter can develop some self talk to help her regulate herself and feel in control during these times. Also, a book that I have often recommende to families, Freeing Your Child from Anxiety by Tamar E. Chamsky. It is very user friendly and will empower you and your daughter.
I hope you find what works for you.
Good Luck,
Mary