Complementary therapies have been used for centuries for dealing with a whole range of physical and mental health complaints, including what we know refer to as panic and anxiety attacks symptoms. If possible, you are better off not resorting to drug based anxiety treatments, and may well find that alternative therapies will give you all the help and support you need. However, before you consider trying one of the many different complementary medicine options as an anxiety treatment, it is strongly recommended that you talk to some therapists first to find out what they can offer.
Hypnosis
This is a means of inducing a trance-like state of suggestibility in a person. The altered state of mind allows post-hypnotic suggestions to be planted which, on waking, are carried out ‘automatically’, on cue.
During hypnosis you are not necessarily unconscious, but remain fully aware of what the hypnotist is saying and doing.
Hypnosis is safe in the hands of a qualified practitioner, and may be of help with panic and anxiety attacks, especially in learning how to cope in phobic situations. One woman I read about in my local paper who experienced panic attacks was so thrilled at the results she obtained from hypnotherapy that she wrote in to let others know about it.
Megavitamin Therapy
Vitamins are essential for our bodies to work efficiently and in harmony. We have already mentioned the importance of diet, since healthy eating helps us cope with the many stresses and strains in our daily lives.
Megavitamin therapy is used to treat a wide range of illnesses, carefully balancing the complex interaction of each vitamin with appropriate (but very high) doses. Evidence for megavitamin therapy is still sketchy, but may be of interest to you if you think your diet is severely lacking, especially in the vital B vitamins which help our nervous systems work efficiently. Self-medication with very high doses of vitamins is not recommended.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
This is a cognitive (thought) therapy which is aimed at empowering the individual to take control of their thoughts and actions and therefore their lives. It looks at self-defeating thought patterns and helps you replace them with more appropriate ones. Unlike traditional psychotherapies, it is fast acting.
It is useful in modifying behavior patterns and may be of help if you want to learn about how to cope with phobic situations. It may also be of interest to you if you would like to investigate further the power of your mind, and learn how to use your thoughts more positively and productively in dealing with your panic attacks (and other aspects of your life).
