by Lawrence Wilson, MD

ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

All information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

DEFINITIONS

Anxiety may be defined a very uncomfortable feeling of nervousness, irritability or foreboding about the future. At times, it is attached to a particular event, situation or person. At other times, there is no obvious cause for it. This type is called free-floating anxiety.

Panic attacks, also called anxiety attacks, are sudden drastic increases in anxiety to the point where one may have trouble breathing, muscles tighten, the pulse rate increases, one may collapse, or even urinate or defecate without control. They are among the most common reasons people visit doctors.

A vicious cycle. A panic attack is essentially a cascade effect or vicious cycle that escalates out of control. A negative thought or emotion, or some other stressor such as hunger or fatigue causes the body to move into a fight-or-flight reaction.

This, in turn, makes one more panicky. This, in turn, worsens the stress response of the body. The process escalates in a minute or less, and the result is a panic attack.

Ways to break the vicious cycle that creates panic attacks are:

1. Reduce excessive sensitivity of the entire central nervous system through biochemical balancing of the body.

2. Reduce or better yet, remove triggers that start the attack.

3. Interrupt the vicious cycle or positive feedback loop in some way such as by breathing deeply and slowly, or thinking very positive, calming thoughts.

We find that the tendency for panic attacks is often easy to stop with a development program. More difficult situations are the rare instance when anxiety arises as part of a retracing process or healing reaction. How to handle anxiety during a development program is discussed later in this article.

BASIC CAUSES FOR ANXIETY

Basic causes of anxiety are:

1. Biochemical imbalances. These are extremely important and common. However, most medical and psychological professionals know little about them. The reason is simply that they don’t learn about them in their schooling.

Also, the medical and psychological professions rarely, if ever use hair mineral testing, which often reveals why a person is anxious. The next section of this article details the nutritional imbalances associated with anxiety and panic attacks.

2. Improper ways of thinking. The brain functions much like a computer. If the thoughts and feelings that go in are mainly negative, the brain will process this and often will draw fearful and anxious conclusions.

Thus, causes of anxiety and panic attacks include:

- Dwelling on fears, foreboding, negative self-images, horror, grief or despair.

- Often second-guessing yourself, questioning your motives, and/or often doubting yourself.

- Not listening carefully or not learning well, so that you acquire wrong information that leads to poor-quality decisions that, in turn, cause more trouble and problems.

Counseling, reading certain books, support groups, meditation and relaxation are methods that can help to change the way you use your mind.

3. An unhealthy lifestyle. This is a major cause of anxiety and panic feelings in some people. For example, many people do not get enough sleep, go to bed too late, use stimulants such as caffeine or drugs, take on more obligations than they can comfortably handle, dress or behave in unsafe ways, or have other lifestyle problems.

4. Stress. The effects of stress on the body are well known. Any stressful situation tends to cause a fight-or-flight reaction in the body, which involves activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This increases the heart rate and the blood pressure, increases the blood sugar level, and has other effects that contribute to feelings of anxiety.

The cause of stress can be something from outside the body or it an be thoughts or feelings that arise from within the body.

A psychosomatic symptom. At times, anxiety is caused by expressing one’s feelings through or in the body. This is called a psychosomatic symptom. The body may do this because it is preferably to feeling the intense pain or horror of remembering an early life trauma.

This is very confusing because medical tests will often be negative or inconclusive, but one can experience definite physical and emotional symptoms such as pain, tightness in the body, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, shaking, weakness in the legs or back, and others. For more details, read Psychosomatic Symptoms.

5. Other. At times, chiropractic misalignments, electromagnetic stress from cell phones or computers, or other factors can cause anxiety and panic attacks.

BIOCHEMICAL IMBALANCES ASSOCIATED WITH ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS

Among the most important biochemical reasons for anxiety are:

Fatigue and adrenal burnout. Fatigue alone will cause anxiety. The feeling arises because the body does not have the energy to cope with stress. This is a common, and often overlooked, cause of anxiety. If fatigue alone is the situation, a few night’s of great sleep will solve it.

If one has adrenal exhaustion or “burnout” (so called because vital minerals are literally gone or burned out of the body), then a more intense development program is required to correct it. The anxious and panicky feelings disappear as one is able to handle stress better.

An alarm stage of stress. This is a state of the body’s autonomic nervous system in which the body is constantly geared up in preparation to fight or run away. It is like being in “emergency” mode all of the time. The nervous system is hypersensitive, and reacts to the smallest stimulation, often over-reacting and causing anxiety and possibly a panic attack.

In terms of body chemistry, the tissue calcium and magnesium levels decrease, as does zinc. Calcium, magnesium, and zinc are called “the sedative minerals”. With lower levels of these three minerals in the tissues, the body becomes very prone to feelings of anxiety.

Some people live this way much of the time. It may be due to chronic or acute stress, or due to nutritional deficiencies, or an improper diet or lifestyle. Regardless of the reason, this state of body chemistry strongly predisposes one to feelings of anxiety and to panic attacks.

A very sluggish metabolic rate. This would seem to be the opposite of the condition above. However, it is also anxiety-producing, often in the extreme. Reasons this occurs include:

1) A deficiency of biologically available calcium and magnesium. This can cause the same symptoms as a calcium and/or magnesium deficiency.

2) Excess copper in the tissues, which occurs with a slow oxidation rate.

3) Very low energy and thus difficulty coping with stress. The person may not even be aware of how little energy he or she has. However, life becomes difficult, and the slightest stress can throw one into feelings of anxiety and panic.

4) Accumulation of toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium, nickel or lead. These begin to accumulate when the metabolic or oxidation rate is slow because the body cannot properly eliminate them. They further inflame the nervous system and alter it in ways that often contribute to feelings of anxiety.

Copper imbalance. This is a common cause of panic attacks, in our experience. Copper excess in the tissues enhances the production of stimulatory neurotransmitters and appears to stimulate the activity of the diencephalon. This is called the “animal brain” or the “emotional brain”. This causes enhanced emotions, one of which is often anxiety and feelings of panic.

The presence of specific toxic metals in excess. This is a very common, but greatly overlooked cause of feelings of anxiety. Millions of people have too much lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and toxic forms of iron and manganese in their bodies.

These settle in various parts of the brain, irritate the nervous system, and definitely contribute to anxiety and panic attacks. They also can replace the sedative minerals, calcium, magnesium and zinc, upsetting the normal ways our bodies relax.

Hypoglycemia. Episodes of low or fluctuating blood sugar is another common cause of anxiety today. When the blood sugar level becomes too low, the brain literally begins to starve for fuel.

Many people have experienced the anxiety that can accompany low blood sugar. One usually becomes very hungry, almost desperate for food. One can easily become shaky, weak, confused and panicky in this condition. If this is the cause of your anxiety, it will go away in a few minutes just by eating something sweet.

At least half the American population experiences low blood sugar, often due to an improper diet and/or lifestyle. Cutting out all sweet foods and eating protein and perhaps some fat every three or four hours can help prevent this cause of anxiety. Removing underlying causes, which are mineral imbalances involving zinc, chromium and manganese, takes more effort.

Nutrient deficiencies. Our nervous system requires several dozen minerals, plus many vitamins, fatty acids and amino acids to function at all properly. Deficiencies of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, D3 and E are rampant, especially if one eats any refined foods.

Poor eating habits, such as eating on the run, also interferes with nutrient absorption and leads to nutrient deficiencies.

Inflammation. Anxiety and panic attacks are inflamed states of the mind that can be related to having an inflamed body chemistry. This is often due to excessive iron, manganese or aluminum, low zinc, a high sodium/potassium ratio or other a few other more complex biochemical imbalances.

Taking the wrong vitamins and minerals. Certain vitamins such as B-complex are stimulatory and will cause anxiety and even panic attacks in some people. Minerals such as copper, manganese and others are also stimulatory. Having too many of the amigos in the body can also cause anxiety. These are oxide forms of iron, manganese, aluminum and a few other minerals. For details, read The Amigos – Iron, Manganese and Aluminum.

Certain herbs such as ginseng and eluthero are also somewhat stimulatory and can cause anxiety. Be careful with supplements, as they are not all benign.

Reactions to foods or toxic chemicals in foods or in the environment. Sensitivity, intolerance or an allergic reaction to a food or something else in the environment can cause severe anxiety. Common problems are wheat sensitivity or an allergy to pasteurized and homogenized dairy products. In other cases, the allergy or sensitivity may be respiratory or due to contact with the skin.

Some Infections. For example, a chronic candida albicans or yeast infection in the intestines or elsewhere can contribute to anxiety. The infection produces chemicals such as acetaldehyde and alcohol that irritate the nervous system. Just following an anti-candida diet may not be enough to stop it.

I do not recommend the medical drugs or herbs for this condition, as they are rarely needed. Development usually solves the yeast condition, which is always related to a copper imbalance.

CORRECTING ANXIETY AND PANIC FEELINGS

Solutions for anxiety and panic attacks follow directly from understanding their deeper causes:

1. The best idea is to follow a complete development program. This involves a diet, lifestyle, supplements, reducing stress, reducing toxic exposures, improving thinking habits, and detoxification. This will correct numerous biochemical imbalances that can contribute to anxiety and panic.

In addition, the program will help your thinking become much clearer, which makes it easier to correct the faulty use of the mind. For details, read Introduction To Development and other articles about this program.

If you are not ready for a complete program, at least do the following:

2. Improve your diet. Avoid sugar, in particular, in any form including fruit and juices. We know this advice is contrary to that of many health authorities, but we have found it to be important for some people. Fruit and all sugars act as adrenal stimulants, upset blood sugar, lower calcium and magnesium, and can easily contribute to anxiety or even panic attacks.

Also, eat plenty of cooked vegetables, not salads. Humans do not absorb enough minerals from raw vegetables, no matter what is claimed for them. You will absorb many more nutrients from cooked vegetables than from raw ones. The small quantity of vitamins that are destroyed during proper cooking is not significant, especially if one steams vegetables for no more than 35 minutes or pressure cooks vegetables for no more than 3 minutes.

Other offensive items to avoid are caffeine found in coffee, tea and soda pop, and irritating foods such as wheat. Also, stay away from Aspartame and other food additives and chemicals, as some of these also irritate the nervous system.

3. Improve your lifestyle. Be sure to go to bed by 8-9 pm and get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep each and every night. In addition, take a nap daily, if possible.

Walk around, at least 15 minutes each day, rather than just sit all day long at a job. Do some slow, deep breathing for at least 15 minutes a day.

Rub your feet firmly all over for 10 minutes a day, or more. This is called foot reflexology and is a wonderful way to reduce stress in the nervous system.

Try to get some sunshine each day for 20 minutes or so, as this is very helpful for most people. Wear a hat if you like, but do not wear sunscreen, most of which is quite toxic.

Also, stay away from all alcohol and recreational drugs, as these derange the nervous system in all cases. Also avoid toxic over-the-counter products such as hair spray, hair dyes, nail polish, deodorants with aluminum, and most other over-the-counter products unless absolutely needed.

Also avoid medical drugs unless absolutely required. Many of them have anxiety as a side effect.

Any use of stimulants can also be bad, such as loud music, too much sex, no exercise or too much exercise, and perhaps other habits that enervate or damage the body in some way.

The use of tranquilizer drugs, I find, is very rarely needed if one balances the body chemistry and uses the simple methods listed here.

4. Reduce stress. This may sound difficult, but anyone can do it. Correcting your diet and lifestyle are important ways to reduce stress. Also, make an effort to simplify your life.

Keep a sane schedule, and do not overbook yourself. You may go to fewer parties or events, and you may make less money, but your health will improve drastically in some cases.

Praying daily can help reduce some stress. Also, be sure to laugh at times, and each day avail yourself of uplifting and inspiring books, and other inspiring or spiritual material.

5. Correct your thinking. Learning to observe your thoughts and change them, substituting more realistic ideas and more positive emotions, helps some people overcome or minimize anxiety. Sometimes a trauma holds a person in a negative thinking pattern. A development program can often break through traumas and release them gently and with minimal emotional pain.

6. Natural remedies that may work. We don’t like to rely on remedies. However, instead of taking drugs, try a strong cup of chamomile tea. Lecithin, especially sunflower lecithin, can often help. New research (March 2019) indicates that some people need a daily supplement of lecithin. In this case, lecithin is not being used as a remedy. For details, read Lecithin.

Other simple and safe remedies are valerian root, and extra calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Endomet Labs formerly sold a product called ICMN that was helpful for many people. It contained choline, inositol, methionine and niacinamide in about equal amounts.

7. The use of drugs. Physicians use tranquilizers, muscle relaxants and anti-depressants to control anxiety and panic attacks. These can help, but they are all quite toxic and have side effects such as fatigue, loss of sexual function, liver and kidney toxicity, and others. Also, none of them address the deeper causes of the problem. We recommend them only when other methods do not work.

ANXIETY DURING A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

At times, during a development program a person develops anxiety. Possible reasons for this include:

1. Elimination of a toxic metal such as excessive copper, mercury, cadmium or another can cause temporary anxiety.

2. Retracing an old trauma or memory. This can be very anxiety-producing, especially if one was unaware of the trauma or if it was of a serious nature.

3. A need for an updated development program. For example, if one’s oxidation rate speeds up and one is still taking a slow oxidizer supplement program, one can easily develop anxiety that can become quite severe.

In these cases, a revision of the program, which can be done quickly by telephone, will usually take care of the problem quickly. Always ask your development practitioner to have Dr. Wilson check your program to see if it needs updating.

4. A spiritual healing crisis. This might occur when a toxic metal comes out of the body, or some other shift that improves cognition and mental clarity. A person may then become aware of his or her reality in a new way, and may need to make changes in how he or she lives.

For example, one may realize that one really does not like their job, or that a relationship is not working well, although you may have thought it was okay. A person might get in touch with intense anger, fear, guilt or some other strong emotion of which one was not aware. This can provoke a deep healing crisis that is often quite anxiety-provoking.

Handling anxiety healing reactions. Methods that can help are:

1. Reduce the intensity of the development program by stopping the supplements, or taking them at most one dose a day.

2. Check to see if your program needs updating.

3. Rest and relax more.

4. Try doing more detoxification procedures such as coffee enemas, foot reflexology or more of the pushing down exercise. Continue if they help. If they make anxiety worse, discontinue them while the anxiety is present.

5. The best remedies we have found are strong chamomile tea (use two or three tea bags) and up to 6 lecithin capsules daily. Sunflower lecithin capsules appear to be a little stronger than soy lecithin capsules or granules, though they may work, as well.

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