Halloween Frights and Nervous Nights: Homeopathic Remedies for Fear and Fright
With the days getting darker and Halloween just around the corner, it’s the season when people and animals alike can get spooked! While a little spookiness can be fun, some children, animals, and sensitive souls are more susceptible to fright.
When fear or fright takes hold, homeopathic medicines are traditionally used to help restore a sense of balance. Children and animals tend to be particularly susceptible, but anyone with a sensitive nervous system or a history of PTSD may also be affected. Everyone is different: some people are highly susceptible to frightening experiences, while others simply shrug them off.
Below are some of the most commonly used homeopathic remedies for acute fright. Choose the remedy that best matches the symptoms. True to homeopathy, there are many more remedies beyond those mentioned here. If a problem recurs, persists, or seems complex, seek the advice of a homeopathic practitioner for a more individualized approach.
Aconite 30CH
Also known as Aconitum napellus, this is traditionally considered a leading remedy for acute fear and fright. Just as Arnica is commonly used in homeopathy following an injury, Aconite is often the first remedy considered after a fright.
It is used in homeopathic practice for sudden panic, panic attacks, or situations where fear seems to linger in the body and nervous system. Symptoms traditionally associated with Aconite include a racing heart and an overwhelming sense of impending doom. These symptoms tend to appear suddenly, and in my experience Aconite typically tends to acts quickly to settle the nervous system when repeated at short intervals, even every 15 minutes if needed for up to three doses and then three times a day if needed, for instance if facing a fear of flying during a long flight.
Stramonium 30CH
Stramonium is a less commonly used but traditionally important homeopathic remedy for fear and fright that seem to run deeper, particularly when Aconite doesn’t seem to be enough.
Homeopaths often consider Stramonium for children who have watched a frightening movie and subsequently develop an intense fear of the dark or spooky things. Other fears may include tunnels, enclosed spaces, and being alone. The child may need constant light and company and might struggle to go to the bathroom alone unless the lights are on.
Stramonium is also traditionally associated with nightmares or night terrors following a frightening experience, particularly when a child wakes in terror and seems unable to recognize anyone.
Like Aconite, Stramonium is associated with intense fear, but the distinction is that Aconite is traditionally used when the fright is sudden and acute, whereas Stramonium is considered when the fear seems to take hold more deeply.
If the fright remains, seek the advice of a homeopathic practitioner for a better fit.
Phosphorus 30CH
Phosphorus is often considered more of a constitutional remedy in homeopathy. In other words, it is traditionally used for people who seem naturally more susceptible to fear or are easily spooked.
It is commonly associated with sensitive, sympathetic people, children, and animals who are easily frightened and have vivid imaginations. Their fears typically revolve around the unknown, the dark, death, ghosts, thunderstorms, or things that go bump in the night! They also tend to be reassured easily by others and feel so much better when they have company.
Kali Phos 6X
Kali Phos is a Schuessler cell salt traditionally used in homeopathy when fear or fright seems to affect the nervous system, particularly when accompanied by difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, or nightmares. Following a stressful event, the person feels more on edge, may startle more easily and experiences a general sense of unease, anxiety, or nervousness.
Schuessler cell salts are used in lower potencies and are traditionally taken more frequently over a longer period. The usual dosage in this approach is four times daily – follow the label for the number of pills needed as a dose.
Bach Flower Rescue Remedy
Although it isn’t a homeopathic medicine, Bach Flower Rescue Remedy may appeal to those looking for a gentler approach which can be used repeatedly over longer periods or when symptoms are mild. Unlike homeopathic remedies, which are selected according to the person’s characteristic symptoms and work on both mental/emotional and physical symptom pictures, Bach Flower essences are meant to address the emotional sphere. I often suggest Rescue Remedy as an option between homeopathic doses, when a remedy is no longer needed—or not yet needed—but someone would still like a little emotional support.
The recommended use of Rescue Remedy is generally four drops on the tongue to take as needed or it can also be added to a small amount of water or a water bottle to sip throughout the day. For more information, follow the product’s label instructions.
Dosages and a Few Final Notes
I’ve mentioned 30CH potencies because these are commonly available when purchasing homeopathic remedies and would not recommend experimenting with higher potencies, such as 200CH or 1M, without experience or guidance from a qualified practitioner.
If symptoms recur or linger, consider seeking professional support to explore the underlying causes and determine the most appropriate care. Anxiety and fear can sometimes be the cause of an underlying medical condition – when in doubt, seek a diagnosis from a medical doctor or emergency clinic.
While the remedies discussed above are based on clinical evidence, there is a small double blind placebo controlled trial published in 1990 which investigated homeopathic Aconite for postoperative pain and agitation in children in a hospital setting. The authors reported favourable results compared with placebo. You can read about this study on Pubmed here.
For more on healthy habits to combat stress and anxiety, take a workshop.