Approaching exams is always an intensely stressful time for students. A well selected homeopathic remedy can take the edge off feeling anxious, overwhelmed and overworked so that you can cope with the stress of exams without leaving you feeling dopey or weird. In homeopathy, always choose the remedy that suits the person, not the problem, but I’ve listed the number one remedy for each of the situations below. If you’re looking for homeopathic remedies for general anxiety and stress rather than specifically for students, the following remedies still work but you can also just take a look at my previous blog.
Gelsemium 30ch is the number one remedy for pre-exam jitters, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious and weak – like you’re not up to the task or you feel incapable. Not only can it help the brain fog and memory loss that comes with feeling panicky, it can help settle sleep and reduce the number of trips to the toilet! Gelsemium is my first choice remedy for examination anxiety, but it can also be used just before an upcoming performance. Michelle Collins, British actress, used homeopathy for stage fright and nerves, saying it helped her when anti-depressants didn’t agree with her. While anti-depressants may be necessary in certain situations, she feels they tend to be overprescribed and sometimes talk therapy, homeopathy and lifestyle changes are enough. You can read about her experience here.
Nux vomica 30ch is the number one remedy for colds and tension headaches from lack of sleep and overwork. If you wake up feeling exhausted with a head cold, stuffed and runny nose, scratchy throat after too many late nights, then Nux vomica is likely the remedy to help you recover a whole lot faster. Think of Nux vomica when you feel super chilly and irritable. Nux is also the number one remedy for hangovers, so whether you actually have a hangover or you just feel like one, this remedy will get you back to the books faster. Keep this one on hand if you feel headachy, exhausted, oversensitive to drafts, light, noise and maybe a little nauseas.
Aconite 30ch is the number one remedy for panic attacks. I’m not sure why I added this one to the student list, except that panic attacks appear more and more common these days and the intense pressure on students makes me want to include it! If anxiety becomes so overwhelming that it leads to a full blown panic attack, causing heart palpitations, difficulty taking a deep breath and a feeling like you are going to die. Aconite 30ch, taken every 15 minutes or so during an attack can will help bring you back from the brink. It can also be used for the fear of a panic attack coming on, but this remedy usually acts short and sweet. If you suffer from panic attacks frequently, do seek the experience of a homeopath for a constitutional remedy to help the body recover fully, to experience less panic, with less severity, less often.
Dosages: For the intensity of a panic attack, take Aconite 30ch frequently, every 15 minutes for 3 doses, then as needed. This remedy should act fast, helping take the edge off the panic even within a dose or two. For Nux vomica, take according to the intensity of symptoms, typically every 2 hours for 3 doses and then 3x daily until feeling 95% improvement. For Gelsemium, start once you feel anxious, repeating according to the intensity. For exams I often find starting the night before helpful, repeating the next morning and then again just before the exam. Some people find they need a little more and others a little less. You’ll notice that the remedies don’t take the fear away completely, but just help it feel manageable, so the ordeal is not as intense and doesn’t prevent you from accomplishing your goals.
Research: There is a lovely research study carried out in a French hospital on using Aconite for children experiencing pain and panic with 95% positive results! The study concludes that Aconite would be useful in every recovery room and could be in every medical physician’s emergency kit!
Adjunct Remedies:
Schuessler cell salt Kali phos 6x is a low potency that can be taken over a stressful period of time to help support the nervous system, healthy sleep to leave you feeling more balanced in times of stress. Because of the low potency, you won’t feel the effects immediately, but rather over time, and for this reason, I recommend these Schuessler mineral salts be taken three to four times daily as a “nerve tonic.” Schuessler mineral salts are remedies that lie between the mineral and homeopathic remedy and they all work on more of a physical or cellular level. They also don’t interact with homeopathic remedies, so they can often be taken alongside. Remember Kali phos 6x when you need something on a daily basis to help support the your nervous system for less anxiety and a better sleep.
Bach Flower Rescue remedy: while not homeopathy, this is a flower essence combination that is very gentle and can be used repeatedly, daily even, through periods of stress and times of panic. While you may find that it is not as strong acting as the Aconite 30ch, I often recommend the Bach Flower Rescue remedy when the panic lacks the intensity but you feel you need to take something to keep the waves of panic away. While you don’t have to wait for a full blown panic attack to take Aconite, you don’t want to take Aconite every day either, so the Bach Flower Rescue remedy is a lovely adjunct, won’t conflict with the remedies and can be taken daily over a stressful period of time. Unlike the Schuessler cell salt Kali phos 6x, it doesn’t act to as a nervous system support, but will work in the moment to help bring you back.
A final note:
If you’re feeling on the brink, avoid trying to fix it yourself – call a friend, a counsellor and a homeopath to get you back on track. Homeopathic home remedies are perfect for the occasional stress or emotional upset, but if stress becomes overwhelming, then the expert advice of a homeopathic practitioner is necessary.