5 minute read
Peace of Mind
iii: Flower Remedies
Peace of Mind
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Anne Dalziel
Oxford English Dictionary
Dalai Lama
The pandemic has triggered a mental health crisis. According to the UN, depression and anxiety before the COVID-19 pandemic cost the global economy more than $1 trillion per year (UN, 2020). Depression affects 264 million people in the world, while the onset of around half of all mental health conditions occurs by the age of 14, and suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst 15- to 29-year-olds (ibid.). Nearly one in four people experiences a form of anxiety disorder during their lives, and without appropriate treatment these conditions can become chronic and debilitating (Guterres, 2020). The UN paper (UN, 2020) also cites a warning from the Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development, that: many people who previously coped well, are now less able to cope because of the multiple stressors generated by the pandemic.
Fear can lead to significant distress and limit a person’s ability for success and joy of life. Anxiety is a type of fear, usually associated with a perceived threat or of something going wrong in the future. But it can also arise from something happening right now. In 2013, there were 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK (Fineberg et al, 2013). The one-week prevalence of generalised anxiety in England is 6.6% (McManus et al, 2016), with women almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men (Martin-Merino et al, 2009).
There are both physical and mental components to experiencing emotion, and caring for emotional health is essential if people are to live life to the fullest. What causes emotions and whether they are experienced in the same way by different people and cultures is still subject to debate, but what is known is which parts of the brain are activated. When the brain receives signals about what’s going on around us, it uses the limbic system to guide our emotional reaction, drawing on past experiences to create an appropriate emotional response. So, rather than being in control of thoughts and behaviour, more often than not we are at the mercy of emotions. Yet, because thought processes play into the creation of emotions, it is possible to reframe the way we think, to train the mind to respond differently to everyday stressors, and thus boost emotional health.
When the soul and personality are in harmony, all is joy and peace, happiness and health. (Bach,1930) The Bach Flower Remedies can be part of a toolkit of interventions to support the process of bringing balance and harmony. Aesculus Hippocastanum (White Chestnut) is the remedy for those struggling with constant thoughts and mental argumentation. Bach called this ‘the gramophone record state of mind’, i.e., thoughts that constantly revolve, like a record. Worrying about Covid is only natural, but sometimes the worry of contamination, and other aspects of this virus, can dominate our thought processes. We may mentally torture ourselves with how things might have been different, becoming locked inside our heads without being able to concentrate on whatever task is at hand. White Chestnut can help to relieve these repetitive thoughts, allowing us to think clearly. If all these worries, and the emotions that go with them, remain hidden and you find yourself donning a mask of cheerfulness for the sake of others, then take a look at Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). The ‘sad clown masking inner hurt by being the life and soul of the party’ is an Agrimony archetype; friends are often the last to know that anything is wrong. Sometimes, Agrimony people turn to drink or drugs to help them stay ‘happy’. They tend not to like being alone— the mask slips when there is no company — so they seek out friends, parties and bright lights. Only at night, when they are alone with their thoughts, will the mental torture they have repressed come back to haunt them. As a mood remedy, Agrimony helps us come to terms with the darker side of our lives and personalities, so that we can become more rounded human beings. We won’t lose our sense of humour or our ability to get through the day, but will find that laughing at our troubles dispels them rather than hides them.
Every single person has a life to live, a work to do, a glorious personality, a wonderful individuality. (Bach,1930) Self-awareness is very useful in learning how to manage and understand emotions. Sometimes we don’t know how to feel, and sometimes feelings can take over our decision-making abilities. Emotions are not always ‘good ’or ‘bad’, and it can be important accept rather repress what we are feeling. For example, if someone feels betrayed, they might think of the lesson to be learned and how this can lead to a happier life. Accepting responsibility is also important, and being wrong is part of life. If you have done something wrong, try to think constructively about what you could have done differently; accept it, and move on. Mood-journaling can help. For a couple of minutes every morning, write down your feelings on a scale of 1 to 10. Record patterns in mood and the causes of any big shifts. Over time, this might help you determine how your emotions work and what your triggers are.
Remember: The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear. Prasad Mahes
Images: courtesy of The Bach Centre
References: Bach, E. (1930) Heal Thyself. The Bach Centre: Mount Vernon Fineberg, N.; Haddad, P.; Carpenter, L.; Gannon, B.; Sharpe, R.; Young, A.; Joyce, E.; Rowe, J.; Wellsted, D.; Nutt, D. and Sahakian, B. (2013) ‘The size, burden and cost of disorders of the brain in the UK’, in Journal of Psychopharmacology, 27(9): 761-770 Guterres, A. (2020) ‘We are all in this Together: Human Rights and COVID-19 Response and Recovery’. Blog post. 23.04.20. Accessed at: https://www.un.org/en/un-coronaviruscommunications-team/we-are-all-togetherhuman-rights-and-covid-19-response-and Martin-Merino, E.; Ruigomez, A.; Wallander, M.; Johansson, S. and GarciaRodriguez, L. (2009) ‘Prevalence, incidence, morbidity and treatment patterns in a cohort of patients diagnosed with anxiety in UK primary care’, in Family Practice, 27(1): 9-16 McManus, S.; Bebbington, P.; Jenkins, R. and Brugha, T. (eds.) (2016) ‘Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014’. Leeds: NHS Digital. Accessed via http://content. digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21748/apms- 2014-full-rpt.pdf United Nations (2020) ‘Policy Brief: COVID-19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health’. Report. accessed at https://unsdg.un.org/ resources/policy-brief-covid-19-and-needaction-mental-health
