A Case of Anxiety Neurosis 
National Journal Of Homoeopathy 1995 Mar / Apr Vol IV No 2.
Veera Balaji.
Cases.
` Ars.

Dr J, a middle aged professor of Zoology in a local College, complained of profuse sweating on slightest exertion, more so when he is anxious to finish the work within a present time. He also complained of constant anxiety without any reason (Free-floating anxiety). He used to have recurrent anxious dreams, especially of accidents.

On probing, he revealed that it all started when he was doing his thesis work at Loyola College, Madras where there was a rigid time schedule. He underwent tremendous stress to finish the thesis within time. He could not shake off the anxiety till now. He is basically a perfectionist, especially with regard to time and tidiness at home and work place. He plans each and every routine day-to-day work. Even after shopping for the whole day he cannot rest until the things are put in their proper place. He occasionally gets angry when things are not in order.

Though this appears to be a straight forward case, I decided to repertorize.

RUBRICS:

1. Fastidious
2. Anxiety with Perspiration
3. Rest, when things are not in their proper place, cannot
4. Dreams, Accidents
5. Cares, worries, full of, trifles about.

Nux-v, and Ars-alb came out strongly. Nat-m and Carcinocin were also considered.

Differential Diagnosis:

Vithoulkas in his Essences had differentiated Ars-alb and Nux-v thus: "Both Ars-alb and Nux-v are fastidious. But while Nux-v is basically self-reliant and has an excessive compulsion for work, it is not the case with Ars-alb. Here Arsenicum fastidiousness is an attempt to assuage the anxious insecurity felt inside by creating order and cleanliness in the external world".

Though Vithoulkas specified Nat-mur for the type of fastidiousness, more concerned with scheduling of time, the patient was not the Nat-m type.

Treatment and Follow-up:

13-1-95 - Ars-alb 1M - 1 dose. Sac-lac for 2 weeks.
Ars-alb stirred up the system producing an Influenza picture. 
He said "I did not realize I was so weak until I got up to move. I was feeling very thirsty but drank only in sips". He took allopathic treatment for it as he felt too weak to come to my clinic. He recovered in a couple days.
30-1-95 - Sleeplessness after waking as thoughts intrude while falling asleep. Scutellaria 30-4d and Kali-phos 6x-7d (at night).
8-2-95 - Sleep good. Sweating better. Anxiety less.
As Ars-alb had aggravated earlier. I prescribed the one which was close to the similimum, in medium potency - Nux-v 200-1 dose and Sac-lac-14 d.
15-6-95 - Report (while accompanying his boy)
"Now I have changed a lot. I feel relaxed. I take life as it comes. I have sorted out things after self analysis. Your medicine helped me a lot".

Auxiliary Measure:

Due credit has to be given to Homoeo-psychotherapy. Dr. J was subtly suggested that he should analyze his present state. It was revealed to him that his anxious state did help him to finish his Doctoral thesis on time, because it was appropriate for that situation. But now there is no need for his present situation. His anxious state is inappropriate to his present situation.