How Can Homeopathy Help with Mental Illness?

 What is Mental Illness?

Let’s have a look at how different organizations define Mental Illness.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Mental disorders comprise a broad range of problems, with different symptoms. However, they are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse. Most of these disorders can be successfully treated. 

American Psychiatric Association

Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

Mental illness is common. In a given year:

• nearly one in five (19 percent) U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness
• one in 24 (4.1 percent) has a serious mental illness*
• one in 12 (8.5 percent) has a diagnosable substance use disorder

Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.

Mayo Clinic

Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function.

Ayurveda

Ayurvedic medicine says that when a body has too much AMA (un-metabolized waste which cannot be used by the body or excreted) builds up like a plaque. They believe that the root cause of all disease is too much AMA because it clogs the channels, both physical and energetic. Some “channels” are physical such as: intestines, lymphatic system, arteries and veins, capillaries and genitourinary tract and some are energetic such as meridians. This plaque interferes with our electrical functioning, for example, in brain synapses. They suggest prevention through what you eat and what emotions you allow. Wherever AMA accumulates, there is a weakness in the body which will result in disease; for example, if your liver energy is weak you will get liver disease. Symptoms of too much AMA are a coated tongue and feeling tired all the time.

Canadian Mental Health Association

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body.  Mental illness occurs when the brain, just like any other organ such as the heart, or the kidney, is not working the way it should.  Mental illness is a collection of disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.  The symptoms can range from loss of motivation and energy, changed sleep patterns, extreme mood swings, disturbances in thought or perception, or overwhelming obsessions or fears.  Mental illness interferes with relationships and affects a person’s ability to function on a day-to-day basis, often leading to social isolation.

Dr. Robin Murphy

“Hahnemann, the father of classical homeopathy, predicted that if we keep on suppressing acute fevers and epidemics, we will have a plague of degenerative diseases. Approximately 48 million people in the world now suffer Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia and it’s the fastest growing cause of death in the world.”

Dr. Robin Murphy, at the UK Centre for Homeopathic Education, has a unique perspective on mental illness. He believes that all of the 13,000 different known diseases, stem from damage to the autonomic nervous system which regulates everything and rebels against allergies and toxins. If there is loss of nerve function, electrons can’t flow and blood can’t flow and cells die.

He sees three main categories which weaken the autonomic system functioning:

1.     The Xenobiotic World: chemical, synthetic, GMO, processed

2.     The Electromagnetic World: electromagnetic smog, ionizing radiation, microwaves

3.     The Mass Media World: emotional trauma, sensory overload, brain fog, stress

Dr. Murphy believes it is the homeopath’s goal to treat the autonomic nervous system, especially for neurodegenerative diseases which include mental disorders. He says that neurodegeneration is the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of brain and nerve cells. This affects breathing, mood changes, memory, blood flow, heart rate, sleep/wake cycles, movement, digestion, cognition, awareness, balance, pH level, language, judgment, abstract thinking and pretty much every facet of living.

In Summary…

“Mental health” and “mental illness” are increasingly being used as if they mean the same thing, but they do not. Everyone has mental health, just like everyone has health. 

As the World Health Organization famously says, “There is no health without mental health.” In the course of a lifetime, not all people will experience a mental illness, but everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental well-being (i.e., their mental health) just like we all have challenges with our physical well-being from time to time.

When we talk about mental health, we’re talking about our mental well-being: our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections, and our understanding of the world around us.

A mental illness is an illness the affects that way people think, feel, behave, or interact with others. There are many different mental illnesses, and they have different symptoms that impact peoples’ lives in different ways.

What Causes Mental Illness?

Many health professionals and researchers believe that mental illness is usually the result of an interaction of 3 factors: 

physical: genetic make-up, physical trauma, such as a brain injury, street drugs or alcohol 

environmental: severe psychological trauma, such as war, or sexual abuse

social: where we live, whether we have strong support networks who make us feel safe and who we can rely on, where we work and the amount of stress people are under

How Can Homeopathy Help?

The highest ideal of cure is rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of the health, or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable, and most harmless way, on easily comprehensible principles.

                                                                                            Hahnemann: Organon Aphorism 2

Homeopaths do not diagnose. They use a holistic approach to a case, looking at the totality of symptoms as well as the way patients live their life, the choices they make, the food they eat and the environments they choose. In addition to looking for the appropriate remedies, they will suggest foods and supplements which will support progressive recovery.

Because health food stores sell homeopathic remedies, the public is able to pick up the most common remedies to address symptoms. Below are some common remedies for panic attacks and anxiety but for optimal results, it is always best to see a homeopath who can apply their experience and wisdom to find you the best remedy for your particular constellation of symptoms, not just for the anxiety.

Aconite

For intense, sudden anxiety, panic, or fear. Panic could be connected to past trauma. Symptoms of this type of panic include dry skin, dry mouth, and fast heartbeat.

Argentum nitricum

For anxiety that is due to uncertainty. This includes claustrophobia, hypochondria, fear of heights, or fear of everyday things. Uncertainty-based anxiety could be accompanied with digestive disturbance, like diarrhea, and sweets cravings.

Arsenicum album

For anxiety due to fear of loneliness, darkness, or being imperfect. People with this type of anxiety fear being alone and may relieve anxiety through control or criticism of others. They may also feel cold often.

Calcarea carbonica

For fear of breaking out of any safe routine. Anxiety worsens when plans are changed, and they show difficulty in “going with the flow.”

Gelsemium

For anxiety due to feelings of inadequacy. People with this type of anxiety are often timid and shaky. They may experience agoraphobia, avoid crowds or public speaking, and be vulnerable to fainting. They often also desire solitude and avoid insistent pressure from other people.

Ignatia

For those experiencing anxiety from grief or loss. People who fit this description are often very sensitive and prone to mood swings, moving from laughter to tears. Ignatia is also recommended for depression.

Kali arsenicosum

For health-based anxiety. Conditions include hypochondria, excessive grooming, and even fear of heart attacks. People with health-based anxiety may have racing thoughts and difficulty sleeping. They may also fear death or dying. They can be prone to feeling cold and vulnerable to panic attacks.

Kali phophoricum

This is suggested for those who are vulnerable to stress or becoming overwhelmed. Their anxiety stems from having too much to do or ambitions that are daunting. Their anxiety tends to take a physical toll on them as well.

Lycopodium

Similar to gelsemium, lycopodium is suggested for people who lack self-confidence. Though they fear speaking in public and have stage fright, they hide it well. They might cover it up with talking loudly or too frequently.

Phosphorus

Homeopathic phosphorus is thought to be good for social people with anxiety. When anxious or vexed, their thoughts get scattered and they have a difficult time focusing or getting things done. Their anxiety may be tied to a need for approval in social circles or from romantic partners.

Pulsatilla

This is for people with childlike anxiety. They may need lots of reassurance and support from others to feel better.

Silica

Silica is much like gelsemium and lycopodium. It’s for people who fear experiencing new things, talking in front of people, and getting a lot of attention. They tend to become workaholics to soothe their fears.

Stramonium

This is for anxiety that also includes night terrors, nightmares, or dark thoughts while awake. People with this type of anxiety are often scared of the dark or being alone and are especially scared by thoughts of monsters or mysterious figures. Their imaginations tend to worsen their anxiety.