Homoeopathy treats the sick person and not diseases by their names , so before proceeding to the homoeopathic treatment of the mentally sick , the first thing to be considered is the man and then the ideal state of health , from the homoeopathic point of view , man is not merely an assemblage of anatomical parts with separate physiological and psychological functions like a machine assembled out of components made any where on earth , for the homoeopathic man constitutes the spiritual vital principle , a material body or organism and the immaterial body or organism and the immaterial reason gifted mind with faculties like the intellect and the will , man covers a process of evolution , starting with the single fertilized ovum with the “ principal of life “ in it and gradually developing into a full personality all along under the influence of the vital principle each individual has his or her own characteristics features of the body , mind , intellect and the will depending not only on heredity as considered by modern science but also on tendencies , positive as well as negative , carried forward from previous lives as considered by our ancients and the modern theosophists . this individuality is kept up throughout life ..The mind connotes of reasoning understanding or perceiving and the will as the faculty of determining The ideal state of health is that in which all the elements , i.e, the life-body-mind with intellect and will , work in perfect harmony or co-ordination
In sickness the harmonious functioning of the body , mind , intellect and will is disturbed or altered . In the disturbed state it is the whole man that is affected and not only some parts , although under the influence of diseases having elective affinity to particular parts , although under the influence of diseases having elective affinity to particular parts , tissues or organs , the disturbance may be felt more in those particular parts or organs , whether it is an affection of the body or the mental faculties , ultimately it is the individual as a whole or the “I” that suffers , in practice the classification of diseases as mental or bodily is only a matter of convenience , when the body is affected more we call them bodily diseases and when the mental faculties are prominently disturbed we call them mental diseases . In either case the whole person is affected
Almost all the so called mental or emotional diseases are nothing more than bodily diseases in which the symptom of derangement of the mind and disposition is increased .whilst the bodily each arises from the other , mental disorders arises from physical ones and like wise physical disorders arise from mental ones . when we consider the homoeopathic treatment of mental cases w, we can not restrict ourselves only to those who are deranged beyond self control , have become unmanageable by their families and so have to be sent to and treated in an asylum . we have to include even the large number who are considered by society as quite normal and are even in positions of influence and power , but who are playing havoc in society by actions prompted by disordered minds for while the former are at the most a problem to only their families and a nuisance to a limited environment , the latter by virtue of the freedom of action that they have as apparently normal persons are contributing untold misery to humanity at large , for example , Hitler’s mania were at the root of the 2nd world war and the persecution of the jews ,. Throughout history maniacs of all types and grades have foiled all efforts of the saner elements at establishing peaceful living on earth , persons with mental aberrations like greed , jealousy , lust for power , mania for destructions religious fanaticism etc., are creating hell on earth and yet are considered as normal , all because the dominant systems of medicine , not do they possess the necessary and appropriate remedies .
Homoeopathy considers the least alteration in sensations , the least deviation from normal , as the beginning of diseases whether of body or mind and by the method of proving of drugs peculiar only to homoeopathy is has discovered a vast number of medicinal substances which have produced symptoms simulating natural mental disorders
When we go through the homoeopathic material medica and the repertory of mental symptoms , we see that we have drugs to match minute alterations as well as serious disorders , of all types and grades by virtue of their capacity to produces similar deviations in the healthy , for example , gold or aurum produces extreme depression ,takes away the love of life and the will to live , leading to suicidal tendency . It produces haughtiness and pride , with contempt for others and impulse to kill CASE NO. –1
For example an old lady of 63 years came to me in great agitation and anxiety , declaring that her whole body was on fire , radium 30 –2 doses , morning and evening , relieved her of this symptom promptly by the next day , after that , when she revealed that she was much distressed by getting the thought of murdering , when ever she saw a blood red cloth or sharp instruments , she feared that any day she might actually commit murder and implored people at home to keep no sharp instruments with in her reach , Alumina 1M twice a day for 3 days , gave her surprisingly quick relief and she was never bothered by this impulse again
CASE NO.—2
A man of 35 years was under my treatment for jaundice , because of his addiction to excessive coffee , he had been given nux vomica 1 M and had improved on it . During one of his visits he reported that his younger brother had committed suicide and remarked with all gloom , what is the good of living , when such a brother is dead , doctor ? , so he was given aurum met 10 M twice a day for 2 days , this set right his mood and cured him of the jaundice also , aurum met 10 M was repeated after 3 weeks followed by syphyllinum 10 M 2×2 days , to complete the cure of the jaundice and suicidal disposition .
CASE—3
A boy of 9 years was in the habit of picking up only attractive objects from his friends or neighbour’s houses . the mother was much distressed about this and reported this to me , as at some time I had explained the scope of homoeopathy to her , the parents , brothers and friends thought that the boy wept whenever he was called a thief by his friends or when the parents chastised him for stealing . he pleaded that he did not steal . the fact was that the boy was childish and picked up any objects that was attractive just as any innocent child would do , so he was given baryta carb 1 M ( 2×3 days) followed by baryta carb 10 M (2×2 days) , which stopped this tendency and removed his childishness also . syphylinum 1 M (2×2 days) and syphillinum 10 M (2×2 days ) were given at intervals of 4-6 weeks to complete the cure . it is nearly 12 years now and the young man is quite normal
CASE—4
A high school teacher of 36 years had been sent to Bangalore from a moffusil place to do his M.Sc . As he traveled from his place to Bangalore , he constantly feared that the bus would topple . In the college he was all nerves and feared that the college building might fall on him . He would become worse at the approach of tests or exams and was all funk while facing the professors .. He was brought to me by another patient and argentums nitricum 10 M 2×3 days , 2 courses , 4 weeks apart rid him of his fears and he completed his M.Sc successfully
CASE—5
A girl of 23 years had cherished the idea that a relative of hers would marry her . When she was amidst a gathering for a betrothal ceremony a friend of hers conveyed a message to her from the young man saying that he never had such an intention and that she should not entertain the hope of marrying him . Immediately she got into a violent rage , beat the girl who conveyed the message and anybody who interfered , she was admitted mental hospital and after some time , she was considered fit enough to be sent home . then onwards she would get into a rage at the least provocation and during menstruation would become violent , on being confined to a room she would tear up blankets and sheets , after the menses she would be better . the menstrual discharge was scanty . the girl was scrawny and dry , because of her defiant attitude medication was a problem , she had pimples on the face and eczema on her elbow flexures and was keen on getting rid off them . so I asked the mother to tell her that she could get rid off eczema and pimples by homoeopathic treatment and send her to me . the moment she was told about this she readily came to me , with natrum mur 1 M –2×3 days –2 courses for 3 weeks apart and natrum mur 10 M , 2×3 days , 2 courses –3 weeks apart and tuberculinum 10 M ( because of history of TB on father’s side )1×2 days , 2 courses –6 weeks apart , she became perfectly normal and is happily married .
CASE —6
A man of age 29 years was in the mental hospital for 9 years on account of maniacal behavior after disappointed love . He used to get into violent rage and beat his sisters and parents because they had been advising him not to get entangled with a particular girl
Last year a relative of him asked me if homoeopathy could do any thing for him , because of the resentment he had nourished against his relatives he was given staphysagria 10 M ( 1×3 days) as he had degenerated into the sulphur state , this brought out a crop of pustules all over the body which gradually left him in about 6 weeks , in this period , he became brighter , calmer and cleaner and after another course of sulphur 10 M had improved to such an extent that he implored the relative to get him out of the place but accepted her advice to wait till there was some more improvement . 4 weeks after sulphur 10 M was given , to be frank as a trial to test the effect of tuberculinum on insanity and the man improved marvelously , at this stage he became very much aware of the favorable change in him and when he was told that the improvement was due to homoeopathic medicines given in horlicks and was asked if he would take the medicines directly . he readily agreed and wanted to see me , when I visited him for the first time he thanked me earnestly for the improvement he had and told me that he had got back his normal desire for bath and tidiness
CASE—7
Miss –M .N 27 years lost her voice suddenly being a teacher she was naturally unnerved , she was passed on from general physician to ENT specialists , as any amount of drugging could not help her in the least she was asked to consult psychiatrists . the various questionings and tests by psycho-analysts did not help her , on the other hand she was unnerved more and developed a fear that her compliant was incurable as so many highly qualified specialists had failed to do any thing for her .
In the course of investigations by the psychiatrists it appears one of the psychiatrist remarked to a colleague with in the hearing of the patient that she was too vain and thought too much of herself and that the father thought too high of his daughter . being a sensitive lady she felt that the remarks were highly unjust and there after , in addition to her original complaint , the psychiatrists remarks haunted her day and night and even in dreams , taking away her sleep , she became obsessed with the idea that she was unjustly treated by the doctor and would keep on repeating this always to everybody . the questions put to her during psycho-analysis would haunt her in her dreams , she was extremely depressed and had attempted suicide twice .,at this stage she was brought to me , after eliciting the above history , the case was worked out by Radiastheia by Dr. H.K.S.Rao , the complainant was traced to the tubercular diatheisis (laryngitis) , 3 courses of drosera 1 M 2×3 days , 4 weeks apart , then 3 courses of calc.phos 1 M 2×3 days 3 weeks apart followed by tuberculinum 1M 2×2 days 2courses , 4 weeks apart , were indicated , drosera covered the extreme depression suicidal tendency and the tubercular laryngitis , calc. Phos covered her thin , tall build and pale anaemic state , tuberculinum covered the need for the miasmatic nosode to complete the cure , in addition to covering the mental and physical conditions , with these she gradually improved and the voice was restored
However , all along the course of treatment and even after restoration of the voice she was obsessed by the remarks of the psychiatrists and felt that she could not resume her work . Finally natrum mur CM , 2×3 days , 2 courses , 4 weeks apart relieved her of the obsession and she has resumed her work . During the course of treatment , I had to keep writing to her to take her into confidence and keep up assurances and encouragement and this approach helped her a lot , as per parents were tired of her obsession and in me she found one in whom she could confide whenever she wanted .
This shows how a wrong approach can make a cases worse and how a mechanistic approach of homoeopathy to the whole constitution and personality , and how a humane approach on the part of the doctor is essential in physical as well as psychical cases .
I hope these cae are enough to show what homoeopathy can do in mental cases
To conclude here is what Hahnemann has to say about the scope of homoeopathy in mental cases .
