Abstract
Substance use disorder creeps in quietly, stealing lives through its powerful hold, but homoeopathy offers a gentle way forward. By studying personal patterns, emotional states, and unique characteristic symptoms, gives individualistic approach to ease cravings, calm the mind, and support lasting recovery, blending holistic care with real, human healing.
Key Words:
Substance use disorder, addiction, homoeopathy
Introduction
Psychoactive substance use disorder has quietly become one of the most urgent public health issues of this time, touching individuals across different age groups, cultures, and socio-economic classes1. Alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and stimulants are among the substances most often misused, leaving behind a trail of physical illness, emotional distress, and disturbed relationships1,2. Large‑scale studies shows that a surprisingly high number of people experience harmful or dependency patterns of substance use at some point in their lives, leading to greater disability, early death, and increasing pressure on healthcare and social support systems2,3.
In these challenging situations, homoeopathy—an individualised, gentle system of medicine based on the idea that “like cures like”—has begun to draw attention as a possible complement to conventional addiction care. Many practitioners use homoeopathic remedies not to replace standard treatments, but to ease withdrawal discomfort, taper down cravings, and help the patients to feel more emotionally grounded during recovery. While the evidence so far comes mostly from case reports, small observational series, and a handful of pilot studies, these early experiences suggest that carefully chosen homoeopathic medicines may add a low‑risk, patient‑centred care to existing therapies4.
This article aims to bring these two aspects together: the growing reality of psychoactive substance use disorders and the evolving, human‑scale role of homoeopathy within integrative addiction care. By weaving together clinical insights and emerging data, it hopes to offer a compassionate, realistic view of how homoeopathy might support people on their journey toward healing and long‑term recovery1,3,4.
Patterns Of Substance Use Disorders
Psychoactive substance use disorder is majorly classified under four sub headings:
1) Acute Intoxication: This is the state of acute symptoms like change in perception, behaviour, cognition and consciousness after the administration of a drug/psychoactive substance. often last for few hours to days5.
2) Withdrawal State: This state presents with a group of symptoms which develop after complete or partial withdrawal of the substance. These symptoms are specific to the drug used by the person. Symptoms here are often relieved by further use of the drug. this again lasts for hours to days5.
3) Dependence Syndrome: As the name suggests here, this is the state of dependency on a particular substance or group of psychoactive substances. The main theme here is irresistible desire to take the psychoactive substance irrespective of knowing this, that it may affect persons health, behaviour and routine activities5.
4) Harmful Use: here the person uses the psychoactive substances even though he is suffering from the uses of drugs physically, mentally or socially. here the damage has already started or occurred from the substance use5.
These four states can co-occur or overlap with each other in the same person at the same point of time.
The drugs which produce high dependence are5:
1. Alcohol
2. Opioids, e.g. opium, heroin
3. Cannabinoids, e.g. cannabis
4. Cocaine
5. Amphetamine and other sympathomimetics
6. Hallucinogens, e.g. LSD, phencyclidine (PCP)
7. Sedatives and hypnotics, e.g. barbiturates
8. Inhalants, e.g. volatile solvents
9. Nicotine, and
10. Other stimulants (e.g. caffeine).
Homoeopathic Management
Substance use disorder or addiction is not merely a physical dependence but a more deep-seated mental disease impairing consciousness, emotional, behavioural as well as physical well-being of an individual. Homoeopathy with its unique idea of individualization and practical applicability of law of similia, treats the person as a whole, addressing the underlying mental, physical and misamatic factors which contribute for development of disease.
Our master Dr Samuel Hahnemann in his book organon of medicine said that these addictions are part of chronic mental disease and very much present like one sided disease, where majorly behavioural, emotional symptoms dominate.
Depending on the substance used patients shows symptoms accordingly, it may be destructive symptoms like impulsivity, destructive behaviour, intense anger, self-harm etc., and on other hand sometime patients presents with low mood, loss of interest, social withdrawal, worthlessness, indecisiveness etc
That’s why Hahnemann suggested treating each and every case as an individual case. These cases must be treated like deep seated chronic disease where mental, physical, pathological and miasmatic states of the patient must be considered in each case.
Some Useful Rubrics From The Book Perceiving Rubrics Of Mind6
By Dr Farokh J. Master
1.Absent minded (seen in chronic alcoholics)
2. Agitation (seen in drug withdrawal states)
3. Amativeness, abusive (seen in drug addicts, alcoholics)
4. Amorous (seen in drug addicts and alcoholics)
5. Bewildered (seen in drugged state and drug abuse)
6. Buffoonery (seen in alcohol related disorders (alcohol withdrawal symptoms), Korsakoff’s psychosis
7. Chases imaginary objects (seen in drug induced states, alcohol withdrawal)
8. Consciousness loss, confusion of mind (seen in acute alcohol intoxication)
9. Cursing, swearing (seen in drug induced states)
10. Delirium-frenzy (seen in drug withdrawal states and side effects of certain medications)
11. Delirium tremens, mania-a-potu (seen in acute alcohol intoxication, alcohol withdrawal states)
12. Delusion, imagination, hallucination, illusions (seen in drug induced psychosis)
13. Dipsomania (seen in variety of alcoholism)
14. Discrimination, lack of (seen in drug induced states)
15. Distance, inaccurate judge of, false perception of (seen in drug induced states)
16. Eccentricity (seen in chronic drug abuse)
17. Ecstasy (seen in drug induced states)
18. Elated (seen in Korsakoff’s psychosis, drug induced states, acute alcohol intoxication)
19. Euphoria and exaltation, (seen in Korsakoff’s psychosis, acute alcohol intoxication)
20. High spirited (acute alcohol intoxication)
21. Intoxication (seen in drug induced states, alcohol intoxication)
22. Joy-alternating with irritability (drug induced states)
23. Monomania (seen in drug cravings)
24. Peace-sense of heavenly (drug induced states)
25. Muddled (seen in drug intoxications)
26. Peevish (drug withdrawal states)
27. Rage (seen in drug withdrawal state)
28. Roaming about naked (drug induced psychosis)
29. Reality, flight from (seen in drug abuse)
30. Schizophrenia (drug and alcohol abuse)
31. Sense, acute and serene (drug induced states)
32. Size-incorrect judge of (drug induced psychosis)
33. Slovenly, filthy and stupefaction, as if intoxicated (seen in drug induced states)
34. Suicidal (drug withdrawal states)
35. Trance (drug abuse)
36. Tranquillity, serenity, calmness and wildness (drug induced states)
37. Unconsciousness (drug overdosage and intoxication)
38. Understand, questions addressed to her, does not (Drug abuse)
Commonly Used Homoeopathic Medicines For Substance Use Disorder
ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA: Excessive dejection. Weakness of memory. Difficulty in thinking collectedly. Feeling of drunkenness with weakness of sight, after smoking a small amount7
ARSENICUM ALBUM: Ailments from: chewing tabacco; alcoholism. Attacks of anxiety at night driving out of bed, < after midnight. Burning pains; parts affected burn like fire. Gastric derangements following the intake of cold fruits, ice cream, ice water, sour beer, bad sausage, alcoholic drinks and strong cheese8
AVENA SATIVA: Bad effects of Morphine habit. Insomnia. It enhances the nutrition of brain and nervous system. It is thus useful in cases of nervous exhaustion, sexual debility; debility after exhausting diseases. Nervous tremors of the aged, chorea, paralysis agitans and epilepsy9
CALADIUM: Forgetfulness in people who are mentally and physically exhausted from sexual excesses or from tobacco poisoning. It is indicated in old debauches who are unable to carry out marital act. Tobacco heart. The nervous symptoms of tobacco are similar to those of Caladium, and Caladium is beneficial in all sorts of nervous conditions, the effect of tobacco and cigarette smoking. It has a number of times turned the patient entirely away from his cigar, and eliminated the overwhelming craving that prevents smokers from quitting their habit10
IGNATIA: Headache < when smoking tobacco or taking pinch of snuff, or from being where another is smoking. Throbbing pain in the occiput, worse from pressing at stool, smoking or the smell of smoke11
LOBELIA INFLATA: Narcotic. It acts similarly to tobacco, but with a faster and more diffuse action. Its sensible effects are similar to those of tobacco, but its medicinal action is faster, diffusible, and shorter in duration12
NUV VOMICA: Nux is a self-indulgent sensualist. His appetite for alcohol, food, excitement and sex is almost as insatiable as his lust for power. Many Nux people are addicted to stimulation. He may eventually burn out from years of late nights, dietary overindulgence, excessive alcohol and nicotine consumption, and nightly sexual gymnastics. When this happens, he feels tense and exhausted, much like an alcoholic in withdrawal13
QUERCUS GLANDIUM SPIRITUS: Antidotes effects of Alcohol. Vertigo; deafness, with noises in head. Takes away the cravings for alcohol; administer dose in tincture for several months, five drops, three times daily, produces disgust for liquor14
STAPHYSAGRIA: Tobacco, remedies to produce disgust for. The need for control can be seen in the struggle to quit smoking15
Conclusion
On wrapping this up, it’s clear that addiction or psychoactive substance use is not only the battle of the physical plane but more profoundly the tangle of mind, body and soul which touches lives in ways we can’t always measure. From the raw grip of withdrawal symptoms and dependence to the quiet devastation of harmful patterns with the drugs or substances, we can conclude that homeopathy steps in gently, to offer treatment and care for the overindulgent patients. Individualized treatments don’t claim to conquer addictions alone but weave in recovery by easing cravings, soothing emotional turmoil, and honouring the person as a whole, as envisioned by Dr Hahnemann for chronic illness.
Here healing blooms from compassion, not conquest, where homoeopathy’s subtle wisdom blends with modern care to light the path towards holistic care. Strengthening families and communities, one steady step at a time reclaims the spark of life. By embracing the holistic hope with homoeopathy in substance use disorder and addictions, we foster a space where recovery feels not just possible, but truly humanistic.
References
1. Singh U, Singh S, Ram H. Homoeopathic Perspective in the Management of Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review. Journal of complementary and alternative medical research. 2023 Jul 5;22(4):33–47. Available from: https://journaljocamr.com/index.php/JOCAMR/article/view/465.
2. Gopi KS. Homeopathy in substance use disorder & drug addiction [Internet]. LinkedIn; [cited 2026 Feb 11]. Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/homeopathy-substance-use-disorder-drug-addiction-dr-ks-gopi.
3. Sivakumar K, C. RR, Mohan ND. Clinical outcomes of integrated psychiatric and homoeopathic management in acute substance withdrawal: a case series. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health. 2026 Jan 31;13(2):936–46. Available from: https://www.ijcmph.com/index.php/ijcmph/article/view/15023.
4. Sivakumar K, Sreeja KR, Krishnan AA, Rahitha K. Alcohol dependence syndrome managed with homoeopathic medicine Bufo Rana – An evidence-based case report. Journal of Integrated Standardized Homoeopathy. 2025 Jan 21;7:173–80.
5. Niraj Ahuja. A short textbook of psychiatry. New Delhi, India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers; 2011.
6. Master FJ. Perceiving Rubrics of the Mind. 2nd ed. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 2007.
7. Hering C. The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 1991
8. Allen HC. Allen’s Keynotes: Rearranged & Classified. 10th Ed. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd.; 2006.
9. Phatak SR. Materia Medica of Homoeopathic Medicines. 2nd Ed. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd.; 1999
10. Kent JT. Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica: Together with Kent’s “New Remedies” incorporated and arranged in one alphabetical order. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd; 1998.
11. Nash EB. Leaders in homeopathic therapeutics. B Jain Pub Pvt Ltd; 2013.
12. Allen TF. The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica: A Record of the positive effects of drugs upon the healthy human organism. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 1999.
13. Bailey PM. Homeopathic Psychology: Personality Profiles of the Major Constitutional Remedies. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 2008
14. Boericke W. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory. New Delhi, India: B. Jain; 2007.
15. Sankaran R. The Soul of Remedies. Mumbai: Homeopathic Publishers; 2021.
