Homeopathy produces startlingly positive results in persons with psychiatric problems, and many other health problems as well. Someone who has been depressed for a long time, perhaps even their entire life, can find renewed hope and develop brighter spirits, more energy, and improved physical health with homeopathy. Anxious persons find themselves calmer, less worried, and their panic relieved. Schizophrenic persons find new order and coherence in their thinking processes as delusions and voices recede. The homeopathic process influences both subconscious as well as conscious minds.
Homeopathic care is quite different from conventional psychiatric care, using completely different theory and a system of medicine than psychiatry uses. Homeopathy views illness as an imbalance in the basic life energy, or "vital force", To the homeopath, the symptoms of psychiatric illness are generated in an attempt by an individual's vital force to restore balance in response to the various factors that case disease. When the vital force is unable to restore balance and symptoms persist, homeopathy can be of help.
Conventional medicine views mental illness as a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by excesses or deficiencies of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine. Homeopathy recognizes the importance of neurotransmitters, but maintains that any particular chemical imbalance is merely an indicator of a deeper imbalance at the level of the vital force. Vitalistic thinking is nothing new. It dates back to Hippocrates in 400 B.C., and to the ancient Asian medical texts. It hypothesizes that there is some type of all-pervasive energy or consciousness responsible for health and healing, and that there is more to a person than meets the eye or the microscope.
Modern medicine, on the other hand, is based on mechanism, and considers the human body-mind as merely a machine. This philosophy views each body as a carefully tuned biological mechanism that is relatively consistent from person to person, and that can be thoroughly understood through examination, laboratory testing, and dissection.
While homeopaths are interested in understanding a person's symptoms as an indication of imbalance in the vital force to determine what homeopathic medicine most closely matches it, psychiatrists are interested in understanding how the brain malfunctions in mental illness, and how to rebalance brain chemicals through pharmaceutical intervention. Homeopathy evaluates alterations in mental and emotional states first, then the physical body, acknowledging that the body and mind are not separate. Psychiatry looks first to the function of the brain and body as they alter the mental and emotional state. Both homeopathy and psychiatry seek to produce positive changes in consciousness, attitude, mood, thoughts, emotions, and behavior, and to eliminate mental and emotional pain.
Homeopthic care attempts to provide a permanent change in the person so that mental illness is eventually eased entirely. Although psychiatry would like to eliminate symptoms, it generally uses only ongoing drug therapy to maintain a mental state relatively free of symptoms of disorders. Homeopathy usually gives a single microdose of one natural substance, which can last for months or years, needing only occasional repetition if symptoms return. Homeopathy has few side effects, although the presenting symptoms do at times get somewhat worse in the first few weeks before improvement begins. Conventional psychiatry uses daily doses of chemical drugs, which can have significant, sometimes serious, and even permanent side effects.
Homeopathic care may yield more permanent results than psychiatric medication. When taking conventional medications for depression or bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, once medicaitons are discontinued, even after years of treatment, symptoms often return immediately, perhaps even to a greater degree than before. This indicates that the illness has not been cured, only temporarily managed or suppressed. Once one is cared for successfully with homeopathy for a period of months or years, he is less likely to ever relapse fully and should maintain the considerable improvement gained over time. If symptoms recur, the homeopathic tincture is repeated and the positive effect should again last for a number of months or longer.
Funding and human resources for studies testing the efficacy of homeopathy have been limited. Nevertheless, there have been a number of well-designed studies, including a meta-analysis conducted at the University of Glasgow that showed homeopathic medicines to be more effective than a placebo in strengthening the immune system. A review of over one hundred clinical trials in homeopathy conducted between 1966 and 1990 was published in the British Medical Journal in 1991. The results were positive in 76% in studies for conditions such as digestive problems, flu, hay fever, rheumatoid arthritis, infections, fibromyalgia, recovery from surgery, and psychological problems. A meta-analysis of all the existing studies on homeopathy in the highly respected British medical journal the Lancet, concluded that the clinical effects of homeopathy were not due merely to placebo, but that further rigorous and systematic research should be conducted.
Unfortunately, even well-validated investigations on homeopathy are rejected by some because they simply do not believe that it could possibly work. For those wanting more information on controlled studies on homeopathy, see: Homeopathy: A Frontier in Medical Science by Paolo Bellavite, M.D., a leading Italian pathology professor, and Andrea Signorini, M.D., a homeopathic physician.
One can benefit a great deal from homeopathy recommended by someone who knows how, so be advised to leave the care of chronic disease or mental and emotional problems to an expert homeopath. It is too complicated to care for yourself for these kinds of conditions, and your chance of success is not high. Although books exist that give cookbook solutions for complicated mental states, do not be taken in. For any chronic or recurrent condition, whether physcial, mental, or emtional, find the most qualified person or persons to help you.
Comments
I have both experienced psychiatry as a patient and observed it as an author writing on its treatment with conventional and holistic medicine. I have seen thought about the source of depression change from genetic to acquired, and now back again. My experience is that besides genetics, there exist at least two valid paradigms, both of which eliminate symptoms by treating the source of the problem. I have in mind Tibetan medicine and homeopathy. Whether or not their action is genetic is an interesting but irrelevant question. Both paradigms work, supposedly by “restoring balance” in the individual.
The Tibetan “jewel pills” offer a cure for insanity and a host of other psychiatric complaints. Homeopathy is certainly free from any side effects and has proven its effectiveness in minor trials. However, it still awaits the major breakthrough studies that would establish its credentials.
In the meantime, patients in search of cures other than palliatives to psychiatric disease are left to grasp at straws. Politicians in search of “return on investment” would do well to think outside of the box: both of these techniques offer immeasurable improvement in quality of life and minimal overhead.
Dear Saundra,
Thanks for your article. You’ve given me the extra push I needed to try homeopathy again.
I wanted to echo your warning that self-diagnosis & - treatment are likely to be disappointing. In your article you say how it is important to work with someone who really knows. In my experience that is a bigger deal than it sounds like. Something I think every patient should be aware of is that even some homeopaths aren’t all that good for certain problems, particularly psychiatric concerns.
It’s hard to believe how much skill it takes to diagnose correctly, even with lots of training and background information. As you said, the diagnosis isn’t that you have bipolar disorder or delusions or something -- it’s an evaluation of the overall way you are. Similarly the remedy you need might not be the right thing for another patient with the same medical diagnosis -- it’s based on your particular balance. All that is a pretty subtle thing to assess. The patient should shop around as carefully for a homeopath as for a surgeon. I’ve found that some of the best ones are also MDs, which guarantees that they have a sophisticated understanding of various medical conditions and that, better yet, they take insurance.
It is often impossible to assess the success of a remedy until several months have passed, so it’s really a plus if the doctor gets it right the first or second time. If my husband hadn’t found a particularly gifted doctor who resolved his hypoglycemia on the first attempt, I might never have thought to give it another go. His previous doctor corrected insomnia that wouldn’t respond to any of the sleeping medicines available, but said flat out that he couldn’t do anything about blood sugar. At least he knew enough to say that instead of trying to treat it with no success.
My experience with several homeopaths has been that they often spend months, even years, treating me with “constitutional remedies” that address my overall balance before actually tackling my psychiatric complaints. While the constitutional remedies have cleared up other, unrelated problems -- they obviously work -- it gets frustrating to wait for them to deal with my primary complaint. Like I say, if I hadn’t happened to read your article I would probably have resigned myself to an anxious and depressed life, having seizures at unpredictable moments.
Dear Anonymous:
Thank you for your comment. I do hope that you are able to find relief from your anxiety and depression.
I certainly agree that one should be very careful about choosing with whom they do important work of this kind. You must consider that you are about to put your total trust in this person and rely deeply on your gut reaction. Also assess their ability to educate you on the process you are going through, answer your questions, and also there is nothing wrong with asking for references, which of course, you should contact. The homeopath should be available to you on short notice when you first begin work, and then easily reachable to follow up, not to leave you "out-on-a-limb" should uncertainties surface about your reaction. Someone who insists on treating with constitutional remedies only, is giving you the run around. A good homeopath is precise, uses only one remedy, and it addresses all of your symptoms at the same time.
It is good to know that there are M.D.s that are also working homeopaths. Doctors of Natrupathy also can be certified in homeopathy, or have connection to professional homeopaths. They may be somewhat more oriented toward diagnosing a specific remedy rather than simply bodily symptoms.
Perhaps the following organizations can assist you in finding a recommended homeopath near you:
National Center for Homeopathy
Alexandria, VA (703) 548- 7790
International Foundation for Homeopathy
Edmonds, WA (206) 776-4147
Homeopathic Academy of Natrupathic Physicians
Portland, OR (503) 795-0579
Dear Dr. Bubniak: I am a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois and wondered if you knew any psychiatrists that practice Homeopathy in the Cook County Area (Chicago). If so, I would greatly appreciate the information so that I may share it with my clients.
Dear Cheryl:
Thank you for your comment and you interest. Dr. Gore is a psychiatrist trained at Nothwestern University who includes homeopathy and flower essences in his practice as well as a variety of other holistic modalities. The website is www.holistic-medicine.com. His office is in Deerfield, IL at The Center for Holistic Medicine. Phone is 847-236-1701. I have no direct knowledge of his work but if you do refer someone I would appreciate knowing how things turn out. Dr B
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