A blog on homeopathy -- Ruminating on Remedies

A Mouse in the House

9/29/2023

Cooler weather must be coming. We have a mouse in the house - or, more accurately, a few mouses. I don’t do well with rodents… a classic Calc carb trait, actually.

Calc carb is a grade 3 remedy listed in the rubric for Fear of Mice.

Once upon a time, there was a dead mouse in the back room where I worked. I was so freaked out by this that I had to go out the back door and walk all the way around the mall to get back in the building because I was mentally unable to step over the dead mouse to get back out the door I had just entered. That’s a pretty hefty fear of something that can do me no harm. (I know Hanta Virus is a thing, but… suffice it to say that this poor, little, dead creature was not going to harm me at that moment.)

I have taken Calc carb in the past and my fear of mice has been tempered considerably. I still don’t like them and I really don’t like the idea of them being in my house. The fact there was one in my bedroom (!) disturbs me. (I won’t even go into how freaked out I was when a squirrel was once in my bedroom!! My boys still think my impression of the maid from "Tom & Jerry" was pretty funny - me, standing up on my bed afraid to step back on the floor.) But, I am happy to say that paralyzing fear is gone.

I have made such great advances in this area that I was even about to rid the remains of one by myself the other day but my teenage son came to my rescue. It is safe to say that a few years ago there was not a chance of me ever even considering doing that job.

Even looking for an image to put on this blog… I had to go for an illustration because the photos of mice cause a visceral reaction. Perhaps I need to reconsider another dose of Calc carb!

So, the long and the short of this article is mouse rubrics, because fear of mice is not the only one the homeopathic literature addresses.

If your nervous system is suffering after being frightened by a mouse (the rubric is actually “frightened; sudden and severe, after being, by a mouse running up arm” (which is quite frankly too much for me to even think about!) try some Ignatia.

If it just feels like a mouse is running up your arm, then try Calc carb.

If you have a sensation as if a mouse is running up your back: Sulphur.

If you are hallucinating that you see a mouse running from under a chair… try some Cimicifuga. (Or, better yet, check and see if you really did see that and then try a dose of Cimicifuga if there is no evidence of said being!)

Dreaming of mice? Or, sleep disturbed due to your fear of mice? Calc carb.

If you hear noises in your ear that sound like a squeaking mouse: Rhus tox.

Even though I am coping better, I prefer to live in a house where not a creature was stirring, other than the 2-legged kind.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

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Feel the Fear

5/14/2023

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“Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.”
Rudyard Kipling

The other day, driving slowly over a speed bump not far from home, I noticed a woman I have met before but I don’t know. Given her house is right next to the speed bump, I’ve had occasion to notice her many times over the years. This time, she was standing next to her dog who was lying under an opened umbrella propped on the ground next to him, and her stance said she was concerned about the dog. What was really memorable about this woman in the beginning days of May of the year 2023, however, was that she was outside, by herself with not one, but wearing two (!) masks on her face. I have since seen her a couple more times, still donning both masks.

I have nothing but compassion for this woman who is clearly frightened beyond comprehension. What makes you think she is frightened? Maybe she is protecting herself from allergens? Remember, I’ve seen her over the years, standing in the same place in her yard, yet the masks are relatively new.

This is not an article about the pros and cons of masking. This is an article about that extremely powerful emotion which I am surmising lies behind the masking: fear.

According to Louise Delagran, writing for the University of Minnesota’s “Taking Charge of your Health & Wellbeing,” fear and anxiety impacts us in the following ways:

Fear weakens our immune system, can cause cardiovascular damage, GI problems and decreased fertility and lead to accelerated aging and even premature death.
Fear can impair memory and cause damage to certain parts of the brain which can, in turn, make it even more difficult to regulate fear and leave the person with chronic anxiety. “To someone in chronic fear, the world looks scary and their memories confirm that.”
Fear can disrupt the processes which allow us to regulate our emotions which, in turn, impacts thinking and decision making.
Long-term fear can lead to fatigue, clinical depression and PTSD.

This, she says, is the case despite the threats being real or simply perceived.

The mind is a powerful thing!

Fear & Homeopathy

Frederik Schroyens in his Synthesis Adonis repertory, lists 1,400+ rubrics listed under: Mind, Fear. Some examples: Fear of being alone. Fear of cancer. Fear of cats. Fear of crossing a bridge. Fear of disease. Fear of being neglected. Fear of liquids. Fear of open spaces. Fear of thunderstorms. And, fear of death is a big one, with nearly 100 sub-rubrics listing all sorts of ways people fear they might die.

Using homeopathic remedies to address your fear can help your body help itself to avoid the fear taking root and taking control of your physical and mental well-being.

With over 1,000 homeopathic remedies which may be indicated in various manifestations of fear, where does one start?

The beginning of the alphabet, of course!

Aconitum napellus or Aconite for short. This is a good and easy one to remember because “Aconite” rhymes with “fright.” If you have a scary experience, Aconite is an excellent place to start. Even if that scary experience was in the past, Aconite is indicated in ailments from frights and can help clear out the fear “residue,” if you will. Fear of death, fear of doctors… overpowering fear. Sudden fear and panic attacks also may be helped with Aconite. Physical ailments may begin suddenly.

Argentum nitricum can be particularly helpful with the nervous system — people who anticipate everything that could go wrong. Fear of accidents; being alone; losing control; claustrophobia. Argent-nit is part of a very helpful combination remedy known as "AAA." (See: "What Goes Up" for more info on AAA.) Argentum nitricum sufferers often have gastro-intestinal issues: nervous diarrhea as well as impressive belching.

Arsenicum album is particularly good for fears about one’s health. Fear of disease and germs; fears of being incurable; fear of being poisoned; fear of suffering. Physical ailments may have a burning quality to them as well as a general restlessness.

Calcarea carbonica is for the worrier. They are overwhelmed, over-worked, over-burdened and they worry about their health, too: cancer, germs, infection and contagious, epidemic diseases. Fear of insanity; fear of rats, insects and monsters. Physically, they get worn out easily and may have a sensation of inner trembling.

Lycopodium clavatum is particularly well indicated when low self-esteem and low confidence come into the fear picture. Lycopodium fears: failure and humiliation; public speaking, or, the undertaking of anything. Physically, Lycopodium is another good gastrointestinal remedy, this time with bloating and loud abdominal rumbling.

Phosphorus is more indicated for a sort of free-floating anxiety and for those who are over-sensitive to external impressions, especially when they are alone. Fear of the dark; ghosts; noise; thunderstorms. Physically, there may be a tremendous thirst or excessive bleeding, including nosebleeds.

It’s important to remember that all of these remedies are considered polycrests or, very large homeopathic remedies, which cover a great variety of symptoms, both physical and mental and these are just tiny snippets to help give a sense of the remedies and how they relate to fear.

Dr. Edward Bach, the homeopath who discovered the Bach Flower Essences a century ago, said it was “our fears, our cares, our anxieties and such like that open the path to the invasion of illness” (Mcintyre 1996).

There are a number of Dr. Bach’s flowers which could apply here, (especially if we were to compare them to the homeopathic remedies listed), but I am just going to briefly focus on a small handful.

Aspen to address a fear of the unknown or the supernatural — the faceless fears that go bump in the night… The generalized, nameless anxieties.

Cherry Plum is for the fear of losing control.

Crab Apple addresses a fear of contamination, by a disease, for example.

Mimulus is for the fear of “known” things. If you can put a name to what you are afraid of, Mimulus is your flower.

Red Chestnut for the fear or worry for the well-being of others, especially loved ones.

Rock Rose for terror, as such following an accident or nightmares.

Don’t be afraid to address your fears. After all, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Whether you choose to try homeopathy or flower essences or cognitive behavioral therapy, (or, even better, a combination of all 3!), feel the fear and do it anyway**!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

** Full disclosure, I’ve never read this book, but I’ve always loved the title!

Reference list
Delagran, L., 2012. Impact of Fear and Anxiety | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing [online]. Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing.

Jeffers, S., 2023. Feel the Fear... and Do It Anyway. Harvest.
LeDoux, J., 1998. Fear and the brain: where have we been, and wwww.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(98)00282-0/fulltexthere are we going? Biological Psychiatry [online], 44 (12), 1229–1238.

Mcintyre, A., 1996. Flower power : flower remedies for healing body and soul through herbalism, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and flower essences. Holt.

Schroyens, F., n.d. Synthesis Adonis. (accessed through Radar Opus software).

Steimer, T., 2002. The biology of fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience [online], 4 (3), 231–49.

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What goes up…

9/4/2022

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… must come down. Our evening on the mountain, part 2.

While we were waiting to board the tram for our return trip down the mountain, there was a woman who was absolutely terrified. She made the trip up, so I thought maybe she was playing things up a bit. She was really over the top in her demeanor.

We were on the tram together on the way down and it turned out that she was not putting on a show. I was next to her as she buried her head into her husband’s shoulder and held on tight to him.

I asked her if she would like a homeopathic remedy for fear.

To my pleasant surprise, she did. So, I reached in my purse and gave her 2 pellets of AAA.

AAA — a combination of three really excellent fear Remedies: Argentum nitricum, Ambra Grisea and Anacardium.

In an ideal world, I would have been able to ask the person what she was afraid of. I didn’t know if she was afraid on the way up. I didn’t know how she felt walking around up there. Is she generally afraid of heights? Is it the tram, suspended over nothing that worried her? Was she afraid for her safety or her family’s safety?

In a regular homeopathic consultation, I would have inquired about an awful lot of things: where did she feel the fear? What else brings about such terror like she was experiencing? If it’s heights that freaks her out, is it a fear of falling? Or just a general fear of high places? Or, was she fighting an urge to throw herself from the edge?

Does she experience vertigo when at height? If so, is it a falling sensation? If so, which direction does it seem she is falling? Does she experience vertigo in other circumstances?

Back to the fear: does she feel the fear in her stomach? Does she get chattering teeth with the fear? Does she experience panic attacks? Does she shiver with the fear? Does she get heart palpitations? Does she have trouble breathing when in this state?

Is it being in the small, enclosed tram car that troubled her? Is it being in a crowd that troubled her?

These are just the first things that come to mind — there were a lot of questions that could have been asked, if the situation had allowed for such things.

As it was, I didn’t know anything else about this woman except that she was completely freaked out.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I keep a few remedies in my purse and just through happenstance, I still had AAA with me (and, I think it will now forever live in my little bag of goodness).

Why was AAA a good fit for this lady?

Homeopathic Argentum nitricum — Fear of:

heights as well
fear of falling from a height
claustrophobia
impending danger
accidents
anxiety in a crowd

Homeopathic Ambra grisea for:

fear of impending danger
anxiety felt in the stomach
vertigo

All three remedies are indicated in:

trembling
lacking in confidence
feelings of despair
nervous people

Homeopathic Anacardium, in addition to the symptoms listed above for “all three remedies” is also indicated for anxiety with fear as well as lack of emotional control.

Yep. AAA was a really good remedy choice for this poor woman. By the end of the short trip, she thanked me and said that this journey was better and easier than the trip up.

In the end, I forgot to bring my homeopathic Coca, but that would have been a decent choice, too: fear of accidents, fear of downward motion, fear of falling and fear of heights.

What else happened during our little excursion to 10,000 feet? My youngest son, who is prone to nosebleeds, could feel one coming on, or, rather, he could taste one coming on. He could taste blood in his mouth like he said he gets when a nose bleed has started. The other thing I keep in my little bag is Ferrum phos. One dose of Ferr-phos 3x and a few minutes later, the taste and the feeling had passed -- no nosebleed ever arrived.

Other than that, it was a delightful evening out with a beautiful sunset shown above.

I truly hope our frightened fellow traveler heard the word “homeopathic” and decided to investigate further what this marvelous medicine can offer her.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

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Anger and Fear

6/1/2022

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Photos by Saara Nafici.
https://www.bbg.org/news/weed_of_the_month_jimson_weed

One of the first remedies I gave my (then) young son after beginning to study homeopathy was Stramonium.

He was about 9, I think, and my previously easy-going young fellow had become pretty surly. To paint the picture, he had previously had a good relationship with the after-school tutor who had been helping all 3 of my boys at various times for a few years. They would sit at the dining room table when I was cooking dinner and they chatted nicely and joked as she explained to him how this thing called “math” worked. Then, one day, he just became unpleasant and rude to her. It was not just with the tutor, but that relationship provided the clearest display of what was happening.

I had learned recently about the homeopathic remedy Stramonium and I ordered a tube because it sounded like a pretty good fit for him. As the days went by, waiting for the remedy to arrive in the mail, I hoped that it was actually just a passing phase and my pleasant son would return. My hopes went unanswered.

As luck would have it, the Stramonium arrived in the middle of a tutoring session. I opened the package and popped a couple of pellets in his mouth. A few minutes later, he said, “what did you just give me? It has made me really angry!”

I have to admit that I panicked for a minute. What had I done? (In hindsight, a lower potency probably would have been better.) But, a few minutes later, he calmed way down after a short-lived aggravation*. I don’t think I ever actually gave him a second dose of Stramonium and his old, pleasant self soon returned.

What is Stramonium and how can it possibly have this effect?

Stramonium is made from jimson weed, a nightshade relative of tomatoes, eggplants and tobacco, and is known to trigger psychosis when ingested (Mental Health Daily 2015). All parts of this plant are toxic and in its raw state can cause convulsions, hallucinations and even death if ingested (Nafici 2016).

The bloom itself is quite striking, but the seedpod (see top photo) is a better depiction of what this plant is all about. Jimson weed, also known as “locoweed,” “mad-apple” “thorn-apple” and “stinkweed” is “UNSAFE [original author's emphasis] when taken by mouth or inhaled” and “contains chemicals such as atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine” which “interfere with one of the chemical messengers (acetylcholine) in the brain and nerves” (Rxlist.com 2021) and can be fatal in high doses (Charmley 2022).

Alrighty then! Message received — keep a safe distance from the plant itself! (If you or your pet do come in contact with this plant, call Poison Control at 1.800.222.1222.)

“Jimson weed poisoning is found primarily among adolescents who seek the hallucinogenic effects of the plant” (Chan 2002) but it can also harm animals (Guthrie 2014) and makes the list of the “10 common poisonous plants” (Charmley 2022). (A quick search of the internet turns up many news articles of teens ending up in trouble from smoking or ingesting this weed.)

Many of homeopathy’s most powerful medicines come from the most poisonous substances on the planet: Belladonna, Hemlock, Aconite… the list goes on because as we know in homeopathy, “Like cures Like.”

What does that even mean? "Like cures like" means the symptoms or conditions which can be created or caused by a substance in its natural state can then be “cured” through the use of the potentized homeopathic version of the same substance. (See also, “Hom, not home”.)

Indeed, one of the ways we find out the healing properties of homeopathic remedies is through historical accounts of poisonings. Take for instance Socrates, the Greek philosopher who was sentenced to death in 399 BC by drinking a hemlock liquid mixture — his symptoms were recorded by Plato in his book Phaedo (Dayan 2009). Plato told of the slowly ascending paralysis which crept up his legs and resulted in death when the paralysis reached the respiratory muscles. Enid Bloch researched the veracity of this account and discovered Scottish toxicologists of the 19th century conducted their own experiments and found similar effects. John Harley, author of The Old Vegetable Neurotics, poisoned himself and recorded the physiological effects, again confirming Plato’s account. As a result, we have a good homeopathic picture of what Conium maculatum (Poison Hemlock) can do. (For this article, suffice it to say that homeopathic Conium can help with feelings of constrictions, indurations, nodules and tumors; conditions where the symptoms move upwards; it is highly indicated in a number of coughs, especially when lying down; sensations of heaviness and weakness, and, finally, progressive weakness, even to the point of paralysis.)

Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy, “found that the more he diluted his medicines, the more the toxic impact of their original substance was washed away. And, he found something else that was even more surprising: that the more dilute the medicines became, the more powerful they became in terms of their healing power” (McCabe 2010).

McCabe goes on to speak of the homeopath E.B. Nash (1838-1917) who said, ‘the stronger the poison the stronger the cure.’ “Homeopathic remedies, when given in micro dose, have no toxicity left. But it is also true that they retain their inherent medicinal strength, making the remedies taken from poisonous substances particularly curative.” How these diluted solutions actually work eludes scientists to this day.

Back to jimson weed…

Along with the hallucinations, Charmley lists “aggressive or unusual behavior” as one of the dangers of consuming this plant. Dewitt (et al. 1997) lists “combative” behavior.

Homeopathyonline.org (2013) says “the idea of Stramonium is we have lived through a night of terror … but more commonly the terror is internalized.” A person or a child has seen or experienced something frightening and that fright got stuck inside them.

Morrison (1998) lists a “change of character” and “rages.” “Terror. Night-terrors. Feeling of threat or violence.” Boger (2015) lists “DREADS DARKNESS … Fearful, desires company or wants to escape … talks incessantly … wildly excited … or does all sorts of crazy things. Raving mania … cursing … Awakes in fear or screaming.”

How do these internal terrors express themselves? Often through rage which shows itself with a red face. Or, rage alternating with laughing; rage with cursing and hitting, even an uncontrollable, violent rage. Stramonium is one of only 5 remedies listed in Murphy’s Repertory for rage and fury in children.

It doesn’t have to get to this level though. Those symptoms listed above are extreme examples. Like all homeopathic remedies and their symptoms, there is a range of expression. Stramonium is also used for plain old anger: those who are easily angered and those who are angry from being frightened. It’s a good remedy for those who get angry as a result of anxiety and for temper tantrums.

It was the idea of temper tantrums that caught my attention all those years ago. I realized that was what my young son was doing. It wasn't like the temper tantrums of a toddler, this was different, but very much the same -- an unreasonable bout of anger, out of reach of logic.

Where else is Stramonium useful? For those suffering from fear: fear of being alone, (especially children), as well as fear of being alone in the darkness — they want light and company. Fear of animals and dreams of scary creatures. Fears of being attacked or bitten. Claustrophobia, the fear of going to the doctor, fear of ghosts and imaginary things. The fear of being injured, the fear of mirrors in a room, and being afraid of monsters and scary noises.

As you can see, Stramonium is an excellent homeopathic remedy for frightened and/or angry children.

Was my son exhibiting fearful behavior at this same time? I don't remember now and I didn't have the knowledge to look for such things then. Did my son see some show or read some story that freaked him out and got stuck in his head? Possibly, but I’ll never know for sure. What I do know is homeopathic Stramonium removed that layer of anger from him, regardless of where it originated, and returned to me the sweet young fellow I knew him to be.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

* Remember, an aggravation is considered a good thing in classical homeopathy. It is an exacerbation of the existing problem. The pendulum swings further in the direction of the problem and then corrects itself soon after, resulting in equilibrium.

Reference list:

Bloch, E., n.d. Hemlock Poisoning and the Death of Socrates: Did Plato Tell the Truth? Academic Paper. [online]. State University of New York at Buffalo, NY, USA.

Boger, C. M., 2015. Synoptic key of the materia medica : a treatise for homeopathic students. New Delhi: B. Jain.

Chan, K., 2002. Jimson Weed Poisoning—A Case Report. The Permanente Journal [online], 6 (4), 28–30.

Charmley, S., 2022. Top 10 most common poisonous plants: How to identify [online]. www.medicalnewstoday.com.

Dayan, A. D., 2009. What killed Socrates? Toxicological considerations and questions. Postgraduate Medical Journal [online], 85 (999), 34–37.

Dewitt, M. S., Swain, R. and Gibson, L. B., 1997. The dangers of jimson weed and its abuse by teenagers in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia. The West Virginia Medical Journal [online], 93 (4), 182–185.

Guthrie, T., 2014. Jimsonweed – a poisonous plant that may be found in or around your horse pasture [online]. MSU Extension.

Homeopathyonline.org, 2013. Stramonium [online]. homeopathyonline.

McCabe, V., 2010. From Poison to Medicine: Homeopathic Medicines made from Poisonous Plants. kindle. McBooklets.

Mental Health Daily, 2015. Drug-Induced Psychosis: List Of Causative Agents [online]. Mental Health Daily.

Morrison, R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ.

Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software.

Mutebi, R. R., Ario, A. R., Nabatanzi, M., Kyamwine, I. B., Wibabara, Y., Muwereza, P., Eurien, D., Kwesiga, B., Bulage, L., Kabwama, S. N., Kadobera, D., Henderson, A., Callahan, J. H., Croley, T. R., Knolhoff, A. M., Mangrum, J. B., Handy, S. M., McFarland, M. A., Sam, J. L. F. and Harris, J. R., 2022. Large outbreak of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) poisoning due to consumption of contaminated humanitarian relief food: Uganda, March–April 2019. BMC Public Health [online], 22 (1).

Nafici, S., 2016. Weed of the Month: Jimson Weed [online]. Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Rxlist.com, 2021. Jimson Weed: Health Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, Dosage & Interactions [online]. RxList.

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Back to School in the Year 2021!

8/12/2021

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Heading back to school under normal circumstances can be a harrowing experience for some kids. Going back to school in the year 2021 must be unthinkably stressful. Not only are these kids having to endure the usual stressors of finding their classroom and meeting their teacher/s, this year they have to worry about possibly wearing a mask all day long and worrying about how to make friends while remaining the prescribed distance apart from other human beings, lest they give or receive deadly germs to one another. That is beyond a doubt a recipe for anticipatory anxiety.

Anticipatory anxiety, (the discomfort felt when entering an unknown situation), is nicely met through homeopathic remedies.

Gelsemium sempervirens is what they used to give to the soldiers during the Civil War -- you know, the boys and men who knew they were up against nearly impossible odds? This gave them the courage necessary to step foot onto the battlefield. It can help with "nervous dread" and stage fright; fear of going to the doctor or the dentist and fear of pain, injury or even death. With this anxiety, a dull stupor may be seen or headaches resulting from nervous excitement. Tummy troubles, diarrhea in particular, or sleeplessness from the anxiety may also be present.

Argentum nitricum also addresses anticipatory anxiety but this may cross over into a bigger fear, even panic attacks or anxiety attacks as opposed to just being nervous. An irresistible desire for sugar may be present. Headaches resembling migraines may be seen. Tummy troubles of rumbling, gurgling and flatulence. Restless, disturbed sleep may be an issue.

Silicea (or Silica) presents with more timidity. This person may be feeling bashful and focusing on the minutiae, making sure every last little thing is just right. Headaches located over just one eye or a headache that is worse from exertion or even a "sick headache" may be seen. The tummy trouble in a person needing Silica can be a griping pain and they may be sleepy all day long.

Anticipatory anxiety, fear, dread, timidity, panic attacks -- nobody should have to live with that and homeopathy may help. For more information, please contact me at classicallypractical.com.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

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A Mouse in the House

Feel the Fear

What goes up…

Anger and Fear

Back to School in the Year 2021!

Julia Coyte, CHom

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