A blog on homeopathy -- Ruminating on Remedies

Feel the Fear

5/14/2023

“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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Hoarseness

12/24/2022

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We are in Jolly Old for Christmas and we have been having mixed success in attending some carol services. (We have yet to get lucky for the famous churches, but the two smaller churches that we whisked ourselves into did a commendable job.)

All this fa-la-la-ing got me thinking about hoarse voices.

The Banerjis recommend Hepar sulph 200c, twice daily for a hoarse voice.

If the high notes in particular cause problems, especially a cough, try some Argentum nitricum. Actually, Arg-nit is an excellent remedy for lost voices in general, especially in singers.

If you have lost your voice but using it actually makes things feel a little better, Rhus tox may be what you’re looking for.

If it’s painful, try some Belladonna or Phosphorus.

If it’s painless, try some Calc carb or Carbo veg.

Right, I just came back to the hotel for a little sit-down and am now heading back out again to enjoy some more bustling, festively lit streets.

Wishing you the happiest of Christmases… and, may you find a couple of little tubes of homeopathic loveliness in your stockings!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

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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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Jet Lag

4/28/2022

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Our first houseguests in over 2 years have arrived. A lovely thing, I can assure you!

After enduring this enforced time of not traveling, I (happily) forgot how horrible jet lag is, but I am reminded of its nastiness as I watch our over-seas visitors make the adjustment to the new time zone.

Why do we feel so exhausted after getting off a plane? All we do is sit (and eat), watch movies and maybe snooze a little bit for all those hours. We should be refreshed, like we had a day of relaxation! Yet, when finally stepping off that smelly tube with wings, it’s not at all uncommon to feel like you’ve run a marathon and got hit by a truck when you crossed the finish line!

The experts say it’s precisely because we’re sitting for long periods of time in dry air and become dehydrated, etc., etc., etc. Whatever the true pathophysiologic reasons are, jet lag is a miserable feeling.

Mainstream medicine has nothing to offer, really. Melatonin (Cipolla-Neto and Gaspar do Amaral 2018) apparently can help, and you can see how it would work (Herxheimer and Petrie 2002). Though short-term melatonin use is generally regarded as safe, I must admit, I wouldn’t mess with my hormones in this way (because melatonin is indeed a hormone)… especially when homeopathy has some simple answers. For more information on possible side effects of melatonin: (Bauer 2017; American Sleep Association 2022; Drugs.com 2021).

So, what did I do for our tired guests?
In anticipation of their arrival, I left two remedies on the dresser in their room:
JetZone: Jet Lag Prevention & Helios’ Jet Candy

JETZONE, remedy information as listed on the packet:
Arnica: Sleepless and restless when overtired
Cocculus: Constant drowsiness after loss of sleep
Kali phos: Weak and tired from overexertion. Headache from fatigue.
Gelsemium: Insomnia from exhaustion
Nux vomica: Heartburn, anxiety and restlessness
Argentum nitricum: Mental anxiety

Jet Candy, by Helios:
JetCandy doesn’t list their reasonings for including the remedies, but I will fill in the blanks.
Arnica
Bellis perennis: Another trauma remedy. Some call it a “deeper” Arnica.
Cocculus
Gelsemium
Petroleum: I wrote about Petroleum’s role in seasickness here. In short, Petroleum is particularly helpful for nausea.

There are other homeopathic combination remedies for jet lag, these are just the two I happened to have lying around.

No-Jet-Lag, by Miers Labs:
No-Jet-Lag doesn’t list their reasonings for including the remedies, but I will fill in the blanks.
Arnica
Bellis perennis
Chamomilla: Oversensitivity, anger and for when falling asleep is difficult.
Ipecac: Nausea, headache
Lycopodium: Gas and bloating; frequent waking and unrefreshing sleep

Jet Lag Relief, by Boiron
Arnica: Relieves muscle pain and stiffness
Cocculus: Relieves nausea associated with jet lag
Nux vomica: Relieves drowsiness and digestive problems associated with travel

What do all of these jet lag combination remedies have in common? Arnica montana. Arnica is a well known homeopathic remedy for injury and trauma. Let’s face it — changing time zones is absolutely an assault on your person. It affects your body, your mind and your emotions. If you are unable to get your hands on one of these combo remedies prior to your trip, bring along a tube of Arnica and half your battle will be won.

Jetlagreview.com (who knew such a thing existed?!), claims to be “the #1 source for helping people find effective ways to effectively combat jet lag.” I have no idea who is behind this site, but I was very intrigued to see 1/2 of the products they review are homeopathic (the others are vitamins and/or herbs).

No-Jet-Lag is jetlagreview’s #2 Silver Award Winner, for whatever that’s worth.

If you find yourself headed overseas, pick up one of these combination remedies and slip it in your carry-on. They’re all slightly different, but basically the same and any one of them will certainly be better than nothing. Or, take along just a tube of Arnica and see if one of these can’t put a little spring in your exhausted tourist step!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

* I have no affiliation with any of these products. I have used Jetzone and No-Jet-Lag, to good effect. Follow the directions listed on the packet.

Reference list
American Sleep Association, 2022. Melatonin Side Effects [online]. American Sleep Association.

Bauer, B., 2017. Pros and cons of melatonin [online]. Mayo Clinic.

Cipolla-Neto, J. and Gaspar do Amaral, F., 2018. Melatonin as a Hormone: New Physiological and Clinical Insights[online]. academic.oup.com.

Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Jet Lag: What is it, Symptoms, How Long Does it Last & Treatment [online]. Cleveland Clinic.

Drugs.com, 2021. Melatonin Side Effects, Uses, Dosage (Kids/Adults) [online]. Drugs.com.

Herxheimer, A. and Petrie, K. J., 2002. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Jet Lag Review, 2022. Top Products [online]. jetlagreport.com.

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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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Feel the Fear

Hoarseness

What goes up…

Jet Lag

Back to School in the Year 2021!

Julia Coyte, CHom

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