Homeopathic Remedies for Insanity

HYOSCYAMUS (Stinking Roger)

Loquacious, suspicious and JEALOUS like Lachesis. The etiology for this state may be disappointed love or rejection.

Mania, rage, aggression, increased strength. Delusion he will be poisoned. Delusion he is pursued by the police. Delusion he sees ghosts and spirits.

Fear of poison, dogs, animals, WATER.

Ability or desire to kill. Mania and rage; desire to break things.
Attempts to escape.

Like Lachesis, they may have trouble swallowing liquids.

What Hyoscyamus is well known for is: LEWDNESS, LOUD LAUGHTER, NUDITY, undressing in public, SHAMELESSNESS, CURSING, WILD TALKING, dancing, SILLY AND FOOLISH behavior, jesting, making strange gestures, restless fingers, "PICKING"--picking anything, like imaginary things in the air, picking the bedspread, the clothing, and so on.

FEAR OF BEING ALONE, like Stramonium. DESIRES COMPANY.

Restlessness

Sleepless from mental agitation, nightmares.

Just as suspicious as Lachesis and fear of being poisoned.

Talks rapidly, changes subjects often, laughs immoderately, rolls on the ground, dances, gesticulates, and in general behaves wildly and shamelessly.

In the Repertory, "Mind: insanity, crazy person, behaves like a"--Hyoscyamus is the only "3" in this rubric (which means the only remedy highly indicated for this behavior).

ANACARDIUM (Marking Nut)

The idea in this remedy is a DIVIDED self, or the idea of being separate; separate from the family or group, separate from society--doesn't fit in; and in general, two selves divided. He might be described as a DEVIL by some and an ANGEL by others. He might believe that he is possessed by the devil. He may say that he HEARS VOICES and the voices tell him what to do. He may sense the presence of "others" or another, where no one is there. The remedy itself in it's physical form is a nut (no pun intended) that is very sweet on the inside and hard and caustic on the outside, which very aptly explains this remedy--hard, as in no feeling for the suffering of others or the suffering that he may cause. These are the people who can be very CRUEL TO ANIMALS.

The Anacardium person may be someone who was pressured by domineering parents to become something the parents could be proud of. Unable to achieve this, he has both ANGER and LOW SELF ESTEEM. His most often repeated phrase may be "I HATE...!" ("I hate my life, I hate school, I hate everyone!")

There is a lot of CURSING, SHOUTING, acting in CRUEL and malicious ways, especially if he's a child or adolescent who's been beaten and ABUSED in childhood, which is frequently the etiology for this remedy. Some important characteristic symptoms of this remedy are:

INDECISION. Consistent with his divided self, he finds deciding between one thing and another next to impossible and exasperating.

POOR MEMORY. These are people who have to read the same paragraph over and over again before any of it sinks in.

May avoid the company of others because of feeling "different".

EATING AMELIORATES ALL COMPLAINTS. Whether it's fever or headache or a fit of rage, eating will calm this person down and make him feel better.
There may be a propensity to say the opposite of what he intended, or write the opposite of what he meant, or do the opposite of what he meant to do...again, the theme of opposing forces struggling to hold sway.

NUX VOMICA (Poison Nut)

The key ideas for this remedy are: OVER-SENSITIVE, OVER-ACHIEVING and NEED FOR STIMULATION. When you think about it, everything that's wrong with Nux Vomica springs from here. Let's start with over-achieving.

This is not your remedy for timidity and low self-esteem! Nux Vomica sees what it wants, has a goal, and goes after it; nothing can stop Nux Vomica! These people are focused! Just try and stop them! These are football players who plow their way into the end zone, they don't care if they get hurt or who's in their way! They want power, they don't shrink from confrontation, in fact they welcome it--just itching for a fight! Bring on the competition! This is because of their need for STIMULATION (which may explain their desire for SPICY FOOD--in fact, their lives are anything but bland!) They crave stimulation, challenges. Their idea of relaxing is to TAKE ON MORE WORK! ("OCCUPATION AMELIORATES")

But this constant need for stimulation can be problematic. The Nux Vomica "family man" simply can't be content in a tranquil, peaceful home. Such bland surroundings would irritate him immensely. So Mr. Nux Vomica finds fault with everything and everyone in his home: Dinner wasn't served on time! Someone's sitting in his chair! And if Mr. Nux Vomica has a drinking problem (and he probably does) look out! They have a fiery temper--so angry they could kill! EXPLOSIONS! OUTBURSTS! This is the house where the wife and the kids are walking on egg shells because they don't know what's going to happen next! And after he's got everyone in the house crying, screaming and yelling, he'll say, "Shhh! I need to be quiet!" Yes, what nerve! (OVERSENSITIVITY, easily irritated.)

Because of all of Nux Vomica's bad habits--his overwork, lack of sleep--the famous Nux vomica INSOMNIA--use of drugs and coffee and alcohol (STIMULANTS), his nerves are frayed! He can't tolerate interruptions, he can't tolerate noise; in fact, in order to work, he must have COMPLETE QUIET. To go to sleep, Mr. Nux Vomica requires COMPLETE QUIET! Odors also bother him. In fact, any DISHARMONY in the environment at all is intolerable. He may say things like, "My house is a constant irritation to me!"

Everything he does is done perfectly and systematically with attention to detail and efficiency, and don't you try to help because you won't know how! He can't delegate authority because everyone is so stupid, so incompetent! He won't even let the family order in a restaurant for themselves. If the wife orders fish, he'll say, "You don't want the fish. The fish is no good here. I'll just handle this. Waiter, my wife will have the roast beef."

With all the drugs and coffee and alcohol, it should come as no surprise that Nux Vomica's digestive system is too toxic to function. It doesn't eliminate. He tends to be CONSTIPATED, he has heartburn, does a lot of burping, has a lot of bloating.

Morning is a very bad time for him. He may wake feeling very toxic and he's not going to really feel good until the evening. Think of your typical hangover after a night of drinking--not being able to tolerate light or noise and feeling very toxic, that's nux vomica.

Here are some confirmatory symptoms for Nux Vomica:

CHILLY and worse least draft of air.
CONTRADICTION AGGRAVATES.
Desires rich, fatty food, red meat, cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, spicy food.
CHARACTER-CHANGES FROM USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, and we don't necessarily mean illegal drugs; Rx drugs are a problem for Nux Vomica too.
Domestic violence.
Twitching and trembling. Spasms.
INSOMNIA, waking at 3 AM.
PERFECTIONISM.
STUBBORN.
SYMPATHETIC, because of their over-sensitivity, they can empathize with the pain of others. Can't tolerate cruelty to animals. Can't bear to see suffering.
Kindness with spells of angry outbursts.
EASILY PROVOKED.
EGO, SELF-IMPORTANCE.
Loves to take charge.
Tenesmus--wants to but can't: Wants to urinate but can't, nauseous but can't vomit.
Reverse parastalsis--stool seems to be moving the wrong way!

***

If you should bump into any of these people, say "excuse me" and keep on going!

<-- Previous --