Fear – Gentle Help

Is Homeopathy something that can help with PTSD? The ‘Totality’ is key!

Homeopathy has to date been little investigated for its efficacy in the treatment of PTSD. However, states of anxiety, depression, panic, trauma, fear, irritability, sleeplessness, and mental and physical distress have long found relief by homeopathic treatment.

Homeopathy is a medicinal treatment considered as complimentary to conventional medicine. It is tailored to treating the individual in all of his or her entirety, holistically, and not just a disease or its label.

Homeopathy treats the patient on all levels, the spiritual, the mental/emotional and the physical plane; on specifically those planes on which the symptoms of PTSD are manifest and expressive.

Homeopathy is considered a ‘gentle’ treatment approach as it’s remedies are produced by diluting and rhythmically shaking them at various stages of the production process. This renders their action gentle and increases their strength. Homeopathy is considered devoid of side effects and adverse reactions.

In the homeopathic consultation the patient is given the space for him or her to fully express how he or she feels, and how he or she experiences the symptoms of his or her complaint. The aim is to provide a comfort zone within which the practitioner is able to identify from the patients narrative and explanations, the remedy which best fits the presenting state of the patient.

Particularly within the symptom complex of ‘Post-traumatic Stress Disorder’, there is a ‘mind – body’ connection. It is not infrequent that sufferers of PTSD develop comorbid complaints to their diagnosis of PTSD, such as chronic physical pain, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders and other health issues.

By considering the totality of the patient, taking into account the physical, mental and emotional presentation of complaints, Homeopathy can facilitate the reinstatement of well-being and the recovery of the individual as a whole. Homeopathy is one of the CAM therapies who´s action radius strongly recommends it for the treatment of PTSD.

Homeopathy is ‘gentle help’ for PTSD!

Shell Shock, Railway Spine, Soldier’s Heart…

Although it was only acknowledged and labelled as such in the 1980’s, PTSD, post-traumatic stress syndrome existed much earlier.

When trains were initially introduced as means of travel and transportation this innovative creation gave rise to much excitement, critique and a new type of fear disorder. Travel became different, louder, faster, and the number of people transported with just one trip could be increased drastically.

Homeopathy for PTSD

We are today at a time that sees a growing incidence of natural catastrophes, global terrorism, ongoing and potentially looming military conflict. The disasters of late and in particular the wars of the recent past have brought to the foreground frequently ignored, and often misinterpreted health issues. Anxiety and trauma disorders are increasingly becoming more prevalent.

One such particular ‘trauma’ issue is the so called PTSD, the post-traumatic-stress-disorder. This trauma, related to the experiences of warfare, combat and terror was first diagnosed in Vietnam -War – veterans and was only acknowledged and classified by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder in 1980. Its introduction was controversial yet “filled an important gap in psychiatric theory and practice” [3, n.p.]. With this, it was for the first time, acknowledged that trauma could be produced from an external causative factor, and was not an immanent shortcoming of the particular patient showcasing the specific set of symptoms [3].