Grief..homeopathy

Aurum metallicum, causticum, Ignatia, Natrum muriaticum, pulsatilla are grade 3 remedies for grief.

There is another rubric, ailments from grief.

Cocculus is the only grade 3 medicine not included in the above list.

Let us discuss why it is so.
[message edited by gavinimurthy on Wed, 12 Oct 2016 20:45:38 UTC]

Cocculus

Boericke says it in a few words.

Very anxious about the health of others. Profound sadness.

Kent expands on it..
A wife nursing her husband, a daughter nursing her father, becomes worn out by the anxiety, worry and loss of sleep.


He goes out of his way to be of help to others who are suffering or are in trouble (Cares about others). There are instances where they undergo many sleepless nights to attend to someone who is critically ill or bed-ridden). They may finally succumb to this pressure themselves and it affects their health (Affects of night watching and loss of sleep).

So, Cocculus is a prominent remedy for ailments from grief. She doesn't normally grieve for herself, but grieves for others and get ailments from that.

So, you don't find Cocculus in grief, only in ailments for grief.

You should study repertory along with materia medica , trying to differentiate remedies from one another.

We will try to study major grief remedies one by one, and try to differentiate between them.

Aurum metallicum

Feeling of self-condemnation and utter worthlessness. Profound despondency, with thorough disgust of life, and thoughts of suicide.

They often have feelings of guilt (“maybe I should have been nicer, now that he or she is gone, I regret not telling him more that I loved him”). Love failure. Another trigger for an Aurum state is financial loss.

Grief with incurable diseases.

Constant criticism, especially from his closest associates, can also crush Aurum. He expects everyone to understand his high ideals, his high aspirations and his inborn sense of justice, and he is sorely disturbed when others misunderstand or criticize him.

Aurum will never ask for help or advice from a friend or relative with regard to his problems. Asking for help would be too degrading, and, furthermore, he considers his problems his and his alone.


One rather common scenario the Aurum patient describes is that when in a fit of despair and anger, he will go for a drive in his car. In his despair he accelerates the car faster and faster with the thought in mind of disappearing from the face of the earth, of having an accident, of smashing the care against a tree or wall. The acceleration, imminent danger and possibility of death eventually relieve him enough that in time he calms down, sees the irrationality of his behavior and slows down the car… but Aurum can also kill himself in this situation.

Causticum

Ailments from long lasting grief.

recurrent grief events, one after the other, paralyzing all the emotions, and often with a sense of injustice or in an unjust situation. People who need Causticum have a flat affect. They seem to live in a daze, with no emotions. “Hearing bad news” (such as the death of a family member or a diagnosis of incurable disease) can also create a Causticum state.

Failure to realise his dreams.
[message edited by gavinimurthy on Wed, 12 Oct 2016 21:47:29 UTC]

Ignatia


Loss and yearning
The word loss almost underpins the Ignatia reaction, because they do not cope well with loss. This can be loss of anything important, such as status, a treasured possession, or something they have become attached to. The most devastating loss, however, is the loss of a loved one, be that a relative, friend, pet or lover. This will fill them with desolation. They will be aware of the empty hole that is created in their life and they may feel empty inside. They will feel genuinely heartbroken.

Ignatia may be needed when grief is prolonged, or when ailments start following a bereavement, a relationship breakdown, or some other important loss. They get love­sick. They can also feel upset if they feel that they have failed someone, as if they have failed in their duty. They will dwell on this and agonise about it.

Sitting, sobbing and sighing
The Ignatia reaction characteristically shows the three “S” symptoms. They sit around because they cannot motivate themselves; they sob and they sigh. They say to themselves that there is no point, that it is “so unfair” and they despair. Their sighing is uncontrollable and is apparent to friends and family.

Nat.mur

They are also “the salt of the earth” – often the wounded healer, unable to help themselves, but so able in counselling others. Unable to confide, others readily confide in them, and find an understanding and compassionate ear. They know what suffering is, they have experienced it themselves, and are deeply and sincerely empathetic and give good advice. They feel very responsible for the welfare of others. This sense of duty and service may extend to animals and even become a global concern for the sufferings of the world. They may sublimate their own grief by caring for others. They disguise their pain by immersing themselves in the pain of those they help. They are able to cry for others whilst finding it hard to cry for themselves.

They need to appear strong, to show no weakness, but inside they are exceedingly vulnerable and afraid of being hurt. Often there is a history of a broken relationship, a love disappointment. Since that time they have never permitted anyone to get too close to them emotionally. They will even avoid getting into a position where someone might get attached to them. It is not the attachment that they fear, but the outcome, which they anticipate with dread: the end of the relationship, the betrayal, the disappointment, the terrible loss, the grieving and the humiliation. In this we can fully understand the symbolic significance of the “fear of robbers” in the psychology of Nat mur. Their deepest fear is the violation and theft of their emotional trust and happiness; by constantly “looking back” and by hanging on to the past they seek to protect themselves from the present.

When you detect sadness in them, and imagine a tear in their eye, and when in reply to your concern they avow that there is nothing wrong, take their words with a “pinch of salt”. Schooled in self-control and the suppression of emotions, they are uncomfortable with sympathy and avoid it lest it should break down their composure and resolve. If pushed it may arouse them to anger. Yet in Nat mur there is always a silent solicitation for the love, sympathy and nurturing that they possibly never received in their childhood or in their marriage. With care and patience you may reach out and touch their wound. At first they will avoid your eyes and remain silent, possibly gazing at their hands which are tightly clenched or fiddling agitatedly with some object, and then they will look up, their eyes wide and staring, as if in shock. At that moment the floodgates of their suffering open. Suddenly their eyes are swimming with tears and their body is racked by sobs, which seem to come from the depths of their being. It is then that you may take them in your arms and comfort them.

Pulsatilla

Grief and bereavement
Pulsatilla is one of the main medicines indicated during bereavement. The pat­tern is usually of someone who tries to bottle their emotions up, yet who is weepy and in need of consolation. They need someone to talk to, someone who will listen to them and if possible some­one who will put their arm about them.

. She seeks sympathy. The patient is unselfconscious in her desire for and acceptance of comforting and consolation.

In a nutshell, different people react differently for grief. The remedy choice depends on the type of reaction, they have to grief.

Aurum: unexpressed grief, with suicidal tendencies.

Causticum: Prolonged grief, shock after shock. Lack of emotions.

Ignatia: grieving the loss. Sitting, sobbing, sighing

Nat.mur: Tries to avoid showing grief. Doesn't like consolation.
Avoids relationships for fear of the consequences of loosing them again.

Pulsatilla: Needs consolation. Needs someone to listen to them and empathises with them.

The physical symptoms, the pathology associated with each remedy is also different. So, if you take a full case, it is easy to identify the remedy.

We discussed only the most commonly indicated remedies. There are many others too.

So, don't shout Ignatia, the moment you hear grief.