A Pill for every ill
Last Updated: Saturday 6th December 2008 | ©Dr, Martin Innes |  Print Version |
Homeopathy is seen as the polar opposite of conventional medicine , with like treating like , rather than trying to over ride the body . However a facet of conventional medicine that crosses over , particularly with consumers, is a tendency to dualistic thinking , namely that the mind is separate from the body , and not always terribly relevant
The reductionist model of medicine does not , in general attach a great deal of importance to feelings and emotions , nor do joe and Josephine public necessarily do so
So it would not be unnatural for a society that sees a pill for every ill , to look to homeopathy to provide a natural pill for every ill
Since aiming for a healthy mind , body and spirit, is an important part of homeopathy , it can invoke surprise when questions are asked of a persons emotional state as part of a homeopathic history . An emotional history will be concerned with how life has been , and how it has impacted upon the person
If someone has had a difficult life , particularly a background of dysfunctional family behaviour , then questioning about this may be seen as an unwelcome intrusion Given that the British ( I cant comment on Europe ) seems adept at covering up and suppressing – stiff upper lip, just get on with it, and all that – it may well be an uncomfortable line to take .
People say, leave the past alone , and just deal with the present . However , just as emotions are not made irrelevant by time, neither is homeopathy . A history of shock , such as witnessing a terrible event , even if it occurred a number of years in the past , would still merit the prescription of Aconite .Emotions and emotional responses , once created , can’t be uncreated , and if they are not dealt with , could stagnate and fester .
If one considers an emotional life and influences , as being like writing the operating system of a computer , creating “windows” if you like, once the programme starts up, it runs its course to the end . If there are flaws in the programme , created by difficult circumstances, the system will continue to run even if it keeps crashing , so the person keeps experiencing anxiety , and can’t understand why
The remedy Staphysagria is particularly good for helping to deal with the effects of suppressed anger , rage turned inward, self loathing , and anger which might be more appropriately directed elsewhere .
Ignatia is a remedy of sadness and loss , but also of guilt and stifled , blocked grieving .
However a remedy cannot change things on its own , if the problem is emotional or psychological in origin , and needs the person to look at things differently as well , it needs a degree of self analysis . Anger , once accepted as being present and self corroding, needs acknowledgment and resolution .
As “M” recently said to James Bond in “Casino Royale “ , “ arrogance and self awareness rarely go hand in hand” .
Now whilst most of us would not see ourselves as arrogant , it is still our ego that suggests we can sort our illnesses for ourselves , and that we have no need to change . We tend to think that if we shout down our feelings and emotions, loudly enough , then sheer force of will power will solve the problem
Self awareness forces us to accept that this is in fact , not true
Thus a homeopathic remedy becomes part of the story, but not the whole story.
The evidence relating to anger, particularly suppressed , having a negative effect on our physical health is now strong . Increasing research is also being done on the effects of forgiveness on our well being , and forgiveness also starts with the self
Chronic illness , in particular always has an emotional response , particularly where physical limitations are imposed. This may need looked at depending on how much the response is working for the individual. .
But change cannot be forced and the person must be a willing participant in the process . However if you attend an NHS homeopath , with something simple and straightforward , like hay fever , you are unlikely to be put through an in depth psychological questionaire