Aurum Metallicum - homeopathy Remedy

 The main idea essential to Aurum is DEPRESSION and LOATHING OF LIFE. Ultimately, this person does not want to live. This idea will be found in practically every Aurum case, whether the patient admits it openly or not.
 Aurum patients are closed people. They are not easily able to confess their innermost feelings. In the end, they may freely use the word "depression" but they may be incapable of describing their state more specifically. There are many stages in the development of Aurum pathology, but always they are closed in their relationship with the world.
 These are people who feel themselves quite separate from the world. They tend to remain by themselves; they do not have close friends to whom they can turn when they feel depressed or troubled. Usually, they are very proper and correct in their dealings with others - like Kali carbonicum. They are people who are just, honest, fair, and responsible. They would never willingly inflict an injustice on others. They tend to be quite intelligent, hard working and successful. They often attain high positions in society.
 Yet, even in the first stages of pathology, these people display a despondency - a dissatisfaction with life in general, especially regarding social and inter-personal relationships. They are closed people who do not express emotions easily. It is as if they are frail on the emotional level; their emotions are not strong enough to be expressed visibly. They are able to accept affection easily from others, but they are not able to return it.
 Nevertheless, Aurum patients are characteristically sensitive to any criticism. They are serious minded and they take to heart whatever comments are made about them - similar to Natrum mur. They are too serious to make excuses for another person's harsh remarks - they do not consider the possibility that the person is in a bad mood, under too much stress, not feeling well, etc. In this world view nothing is superficial. Because of their sense of injustice, they may understand the other person's point ? but even so they "take it to heart" (an apt phrase for Aurum). They accept the other's to have a different point of view, but then they further conclude that all possibilities of continuing the relationship are lost.


 Because of this process, Aurum patients gradually come to the point when they derive no pleasure at all from social or emotional contact. They become joyless. Nothing motivates or excites them.
 Aurum patient are people who usually feel they have given a lot of themselves to others, but not in an emotional sense. They often are quite wealthy - financiers, bankers, etc. - and they have given their wealth freely to others, but in return they have been hurt. consequently they develop resentments which build up inside as a kind of pressure. However, because they are logical and sane people, they try to suppress these negative feelings. They may succeed in this suppression over a period of time, but their emotions then become somewhat unstable. They experience vacillations of moods, changeability.
 It is during this stage that Aurum patients are ameliorated in the evening. During the daytime they feel dissatisfied, uncertain, irritable, lacking in self-esteem, feeling unworthy in their occupations etc. In the evening, though there is a return of self-esteem and a relief from the emotional pressures. Even the mind functions better once the sun sets. In this respect, Aurum is similar to Sepia and Medorrhinum. Despite this characteristic, it is also true that in some circumstances Aurum patient; may experience an aggravation of depression in the evening.
 As their attempts to suppress negative feelings fail, they break out in tremendous irritability and rage. They may say very damaging things to others. Aurum patients at this stage of pathology may seem cruel and unfeeling to others, especially in their manner of speaking. They do not actually curse - they are too proper for that - but they may say very harsh and violent things to people around them.
 In an attempt to control the poisonous process which seems to be overtaking the emotional level, Aurum patients turn more and more to mental activity. They are very industrious and hard-working, but to a pathological degree. Work becomes an outlet to avoid the discomfort of an emotional life which has become increasingly isolated and undernourished.


 They eventually feel as if they have completely failed in life, that they are only taking others into believing they are capable, worthwhile individuals. They feel that they do not deserve their status, wealth and responsibilities. They begin to feel that they have no right to live, and that they are literally incapable of maintaining their occupations or relationships. They put the blame for everything on themselves. It is during this stage that Aurum patients become exquisitely sensitive to even chance remarks by others. For the most trivial of reasons, they may jump out of a high window and everyone is surprised. There did not seem to be any big problems and things seemed to be functioning smoothly. But no-one realised the depth of suffering these individuals reach inside.
 Finally, even the work strategy fails, and they become suddenly overwhelmed by depression, sadness, and grief. At this point, all is completely without hope. Everything becomes darker and darker, until there seems to be not one ray of light. To these Aurum patients, it is as if the sun has been completely snuffed out and there is no longer any point in continuing to live. By this stage, all the destruction which used to be turned outward in their resentment, irritability and rage, now turns inward. Their thoughts turn constantly to suicide. They feel only a gloom and sadness; life is no longer worthwhile in any sense. They reach the deepest states of depression of which human beings are capable.
 In a recent newspaper article, there was a story about a man who shot his wife, his two children, and himself, because he THOUGHT he was going to lose his job. this was very likely an Aurum case. It is interesting that Aurum patients value gold (money) a lot. Their material positions are very important to them. This is one of the reasons why they are so industrious. They may work hours of overtime, partly to ensure their financial security, but also to help allay the feeling that they do not deserve their position.
 Classically, the image of Aurum suicidal thinking has been that they have the impulse to jump from a high place. In all their misery and gloom, when they look over high edge, the idea overtakes them. "Now, one jump and there will be relief". They are overtaken by a kind of cloud, a sweet feeling that if they jump everything will be finished. Nowadays, however, there is another kind of impulse. Especially during a fit of rage or despondency, they may get into a car and recklessly push he accelerator to the floor in the hope of losing control. Or there may be an impulse to swerve the car into a wall or an embankment.


 The Aurum state represents a true living, death, a complete destruction of the mind and the will to live, illness beginning on the emotional plane.
 It is interesting that Aurum patients, being very proper and moralistic, may take another course in their pathology, leading to religious behaviour. Instead of becoming truly suicidal, they tend to pray constantly for salvation. This praying is often accompanied by weeping, and this seems to relieve them. The tremendous gloom and sadness they feel is relieved by praying and weeping hour upon hour.
 I remember a schoolmate of mine in India who had painful swelling of the testes. He was a nice person and showed no real signs to causal observation of difficulty on the emotional plane. He saw several of the homoeopathic professors who gave him Clematis, Rhododendron, and other remedies, all with no effect. the pain was very severe so he finally consulted me. At the end of the interview he said, "You know, I am a Christian and I like it, but every night before I go to sleep I feel compelled to pray for one or two hours. I cannot do otherwise". Upon enquiry, it turned out that he was in actually quite depressed, but never had thoughts of suicide. Aurum was given, and after an aggravation for a few hours, it completely relieved him within three days.
 Sometimes Aurum is indicated in children, but they will not show the depression. They will, however, tend to be serious, overly responsible, changeable in moods, irritable with fits of anger, and moaning and lamenting.
 It is interesting also that there is a correspondence between the emotional level and heart disease. If, for example, an Aurum patient finds a solution to his problems by other means - divorce and a new love, or some other method - then we may see the appearance of cardiac disorders. There may also be heart disease arising out of suppression of rheumatoid diseases; Aurum is a prominent remedy to consider in easy suppressions affecting the heart.


 Whenever there is even a trivial heart ailment, Aurum patients develop a fear of heart disease. Whatever anxiety about health which exists in Aurum patients is focussed on the heart. This is not a fear death, usually answer, "No, not at all. I welcome death. This is no life to live". Yet, they do have a fear of heart disease, which represents the plane of emotional vulnerability.
 Aurum sometimes is prescribed for very severe rhinitis with offensive odour. The odour is so offensive that even others can smell it.
 The syphilitic element is evident in Aurum. They have the typical deep bone pains of the syphilitic miasm.
 Also Aurum covers all pains, of whatever origin, which drive the patient to want to commit suicide. The pains become so severe that death seems the only possible relief. I remember a case of neuralgia of one of the nasal branches of the trigeminal nerve. It was an incredible pain that drove the patient completely mad and she wanted to die. It was, quickly relieved by Aurum 10 M. I recall another case of severely painful mastoditis which was recurrent for years; this was also promptly cured by Aurum.
 Aurum is a remedy which is capable of reaching into the deepest regions of the human organism when properly indicated and it is sometimes astounding to see the changes it can produce. Patients with deep-seated depressions develop a true elation about life; because of the previous darkness they truly appreciate the new found light they feel inside.

Arsenicum Album

Arsenicum is a classic remedy known in its basic outlines to all homoeopaths. Originally proven by Hahnemann himself, Ars. has been exhaustively described in every Materia Medica since. The classic description in Kent's Materia Medica covers all the essentials in both the cute and chronic states : Anxiety, Restlessness, Aggravated by Cold, Worse 1 - 2 p.m.  and 1 - 2 a.m. , Thirsty for Sips, Periodicity, Alternations of Symptoms, Ulcerations, Burning PAINS. A mere cataloguing of symptoms can be misleading in actual prescribing. However, unless the image is rounded out by a understanding of the essential dynamic process and stages of development of the remedy, particularly in comparison with other similar remedies.
 The essential process underlying the Arsenicum pathology is a deep-seated INSECURITY. From this insecurity springs most of the key manifestations known in Arsenicum. This insecurity is not a mere social dynamic, but more essentially a sense of being vulnerable and defenceless in a seemingly hostile universe. This insecurity dominates the Arsenicum personality even from the earliest stages.
 Arising from the insecurity is the Arsenicum DEPENDENCY on other people. Of course, Arsenicum is a prominent remedy listed under the rubric "Desires Company". In reality, the Arsenicum person has more than a mere desire for company - it is an actual need for someone to be present, near him. Arsenicum surrounds himself with people because of his insecure sense concerning his health, his unaccountable fear of being alone. The need for company is not necessarily a need for interaction with people, such as in Phosphorus. Arsenicum needs people nearby, more for reassurance and support than anything else.
 The Arsenicum person is very POSSESSIVE - possessive about objects, of money, and especially of people. The Arsenicum person does not easily share a relationship with a give and take dynamic. He is much more selfish, a "taker". In a relationship, he will give support to another person, but primarily with the expectation of receiving support in return.
 It is in this sense that Arsenicum is a selfish remedy. Automatically, he perceives events in the world from a purely personal standpoint. If something happens to someone else, the Arsenicum person will think first of what it means to him. For example, if a car accident occurs, the Phosphorus patient's heart will automatically go out to the victim, putting himself in the place of the victim. The Arsenicum patient will instantly think to himself, "Oh, Oh! If that can happen to him, it could happen to me". He may not think at all of the other person, but only of the implications to himself.
 The possessive quality of Arsenicum extends to physical possessions, as well as people. He is miserly, avaricious. He is conscious of saving money and things, always calculating what the returns to him will be. It can occur that he may be generous with his money or possessions, but he is still giving with the expectation of receiving in return, and he will be upset if the returns do not come back to him. The same possessiveness leads to a compulsive collecting nature, if there is anything that he believes might be of some value even some insignificant little item, he will carefully store it somewhere where he will be able to find it easily later.
 Next we come to the well known Arsenicum trait of FASTIDIOUSNESS. Here, it is important first to reiterate that in homoeopathy we do not prescribe on the basis of beneficial traits, but only on pathological qualities. Thus, if someone is neat and orderly as a manifestation of an orderly approach to life, this would not be a limitation in constructing the image of the remedy for that person. The same could be said about the perfectionistic quality, which derives in the same manner as the fastidiousness. On the other hand, we see people who are compulsively fastidious, obsessed by the need for order and cleanliness to the point of expending inordinate energy constantly cleaning and straightening. This is the Arsenicum fastidiousness. It is an obsessive attempt to assuage the anxious insecurity felt inside by creating order and cleanliness in the external world. The fastidiousness in Arsenicum arises out of anxiety and insecurity, whereas in Nux vomica it arises more from an excessive compulsion for work, for overly conscientious attention to details, and to an exaggerated sense of the need for efficiency. The Nat. mur. fastidiousness is similar to this, but is more concerned with scheduling of time.
 In studying remedies, it is crucially important to have an appreciation of the stages of development of the pathology. Otherwise, if we see a patient at a given stage, we may miss the remedy simply because we are looking for symptoms that are characteristically found at a different stage. Also, an understanding of the stages of the remedy and to differentiate it from other similar remedies.
 In the early stages of Arsenicum, we see a relative preponderance of physical level symptoms with less emphasis on the mental disturbances. Particular physical complaints, burning pains, chilliness and aggravation from cold, frequent colds periodicity, thirst for sips, and time aggravations of 1 - 2 p.m.  or 1 - 2 a.m.  may be the primary symptoms to work with. Upon enquiry, one will probably see the fastidiousness, miserliness, and a certain degree of insecurity also. At this stage, particularly if the complaints are more functional and not involving much physical decay, it may be difficult to separate Arsenicum from Nux vomica. One must the search carefully for the psychological tendencies : Arsenicum will tend to be more insecure, needing the support of people, whereas Nux vomica will be more self-reliant and impulsive.
 As the illness penetrates deeper, the Arsenicum patient will manifest more anxiety, particularly ANXIETY ABOUT HELTH, for he is afraid that he will die. At first, this anxiety may be most noticeable upon awakening in the morning, but it gradually occupies his attention throughout the day and night. It is also at this stage that the Fear of Being Alone becomes a prominent factor. He will have a constant need for company, particularly at night. The fears of Arsenicum are raised tremendously while alone.
 The Arsenicum anxiety causes great anguish internally, and out of this arises the tremendous restlessness known to this remedy. The restlessness is not a physical process; it is a mental restlessness, an anguished attempt to allay the deep-seated anxiety. He will move from place to place, from chair to chair, from bed to bed. He will go from person to person, constantly seeking reassurance and support.
 It is interesting for the homoeopathic prescriber to note the difference between an Arsenicum and Phosphorus patient in relation to the prescriber. While both have great anxiety about their health, the Phosphorus type will plead for help to the homoeopath, while the Arsenicum type will demand it. The homoeopath is bound to feel the weight with which the Arsenicum patient will cling to him. Once they have reached that stage of development, no patients in our Materia Medica are so clinging and demanding of relief from their anxiety as are Arsenicum and Nitric acid.
 It is important to be able to distinguish the peculiar characteristics of the Arsenicum anxiety about health, as there are many other remedies having this characteristic also. The Repertory lists these thoroughly and in relative strengths but it is unable to describe the particular distinguishing qualities which are so important in separating one remedy from anther. If one only knows the fact that a particular remedy has the "anxiety about Health" without knowing how to differentiate it from the others, one will find great difficulty in selecting the precise remedy that fits the patient. This cannot be done by a simple process of repertorisation; it requires a minutely detailed knowledge of Materia Medica.
 The anxiety about health in Arsenicum is really, deep down inside, a fear of dying. The idea of his own death causes intolerable anguish to the Arsenicum patient. It is not so much the fear of the consequences of a degenerating condition of health, but the fear of the ultimate state of insecurity - death. For this reason the Arsenicum patient will exaggerate many symptoms, blow them out of all proportion. He will come to the conclusion that he has cancer, and will go from doctor to doctor seeking someone who will confirm his fear. Even if all the tests are negative, he will not be consoled; his anguished fear and restlessness will continue to lead him to more and more doctors. He will fear that he has cancer, because that is the symbol of fatal disease in our day and age. It is not really the possibility of cancer, but the prospect of death that causes him such anguish. It is not a fear that he will get cancer some time in the future; he hears that he has it now.
 Other remedies have a strong anxiety about health also, but in different ways. Calc. carb. has a strong anxiety about health, but more focussed on the possibility of infectious diseases, or particularly of insanity. Calcarea fears the insanity or the infectious disease itself, not so much the possibility of death; Calcarea can accept death with relative equanimity, but is more likely to be caught in a despair over being incurable and not being able to recover.
 Kali carb. has anxiety that he will get a disease in the future, whereas Arsenicum fears he has cancer now. Kali ars. has a particular anxiety about heart disease, but does not fear death as much as Arsenicum does. The Kali ars. patient will say. "If I must die, it is O.K. ", but if you begin talking about his heart he will begin to express anxiety.
 Phosphorus feels anxiety about his health, but primarily when the subject is raised to him. Many Phosphorus fears revolve around health, his own or his relatives, but the Phosphorus anxieties are not as obsessive. The Phosphorus patient is suggestible. He hears of someone who has died from a bleeding ulcer and then he imagines to have a bleeding ulcer. He does not hold his anxiety within himself but he will grab the nearest person and animatedly express his concern. He will immediately go to the doctor, who reassures him that he does not have an ulcer; the anxiety then disappears as quickly and easily s it came, to return again on the first provocation. He leaves the doctor's office very relieved, saying to himself, "How silly I am". By contrast Arsenicum, Kali arsenicum and Nitric. acid are not so easily pacified. They are inconsolable in their anxieties. The Nitric acid patient, unlike Phosphorus, always has anxiety about his health - an anxiety about any possible ailment, not only cancer, infectious disease, insanity, or heart diseases. He may read in a magazine about someone with multiple sclerosis, and he will say to himself. "Oh, Oh! That explains it! That must be what I have". Then, instead of expressing his anxiety, he carries it around inside. Eventually he may very secretively make an appointment with a doctor, but the doctor's assurances fall on deaf ears. He is convince of what he has and cannot be consoled. Later, he may read another article, and the process begins again. The Nitric acid anxiety about health is not so much the fear of death that we see in Arsenicum, it is more a fear of all the consequences of a long-term degeneration, with the expense, dependency on others, immobility etc.
 Lycopodium has a marked anxiety about heath. The Lycopodium anxiety can be about any type of illness, like Nitric acid, but it is an anxiety that springs from a basic cowardice. It is not a fear of death, but a fear of the pain and torture of illness. He has a fear that he won't be able to cope with a serious illness, that he will fall apart and reveal a lack of courage to others.
 So it is clear that the simple rubric "Anxiety About Health" is actually full of wide varieties of shades and subtleties which are crucial to the precise choice of a correct remedy. This is true of every rubric, as a matter of fact, in the Repertory.
 The same is true of another rubric describing a prominent Arsenicum anxiety - Anxiety for Others. As one would expect from what has already been said, Arsenicum does not have so much of a concern for others per se, but rather a fear of losing someone close to him. Again his anxiety is based on concern for himself. Consequently, he will show little concern over someone who is a stranger to him. It is a fear of loss of someone upon whom he is dependent.
 Phosphorus, on the other hand, is so sympathetic and suggestible that he can lose al senses of himself in his concern over someone else, whether a close friend or a stranger. If an Arsenicum person were to meet someone new to the area he would welcome the company but would make conversation merely for the sake of the company; if the person were to mention, say, difficulties in finding a hotel, the Arsenicum patient would courteously express consolation and perhaps make a few suggestions, but his attitude would basically be, "Well, you have your problems but what about the problems I have"? The Phosphorus patient, on the other hand, would become excited and say, "You have no hotel? Oh, my goodness we must do something about that! Here, we'll go right now to the directory and try calling a few"!
 Sulpher also has an anxiety about others. In his instance, it is his active imagination which leads to the anxiety. A Sulphur father, for example, might lose sleep worrying about his daughter coming home tow hours late from a date. It is not the Arsenicum anxiety over losing his daughter, or the Phosphorus sympathetic anxiety. The Sulphur type will lie awake inventing endless possibilities about what might have happened. He will allow his imagination to blow the whole incident out of proportion to the reality.
 Let us return to the stages involved in Arsenicum. The first stage emphasises the physical symptoms, the fastidiousness, and the stinginess. Then we see an increasing emphasis on the insecurities, dependency, anxiety about health, anxiety over losing others, the fear of being alone, and the fear of death. Gradually the fear of death becomes an obsessive, anguishing fear, the central issue of the person's life.
 As the illness progresses, we see the emergence of a paranoid, delusionary state. Suspicion dominates the picture. Once the paranoid state develops in a case, we frequently see the fastidiousness disappear. Eventually, the anxiety and fear diminish as a deep state of depression sets in - a despair of recovery, a loss of interest in life, and the suicidal thoughts, suspicion of others and the fear of killing people upon whom he depends. In this stage, the person may even avoid talking to people, becomes obstinate, inward.
 It is in this stage of insanity that one may find the most difficulty prescribing Arsenicum without a knowledge of its stages. Many of the usual symptoms of Arsenicum may be missing - anxiety, desire for company, fear of death, restlessness, fastidiousness. It may be difficult to separate Arsenicum from Nux vomica, or other remedies, at this stage. But if the case is taken carefully, the full dynamic process will become clear.
 The stage described herein illustrate nicely the progression of pathology steadily into deeper layers of the organism. It begins on the physical level, progressing to a state of anxiety and insecurity, then to fear of death, and finally despair, a loss of interest in life, suicidal disposition and a delusionary state on the mental plane. Consequently, under correct prescribing of Arsenicum in such a case, we can except a reversal of this sequence. As the paranoia and delusions lift and the fears and anxieties return, the homoeopath with a true knowledge of health and disease will recognise progress in the direction toward health.

Argentum Metallicum - Homeopathic Remedy

 The central idea of the Arg. nit. patient is a person who has a weakness on the mental sphere which is most obvious when a challenge appears. This is a mental weakness accompanied by an emotional state of excitability and nervousness and impulsiveness. His mental faculties are weak while his feelings are over-strong. Such a combination produces a person who is ready to act on any idea which happens to flit through his mind, no matter how ridiculous it may be.
 The patient may be sitting on a balcony and suddenly the idea comes to mind; "What if I were to fall"? This idea sticks in his mind and in his imagination he produces the whole scene of falling to the ground and SEEING HIMSELF CRUSHED FULL OF BLOOD etc. Finally, he becomes overwhelmed with this image until he has the actual impulse to jump in order to see what it would be like. He may even make a move toward the edge, but at this moment he comes to his senses - full of fear. He goes inside and he closes the window.
 Another example of this combination of weakness and excitability might be a man working on the pavement in the street who finds himself compelled to work in a particular way. If the pavement is laid out in squares, he finds it necessary to work on every other square, or he finds he must step only on the lines between the squares taking very tiny steps.
 A further example : A man walking down a street planning to turn a particular corner suddenly becomes obsessed with the thought that the moment he turns that corner a heavy object will fall on him. The thought is so powerful that he continues on past that corner and turns at the next one.
 Still another image : A woman crossing the street sees a car passing in front of her at a safe distance. She knows the car cannot hit hr and indeed it passed in front of her without incident. Then, as she crosses the street she flashes on a whole scenaris of what MIGHT have happened if she had crossed the street a moment earlier. The vivid image of the car crushing her jolts her back to her senses.
 The Arg. nit. patient becomes temporarily obsessed with such irrational thoughts which possess him for a time and then vanish. A body jerk or sudden movement seems to coincide with the moment the idea leaves.
 For example, a man looking from his window sees a child playing in the street. He notices a car which passed the child quite safely. He then starts thinking about what MIGHT have happened had the child been playing in a different part of the street when the car came. He invents a whole horrible scene in his mind and is so carried away by it that he starts down the stairs to the street. As he descends, the idea hits him that he is about to slip and fall. He becomes so overwhelmed by this idea that he is sure it will happen. At this moment, he makes a slightly unusual movement, possibly a jerking motion, and the idea leaves him. He is sane enough to realise that he is constantly tormented by these silly ideas but powerless to stop them.
 In Arg. nit. we also find a fear of heights, or a fear of high buildings. The idea behind these two fears is similar : either he will fall from a height, or a building will fall on him as he crosses a street.
 For example, a student who has become overtired from too much study sits at his desk and his mind wanders away from his subject. He glances at an electric socket and suddenly wonders : "I wonder what would happen If I put a wire into that socket"? He gets up and finds a wire and starts toward the socket. He comes back to himself with a jerk just as he is about to insert the wire into the socket.
 Another patient during an illness becomes absolutely certain that in three hours when the clock strikes a certain hour he will die. He watches the clock in agony. Kent, in the Repertory, under the rubric "Predicts the time of death", lists Aconite, Arg. nit. Agnus castus also should be included. In each of these remedies the idea is quite different. With Aconite, there is a tremendous, overwhelming fear of death which makes him think he is going to die. With Arg. nit. it is a question of a "fixed idea" that he is going to die at a certain hour.
 The Arg. nit. person realises that he is weak mentally. He can easily make a fool of himself in public. In a social situation, an overwhelming fear and anxiety may overtake him. He asks himself,
 "How shall I ever cope with it? What am I going to do? I shall make such a fool of myself". This anxiety so overwhelms him that he starts to urinate frequently or possibly diarrhoea occurs. This is a state of very low self-confidence. The idea of appearing in public to give a speech seems impossible. The most characteristic aspect of the fears are their "fixed" nature coupled with superstitious paranoia.
 To the rubric "Superstitious", which lists Conium and Zincum, should be added Arg. nit., Rhus tox and Stramonium.
 The mental weakness manifests throughout the body in ways familiar to us as simple aging. The mental weakness is similar to what we see in senile states. The face appears wrinkled and shrivelled and the patient appears older than his or her actual age. This is not like Calc. carb. which may look old with the furrowing of the face, the fine squares. It is not the same as Lycopodium where the body seems to be aging in the upper half. With Arg. nit. it is more of a shrivelled look (Secale, Ambra grisea). The Arg. nit. patients emotionally are quite easily over-stimulated. Their emotions are quite strong, even to the point of impulsiveness. They can be very impulsive whether in expressing anger or love. Arg. nit. is the leading remedy for impulsiveness.
 It is interesting to note that as the weakened nervous system causes a diminishing of mental function, a corresponding over activity may occur in the circulatory system. Tremendous palpitations can occur which are felt all over the body, especially while lying on the right side. Flushes of heart can also occur This Arg. nit. type is aggravated by heat. They like fresh air and cold bathing.
 Considering the digestive system, there is a strong desire for sugar and sweets in general, but sugar can disagree, sometimes causing diarrhoea. In addition, there are desires for salt, salty foods and strong cheese. Arg. nit. bloats easily. There is much belching and eructations. The eructations can be continuous and very loud - like cannons. When we have a patient with a strong desire for sugar, a desire for salt who is worse from heat and better from cold, then we must think of Arg. nit. If, in addition, the patient is aggravated by sweets then it is definitely Arg. nit.
 The characteristic mental state of Arg. nit. can appear in the sexual sphere as well. He could be emotional and full of feeling but as he begins the sexual act he may be overwhelmed with anxiety, causing his penis to relax. This usually occurs because some silly idea has forced itself on him which he cannot let go of. Often the idea is a fearful one, and it renders him incapable of continuing the love act.
 Arg. nit. has ulcers mostly of the cornea and conjunctiva. Before there is an ulcer there can be a redness in a specific spot.
 Stitching, raw pains are also characteristic, not only in the eye, but in the throat as well. It is a "splinter like pain" similar to what we see in Nitric acid and Hepar sulph.

Alumina - Homeopathy Remedy

 Alumina is a unique remedy often under-appreciated by beginning prescribers. It is characterised by DELAYED ACTION both internally on the mental plane, and externally on the central and peripheral nervous systems. The idea is SLOWNESS of function followed eventually by PARALYSIS. This is a very slow onset. The patient may not realise that anything is wrong for a long time; she may feel a vague "heaviness" in the legs about which she doesn't complain until it has developed into locomotor ataxia.
 The most striking aspect of the mental picture is the great SLOWNESS of mind. She is slow to comprehend things, then slow in figuring out how to proceed to accomplish her task, and slow in its execution.
 The slowness of mind results in a peculiar kind of confusion which is unique to Alumina. The ideas are very vague, and hazy, like undefined shadows. You may see a patient who has difficulty in swallowing. But when you ask her to describe the trouble, she becomes halting and indecisive. She thinks a long time, tries this word and that, struggling to find the correct word to describe what she is feeling. This difficulty in expressing what is happening is so peculiar to Alumina that it is like a keynote symptom. This is the type of patient whose descriptions are so vague that you may prescribe many remedies before realising that you have never really had a case to work from; once you recognise this peculiar kind of vagueness and confusion, then you will give Alumina and witness a good effect.
 With time this confusion progresses to another peculiar mental state : when she talks, she thinks that someone else is talking. Or, even more strangely, the patient may say that she cannot hear except through the ears of someone else. This can be tricky, however, because the patient will not volunteer this information. This is the kind of symptom you must elicit by direct questioning. You may suspect Alumina on the basis of other symptoms so you ask about this symptom directly, and the patient says, "Oh yes, now that you mention it".
 By this stage of pathology, the patient comes to the conclusion that he or she is going insane. This is not actually a fear of insanity; it is more of an objective conclusion. It is a kind of confirmation of what was previously suspected. Alumina is not a prominent remedy for fear of insanity. In fact, if the patient displays a lot of fear of insanity, one would tend to turn away from Alumina.
 Finally, the patient falls into a deep sense of despair. She feels, "nobody can help me". "Why am I not getting better"? She feels this over relatively minor ailments, and she goes from doctor to doctor trying to solve the problem; when she sees that no-one can help, then she falls into a despair of recovery. The Arsenicum despair of recovery arises from a tremendous fear of death. In Alumina, however, the despair is very deep, and it is real. She is very sick! The mental plane is confused, she is losing her identity. This can be an early symptomatology of schizophrenia.
 It is important to remember that this progression from slowness of mind, to confusion, to loss of identity and despair of recovery, occurs very slowly and eventually the nervous system demonstrates degeneration as well. This is a process seen in broken down constitutions - whether by age or by frequent diseases; it is commonly prescribed in senile patients.
 Next we consider the emotional plane. Alumina has a great sense of being hurried inside. Kent stresses this symptom greatly in his Materia Medica, yet Alumina is listed only in ordinary type in the Repertory. What Kent means to say, then, is that this is a sense that the patient cannot do things fast enough; she feels there is such a DELAYED ACTION in functioning that everything happening in the external world seems to move too slowly. This is the basis for the symptoms : "Times passes too slowly". Even though an external observer would see the Alumina patient as being very slow, she feels inside that time is passing too slowly. A half an hour seems to be a whole day.
 As the emotional pathology progresses, this sense of being hurried leads to apprehension that she won't be able to finish everything in time. She tries her best, but she is so slow that she cannot actually finish, and this causes her to be apprehensive. At the very extreme of this state, she suffers from a pervasive fear that something bad will happen - an accident, a misfortune.
 This process eventually progresses into depression, with suicidal impulses. Alumina has suicidal impulses upon viewing a knife, or seeing blood. Platina, Arsenicum and Mercury are other remedies having a similar symptom, but they mostly have the impulse to kill others. Alumina has the impulse to kill himself or herself.
 The Alumina depression can best be described as a "gloominess". There is no light. She complains to the doctor, but in a non-burdensome way. She does not wail and moan and cling to the prescriber. She merely reports her symptoms in a heavy but non-nagging manner. She has the appearance of being RESIGNED to her condition. It has come on over such a long time and so insidiously that she has resigned herself to her condition.
 This resignation, coupled with the vagueness and slowness of mind, sometimes gives the patient the appearance of merely "going through the motions". You may observe her a bit and come to the conclusion that she has not really come of her own motivation. She seems to be feeling, "Why did I come here after all"? But then she opens up a bit and begins working with you. The theme of DELAYED ACTION pervades the physical plane thoroughly. There is a slowing of function at first; this progresses to weakness of muscles, and eventually to a kind of paralysis.
 The weakness in Alumina applies peripherally. Just as we see when the patient is struggling so hard to express herself but simply cannot find the right word, she wills herself to function on the plane, but the response is delayed. the characteristic Alumina constipation is the prime example. Here is Kent's description : "Now, so great is the straining to pass a soft stool that you will sometimes hear a patient describe the state as follows : When sitting upon the seat she must wait a long time, though there is fullness and she has gone many days without stool; she has the consciousness that she should pass a stool and is conscious of the fullness in the rectum, yet she will sit a long time and finally will undertake to help herself by pressing down violently with the abdominal muscles, straining vigorously, yet conscious that very little effort is made by the rectum itself. She will continue to strain, covered with copious sweat, hanging on to the seat, if there be any place to hang on to, and will pull and work as if in labour, and at last is able to expel a soft stool, yet with the sensation that more stool remains".
 The same thing is seen in the bladder. It takes a long time to get the urine started. In the oesophagus, there is the sensation that food is stuck, that it cannot go down.
 The paresis which characterises Alumina is focussed primarily in the legs. The concept of the Alumina loss of identity applies even in this area. The extremities seem to go their own way; they cannot be controlled no matter how hard the patient tries. Thus, we see locomotor ataxia - a clumsy, aimless wobbling of the legs. The same is true of the bladder and rectum - loss of control.
 Often a sensation of numbness affects the part before the onset of the weakness. In particular, there is numbness of the soles of the feet. This typifies the delayed conduction of nerve impulses from the periphery to the brain. As with Cocculus, Alumina displays delayed reflexes upon being pricked with a pin.
 There is in Alumina a peculiar kind of vertigo which is frequently observed in neurological cases - vertigo upon closing the eyes. Upon closing the eyes, a patient who is standing will tend to fall over. This again is undoubtedly due to the fact that sensory stimuli from the periphery take too long to provide reliable information to maintain proper balance.
 In this way, it is possible to study each system of Alumina and virtually predict what symptoms are seen in the provings. Once the essential themes are understood, the rest falls into place. For example, what kinds of symptoms might be expected in the sexual sphere? There is weakness and loss of control in Alumina, hence the sexual sphere displays diminished desire and, in the male, incomplete or absent erection when there is desire. The genitals are relaxed.
 Alumina is known to be one of the main remedies for recurrent colds. How can we explain this? Undoubtedly, it is a relative paralysis of the nerves supplying the mucous membranes. This results in inadequate circulation, or sluggish response of the circulation, along with dryness of the membranes. Since the usual mechanisms whereby the defence mechanism protects against colds have been compromised, the patient becomes susceptible to colds. Basically, this weakness in reactive power is also the basis for pathology in other remedies having colds. Tuberculinum, Sulphur, Graphites, Silica, Mercury.
 Some other characteristic physical symptoms : dimness of vision, probably due to weakness of eye muscles. The skin is extremely dry. There is itching without eruption. There are dry crusts on the skin eruptions, dry thick crusts in the nose, and dry granular crusts in the throat. There are catarrhal discharges from all membranes; nasal, urethral, vagina and easy suppression of discharge which then become recurrent. (There may be one-sided paralysis - usually on the right side).
 Alumina has a definite time aggravation in the morning. She may then gradually improve during the day, or she may remain low all day. However, there is then a marked amelioration in the evening, once the sun has gone down (Medorrhinum, Lycopodium). Another striking characteristic in Alumina is aggravation from potatoes. There may also be intolerance to other starchy foods, wine, pepper and salt.
 The idea of SLOWNESS PROGRESSING INTO PARALYSIS typifies the kind of response which can be expected once alumina is administered. To be certain of the response it is necessary to wait quite a long time with this remedy. This is especially true when there are organic changes involved. It takes a long time to cure the results of disease, just as it took a long time to develop.

Agnus Castus - Homeopathic Medicine

 Agnus castus is a remedy which I believe will be increasingly needed in our modern societies, especially by the younger generation. It is indicated after a lot of abuses common among young people - sexual excesses, the use of psychoactive drugs, loss of sleep, sporadic nutrition, etc. Such people have been easily excitable, and engaged in many of these activities very intensely over a relatively brief period of time. Then they become pale, anaemic, low in energy, absent-minded etc.
 Eventually these people begin to realize that their whole constitution is breaking down. They develop the fear that within a few years or a few months they are going to die. They feel they have over-exerted and dissipated their life energies to the point that their whole system has become rotten.
 Such people reach a stage in which they are unable to concentrate any more on their studies, their daily tasks etc. They experience sexual impotency, and they become very preoccupied with this problem. They become convinced that they are about to have a nervous breakdown, or that their vital organs are about to collapse.
 This concern becomes so great in Agnus castus that these people develop an anxiety about health which is almost hypochondriacal.
 -voluptuous fantasies without erection, and finally into complete loss of sexual desire.
 It also happens that the Agnus castus patient breaks down in another way : he sometimes feels that he is worthless, that he is absolutely useless in the world. And then, at other times, he feels that he is a very great man, that he is something quite special. These states then alternate with each other.
 Women also may need Agnus castus. In such a case, we at first find a woman full of lasciviousness, almost hysterical in her desire for sex, Eventually, however she becomes absolutely frigid, completely lacking in sexual interest.
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 Agnus castus patients tend to appear pale, anaemic fatigued anxious and lacking in courage. They have dilated pupils and sensitivity to light. Their stomachs are easily disordered. If food is the least bit heavy, they will suffer from eating it.
 Often there is a senses of inner trembling and coldness - an inner chill. The occurs even though the body itself may feel warm. There is a kind of relaxation of internal organs, and one may see prolapsus and a feeling of weakness in the abdominal area. This is not so much a pressing down sensation, but a weakness. This same weakness can lead also to a Silica-like constipation : the stools come out in pieces, and they sometimes recede.
 Sometimes Agnus castus is indicated in nursing women whose milk has stopped flowing.

Agaricus Muscaris - Homeopathy Remedy

 The mental/emotional picture

 Anxiety about health - will drive you crazy with it (Nit. ac., Ars, Phos, Kali ars.)

 Don't necessarily have the physical symptoms of Agaricus.

 Find something to suffer about : become anxious about some little thing, then it builds up and they become pessimistic. Finally, they don't want to live and go to doctor - the doctor's slightest suggestions are blown up in their minds, e.g.  if doctor suggests a mammography they will have a fear of cancer for the rest of their lives.

 They cry ++ and are anxious and drive you mad.

 Sometimes ANXIETY state changes to a tremendous EUPHORIA, which they recognise is not quite healthy despite the euphoria, and so revert to anxiety.

 Out of the body experiences - feel well when come out of the body (Cann. ind. find it a terrifying experience).

 An element of spookiness about these people.

 Think about dead people.

 Can't sleep in certain beds because they look like coffins, or can't have sex in certain beds for this reason.

 Fear of cancer, but don't think they are going to die. They are always meeting or hearing of people who have cancer, like to help dying people.

 Aversion to eggs.

 Desires salt + nil else especially.

 Agg. HEAT

 Hypochondriacal anxiety.

Aethusa Cynapium - Homeopathy Remedy

The chronic type
 Individuals who feel apart.
 Strong emotions but do not express them easily.
 Moved to tears but do not actually cry - emotions felt inside (Unlike Ignatia - moved to tears but constricted at throat so doesn't cry).
 Own emotional world - very intense.
 Live happily by themselves, but also enjoy company.
 Talk to themselves.
 Sleep
 Intensity comes out in sleep - sleepwalks.
 Deep sleep on either left or right side.
 Salivate during sleep.
 "FEAR of closing eyes lest should never wake". - Kent.
 Agg. darkness - do not like darkness - fear will not wake up again. Feel as if suffocating from darkness - have to open window (Lachesis, Grindelia).
 Cannot control the breathing - have to get up, (Ignatia - fear will never sleep again).
 Fear of not waking up after an operation.
 Extra notes
 Crazy for animals, cats and dogs etc - look after them with unnatural passion.
 Talk to animals when don't talk to people.
 Great irritability.
 P.M. T. - tremendous build up, headache, feel rotten two days before and days 1 and 2, then relax and libido increases immediately after menses. - Fear of losing a lowed one is unbearable.
 Sudden redness in face with a wild look, and drawing feeling in face before or during menopause.
 Deep furrows in face in sick cases - look near death, look very old.
 Eruption on tip of nose, or between nostrils, or even in nostrils - recurrent (eczema or herpes etc.)
 Agg. HEAT, ESPECIALLY SUMMER.
 Yellowish leucorrhoea which stains linen.
 Distension of abdomen when irritated, or if eat more than usual - sometimes have to induce vomiting to amel.
 Craves cheese, FARINACEOUS food, salt.
 Averse : fruits.