Natural medicines can offer positive answers for all the many reasons people seek alternatives to conventional drugs. The FDA considers them safe enough to classify as over-the-counter drugs. They are non-habit forming and there is no rebound effect when stopping them. Users do not build up a tolerance, gradually requiring increasingly large doses to gain the same effect. In fact the reverse is true: users generally need less and less until the medicine can be discontinued altogether. This is possible because the natural medicine is addressing the underlying imbalance or trauma rather than simply masking the symptoms.

Sound too good to be true? These natural medicines, called homeopathics, have been around for 200 years, quietly healing all manner of emotional as well as physical ailments. They are part of the national health care system in many countries around the world but hardly known in the US because of lack of funds for research, advertising, and sales to physicians. This lack of funds, in turn, is due to one of the great strengths of these medicines: they are not patentable because they have been in the public domain for two centuries. During that time, there has never been a single recall of a homeopathic medicine.

They earn the title “green medicine” because they are made from natural substances, plus the manufacturing process does not dump toxins into the environment, as is true for many conventional drugs and medical devices. In this series on these “green medicines”, a different psychological condition  will be addressed in each one. In this article, some of the top homeopathic medicines for depression will be compared, by describing the person who typically needs them. Whether the main problem is physical, emotional or mental, a homeopathic medicine is matched to many individual characteristics of the client.

Aurum metallicum is perhaps the most commonly used homeopathic medicine for depression, even including suicidal depression. The person who needs it tends to be very serious and responsible, with a sense of bearing a heavy burden. (One of my clients, after taking Aurum for depression, said, “I feel as if I’ve been walking around with a lead vest on, and I’ve finally taken it off.”) They may be religious, with a devotion to impossibly high standards of spiritual perfection, and the slightest deviation from the path of righteousness can lead to deep depression. Even if they are not religious, they are likely to have a strong sense of guilt. They may find sweet relief from their heavy thoughts when they contemplate suicide, typically by jumping from a height or driving a car into oncoming traffic. The typical physical symptoms for people needing this remedy include heart symptoms (palpitations, arrhythmias), sinusitis and headaches.

Natrum sulphuricum or Nat. sulph. for short is another widely used depression medication. Here there may be a physical causality, including a head injury or liver disease. People needing Nat. sulph. are likely to be victims to sudden mood swings, often including violent rages. They may have been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, when in fact a homeopath would recognize the mood swings from inflammation of the brain following a head injury. One way a homeopath will distinguish between the medicines for suicidal ideation is to note how the person would carry out their plan: the person needing Nat. sulph. will talk about shooting themselves in the head. (I apologize for the gruesome detail and include it here in the hopes that Nat. sulph. may stave off even one unnecessary death.) Homeopathic physicians recognize the symptoms of head trauma in the PTSD and violent rages of returning vets and wish the DOD would allow the administration of this medicine. However, it can also be used in much milder cases of depression, such as the little boy in my practice who became depressed after being hit in the head during an ice hockey game.

Natrum muriaticum, or Nat. mur. for short, is the most widely-used homeopathic medicine for the long-term effects of silent (unexpressed) grief, a long-ago grief or loss about which the person may say, “I never shed a tear.” The feelings were so deep and so powerful that the person felt she had to control them or else fall apart altogether. Instead she chose to suppress her feelings, to soldier on. On the other hand, she dwells on these past hurts and may hold a grudge forever.

In the case of a small child, she may come to the irrational conclusion that she lost her mother’s love because she wasn’t good enough to be loved. She then turns into a “good girl” who tries to do everything perfectly at school and becomes “deputy mom” with her younger siblings at home. She becomes a serious and responsible child who puts more pressure on herself for perfect grades than her parents do. As a young adult, she builds a wall around her wounded heart, holding potential close friends and romantic partners at bay, often with sarcastic witticisms, to protect herself from being hurt.

Once she allows someone in, past the citadel and moat she has constructed around her deepest feelings, she becomes a great confidant full of emotional depth. This type of person also appreciates the trust and the depth of sharing in psychotherapy, and once she has healed her own issues, she is likely to make a compassionate and supportive psychotherapist.

But if she is hurt again, whether by a breakup or the death of a loved one, she may retreat even further into emotional suppression and use sharp comments to keep people at arm’s length. Nat. mur. can help her overcome her depression by releasing long-ago as well as current hurts.

Phosphoric acid is used to carbonate soft drinks, and the medicine made from this bubbly gas is used for people who used to be social and outgoing but who now describe themselves as emotionally “flat.” Instead of being the one to organize the best parties and social occasions, they now avoid contact by turning off their phone and isolating themselves at home. They may be physically exhausted as well, and I have used it for chronic fatigue when the person is emotionally flat.

Sepia is by far the most common homeopathic medicine in my experience for hormonal depression, and in fact for all the hormonal events in a woman’s life, from menarche to menopause, including PMS, menstrual symptoms, pregnancy-related and perinatal symptoms. The typical symptom picture will sound familiar to overworked moms who may be juggling long working hours with more than their share of housework and childcare. I’ve also used it for women with jobs where they are responsible for lots of people who keep begging or demanding their attention: nurses on an understaffed floor, teachers in an overcrowded classroom. These women may have a feeling of deep exhaustion, of needing a vacation, but if they do get away, they are just as tired on their first day back. The exhaustion leads to snappishness and weepiness.

“I don’t have a moment to myself” and “I’m at the end of my rope” are typical laments. These women may cry at the drop of a hat when pregnant or premenstrual; they typically control their short temper at work, then unleash it on their nearest and dearest ones at home. Lack of libido is another aspect of their lack of energy and desire to be left alone.

Typical physical symptoms include a dragging down sensation as if the uterus were heavy or about to slide out; stagnation of circulation leading to varicose veins and hemorrhoids; and lower back pain with the period.

Cimicifuga is another hormonal medicine, used when the woman describes a “black cloud” over her head and when the depressed feelings are so intense, she will say, “I feel like I’m going crazy.” She may also report brain fog and an intense headache with severe neck pain. In other words, it’s used for a symptom picture which is much less common than that of Sepia and much more intense. I have used it rarely compared to my frequent use of Sepia, but its effect has been powerful. For example, one young woman in my practice had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder; her symptoms all cleared up after a few months on Cimicifuga.

Directions: Ideally, seek a professional homeopath to find the medicine best-suited to you. There are about 3000 more beyond the ones described here! But to help you cope while locating professional help, get a mild 6c potency of the one that matches you best (probably online rather than in your health food store). Dissolve two pellets in your mouth as one dose. Try taking it once a day until you can feel it starting to work, then back off and let it keep working (like coasting on a bike). Do not repeat until the symptoms start to come back. If you do not get benefit from this self-dosing, it means you need a professional homeopath for the best possible results.

Resources

Johannes CK, van der Zee H. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research. Haren, The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers, 2010.

Reichenberg-Ullman JL, Ullman RW. The Homeopathic Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar and Other Mental and Emotional Problems: Homeopathic Alternatives to Conventional Drug Therapies Edmonds, WA: Picnic Point Press, 2012.

http://homeopathycenter.org/find-homeopath

This was adapted from Burke Lennihan’s Your Natural Medicine Cabinet: A Practical Guide to Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments and may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a backlink to this site.

Women began seeking safe alternatives for antidepressants during pregnancy several years ago, when research first showed that the drugs could affect their unborn child. Many women also try to avoid any pharmaceuticals when breastfeeding, including that vulnerable phase right after birth when the hormonal tides are shifting. Postpartum depression may be a result of these shifting hormonal tides combined with the exhaustion of caring for a newborn. Yet suffering from unmedicated depression, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, may carry its own risks for mother and child.

Why not try natural medicines known as homeopathics first? They are safe during pregnancy and can also promote an easier, shorter labor. Homeopathic medicines are regulated by the FDA as over-the-counter meds, although the labels have a warning for pregnant women (“seek professional advice”). That’s because the FDA requires this label on any medicine not yet tested on pregnant women. (This would include antidepressants which the FDA categorizes as Schedule C,  “no well-controlled studies in humans”. )

There is good overall evidence, though, for the safety of these medicines during pregnancy. First, the historical record: unlike conventional medications, which are liable to be taken off the market or replaced by a new drug, the same homeopathic medicines have been used for 200 years. If they created a problem during pregnancy, we would know by now. And in a study of pharmacists in France,[1] where these natural medicines are part of the national health care system, 95% of pharmacists recommend them to pregnant women.

There is some research on homeopathic medicines during pregnancy, such as a study done on laboring women in Israel.[2] The study compared the use of Arnica (a common homeopathic medicine to stop bleeding) and Bellis perennis (a very similar medicine) with placebo. The two natural medicines significantly reduced bleeding during childbirth. (You can find Arnica in any health food store, although Bellis is harder to find in the US). In other studies,[3] homeopathic medicines reduced the duration of labor by 40%, while others reduced the complications of pregnancy by almost 400%.

More benefits: homeopathic medicines are inexpensive (less than $10 for a tube of 40 doses), easy to take (they taste like tiny sugar pellets) and available in any health food store or online. Because the FDA strictly regulates homeopathic manufacturing facilities, the major national brands are all comparable in reliability and effectiveness.

For chronic conditions, including depression, a professional homeopath must be consulted[4] to find the correct medicine for the individual and to manage the client’s care during pregnancy. For acute episodes, however, self-care with store-bought medicines is safe and can bring great relief. Here are a few of the most common for depression during and right after pregnancy:

Sepia is a powerful medicine for depression during or after pregnancy, and it will work especially well when the woman is exhausted, wants to get away from it all, and feels overwhelmed or “at the end of my rope.” The feeling of being too tired to cope and of wanting to get away from a 24/7 responsibility – such as the care of a newborn – can lead to postpartum depression for which Sepia is such an effective medicine. When a woman is breastfeeding, she may need Sepia when she feels totally drained and exhausted.

Sepia is also likely to work well when one or more of these physical symptoms is present: morning sickness, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, lower back pain, and uterine cramps relieved by a heating pad.

You may recognize the word Sepia as the name of a brown pigment (remember the old-fashioned sepia-toned photographs?). In fact the pigment was made from the ink of the cuttlefish, a type of squid, and the homeopathic medicine is made from a safe dilution of this same squid ink. The dark brown ink is almost identical to the human molecule melanin, the dark brown pigment that shows up in light-skinned women as the “mask of pregnancy” on the cheeks or the “linea nigra” from navel to pubic bone during pregnancy. It is one of the wonders of nature that almost the same molecule shows up in a little sea creature as in our own bodies, and a wonder of medicine that this sea creature substance can heal so many human ills. Sepia can heal these physical symptoms along with the depression.

Natrum muriaticum, or Nat. mur. for short, is the most widely-used homeopathic medicine for the long-term effects of silent (unexpressed) grief. Pregnancy can trigger a wide variety of upsetting emotions as the woman relives earlier events in her life, such as losing her special place in her mother’s attention and affection when her mother became pregnant with a younger sibling. The variety of homeopathic medicines for this type of triggered emotion is too great to cover here, because the emotions are so varied. Nat. mur. is included here as one example because it is so widely used has such an easy-to-recognize symptom picture.

Nat. mur. is used when there is a long-ago grief or loss about which the person may say, “I never shed a tear.” The feelings were so deep and so powerful that the person felt she had to control them or else fall apart altogether. Instead she chose to suppress her feelings, to soldier on, and to build a wall around her wounded heart, keeping potential new close relationships at bay lest she be hurt again. On the other hand, she dwells on these past hurts and may hold a grudge forever.

This “Nat. mur” type of depression tends to be worse hormonally, whether the woman has PMS or is pregnant. When pregnant, she may be thrown off base by weepiness coming up, apparently out of nowhere. She may have long-ago memories of upsetting events from, say, her mother’s other pregnancies. She may be overly serious and responsible, trying so hard to “do a good job” at being pregnant that she misses the chance to enjoy bonding with the baby within her. Nat. mur. can help her process her ancient hurts, find her long-lost sense of fun, and relieve physical symptoms such as water retention.

Lac maternam or Lac humanum: these very similar homeopathic medicines are made from mother’s milk and are used for women who have issues with mothering, self-care, lack of nurturance in childhood, and sometimes with their breasts and/or breast-feeding. I often have women in my practice who come in for help with weight loss or starting an exercise routine. “I’ve read all the books and I know exactly what to do,” they’ll say, “but I just can’t do it because I’m not good at taking care of myself.” In fact women who need this remedy typically using reading as an escape from their feeling of isolation, loneliness, and tendency to care for others at their own expense.

When this lack of self-care stems from a lack of good mothering when a client was a child, chances are that one of these “mother’s milk” remedies can help. And if she’s pregnant, it’s urgent that she resolve this issue, because a woman with issues around nurturance may have difficulty nurturing her child well. She may provide adequate nutrition in terms of physical food substances yet fail to provide the all-important emotional “food” of unconditional love and acceptance.

Finally, Ignatia or Gelsemium may be needed for “hearing bad news” during pregnancy, whether the “bad news” is a miscarriage, a diagnosis of a genetic disorder in the unborn child, or even a tragic event such as a death in the family while the woman is pregnant. If she reacts by becoming hyper-emotional, perhaps with hysterical sobbing, Ignatia will help her find her inner strength. If she reacts by going numb and becoming emotionally paralyzed, Gelsemium can help her mobilize her resources to cope with the tragedy.

Directions: Get the 30c potency (strength) commonly available in health food stores and online, unless you know yourself to be hypersensitive (sensitive across the board to medications, supplements, odors and vibrational energies). Hypersensitives should get a mild 6c potency, even if you have to special-order it. Dissolve two pellets in your mouth as one dose. Take it once a day if your symptoms are mild and ongoing; up to four times a day if they are sudden and severe. Basically you want to take enough until you can feel it starting to work, then back off and let it keep working (like coasting on a bike). Do not repeat until the symptoms start to come back. If you do not get benefit from your self-dosing, seek a professional homeopath for the best possible results.

This was adapted from Burke Lennihan’s Your Natural Medicine Cabinet: A Practical Guide to Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments and may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a backlink to this site.

Resources:

Castro M. Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year.  New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.

Johannes CK, van der Zee H. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research. Haren, The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers, 2010.

Reichenberg-Ullman JL, Ullman RW. The Homeopathic Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar and Other Mental and Emotional Problems: Homeopathic Alternatives to Conventional Drug Therapies Edmonds, WA: Picnic Point Press, 2012.

Ullman D. Homeopathic Family Medicine. Ebook available from www.homeopathic.com.

For a pregnant woman with anxiety – including anxiety about taking tranquilizers – and wishing to avoid unnecessary prescription drugs, homeopathic medicines can provide a safe alternative. The FDA regulates these medicines as over-the-counter drugs, as described in the previous blog on depression, and their safety has been demonstrated by 200 years of continuous use. Here are some good options, available in any health food store or online.

Argentum nitricum is called the “What if?” medicine because the person who needs it constantly spins out ever-more-implausible scenarios. “What if I have a miscarriage? What if the baby is premature? What if he is autistic? What if he is born with a birth defect because the cat jumped on my lap?” Someone in this state is impossible to reassure with rational arguments, plus she is always inventing more scenes of imagined dangers. The physical symptoms accompanying an Argentum nitricum-type of anxiety are primarily gastrointestinal, ranging from loud rumblings and embarrassingly offensive gas to debilitating Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The woman who constantly frets about everything that could possibly go wrong with her pregnancy may well have a history of IBS-like sympoms – or at least of bouts of diarrhea so sudden and urgent that she maps out the public bathrooms in advance every time she leaves the house. Argentum nitricum is likely allay both the anxiety and the digestive symptoms.

Arsenicum is one of the best homeopathic medicines for anxiety – yet it may be difficult to persuade the anxious person to take a drug that sounds like a poison! As with any homeopathic medicine, there is no measurable amount of the active ingredients, which makes it extremely safe. (Cutting-edge technology has recently detected nanoparticles of the active ingredient in homeopathic medicines, but the substance is not measurable by any conventional method nor present in amounts that could possibly cause poisoning, even if a child were to swallow the whole bottle.) The person who needs Arsenicum worries about everything that has to do with survival: income, housing, health, insurance and the like. She may worry that her partner will lose his/her job and that they will become homeless. Or she may worry that she will develop a previously-undiagnosed condition that will cancel her insurance policy. Or she may envision a chemical spill that will poison her child with invisible, odorless toxins. She can fret about endless toxic scenarios, like the Argentum nitricum person, but hers are likely to be more survival-oriented and less dramatic. Her physical symptoms can include burning diarrhea, or a cold or hayfever with a watery nasal discharge – the kind that makes you want to wad up tissues and stuff them up your nose. Arsenicum can relieve her worries, her nose and her diarrhea.

Ignatia is known as the “rehearsal remedy” because the woman who needs it is likely to lie awake at night brooding over every emotional slight and turning it into a major emotional upset. She is likely to have dramatic mood swings including hurt feelings, anger, humiliation, frustration and abandonment. Her inner life is filled with imagined conversations, whether reviewing the hurt feelings of the past (“I wish I had said that!”) to practicing the best comebacks for possible future showdowns (“I’ll show him!”). The physical symptoms associated with Ignatia generally include cramps and spasms, whether a psychosomatic stomach upset/vomiting episode, intestinal cramps, spasmodic coughing, or a lump in the throat. Ignatia can help this type of person regain her inner poise while calming the muscle spasms.

Pulsatilla, best known as a medicine for small children, can also be used for adults who use a child-like strategy to get what they want. They are likely to be sweet, clingy, a little teary but easily consoled, and happy in their dependence on a stronger person in their life, whether mother or mate. When pregnant, they worry that they won’t know how to care for their baby (because they don’t feel capable or old enough) and they are likely to wish their mother would come and take care of them. These people are basically very sweet and congenial, likely to make wonderful mothers. A few doses of Pulsatilla will help them to grow up and gain confidence in their strengths.

Rescue Remedy is not technically a homeopathic remedy, although it shares similarities in how it is made and tested. Made from a blend of plant extracts, it is labeled as an over-the-counter med by the FDA. Rescue Remedy is like a universal medicine for any kind of trauma or upset, whether physical, mental or emotional. It can be used for anyone who is stressed or anxious, without having to match specific symptoms as with the above medicines. The only choice is the form it comes in. Originally it was only made as an alcohol extract. Now those who wish to avoid even a few drops of alcohol can get Rescue Remedy in lozenge form to dissolve in the mouth.

Directions for taking homeopathic medicines: Get the 30c potency (strength) commonly available in health food stores and online, unless you know yourself to be hypersensitive (sensitive across the board to medications, supplements, odors and vibrational energies). Hypersensitives should get a mild 6c potency, even if you have to special-order it. Dissolve two pellets in your mouth as one dose. Take it once a day if your symptoms are mild and ongoing; up to four times a day if they are sudden and severe. Basically you want to take enough until you can feel it starting to work, then back off and let it keep working (like coasting on a bike). Do not repeat until the symptoms start to come back. If you do not get benefit from your self-dosing, seek a professional homeopath for the best possible results.

Resources

Castro M. Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year.  New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.

Johannes CK, van der Zee H. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research. Haren, The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers, 2010.

Reichenberg-Ullman JL, Ullman RW. The Homeopathic Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar and Other Mental and Emotional Problems: Homeopathic Alternatives to Conventional Drug Therapies Edmonds, WA: Picnic Point Press, 2012.

Ullman D. Homeopathic Family Medicine. Ebook available from www.homeopathic.com.

Arnica is well known for sports injuries, so I’ll try to share some less well-known remedy tips, plus some practical advice for running marathons. (Did you know that Arnica can be used preventively? A couple of pellets of Arnica 30c before a marathon or other intense workout can help prevent muscle soreness and fatigue. To use any remedy preventively, you want to take it close to the time when your body needs it.)

Beyond Arnica. Sarcolactic acid–the lactic acid found in muscles that builds up during exercise and causes soreness and stiffness–can be a great example of “like cures like” in action. Homeopathically-prepared Sarcolactic acid seems to drive lactic acid out of the muscles, Continue reading →

Fearful of the flu? My clients are feeling pressured by the media drumroll to get their flu shots, but the better-informed among them are concerned about the mercury in the shots and fact that they’re only about 60% effective, according to mainstream medical sources. You can do better than that with safe and effective natural medicines. Chances are you haven’t even heard of some of these “flu busters” because they’re so inexpensive that there’s no budget for ads on TV.

“Nip it in the bud”: one of the best natural medicines for any infectious illness is also one of the best-kept secrets of your health food store. Continue reading →

Whether you have a toddler who keeps toppling over, an older child playing soccer and hockey, or a teen on the football team, you’re probably concerned about the dangers of head injuries. In a recent study published in Brain, 68 of 80 former athletes showed signs of brain damage from past blows to the head (known as  Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).[1]

Continue reading →