1. The Supplementary Treatment Of Depression
Using Homeopathic and Bach Flower remedies

2. The Supplementary Treatment Of Depression Is Useful For
Patients who will not take anti-depressants
Patients who develop side effects on anti-depressants
Treatment resistant depression

3. Samuel Hahnemann

4. The “Like Cures Like”Principle (similia similibus curentur)
The drug which cures is capable of producing symptoms similar to those which it cures (eg.onions for colds)

5. Materia Medica Symptoms produced by poisonings
Symptoms produced by provings
Symptoms relieved when remedy given for other symptoms

6. Taking A Homeopathic History
Presenting complaint-aetiology,modalities
PMH DH FH SH
Generals-environment,food
Mentals-personality,anxieties,mood

7. Patient Remedy Symptom Picture Physical characteristics
Local & general symptoms
Temperament
Drug Picture
Toxicology
Provings
Experience

8. Repertorisation Repertories-books or computer programmes
List symptoms under body systems and the remedies which produce them
Ideally choose prominent symptoms in each area-mind,general and local
Aetiology
Peculiar symptoms

9. How Are Remedies Prepared ?
From- plants,minerals,animals,disease -macerated in alcohol = mother tincture
Serial dilution - 1 part added to 9 or 99 parts of solution = 1X or 1C potency
Succussion in between dilutions
Common potencies :- 6C, 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M, 50M

10. Precipitating Factors
Acute grief reaction - Ignatia
Suppressed grief - Natrum Mur.
Emotional shock - Opium
Worry,grief,homesickness,disappointed love - Phosphoric Acid
Resentment - Staphysagria
Loss of property - Aurum

11. Aurum (Gold)
Often suicidal thoughts - talks of suicide and desires death,but also fears it.Dreams of death.
Ideas of worthlessness,critical of self and others
Broods,wants to be alone.Sensitive to noise
Craves alcohol-can feel better for it
Often unable to cry

12. Natrum Sulph.(Glauber’s Salt)
Often suicidal thoughts,but fights against them
Often early morning wakening, 4-5 am
Hates coversing
Poor memory
Periodicity,down every spring

13. Arsenicum Album(White Arsenic)
Depression and anxiety or agitated depression.Very restless,never placid
Despairing,hopeless,irritated
Fears + + death,being alone
Lack courage,aggressive to others
Very tidy
Hallucinations of smell and sight
Exhausted after slight exertion

14. Cimicifuga(Actea Racemosa)
Depression & anxiety- “like a black cloud”
Often pre-menstrual or puerperal
Feeling of impending evil
Fears- going mad,being killed
Hallucinations-rats and mice

15. Calc .Carb.(Chalk) Depression with psychomotor retardation
Sit staring in front,heavy,dull, not restless
Broods over little things
Fears- insanity,illness,dark, “something terrible” will happen
Sensitive to injustice to others
Silent tears
Poor memory

16. Phosphoric Acid Extreme indifference
Settled despair - often after grief, worry, homesickness, disappointed love
TATT
Impaired memory
Often young people
Useful in PVFS with depression

17. Phosphorus Disinclined to work,study or converse.
Weary of life.Indifference even towards own children.Weeps before menses.
Anxious and restless esp.in dark or twilight.
Memory poor.Dread of death when alone

18. Ignatia (St.Ignatius`Bean)
Acute grief reaction -usually expressed, often remorseful and self-critical
May be silent and brooding

19. Natrum Muriaticum (Salt)
Depression following grief, rejection - prolonged grief reaction
Indifferent (usually sympathetic)
Anxiety,hypochondriacal
Poor appetite,bad dreams
Afraid will go to hell,but may feel suicidal
Worse pre-menstrually

20. Staphysagria (Delphinium)
Suppressed resentment or guilt (esp. sexual)
Difficulty expressing anger
Anxious, irritable, hypochondriacal
Very sensitive to remarks of others
Prefers to be alone

21. Edward Bach

22. Cherry Plum Uncontrollable fears - going mad , suicide
“Out of control”

23. Sweet Chestnut
Intense severe suffering.Feel trapped. Isolated. Silent tears. Not usually suicidal , but feel ttere is no way out.

24. Gentian
Depression when the cause is known eg. disappointment in job or love.
Disillusion , doubt .

25. Gorse Hopelessness , despair
More profound than Gentian , but not so acute as Sweet Chestnut.
Useful in terminal illness , patients in long term care .

26. Mustard
Depression when cause unknown .Out of the blue “like a black cloud” (cf.Cimic.) Lifts of its own accord Not as hopeless as Gorse.
Can be useful for SAD

27. Star Of Bethlehem After effects of loss , grief .
Depression that feels like a loss .
Can seem to cope superficially , but no joy ,anhedonia .

28. Honeysuckle Useful for regrets after a bereavement .
Keynote - “ Living in the past”

29. Clematis Can be useful in grief .
Lack of concentration , thinking of lost person
May escape into alcohol or drugs .
Keynote - lack of interest in the present .

30. Hornbeam Mental fatigue and lassitude .
Don’t want to get up , can’t be bothered .

31. Olive Exhaustion, longstanding overwork, burn-out .
Overtired , can’t sleep .
More physical than Hornbeam .

32. Pine Guilt .Punish themselves Often insidious depression .
Unhappy relationships because they feel unworthy .
Feel guilty if they relax or go on holiday - workaholics .

33. Willow “ Victim mentality “
Not true depression , but may present as such .
Resentment ( cf. Staph )
Not happy with improvement
Put responsibility for their feelings onto others (opp. Pine )

34. Elm Overwhelmed by responsibility . Usually temporary .
Normally capable ,take on too much and feel inadequate and depressed .
Less physical than Olive

35. Wild Rose Apathy and resignation . Chronic illness or situation .
Reluctant to change .
Flat affect .Sit down heavily

36. Scleranthus Uncertainty, changeable .
Useful for mood swings , cyclothymic or bipolar illness .
“ Bach remedy lithium”

37. Outcomes for Patients with Depression 1996 - 2000 n=24
GHHOS
0=No improvement
1=Minor ``
2=Moderate ``
3=Major ``
4=Cured