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Defining Homeopathy and How It Could Help Depression

Homeopathy has long been a popular form of medicine that seeks to treat the body as a whole and help it to heal itself. Homeopathy is most commonly used to treat short-term illnesses, as well as long-term conditions and ailments. The main aim of homeopath is to prevent common illnesses as well as to treat chronic conditions.

The word homeopathy is constructed from the Greek word “homios,” which means “like,” and the word “pathos,” meaning suffering. The literal word for homeopathy then means treating like with like. The healing philosophy of homeopathy can sometimes run in opposition to conventional healing philosophies because, in practice, homeopathy can often mean that a substance that causes symptoms of illness in a healthy person can also help heal those same symptoms in an unwell individual. In conventional medicine, the object is often to treat illness with an antidote rather than counter its effects with a like substance. An example of a conventional approach to a case of diarrhea, for instance, may be a doctor treating the condition with a substance that causes constipation. In homeopathic medicine, the homeopathic physician may instead choose to treat the same condition with a small dose of something that could cause diarrhea.

Homeopathic remedies are often minute substances that are prescribed to a person with a strong view at how the medicine matches the person’s condition. Currently there are over 2,000 known homeopathic remedies and these are usually abbreviated by name. Another common substance used for healing purposes in homeopathic medicine is tissue salts. These tissue salts are most commonly prepared from mineral sources. Homeopathic remedies are most often prepared from vegetable, animal and mineral sources. Homeopathic remedies can often seem exotic (snake oil, anyone?), or they can involve common foods (garlic). But all homeopathic remedies are diluted enough so that there will be no possible side effects from their consumption, even if they are known to be potentially toxic in nature.

In order to prepare homeopathic remedies, the extracts are generally dissolved in a mix of alcohol and water. They are left to stand for two to four weeks. These remedies are shaken occasionally and then strained carefully. The strained solution is known as the mother tincture. The mother tincture then becomes the basis for traditional homeopathic remedies. The mother tincture is often diluted in order to make different potencies of medicines. The dilutions of are often measure according to decimal, centesimal or millesimal scale. Each homeopathic remedy is shaken vigorously between each dilution. The finished diluted product is added to tiny lactose tablets, powders or granules in dark bottles for easy consumption. Many skeptics of homeopathic remedies point to the often extreme dilution of the mother tincture, questioning whether the small amount of original ingredient can actually accomplish anything.

Homeopathy and related treatments have been used successfully to treat the symptoms of depression. Arsenicum is a traditional homeopathic treatment that can be used to treat a person with symptoms that include restlessness, chilly or demonstrates obsessive or compulsive behavior. A person demonstrating symptoms of low self-esteem may benefit from the homeopathic treatment of Aurum. Ignatia may be used for a person suffering from depression due to grief or other major life stressors. Pulsatilla is another traditional homeopathic treatment that is recommended for individuals feeling anxious and skittish. Along with these homeopathic treatments, a homeopathic doctor may also recommend changes in lifestyle, including dietary changes, physical exercise and talking therapy. A homeopathic doctor will approach the treatment of depression by taking into account the whole person, including particulars such as lifestyle, career, and nutrition along with the patient’s current mental health condition.