Homeopathy Support for Mental Health
Mental health is an important topic, mental health conditions are on the rise and homeopathy is a safe and effective way to help. The rate of mental health conditions is increasing not only across the US but also worldwide. According to the CDC, up to 1 in 3 high schoolers experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness (up 40% over the prior decade[1]) and over 15% have experienced a major depressive episode[2]. The incidence rate has increased 5x over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, up to 23% of adults in the US suffer from a mental disorder each year and many suffer from more than one[3]. This is a serious and important topic as mental health conditions can be distressing, even debilitating, and lower the quality of life in many ways.
Treatment options for mental health conditions are important and it’s well known that pharmaceuticals can have side effects and can be addictive. Clinical trials for antidepressants typically last less than 24 weeks[4], yet many Americans find themselves taking medications for many years. Long term usage has not been studied so long term effects aren’t well known, although many people report needing to increase medication dosages so they stay effective. Further, it’s common to need additional medications to manage the side effects of the primary medication and users often report significant issues when attempting to reduce or eliminate medication usage[5]. The bottom line is pharmaceuticals are an important and often necessary modality but can also be problematic.
There’s growing research and support for using natural modalities to support people suffering from mental health conditions. Many practitioners in mental health fields are recognizing that complementary and alternative modalities are highly effective at improving and balancing mental health problems without side effects or addictive properties [“The U of M Psychiatry Dept which has long-focused on the biology of brain diseases, is taking a fresh look at alternative medicine…if it leads to better outcomes, then I think it’s our obligation to look at it.” Dr. Charles Schulz.] Another finding was recently published by Journal of the American Medical Association[6] stating that meditation outperforms escitalopram for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The bottom line is that there are effective alternatives to pharmaceuticals and the evidence is growing to support them.
Homeopathy integrates Eastern wisdom and Western science by using knowledge of the energy field of the body, or prana or chi as it’s called in other traditions, to influence health and vitality. We experience symptoms when the vital force becomes unbalanced and has been unable to restore balance from its inner resources. Homeopathy influences the imbalanced energy field through homeopathic remedies, which works by stimulating the vital force to restore itself to balance and the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This, in turn, leads to the disappearance of signs and symptoms of dis-ease (lack of ease). Homeopathy is effective, cost effective, safe, nonaddictive, and free from side effects. Further, homeopathy treats the whole person. As mental health symptoms balance and normalize, so do other physical, mental and emotional complaints.
Below are several case examples of clients that have benefited from homeopathy:
Case example #1: life-long depression and anxiety in 45-year-old man
Presenting symptoms: depression characterized by withdrawal from family life and feelings of heaviness.
First follow up findings: self-reported improvement in moods from “2” to an “8” on scale 1-10.
Comments: on-going homeopathic support is expected for this long-term condition, client showed continued good response at the 1 year follow up.
Case example #2: Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) symptoms in a 4-year-old boy as part of PANDAS diagnosis (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep)
Presenting symptoms: rage, oppositional behaviors, low frustration threshold, and impatience
First follow up findings: immediate improvement of ODD behaviors, self-reported from a “9” to a “3” on a scale 1-10.
Comments: PANDAS is complicated, on-going care has been required for continued improvement of additional symptoms. After 3 years, all behavioral and mental health symptoms are resolved.
Case example #3: Panic disorder in a 5-year-old girl
Presenting symptoms: panic attacks, inability to be alone, school refusal, inability to sleep in her room.
First follow up findings: child has able to sleep in her own room, sleep through the night, and has returned to school over 50% of the time.
Comments: very good initial response, by the third follow up appointment the child had returned to school 100% of the time.
Case example #4: Socially inappropriate behaviors in 5-year-old boy, including exposing genitals
Presenting symptoms: sudden onset fixation on genitals including exposing them publicly.
First follow up findings: immediate end to those behaviors with no reoccurrence. Sleep improved as well.
Comments: very good initial response, no continued care needed.
Homeopathy is not a panacea; it’s more like a “hard work miracle.” Many mental health conditions are triggered and exacerbated by our modern lives, including smaller family units and less familial support, excessive stress, the trauma of the COVID pandemic, the pervasive presence of social media, addictive and/or isolating online gaming, and the sense of having a “24/7 online life” to name a few. These things are part of our lives now and will likely continue to work against positive mental health. Positive mental health requires living in peace with these on-going stressors. Homeopathy provides natural support to help return balance to the vital force, allowing us to be less affected by stressors.
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To begin your own healing story with homeopathy, contact me at Sue@SueMcKinleyHomeopathy.com. If you know of anyone that may be interested in this natural, holistic, and 100% individualized modality, I would appreciate a referral and welcome the opportunity to work with them!
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBSDataSummaryTrendsReport2019-508.pdf, Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report 2009-2019, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html, Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Data and Statistics, June, 2022
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db444.htm Mental Health Treatment Among Adults Aged 18-44: United States, 2019-2021
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6797591/ National Library of Medicine, “Short- and Long-Term Antidepressant Clinical Trials for Major Depressive Disorder in Youth: Findings and Concerns”, Daniel J Safer, Julie Magno Zito, 2019.
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4970636/ National Library of Medicine, “Long-term antidepressant use: patient perspectives of benefits and adverse effects”, Claire Cartwright, Kerry Gibson, Kohn Read, Ondria Cowan, Tamsin Dehar, 2016
[6] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2798510, Nov 2022, Elizabeth A Hoge, MD; Eric Bui, MD, PhD; Mihriye Mete, PhD