Homeopathy treats a person as a whole, not just the illness. A 31 year old walks into my clinic, complaining of an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to count the religious beads daily. If not he get very anxious and the repeated thoughts that he could not stop. His religious practices, which once gave peace, had become stressful. He felt a strong urge to complete rituals in a fixed way. He believed that if he did not finish a certain number of prayer beads, something bad would happen. Even small events, such as sneezing, were perceived by him as bad signs. I clearly remember how pale and anxious he looked when he entered my clinic and I happened to sneeze at that moment. Despite his fear, he chose to continue the homeopathic treatment. When I later discussed this incident with him at the end of the treatment, he acknowledged how strongly such beliefs had earlier influenced his anxiety.
A deep emotional factor was the death of his father, who was very religious. The patient never expressed this grief openly and kept everything inside.
He also had physical signs of stress such as burning in the soles of the feet and clenching of teeth during anxiety.
Differential Diagnosis
Based on the presenting mental, emotional, and physical features, the following differential diagnoses were considered before arriving at the final understanding of the case:
1. Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) :OCD is a condition where patient has recurrent thoughts and compulsive traits to be performed to reduce his/her anxiety. In this case, the pattern of prayer beads and repetitive religious rituals strongly suggested OCD.
2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) : In GAD, there is an excessive worry about everyday events and the anxiety here is primarily ritual-bound.
3. Somatic Symptom Disorder : It physically manifests with burning soles and teeth clenching. These symptoms are secondary expressions of anxiety.
Final Diagnostic Consideration:
The clinical picture most consistently aligned with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, influenced by unresolved grief and strong religious–superstitious beliefs, with prominent anxiety manifestations.
Rubrics Selected from Kent’s Repertory
To form the Totality of Symptoms, the following Kent rubrics were selected:
• Mind – Anxiety – Religious matters
(Prayer and religious thoughts created fear instead of peace)
• Mind – Thoughts – Persistent
(Thoughts kept repeating and would not stop)
• Mind – Superstitious
(Belief that sneezing or small events were bad signs)
• Mind – Fixed ideas
(Strong belief that rituals must be completed)
• Mind – Grief – Silent / Long-standing
(Unexpressed grief after the father’s death)
• Mind – Loss of self-control
(Unable to stop thoughts or actions)
• Extremities – Burning – Soles
(Burning sensation in the feet)
• Teeth – Clenching
(Tightening of teeth during anxiety)
These rubrics together formed the Totality of Symptoms (TSI).
Differential Remedies
Ignatia amara – Suits acute, expressive grief with emotional outbursts, sighing, and rapid mood changes. The patient, however, was controlled, silent, and emotionally restrained.
Arsenicum album – Presents with marked restlessness, fear of disease or death, and constant need for reassurance. In this case, anxiety was belief-based and inward, without panic or restlessness.
Calcarea carbonica – Characterized by anxiety from insecurity, fear of failure, and dependence on others, often with physical sluggishness. These features were not prominent.
Lycopodium clavatum – Shows anxiety related to lack of confidence with compensatory dominance or irritability. The patient lacked this outward assertiveness and ego struggle.
Remedy Selection :
The total picture clearly matched Natrum muriaticum. This medicine suits people who suffer silently, hold deep grief inside, are serious and responsible, and develop anxiety when emotions are suppressed. The compulsive religious behaviour showed a sycotic tendency, but the root cause was psoric anxiety and grief, which Natrum muriaticum addresses well.
Prescription given:
Natrum Mur 200 3 doses,sl.
Results:
After three months of integrated treatment, the patient reported a notable reduction in anxiety levels and is able to control the racing of his thoughts. Today not only, he has developed a deep trust in Homeopathy but also all his family members are my patients. While all the symptoms prevail, he reports inner peace. He frequently inquiries about his wife’s uncertain clinical condition, which has no cure in Allopathy, but I redirect him towards spirituality, and encourage to have faith in the Almighty.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest spirituality, when combined with homeopathic treatment, can play a significant role in well-being of a person.
Keywords:
Emotions, Spirituality, Homeopathy, Anxiety
Reference :
How to Become More Mindful in Your Everyday Life