With mental health being a particularly hot topic in this post pandemic era, my attention was piqued when reading an Instagram post on the benefits of homeopathy for mental health issues, including bi-polar disorder, by Mallorca based homeopath Sarah Heczko.
Being a strong advocate for homeopathy, I had met with Sarah recently for an on-going cough remedy, being susceptible to chest infections since contracting whooping cough as a child. The topic of bipolar disorder particularly caught my attention, having recently experienced the detrimental effects of a close friend in my social network, in complete denial of the need to take his medication during a particular long and destructive manic episode. It had had devastating effects for both him and his close community. I contacted Sarah to find out more.
Sarah explained “If you have heard of homeopathy, you’re likely to know about Arnica for bruises and falls or maybe Belladonna for fever. However” as Sarah explained, “it’s not so commonly known how effective homeopathy is in improving mental health. Particularly for those who have a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, PTSD and even bipolar disorder, who are seeking a more natural option to improve their mental well being.”
Homeopathy’s perspective on mental health is that there is a cause for depression and anxiety. A homeopath is like a health detective, investigating what the body is saying it needs in order to regain its balance. Their questions will aim to get to the root cause of the issue, such as when the mental health issues started and what was happening in the client’s life around that time. There are many causes for mental health issues, such as traumatic events, divorce, loss of a loved one through death or a relationship ending, drug and alcohol use, side effects of medications, hormonal imbalance, thyroid issues, familial history of mental illness or unresolved childhood trauma.
Sarah continued “People also express depression in different ways. Some people mask depression and people are shocked to hear of their struggles - think Robin Williams. While others can’t get out of bed and openly express how down they are. Each symptom serves as a clue, pointing to the most suitable remedy for that individual.”
Using this information and the client’s presenting emotional and physical symptoms, the homeopath will prescribe the most suitable remedy for that person. It’s an individual approach, based on how that person is expressing depression, anxiety, etc. Instead of having a suppressive effect as pharmaceuticals do, homeopathy peels back the layers whilst giving the individual the head space, strength and perspective to process unresolved issues that will no doubt surface whilst on their homeopathic journey. This in turn provides resilience for future stresses.
Clients using homeopathy for mental health have reported emotional releases, greater self-reflection, and thinking of past events they had forgotten. They are able to do so in the role of observer, rather than being overwhelmed by the chaotic and irrational thought patterns often associated with mental illness. This helps clients process unresolved painful events and they feel their depression, anxiety or mania diminish. Unlike many prescription drugs, homeopathic remedies do not have side effects.
With my particular interest in bipolar, I asked Sarah if she’d had any personal experience with treating a patient.
“A client approached me with Bipolar Disorder stating that he no longer wanted to take his medication because he didn’t like the side effects. He was taking Seroquel, but the Doctor wanted to prescribe him Lithium, which the client did not want because of the severe side effects. He was often self prescribing against the advice of his Doctor, to help him sleep during manic phases and to keep him awake during depressive episodes.
He had a history of mania which would often get him into trouble with law enforcement, either with assault or break in’s of ex partners. During these phases, he would also spend excessive amounts of money which led to credit card debt, binge drank frequently and became argumentative. He had difficulty keeping relationships because of his moods, which would lead him into a depressive state.
Three months into taking homeopathic remedies, he reported being less argumentative and drinking less during his manic states. He was able to control his drinking. He still experienced deep depressive thoughts, but without suicidal ideation. During the first consultation, the client stated that he would try to stick out treatment, but he generally does something for a maximum of six months and then stops. He returned to follow up appointments for 15 months. In the last session he said it had been months since he had a manic phase, and had been depressed, but less so. Instead of lying in bed for 12+ hours a day as he usually did, he managed to stay socially active and find a new job.” He had been very happy with the outcome.
Sarah mentioned that engaging in homeopathy is a collaborative journey with the homeopath providing support along the way. Results can sometimes be quick depending on the cause of the issue, but most likely it will take some time and various remedies to regain mental wellness. Although not required, homeopathy is most effective when used with other modalities, such as EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing), somatic therapies, meditation and nutritional support.
Those taking prescription medicines for their mental illness can still use homeopathy, especially if they are considering tapering off their medications in the future. However, Sarah stressed the point that weaning off pharmaceutical medication is the responsibility of the prescribing Doctor and NOT the homeopath. Many side effects can occur if a patient suddenly stops their prescribed medication.
If you would like to know more about Sarah Heczko you can find her on https://wellnesstraveller.co/practitioners/sarah-heczko-homeopathy
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