“The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven” reflected John Milton three centuries ago. Though delicate as the most exquisite silk ever woven it is imbibed with a tensile strength that can withstand the strongest forces in this universe. Yet when subject to strain in manifold ways the tensile strength therein is marred. Heaven unravels deep within and yet another perfect body crumbles before us succumbing to the ‘inner demons’.
Dr Samuel Hahnemann in his quest to find answers to such mysteries stumbled upon some universal truths which where hitherto hidden. His intense search led him to inferences drawn from scientific research. These were recorded carefully in a book called Organon of Medicine.In the ninth aphorism of Organon Dr Hahnemann says, “In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force, the dynamis, that animates the material body, rules with unbounded sway and retains all parts of the organism in admirable harmonious vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions so that our indwelling reason gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.’’
When this ‘vital force’ is stressed or incapacitated, life becomes a tough balancing act. All of a sudden the natural prowess to tackle fairly simple daily chores becomes a pain. Perfectly natural men and women unnaturally buckling to triggers of pressure has become a byword of the present generation. The mind seems to creak and groan likes an old suspended bridge dangling precariously.
When ‘healthy’, stress and challenges help us to grow but when ‘sick’, the same stress can cause us to shrink back. Prolonged uninterrupted and unmanageable stress can be debilitating. Using drugs, alcohol, painkillers or indulging in smoking or excessive eating has a boomerang effect. These make further inroads into the mind making the user more prone to stress.
Anxiety, apprehension, fears, lack of focus, absentmindedness, memory loss, nervousness, losing the thread of a conversation, repeated episodes of nightmares, increased bouts of angry outbursts etc. may be physical manifestations of stress. These may be associated with other symptoms like giddiness, nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, chronic headaches, skin disorders etc,
Clinically it has been observed that stress management is within the realm of homoeopathy. Offering relief from the physical as well as the mental symptoms, prescriptions based on the ‘principle of Individualization’ has produced results. There is no remedy that can be termed as single panacea for any given disorder. It varies according to the constitution and temperamental make up of a person. Medicines are administered orally not intravenously. Dosages are very minute and based on the principle of ‘Similia Similibus Curentur’, which is Latin for ‘Like cures Like’. Its the functional symptoms of the patient that are to be primarily evaluated by a trained homoeopath whose observations should be as keen as a sensitive artist who knows a single stroke can mar the beauty of a portrait. The totality of symptoms thus gained are then categorically grouped and evaluated to deduce which remedy in the homoeopathic Materia Medica’ is closest as a mirror image. A physician can gauge if medicines are efficacious noting changes in the functional plane.
Advertisement
However the importance of adopting methods to improve ones lifestyle can never be over emphasised. A healthy diet, regular exercise and appropriate relaxation techniques should definitely be adopted. The value of the doctor as a counselor cannot be overlooked in such cases.
Advertisement
SRM
