CORE ELEMENTS OF THE MATERIA MEDICA OF THE MIND

By Ananda Zaren
Volume I

1991-98

Volume I Contents: Calcarea Phosphorica, Cannabis Indica, Causticum, Hyoscyamus,

Medorrhinum, Silica

Contents

Review ....................................................................................................................... 2

Calcarea Phosphorica [Calc-p] ............................................................................... 4

Cannabis Indica [Cann-i] ....................................................................................... 22

Causticum [Caust] .................................................................................................. 33

Hyoscyamus [Hyos]................................................................................................ 47

Medorrhinum [Med] ................................................................................................ 66

Silicea [Sil] ............................................................................................................... 88

Review

Ananda Zaren was an expert homeopath and a teacher of homeopathy as well as a

teacher of teachers of homeopathy. Sadly, she passed away in 2008. She was an early
student of George Vithoulkas, and she was a frequent lecturer in Germany where she
lectured in hospitals.

Her chapter on “The Wound, The Wall, and The Mask” is a real classic in the homeopathic
literature, and she used this simple but important insight into describing each remedy in her
books.

These two volumes of materia medica of the mind by Ananda Zaren offer a new model for
exploring pathology and materia medica. The work has been influenced by Vithoulkas, and
she emphasizes the importance of the emotional state in homoeopathic prescribing.

Zaren’s method of interpreting homoeopathic medicines and pathology looks at the initial
trigger to the diseased state, which she calls ‘the wound’; the way the individual protects
himself from further injury, called ‘the wall’; and the way the individual presents himself to
the world, called ‘the mask’. Each medicine is analysed in this way.

These layers of presentation are akin to psychoanalytic theory, which views much
pathology as linked to childhood trauma (the initiating wound), especially in the work of
analysts like Alice Miller. Psychoanalysis also refers to the defences we develop to cope
with this state (the wall), and discusses concepts like a ‘true’ and ‘false’ (i.e. masked) self.

Zaren asserts that when the individual is unable to cope with an injury or trauma, a wound
is created. Commonly, this is caused by various forms of childhood abandonment. The
features of the wound are that it is unexpected, and that its effects are deeply felt by the
individual. This original wound is continually restimulated by repeated similar stress. In
order to protect himself, the individual forms a barrier or ‘wall’ around the wound. This wall
is represented by physical, mental and emotional symptoms presenting, which initially
protect, but later disguise the original wound, causing it to fester underneath. The wall of
symptoms acts to numb the individual’s response to the original offence and represents an
adaptation to the trauma. However, the body becomes drained by having to maintain this
defence.

Additional survival mechanisms are developed to obscure the wall, these the author refers
to as the ‘mask’ or the ‘persona’, the interface the individual has with society. The mask
serves to ‘distract the individual from the pain and loneliness of the true self’.

Homoeopathic treatment is aimed at matching the original wound plus the symptoms of the
wall. Ananda Zaren sees the homoeopathic method as a painstaking method of working
with the patient in order to uncover these layers of pathology.

The author discusses well-known medicines - Calc-p, Cann-i, Caust, Hyos, Med, Sil, Anac,
Calc, Nat-c, Sulph and Thuja. However, her unique interpretation of the mental aspects
offers new insights, also into pathology, in a similar way to the work of Catherine Coulter.
Each drug is explored with respect to aetiology, the wound, the wall, the mask, relationship
issues, childhood presentations, and comparative materia medica.

A useful summary is provided at the end of each discussion, and ample references to
rubrics in Kent’s Repertory are given throughout the discussions.

As with any materia medica of the mind, there is much room for interpretation, yet careful
cross-referencing with Kent’s rubrics creates a convincing argument for the interpretations
given.

I would recommend this book for in-depth study of the mental symptoms associated with
the drugs. It provides a fascinating understanding of some which I thought I knew well!

Tessa Katz
Calcarea Phosphorica [Calc-p]

GENERAL

Calcarea Phosphorica [Calc-p]

Calcarea Phosphorica is a deep-acting remedy with a wide spectrum of
symptomatology. J. H. Clarke states in his Dictionary of Materia Medica: "Calcarea
Phosphorica, whilst exhibiting strong points of resemblance with Calcarea Carbonica, has
nevertheless a very distinct individuality."
Because Calcarea Carbonica and Phosphorus are large, well-understood polychrest,
many of the characteristic qualities of Calcarea Phosphorica might be familiar to the
homeopathic prescriber. Some individuals who would benefit from a prescription of
Calcarea Phosphorica will develop a clinical picture that resembles a mixture of elements
peculiar to Calcarea Carbonica or Phosphorus. Calcarea Phosphorica, however, is a large
polychrest in its own right and can generate a clinical profile with mental and emotional
components that clearly distinguish it from other remedies in our materia medica.

Etiology of Calcarea Phosphorica

The development of Calcarea Phosphorica is often dependent on childhood experiences

containing two key elements that comprise the wound of this remedy. The early childhood
of Calcarea Phosphorica individuals usually includes some form of physical abuse,
combined with a psychologically intimidating environment. Further, the intensity of these
experiences is amplified because the Calcarea Phosphorica individual has an enormous
degree of sensitivity. Emotionally and physically, these people are tender, delicate, and
fragile.

The Wound

Physical violence and psychological bullying form the wound of Calcarea Phosphorica.
Patients often report a history of corporal punishment, including being spanked, slapped or
hit with a belt, choked, shook, kicked, pinched, or threatened with violence. In other cases,
children might have been frightened by the threat of being left alone. The violence in their
childhood could also have been witnessed, rather than directly experienced. For children,
witnessing the mother or a sibling being abused is tantamount to direct abuse. Calcarea
Phosphorica is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Love, ailments from, disappointed love,
on page K63. This rubric often indicates trauma or abuse at the hands of a parent or
caregiver.
In individuals requiring Calcarea Phosphorica, the most common form of emotional
abuse involves constant exposure to a primary caregiver who is domineering, rageful,
angry, or controlling. The parent or caregiver is often unsympathetic and unmoved by the
needs of the child, instead responding in anger to the timidity or fragility exhibited by these
children. As a result, Calcarea Phosphorica children begin to internalize the rejection of
the caregiver by feeling shame and fear. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the
rubric MIND, Fear, on page K42. These children are also acutely aware that their needs
are being denied. As the pathology deepens, they can begin to feel terror within.
The Wall

The wall of Calcarea Phosphorica becomes evident as the character development of the
individual proceeds. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have great sensitivity and, because
of their history of neglect or abuse, they become increasingly more focused on satisfying of
their own needs. They exhibit this exquisite sensitivity on the physical plane by reacting to
noise, drafts, dampness, changes in the weather, and the effects of melting snow. They
also display sensitivity on the emotional plane: they project the nonverbal message that
they need to be "treated with kid gloves." They are delicate, fragile, and touchy, and their
feelings are easily hurt. A remark containing a tiny element of criticism, which would be
sloughed off by the average person, can result in deep pain in individuals needing
Calcarea Phosphorica. Conversely, a compliment, which would be accepted by others,
can be uncomfortable to them, and they might even be hurt by it. The rubric MIND,
Sensitive, oversensitive, on page K78, contains this idea.
One premiere aspect of the wall in Calcarea Phosphorica individuals is the persistent
maintenance of their illusions about life in the face of contradictory data from the outside
world. It is as though an inner door has been bolted shut, preventing the people in their
environment from having access to their emotions. They become frozen at the moment of
childhood trauma, unable to interface with reality in a meaningful way. These people prefer
instead to dwell in an imaginary reality of their own design that is peaceful, tranquil, and
dreamlike. They do not allow the tranquility of their synthetic world to be marred by the
negative emotions of anger or aggression; they suppress these emotions and deny their
existence.
The image of Calcarea Phosphorica is that of a small child, sitting quietly, deeply
absorbed in play. Suddenly the child is interrupted by the intrusion of an angry, raging
apparition - a parent, sibling, or caregiver. The child has several reactions in quick
succession. The first and most penetrating is fear. The child's whole body jumps with
fright when first confronted. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in the rubric MIND, Starting,
from fright, on page K83. The second reaction is a feeling of helplessness. The child
might ask the question "Why has this happened to me?" The third reaction is a soft
childlike form of anger or indignation that is not openly expressed. This can be
characterized by these questions, asked in a small and whining voice, "What about me?"
"What about my needs?" "Don't I count?" The fourth reaction in this chain is dissociation.
The child makes the decision to bury the memory of the event and, in a somewhat
obstinate manner, returns to the world of play and fantasy. Calcarea Phosphorica is
represented in the rubric MIND, Delusions, illusion of fancy, on page K25. The child
becomes completely lost in this illusionary world. The last reaction is grief and despair. If
anything should threaten to shatter the illusion of safety in this make-believe world of
dreams, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals will put up strong resistance. Their faces can
become as impassive as a china doll and they will either deny or ignore the existence of
conflict. Eventually, though, the burden of keeping the world at bay drains all their energy,
and they will spiral downward into a state of physical and emotional depletion or suicidal
despair.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are emotionally sensitive, but their sensitivity is turned
inward and they tend to focus on themselves. The sensation of intense longing that is so
characteristic of this remedy manifests as uneasiness, discontent, irritability, restlessness,
and a deep sense of dissatisfaction and emptiness. This unrest gnaws at the core of their
organism, resulting in an underlying thread of unhappiness. The tendency to sigh is a
symptom of their despair. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND,
Sighing, on page K80. One of their deepest yearnings is the desire to go home. The rubric
MIND, Homesickness, on page K51, reflects this longing. The desire to return home
represents a need to remain in the safety of their constructed reality. The experience of
arriving "home" remains forever elusive, however, because Calcarea Phosphorica
individuals are unable to escape their internal turmoil and dissatisfaction.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are very thin-skinned. Figuratively, their skin is
paper-thin, and they cannot block stimuli or deflect incoming emotional experience. Their
porous system instantly absorbs every emotional cue from the people in their environment,
until they become confused and overwhelmed. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals also
suffer from low self-esteem. The rejection, anger, or criticism that were prominent
elements of their childhood experiences are embraced by them, and they often come to
think of themselves in the negative terms that others have used to characterize them in the
past.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are romantics. They are dreamers and lovers of soft
lights, music, and romance. A great deal of their time is spent in daydreaming, fantasizing,
and wishful thinking. They often wish to "be someone else, doing something else,
somewhere else." This desire for escape is captured in the rubric MIND, Travel, desire for,
on page K89, in which Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type. These individuals
escape reality by dwelling in their vision of Camelot. In their fantasies, their status is
elevated and they are placed in a beautiful environment without the mundane indignities of
normal life.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have a strong desire to escape; much of this desire
stems from their dissatisfaction with themselves. Because Calcarea Phosphorica
individuals have internalized the negative images of themselves from childhood, they would
like to escape from themselves and transform into another identity. Their fantasies and
imaginings are reactions to their own self-loathing. For this reason, Calcarea Phosphorica
is listed in the rubric MIND, Discontented, displeased, dissatisfied, with himself, on page
K36.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are always aware of a feeling of emptiness and
unfulfilled expectations, they often create surroundings that reflect sorrowful emotions.
They prefer music that is sad or soulful, as if the music itself is crying. They might have
one song that they prefer above all others, and it is common for them to sit and listen to
that song over and over, while weeping. They typically identify with the story told in the
song, to bond with the sadness of the tune and lyric. Their weeping is a manifestation of
their inner sadness, which the music unleashes.
Because of childhood disappointments, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals protect
themselves by becoming pessimistic. They are fatalistic, feeling despair about themselves
and holding gloomy expectations of others. These individuals have a great need to be
understood. Their deep and unrequited desire for emotional response is often expressed
by complaining or whining. Other people can become overwhelmed by their demanding
nature. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Discontented,
displeased, dissatisfied, on page K36.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals reflect endlessly on their past, which they identify as
tragic. They see their lives as a series of disappointments and betrayals by family and
friends. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Suspicious, on page
K86. They are particularly sensitive to situations where their needs or desires have not
been fulfilled. They have a deep, grievous longing to be catered to and made to feel
special. These individuals often feel disempowered, as though they have little influence on
the situations that affect their lives. They envision their lives as though they have been
controlled by external forces, and they identify with the role of the victim.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals subjugate their own power and do not believe their
actions have potency in the world. Their sensitivity, coupled with the belief in their own
powerlessness makes them extremely receptive to domination by others. The pathology of
Calcarea Phosphorica contains an important theme: the strong desire to wed their identity
to another. Thus creating and maintaining an intimate relationship with another person is
often a core concern for Calcarea Phosphorica individuals. They have a tendency to live
their lives through another person, defining themselves through identification with another.
This can be so pronounced that they barely function as an individual in the world. These
individuals can be very dependent in a relationship; they believe that, without the
relationship, their life would have no meaning. All of their thoughts and conversations
revolve around their relationship, and through that association they gain some modicum of
self-esteem. For Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, there is also another advantage to
suppressing self-awareness and merging their identity with another person: it is another
mode of dissociation from the inadequacies that they perceive in themselves, and it fills
their unconscious need to escape their inner pain. Their awareness of themselves, in
relationship to others and to the world at large, gradually fades as they become enveloped
in the mythology of their primary relationship. Eventually, they reach a state of serenity - at
peace but disengaged from the world.
Once Calcarea Phosphorica individuals reach a state of apparent tranquility, they will
avoid all conflict out of the fear that it could threaten the union they have made with another
person. Nothing is as important to them as preserving the peace and stability of their
alliance. This is similar to the strategy adapted by Staphysagria individuals, except that the
motivation for Staphysagria individuals is to avoid any possibility of angry repercussions;
they would not assert themselves if there is the slightest risk of creating conflict or
threatening the status quo in their relationship. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals repress
their aggressive impulses so well that they are fully unaware of having these impulses.
Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Consolation aggravates, on
page K16. With these individuals, consolation implies that they have experienced an
emotional response and, since they prefer to conceal their emotional vulnerability, this kind
of attention produces aggravation. Although they choose to repress and refuse to express
all negative emotion, anger and resentment continue to fester within.
By remaining in a dissociated state, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can ignore their
aggressive impulses for a long time. Whenever they behave aggressively, they will deny it
later and they will delude themselves into believing that their actions were appropriate.
They will also deny that others can arouse within them the emotions of anger or anxiety.
They prefer a state of unruffled oblivion. For Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, ignorance
is bliss.
Unfortunately, these individuals are far more aggressive than they can perceive or
admit. As the philosopher Gregory Bateson pointed out, “The letter that one has not
written can still evoke an angry response." For Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, passive
denial, repressed anger, inattention to themselves, increasing emotional dependency, and
disengagement are all forms of passive aggression.
These people can become extremely angry, although this is difficult to identify, since
they withhold the expression of anger. When something strikes them as an injustice, they
become very resentful and their feelings of indignation remain for a long time. Calcarea
Phosphorica is listed in second degree in the rubric MIND, Indignation, on page K55.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are particularly sensitive to being contradicted; this is
listed in the rubric MIND, Contradiction, is intolerant of, on page K16, and the rubric MIND,
Anger, from contradiction, on page K2. Their boundaries are tissue-thin and they have a
tendency to absorb the feelings of others. Because these people are oversensitive in
many ways, they can sense the slightest disparity and perceive it as a contradiction. They
tolerate this poorly, because it erodes their already compromised sense of self-esteem.
The slightest hint of condescension from others will stimulate feelings of anger in these
people. Instead of expressing their anger, they sublimate it, either becoming irritable or
distancing themselves, becoming withdrawn, quiet, aloof, or haughty.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals continually deny feeling angry and obstinately
maintain that the emotions of anger, rage, and resentment are not components of their
personality. Calcarea Phosphorica is, however, found in the rubric MIND, Anger, on page
K2, where it is listed in second degree. Passive-aggressive behavior, such as slamming
the door, hanging up the phone, or speaking in a sarcastic tone, does occur, but more
often Calcarea Phosphorica individuals project a sweet and dreamy mask of innocence.
Their tremendous fear of rejection prohibits them from expressing their anger openly. In an
effort to avoid conflict and prevent rejection, they become further removed from their inner
selves. These people do not express anger, nor do they acknowledge the existence of
feelings of anger. As a result, they become identified with and fixed in the role of the quiet,
peaceful, romantic, and sensitive dreamer. If they become involved in a conflict or
disagreement, they are astonished at the intensity of the anger expressed by the other
person. Because they do not recognize their own feelings of anger, they cannot
understand how their behavior could elicit anger in others.
When reality intrudes into their carefully constructed fabrication, Calcarea Phosphorica
individuals can become very anxious. They deal with tension by dissociating and blocking
it out. They resent any pressure from the outside and are unable to cope with the
demands of others. All of their energy is needed to maintain their unruffled surface of
serenity, so they quickly become overwhelmed by any form of adversity. They cannot
adapt, because they have poor stamina and become easily fatigued. Calcarea Phosphorica
is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Dullness, sluggishness, on page K37. Any
emotional upset demands more energy, effort, or attention than they feel they have to give.
They become sluggish and exhausted and their mental functions begin to deteriorate.
In an effort to suppress the need to express emotions that they perceive as negative,
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals eventually begin to neglect many of their other needs.
They can develop eating disorders, sleep disturbances, or other obsessive-compulsive
behaviors. They can also exhibit monomania, in which their mind dwells on or predicts
tragic events in the future. For example, a Calcarea Phosphorica woman might constantly
think about her husband dying in an automobile accident or she may contemplate the
circumstances of her own death. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals also have a propensity
to magnify a small dilemma out of all proportion. Any hint of a problem can become the
object of persistent thoughts or obsessive monomania.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals eventually pay a high price for subjugating their own
emotional expression in an effort to bolster the relationship that they feel is central to their
lives. They value their union with another more than achieving understanding and self-
acceptance. They are constrained by their fear of separating from those they feel are
important to them. Fear of separation is a constant shadow in their lives and colors much
of their behavior. They can develop obsessive-compulsive behavior, becoming obsessive
about their emotional travails while remaining unaware of the compulsive aspect of their
behavior. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals lose themselves in relationships, eventually
dwelling in a dreamy, half-aware state in which these relationships are little more than
idealized illusions.
The stress of restraining emotional expression can also have devastating effects on the
health of Calcarea Phosphoric individuals as the stress seeks outlets in the physical plane.
These people are prone to such ailments as arthritis, asthma, mental confusion and
dullness, problems with memory, and a tendency for the mind to wander. Calcarea
Phosphorica is one of only four remedies and is listed in italics in the rubric MIND,
Wanders, desires to, on page K92.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can develop great anxiety about their health. When
they feel ill, they can have tremendous fear that there is something seriously wrong with
their health. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Anxiety, and in
MIND, Bad news, ailments from, on page K9. Once their health appears to be
compromised, they can become obsessive, fearing that cancer will be the inevitable
diagnosis.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can enter a state of mental confusion, because of
their inability to screen the unwanted and stress-producing stimuli that invade their
sheltered lives. These people are confused after mental exertion, physical activity, and
when first waking in the morning; however, a cold shower in the morning will temporarily
ameliorate the mental fogginess. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in the rubrics MIND,
Confusion, on page 13, MIND, Confusion on waking in the morning, on page K14, and
MIND, Confusion, cold bath ameliorates, on page K14. The tendency towards mental
deterioration is a differential between Calcarea Phosphorica and Staphysagria.
Throughout their lives it becomes increasingly difficult for Calcarea Phosphorica individuals
to complete tasks. They are unable to focus their attention when reading and are disturbed
by every tiny distraction. Concentration in school or on the job becomes almost
impossible, and they must make an extraordinary effort to remain focused. Calcarea
Phosphorica is listed in the rubric MIND, Mistakes, in speaking, in writing, repeating words,
and using wrong words, on pages K66-67. Their forgetfulness becomes evident, and they
often misplace their keys or go from one room to another trying to remember the object
they are seeking. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in the two rubrics MIND, Memory
weakness, for what was about to do, and MIND, Memory, weakness for what has just
done, on page K64. They eventually become averse to mental exertion for fear they will
fail at any endeavor. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND,
Exertion, aggravation from mental exertion, on page K41. Their mind wanders easily. If
they fall behind in school or on the job, they become anxious and begin to feel
overwhelmed. They are prone to fear that they work too slowly and that there will never be
enough time to accomplish their work or to catch up. Even participating in a conversation
can sap their strength. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in italics and is the only remedy in
the rubric MIND, Prostration of mind from talking, on page K70. These people can be so
depleted that they do not have the energy required to interact with other people. This is
particularly pronounced at night when these individuals can even have difficulty
concentrating sufficiently to operate an automobile. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in third
degree in the rubric MIND, Absent-minded, in vol.1, page 2. Eventually, these people
begin to space out and dissociate as a means of escape.
The pressure and demands of daily life and the antagonism of others can both be
unbearable for Calcarea Phosphorica individuals. Their fear and anxiety intensify in
response to these pressures, and they must dissociate from reality in order to protect
themselves. In the fog of denial, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals perceive their life as a
bad dream from which they must take flight. They become placid, lifeless, and inert, as
though no action were necessary because they will shortly awaken from the nightmare that
has become their life.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can enter a state of fearful hysteria that is difficult to
perceive because it too remains hidden. The level of fear can reach a high pitch, so that
these people must remain in a dissociated state to avoid being paralyzed with terror. At
this point, any additional stress can push them over the edge into full dissociation or the
pathology of multiple-personality disorders.

The Mask

The mask of Calcarea Phosphorica is always maintained with great care.

These individuals project a composed and serene persona, much like large porcelain
dolls that sit at the top of a bed propped up on the pillows, their hair and clothing beautifully
arranged. The facial features portray a sweet expression that stares blankly into space.
The major component of the mask of this remedy is the appearance of extreme delicacy
and fragility. These individuals often speak softly and appear to be sweet and mild. Their
anger and irritability, suppressed and covered by a serene facade, might be partially
expressed in the form of discontent. The apparent calmness projected by Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals belies the tremendous fear that lies beneath the surface.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can seem very childlike, for example, eliciting the
attendance of others by appearing to be a lost waif. They can also appear to be happy or
content. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in the rubric MIND, Cheerful, gay, happy, on page
K10.

Calcarea Phosphorica in Relationship to Others

Calcarea Phosphorica individuals value the union they strive to achieve with a partner, but
they also have a fear of intimacy. Intimacy requires a lowering of the mask and thinning of
the wall, but the enormous well of fear that originates from their childhood experiences
precludes this kind of opening up. The fear that underlies the emotional construct of
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals leaks into the sexual sphere: these people can have a
high sex drive. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in third degree in the rubrics FEMALE
GENITALIA, Desire, increased, on page K716, and in GENITALIA, Sexual Passion,
increased, on page K711.
If there is a history of childhood trauma, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can have
either a high or low sexual drive. They can feel sexually inadequate or harbor other fears
about sexual function, resulting in repression of their sexuality. Clinically, in several cases,
it has been noted that, when Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have a low libido, there is
often a correlation with some form of sexual trauma, such as incest or rape.

Physical Characteristics
Sleep
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not like to sleep near a draft or an open window.
Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in third degree in the rubric GENERALITIES, Air, draft
aggravates, on page K1344. These people stretch and yawn frequently before falling
asleep. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in italics in the rubric SLEEP, Yawning, on page
K1256. It is difficult for these people to waken in the morning, even after an adequate
amount of sleep. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold in the rubric SLEEP, Sleepiness,
morning, on page K1248.

Female Genitalia
The female reproductive system is a common site of physical pathology for Calcarea
Phosphorica women. These women have many problems with their menstrual cycle. Their
premenstrual symptoms include breast tenderness or enlargement and insomnia, and they
can have accompanying emotional symptoms, including depression, irritability, mental
dullness, and aversion to mental exertion. They can have constipation before the menses
and diarrhea during the menses. Before the menses, the uterus can begin to contract
painfully.
The menses tend to be heavy and they can come frequently, as often as once every
two weeks. Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubric FEMALE GENITALIA,
Menses, copious, on page K725. The remedy is also found in the rubric FEMALE
GENITALIA, Menses, frequent, too early, too soon, on page 726. The blood is bright red or
dark red and can have dark clots with membranes. This is represented in the rubrics
FEMALE GENITALIA, Menses, dark, in which it is third degree, on page K726, and
FEMALE GENITALIA, Menses membranous, in which it appears in italics on page K727.
The menstrual fluid is red at the beginning but then tends to turn brown toward the end of
the period. The women get very strong labor-like cramping in the uterus and groin several
hours before the flow starts; the cramping is relieved after the flow is fully established.
Calcarea Phosphorica is listed in bold type in the rubrics FEMALE GENITALIA, Menses,
painful dysmenorrhea, on page K727, and FEMALE GENITALIA, Pain, menses, before, on
page K735. These pains are so severe that they cause the women to double over and
sometimes elicit cries or screams.
There is a sensation of pressure in the uterus and the legs get very heavy. Receiving a
chill before the menses can intensify the dysmenorrhea. The pain is partially ameliorated
by the application of heat, using a heating pad or hot-water bottle. When the menses is
over, Calcarea Phosphorica women often feel quite drained.

Musculoskeletal System
Calcarea Phosphorica women are very sensitive, and they can experience many
feelings. They repress their feelings, however, and this causes tension in their
musculoskeletal systems. This is particularly pronounced around the cervical area,
resulting in a chronically stiff neck; exposure to a draft or wind tends to exacerbate this
condition. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are very protective of themselves and often
wear scarves or other clothing to protect themselves from the elements.

THE CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA CHILD

The Infant

Etiology
Calcarea Phosphorica infants often experience trauma during the perinatal period.
They are sensitive to the events surrounding birth and can be traumatized by
Breech presentation
Lack of oxygen
Tightly wrapped nuchal cord
 Prolonged labor (over 14 hours)
Birth injuries
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Improper bonding

Physical Characteristics
Calcarea Phosphorica infants have large skulls at birth. The cranium can be thin and
soft and the fontanelles are large.
HEAD, Open, fontanelles, (3), page K132
Calcarea Phosphorica babies often exhibit signs of discontent in early infancy. These
babies cannot get comfortable inside of their bodies and they express this by complaining,
moaning, whining, and stretching discontentedly.
MIND, Discontented, displeased, dissatisfied, (3), page K36
These infants are sensitive to noise and can display anxiety when lifted out of the
cradle.
MIND, Anxiety, when lifted from the cradle, (2), page K5
Calcarea Phosphorica infants can have difficulty nursing, and they often refuse their
mother's milk or push the breast away. They do not latch on to the nipple well and can be
poor nursers. They prefer the left breast.
Calcarea Phosphorica infants tend to have colic that becomes worse after eating.
STOMACH, Pain, eating after, (3), page K513
These infants can appear to be emaciated or can be quite sturdy.
GENERALITIES, Emaciation, (2), page K1357
Their scalps can perspire, and the perspiration can have a sour odor.
HEAD, Scalp, (2), page K221
These infants prefer to be wrapped in blankets and dislike drafts.
For this reason, they dislike riding on the back of a bicycle or having the window open
while riding in an automobile, even if the weather is warm.
GENERALITIES, Air, draft aggravates, (3), page K1344
These infants exhibit much movement of the arms and legs and can make gestures as
though they were reaching for something.
MIND, Gestures, hands, grasping or reaching at something, page K50
They can click or make other sounds with their mouths.

Emotional Characteristics
Calcarea Phosphorica infants want to stay close to their mothers.
They can have separation anxiety when the mother leaves. They do not like
consolation.
MIND, Consolation aggravates, (2), page K16
These babies demand the full attention of their parents. If their mother is talking on the
phone, they will refuse to nurse and become fussy and unmanageable until the mother
returns her full attention to them.
Calcarea Phosphorica babies are easily frustrated and often do not seem to know what
they want.
These infants like to go visiting with their parents but will desire to go home shortly after
arriving.
MIND, Travel, desire to, (3), page K89
MIND, Homesickness, page K51
 The Toddler

Physical Characteristics
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers can be emaciated.
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers can have disturbed sleep. They wake often and can
have bad dreams. They become restless after two or three hours of sleep. These children
startle during sleep, and they might moan or groan in their sleep. Calcarea Phosphorica
children awaken unrefreshed.
SLEEP, Disturbed, (2), page K1235
SLEEP, Dreams, frightful, (2), page K1240
SLEEP, Restless, page K1247

Emotional Characteristics
These toddlers can exhibit a certain kind of aggression: They might push, shove, pinch,
kick, bite, or grab toys. They cannot play cooperatively for any length of time.
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers are easily upset, and frustrated.
They appear groggy, overly tired, and irritable, and they might weep or whine.
MIND, Irritability, (2), page K57
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers can behave in a destructive manner and can thus be
confused with Tuberculinum. Their destructiveness takes the form of breaking, throwing,
or tearing things apart.
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers are restless. It is difficult for them to sit quietly, and they
can be disobedient in general.
MIND, Restlessness, (3), page K72
Calcarea Phosphorica toddlers can have difficulty differentiating an object from the
background that surrounds it.

The Child

Physical Characteristics
Calcarea Phosphorica children can have pathology centered in the gastrointestinal
system. They might complain of stomachaches, gas, or constipation in the morning before
school.
Calcarea Phosphorica children can exhibit a desire for smoked meats or salty foods.
STOMACH, Desire, meats, smoked, (2), page K485
STOMACH, Desire, salt things, (2), page K486
Calcarea Phosphorica children get headaches during school, especially during puberty.

Emotional Characteristics
Calcarea Phosphorica children can be sensitive and fragile. They are also capricious:
When playing out doors, they want to return home; when they are home, they want to go
outside. They have the tendency to wander off alone and, for this reason, they must be
watched closely by their childcare provider.
These children can be quite moody. They are quick to anger and quick to cry. They are
irritable, impatient, and easily frustrated.
Calcarea Phosphorica children have a short attention span. They can easily become
distracted by noise or the movement of people around them.
 Calcarea Phosphorica children shift in and out of touch with reality. They tend to
dissociate and become engrossed in fantasy. Escaping into a daydream state gives them
the illusion of safety. During a difficult transition in their lives, these children avoid the
stress of the change by spacing out and refusing to remain present.
Calcarea Phosphorica children have many fears. They fear thunderstorms or darkness
and can display anxiety and fear when they are separated from their mothers.
Calcarea Phosphorica children have difficulty in school for several reasons. They tend
to have a particular type of learning disability, the inability to record and integrate material
that is being presented. They can be diagnosed with dyslexia and can use the wrong
words when speaking or writing. Their memory is poor, and they have difficulty sustaining
mental effort in school. Calcarea Phosphorica children hate doing homework and are
adverse to mental exertion in general.
Calcarea Phosphorica children can somaticize in a stressful situation. Any form of
emotional or mental strain can precipitate a physical illness.

SUMMARY
Calcarea Phosphorica is a remedy characterized by delicacy, fragility, and
oversensitivity. Often there is a childhood history of physical or emotional trauma, the
effects of which penetrate the individual creating an underlying stratum of fear. This is the
wound of Calcarea Phosphorica.
Latent apprehension and fear forms the core of their personality, thus Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals often have poor self-esteem, and a sensation of helplessness.
They have increased emotional susceptibility, thin boundaries and can be hurt or irritated
by the slightest contradiction, but Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not openly express
their negative feelings. The wall of Calcarea Phosphorica consists of dissociation and acts
like a barrier, separating them from both the negative emotional elements in their
environment and the fear and pain within themselves.
J. T. Kent describes this in his Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica,
"She seeks solitude to commune with her thoughts and to shun the exertion of society".
Calcarea Phosphorica Individuals are often dissatisfied with reality, taking flight by
entering a fantasy world of their own creation. The focus of their idealized reality is often a
central relationship with one other person. Their lives revolve around this relationship and
it is through this association that they gain a feeling of safety and self-worth. Much of their
energy is spent protecting the stability of the core relationship.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals contain their anger and feelings of aggression, but
emotional repression eventually takes its toll in the physical and mental planes. They
prefer to maintain a dream-like impassivity, appearing to be peaceful, calm, and
unresponsive. The mask of Calcarea Phosphorica is a composition of placidity and
tranquility. It belies the emotions of anger, irritability, and sadness which can only be
perceived as a form of shifting discontent. As a result, Calcarea Phosphorica become
physically frail, oversensitive, and mentally weak.
Their minds become feeble, sluggish and confused, and this is aggravated by any
mental exertion.
In the final stages of pathology, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can be overcome by
grief and despair. Unable to effectively dissociate and escape into fantasy, their
composure may fracture and they can descend into a suicidal state or fragment into a
multiple personality disorder.
 DIFFERENTIAL MATERIA MEDICA of CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA

Staphysagria
Staphysagria individuals, like Calcarea Phosphorica, have an internal well of
unexpressed aggression and anger. Because of the childhood wound of abuse or
mortification, the Staphysagria individual is filled with shame. If someone expresses anger
toward a Staphysagria individual, they become frozen in fear: the anger is perceived as
though their life were in mortal danger.
Unlike Calcarea Phosphorica, Staphysagria individuals do not have a tendency to
dissociate from reality. These people use a mask of innocence, passivity, and niceness to
deflect conflict. The wall of Staphysagria is composed of suppressed anger and, if conflict
enters their lives, the anger will be expressed in a covert way. They respond to conflict by
making excuses, procrastinating, avoiding responsibility, or lying - all forms of passive
aggression. They will take on responsibility but leave the job undone, fostering confusion
among their coworkers and eventually resulting in a life that is characterized by unfinished
business. This behavior is often self-defeating, and their failure to assert themselves
causes them to assume the role of victim. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals assume the
attitudes of a victim however, but they do not often allow others to take advantage of them.
Staphysagria individuals also exhibit a fear of intimacy; however, it is hidden and very
well-guarded. This fear can result in pathology in the sexual sphere, such as impotence,
premature ejaculation, or other forms of sexual dysfunction. Staphysagria individuals might
prefer masturbation over coition, because they fear the intimacy and vulnerability of sexual
intercourse.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals define themselves and gain a sense of self-worth
from the primary relationship they maintain with a partner.
Staphysagria individuals have a fear of dependency; they do not like to admit or
demonstrate that they are dependent on their partner in an intimate relationship. They are
dependent within the relationship, though, and they will subjugate their own desires and
suppress their anger to maintain the connection. In this way, Staphysagria individuals
victimize themselves.
Emotional repression, in Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, results in compromised
mental function, including confusion, mental dullness, and weakness of memory.
Staphysagria does not have this kind of pathology on the mental plane: Staphysagria
individuals can have explosive outbursts of anger, or they can become morose and sulky
and withdraw into solitude.

Cannabis Indica
Individuals of both Cannabis Indica and Calcarea Phosphorica have the tendency to
dissociate from reality to escape the wound of emotional or physical trauma, but there are
many points of differentiation between the two remedies.
The most striking difference between the two lies in particular form of the wall in the
mental sphere: Cannabis Indica individuals are quite intellectual; their minds are full of
ideas, theories, and abundant thoughts. The theorizing of Cannabis Indica suggests a
comparison with the intellectualizations of Sulphur. In Cannabis Indica, however, there is a
mind-body split, creating overactivity on the mental plane and a kind of corporeal paralysis
and inability to actualize ideas on the physical plane. Cannabis Indica individuals can be so
dissociated from their bodies that they can deny the presence of an injury or a disease
process. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, by contrast, do not have a mind-body split but
have great mental weakness. They have weak memories and cannot sustain mental
exertion.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals place great value on maintenance of a core
relationship with another person. They dwell in romantic fantasy rather than intellectual
pursuit. They use their core relationship to assuage their feelings of helplessness and
worthlessness. This relationship is so important to them that they will strenuously avoid
any conflict that threatens this union. Cannabis Indica individuals, on the other hand, do
not have the need to maintain relationships with others. They feel oppressed by the
constraints of a relationship and are likely to live as loners, on the fringes of society.
Cannabis Indica individuals can exhibit odd or eccentric behavior. They can be silly,
loquacious, or manifest unusual mannerisms such as gesturing or talking to themselves.
They can have an unkempt appearance and might also have paranoid delusions.
Cannabis Indica individuals do not have the emotions of disappointed love or silent grief
that is characteristic of Calcarea Phosphorica. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not
have any of these characteristics. They appear peaceful and tranquil as a china doll. They
withdraw into a fairytale world of their own creation, projecting an image of serenity and
composure that masks their internal turmoil.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have great emotional sensitivity. Their emotional
boundaries are quite thin, and they are easily hurt or irritated. These people also have
chronic feelings of discontent or dissatisfaction. Cannabis Indica individuals, on the other
hand, are not particularly sensitive emotionally. They are generally unconcerned about
how they are perceived by others and are often unaware that their appearance or behavior
can elicit a negative reaction in other people.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have a difficult time expressing themselves. They are
careful to avoid conflict or emotional outbursts that could threaten their illusion of peace.
Cannabis Indica individuals, though, can be very direct. They are not afraid of being
offensive, and they can be blunt.
The delusions of Calcarea Phosphorica are like romantic fantasies. They center around
love relationships and friendships. The delusions of Cannabis Indica can be paranoid or
contain images of robbers, insects, ghosts, or worms. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals
have a strong desire to travel. Cannabis Indica does not share this desire; they may
contemplate traveling to distant lands, but this will be a momentary thought that is soon
replaced by other abundant thoughts. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals reflect endlessly
on their past, whereas Cannabis Indica people fill their minds with plans and ideas for the
future.

Calcarea Carbonica
The personality of Calcarea Carbonica can be characterized as having an exterior
which is hard as an eggshell an interior which is soft and vulnerable. Calcarea Carbonica
individuals produce a wall of independence and sturdiness. They are survivors; they place
a high value on loyalty and exhibit a strong work ethic. Their anxiety can often be linked to
financial security, and they have a fear of poverty. Wealth and financial security represents
power, independence, freedom, and reassures Calcarea Carbonica individuals that they
are truly succeeding in their lives. They are strongly rooted and industrious, and have a
fastidiousness that can be observed in the area their work. They do not daydream or
dissociate like Calcarea Phosphorica individuals. They protect their inner vulnerability by
being careful and cautious. They do not have the romantic quality of Calcarea
Phosphorica people, and they are rarely playful. Calcarea Carbonica individuals do not
share the emotions of disappointed love and silent grief.
Calcarea Carbonica individuals have a mask of self-sufficiency, and independence,
intellectualization and the appearance that they can handle any obstacle in their path.
They project the image of professional competence, that they are indispensable on the job,
or that they are the "good" boy or "good" girl. In contrast Calcarea Phosphorica individuals
have a mask of fragility.

Phosphorus
Phosphorus individuals have fears and anxieties that are much stronger than those of
Calcarea Phosphorica. They are also more generous, less self-centered, and truly care
about the feelings of other people. Like Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, though,
Phosphorus people have very permeable boundaries, but they tend to sympathize with
other people, taking on their emotional pain and fear, rather than distancing from them.
These are qualities of the wall of Phosphorus. They are clairvoyant, and their energy is
more scattered that of Calcarea Phosphorica.
Phosphorus individuals do not share many of the qualities which are characteristic of
Calcarea Phosphorica. They do not exhibit the loss of mental function or the physical
fatigue. In addition, they generally do not sigh. They are ameliorated in company whereas
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are aggravated by company and they do not have the
intensity of grief or disappointed love that is seen in Calcarea Phosphorica individuals.
In Phosphorus pathology, the panic and fear of losing control is a larger and more
central issue. Their fears are vivid, and they have an underlying fear that any injury or
sickness can result in their death. For example, Phosphorus individuals might believe that
any small lesion is cancerous or that an intermittent heart palpitation will result in fatal
coronary failure. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals chiefly fear the loss of their core
relationship with another person, but Phosphorus individuals have many fears that
collectively represent a fear of death.

Pulsatilla
Pulsatilla individuals have a wound of abandonment, but the wall that is generated,
although similar, has many qualities that differentiate it from the wall of Calcarea
Phosphorica. Pulsatilla individuals can be romantic and can also be addicted to or
dependent on the people with whom they form relationships. They require contact with
others, are ameliorated by company, and need to be appreciated by their friends and loved
ones. When a relationship ends, Pulsatilla individuals can be emotionally devastated,
because the experience activates their great fear of abandonment. Calcarea Phosphorica
individuals are disappointed when a relationship ends, but the loss does not threaten them
as deeply.
Pulsatilla individuals are more grounded than Calcarea Phosphorica and can make solid
contact with others, remaining present in conversations. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals
are more distant and dreamy. Pulsatilla individuals are not dissatisfied and discontent, and
they do not sigh like Calcarea Phosphorica people. They are ameliorated by company
while Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can be aggravated by the company of others.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals suffer a breakdown in mental function as their pathology
deepens and this is not typical of Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla individuals can be weepy without cause or exhibit shifting moods, easily
alternating between tears and joy. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not share this
emotional lability. Pulsatilla individuals are not hypersensitive in the same way that are
Calcarea Phosphorica people and they are not aggravated by drafts, weather changes,
and noise. When criticized, Pulsatilla people will be hurt, but they will try to change their
behavior to suit the needs of the situation. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, in contrast,
are deeply wounded by criticism and are so exquisitely sensitive that they can take a long
time to recover from the slightest reproach. Composed of the two elements, Calcarea
Carbonica and Phosphorus, both of which have known attributes of anxiety and fear,
Calcarea Phosphorica has a higher level of anxiety and fear overall.

RELATIONSHIPS

Differential Materia Medica of Calcarea Phosphorica

Staphysagria
Staphysagria individuals, like Calcarea Phosphorica, have an internal well of
unexpressed aggression and anger. Because of their childhood wound of abuse or
mortification, Staphysagria individuals are filled with shame. Whenever someone
expresses anger toward Staphysagria individuals, they become frozen in fear: They feel as
though their very life were in mortal danger.
Staphysagria individuals do not have a tendency to dissociate from reality like Calcarea
Phosphorica. These individuals wear a mask of innocence, passivity, and niceness to
deflect conflict. The wall of Staphysagria is composed of suppressed anger and, if conflict
occurs, their anger will be expressed covertly. Staphysagria individuals respond to conflict
by making excuses, procrastinating, avoiding responsibility, or lying - all forms of passive
aggression. They will take on responsibility but then leave the job undone, thus fostering
confusion among their coworkers and eventually resulting in a life that is characterized by
unfinished business. This behavior often leads to self-sabotage, and the failure of
Staphysagria individuals to assert themselves results in their assuming the role of victim.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, however, assume the attitudes of a victim but do not
often allow others to take advantage of them.
Staphysagria individuals also have a hidden and very well-guarded fear of intimacy.
The fear can result in pathology in the sexual sphere, such as impotence, premature
ejaculation, or other forms of sexual dysfunction. Staphysagria individuals sometimes
prefer masturbation over coition, because they fear the intimacy and vulnerability of sexual
intercourse.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals define themselves and gain their sense of self-worth
from the core relationship they maintain with a partner.
Staphysagria individuals have a fear of dependency; they do not like to admit or
demonstrate that they are dependent on their partner in an intimate relationship. They are
dependent within the relationship, though, and they will subjugate their own desires and
suppress their anger in order to maintain the connection. In this way, Staphysagria
individuals victimize themselves.
In Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, repression of emotion results in a compromise of
mental function, including confusion, mental dullness, and weakness of memory.
Staphysagria does not have this kind of pathology on the mental plane. These individuals
can either have explosive outbursts of anger or they can become morose and sulky and
withdraw into solitude.
 Cannabis Indica
Individuals of both Cannabis Indica and Calcarea Phosphorica have the tendency to
dissociate from reality to escape the wound of emotional or physical trauma, but there are
many points of differentiation between the two remedies.
The most striking difference between the two lies in the particular form of the wall in the
mental sphere: Cannabis Indica individuals are quite intellectual; their minds are full of
ideas, theories, and abundant thoughts. The theorizing of Cannabis Indica can suggest a
comparison with the intellectualizations of Sulphur. In Cannabis Indica, however, there is a
mind-body split, with overactivity on the mental plane and a kind of corporeal paralysis and
inability to actualize ideas on the physical plane. Cannabis Indica individuals can be so
dissociated from their bodies that they can deny the presence of an injury or a disease
process. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, by contrast, do not have a mind-body split but
have great mental weakness. They have weak memories and cannot sustain mental
exertion.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals place great value on maintenance of a core
relationship with another person. They dwell in romantic fantasy rather than intellectual
pursuit. Through their core relationship, they assuage their feelings of helplessness or
worthlessness. The relationship is so important to them that they will strenuously avoid
any conflict that threatens this union. Cannabis Indica individuals do not have the need to
maintain relationships with others. They do not exhibit the emotions of disappointed love
or silent grief that are characteristic of Calcarea Phosphorica. They feel oppressed by the
pressure to conform to the constraints of a relationship and are thus more likely to live as
loners, on the fringe of society.
Cannabis Indica individuals can exhibit odd or eccentric behaviors. They can be silly,
loquacious, or manifest unusual mannerisms such as gesturing or talking to themselves.
They can have an unkempt appearance and can also have paranoid delusions. Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals do not have any of these characteristics. They appear peaceful
and as tranquil as a china doll. They withdraw into a fairy-tale world, projecting an image
of serenity and composure, that masks their internal turmoil.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have great emotional sensitivity. Their emotional
boundaries are quite thin and they can be easily hurt or irritated. These people also have
an internal sense of discontent or dissatisfaction. Cannabis Indica individuals, on the other
hand, are not particularly emotionally sensitive. They are generally unconcerned with how
they are perceived by others and are often unaware that their appearance or behavior
elicits negative reactions in other people.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals find it difficult to express themselves. They are careful
to avoid conflict or emotional reprisals that could threaten their illusion of peace. Cannabis
Indica individuals, however, can be very direct; they are not afraid of being offensive and
can express themselves bluntly.
The delusions of Calcarea Phosphorica are like romantic fantasies; they concern love
relationships or friendships. Cannabis Indica can have paranoid delusions that can contain
images of robbers, insects, ghosts, or worms. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have a
strong desire to travel. Cannabis Indica does not share this desire; these people might
contemplate travel to another land, but this will be a momentary thought, soon replaced by
other abundant thoughts. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals reflect endlessly on their past,
whereas Cannabis Indica people fill their minds with plans and ideas for the future.
 Calcarea Carbonica
Calcarea Carbonica can be characterized as having an exterior as hard as an egg shell
and a vulnerable and soft interior. Calcarea Carbonica individuals produce a wall of
independence and sturdiness; they are survivors, placing a high value on loyalty and
exhibiting a strong work ethic. Their anxieties can often be linked to financial security: they
fear poverty. Wealth and financial security represent power, independence and freedom
and reassures Calcarea Carbonica individuals that they are truly succeeding in their lives.
These people are strongly rooted and industrious and are fastidious in their work. They do
not daydream or dissociate like Calcarea Phosphorica individuals. They protect their inner
vulnerability by being careful and cautious. They do not have the romantic quality of
Calcarea Phosphorica people, and they are rarely playful. Calcarea Carbonica individuals
also do not share the emotions of disappointed love and silent grief.
Calcarea Carbonica individuals have a mask of self-sufficiency, independence,
intellectualization, and the appearance that they can handle any obstacle in their path.
They project the image of professional competence, of being indispensable on the job, or
that of the “good boy” or “good girl”. In contrast, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals have a
mask of fragility.

Phosphorus
The fears and anxieties of Phosphorus individuals are much stronger than those of
Calcarea Phosphorica. Phosphorus people are more generous and less self-centered and
truly care about the feelings of other people. Like Calcarea Phosphorica individuals,
Phosphorus people have very permeable boundaries, but they tend to sympathize with
other people, taking on their emotional pain and fear rather than distancing from them.
These are qualities of the wall of Phosphorus. These people are clairvoyant, and their
energy is more scattered than that of Calcarea Phosphorica.
Phosphorus individuals do not share many qualities that are characteristic of Calcarea
Phosphorica. They do not exhibit the loss of mental function or the physical fatigue. In
addition, they generally do not sigh. They are ameliorated in company, whereas Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals are aggravated by company; they also do not have the intensity of
grief or disappointed love that is seen in Calcarea Phosphorica individuals.
In Phosphorus pathology, the panic and fear of losing control is a larger and more
central issue. Their fears are vivid, and they have an underlying fear that any injury or
sickness can result in their death. For example, Phosphorus individuals might believe that
any small lesion is cancerous or that an intermittent heart palpitation will result in a fatal
coronary failure. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals fear the loss of their core relationship
with another person; Phosphorus individuals have many fears that collectively represent a
fear of death.

Pulsatilla
Pulsatilla individuals have a wound of abandonment, but the wall that is generated,
although similar, has many qualities that differentiate it from the wall of Calcarea
Phosphorica. Pulsatilla individuals can be romantic and can also be addicted to or
dependent on the people with whom they form relationships. They require contact with
others, are ameliorated by company, and need to be appreciated by their friends and loved
ones. When a relationship ends, Pulsatilla individuals can be emotionally devastated,
because the experience resonates with their great fear of abandonment. Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals are disappointed when a relationship ends, but it does not threaten
them as deeply.
Pulsatilla individuals are more grounded and can make solid contact with others,
remaining present in conversations; Calcarea Phosphorica individuals are more distant and
dreamy. Pulsatilla individuals are not dissatisfied and discontent like Calcarea
Phosphorica people, and they do not sigh. Pulsatilla people are ameliorated by company,
whereas Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can be aggravated by the company of others.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals suffer a breakdown in mental function as their pathology
deepens, and this is not typical of Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla individuals can be weepy without apparent cause or else exhibit shifting
moods, easily alternating between tears and joy. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not
share the emotional lability of Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla individuals are not oversensitive like
Calcarea Phosphorica people and are not aggravated by drafts, weather changes, and
noise. When criticized, Pulsatilla people will be hurt, but they will try to change their
behavior to suit the needs of the situation. Calcarea Phosphorica individuals, on the other
hand, are deeply wounded by criticism and are so exquisitely sensitive that they can take a
long time to recover from the slightest reproach. Calcarea Phosphorica has a higher level
of anxiety and fear, overall, being composed of the two elements Calcarea Carbonica and
Phosphorus, both of which have known attributes of anxiety and fear.

SUMMARY
Calcarea Phosphorica is a remedy characterized by delicacy, fragility, and
oversensitivity. Often there is a childhood history of physical or emotional trauma, the
effects of which penetrate the individual creating an underlying stratum of fear. This is the
wound of Calcarea Phosphorica.
Latent apprehension and fear forms the core of their personality, thus Calcarea
Phosphorica individuals often have poor self-esteem, and a sensation of helplessness.
They have increased emotional susceptibility, thin boundaries and can be hurt or irritated
by the slightest contradiction, but Calcarea Phosphorica individuals do not openly express
their negative feelings. The wall of Calcarea Phosphorica consists of dissociation and acts
like a barrier, separating them from both the negative emotional elements in their
environment and the fear and pain within themselves.
J. T. Kent describes this in his Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica,
“She seeks solitude to commune with her thoughts and to shun the exertion of society".
Calcarea Phosphorica Individuals are often dissatisfied with reality, taking flight by
entering a fantasy world of their own creation. The focus of their idealized reality is often a
central relationship with one other person. Their lives revolve around this relationship and
it is through this association that they gain a feeling of safety and self-worth. Much of their
energy is spent protecting the stability of the core relationship.
Calcarea Phosphorica individuals contain their anger and feelings of aggression, but
emotional repression eventually takes its toll in the physical and mental planes. They
prefer to maintain a dream-like impassivity, appearing to be peaceful, calm, and
unresponsive. The mask of Calcarea Phosphorica is a composition of placidity and
tranquility. It belies the emotions of anger, irritability, and sadness which can only be
perceived as a form of shifting discontent. As a result, Calcarea Phosphorica become
physically frail, oversensitive, and mentally weak.
Their minds become feeble, sluggish and confused, and this is aggravated by any
mental exertion.
In the final stages of pathology, Calcarea Phosphorica individuals can be overcome by
grief and despair. Unable to effectively dissociate and escape into fantasy, their
composure may fracture and they can descend into a suicidal state or fragment into a
multiple personality disorder.

Cannabis Indica [Cann-i]

GENERAL

Cannabis Indica [Cann-i]

Etiology of Cannabis Indica

The Etiology of Cannabis Indica is the childhood experience of repeated trauma. All
types of trauma can produce this pathology: physical violence, battering, emotional abuse,
rape, incest, or other forms of sexual abuse. Typically, the shocks sustained and repeated
are quite severe, requiring an immediate and extreme adaptation of the psyche. The
trauma is so great and the experience is so terrifying that these children require instant
relief in order to survive. For Cannabis Indica individuals, this survival mechanism consists
of amnesia and psychic anesthesia.

The Wound
Cannabis Indica children find themselves in a world that is unpredictable and perilous,
as a consequence of their childhood abuse. Their parents might have committed an act of
abandonment in a variety of ways: by committing the abuse, by permitting the abuse to
occur, by denying the reality of the abuse, by being emotionally disturbed themselves, by
being alcoholic or drug addicted, or by remaining in a loveless or violent marriage.
Whatever the specific circumstances, these children found themselves in an environment
with caregivers who were not dependable sources of love, reassurance, or safety. The
rubric MIND, Forsaken, on page K49, represents the profound feelings of abandonment
experienced by these children. As a result of this abandonment, the Cannabis Indica child
assumes a feeling of ambivalence toward both parents. The ambivalence they feel toward
their parents is then transferred to the outside world in general, and they begin to
dissociate and detach from the world. They become numbed or spaced out, and this
dissociated state initially protects them.
Cannabis Indica children frequently assume a state of constant alertness or
hypervigilance, as a protective mechanism in an unpredictable environment. The
possibility always loomed that events constituting the past wound or trauma could occur
again - at any moment. These children trained themselves to carefully observe their
parents and their environment in hope of detecting an early warning sign of impending
danger. In this way, they might be able to protect themselves.
Thus, the Cannabis Indica individual begins to construct a wall to protect the wound of
abuse and abandonment. Like all children who experience abuse, Cannabis Indica
children suffer from feeling simultaneous love and hatred for their parents. They are
dependent on their parents, yet they must defend themselves from their parents. These
feelings of ambivalence then expand to include the rest of their environment. These
children are watchful and are fascinated by their surroundings, but they feel at the same
time that the world is a dangerous and threatening place. They are pulled back and forth
between the desire to identify and engage with the environment and the need to protect
themselves by completely detaching from it. The solution to this dilemma, for the
Cannabis Indica, is to withdraw to the only place of consistent safety and reliability, the
inner world within their minds.
Cannabis Indica individuals believe that the thoughts and ideas that come from within
are good, and the outside reality is bad. They must retreat into the isolation of their own
reality in order to avoid pain; thus Cannabis Indica has the strong MIND, Delusion,
deserted and forsaken. They have not only severed ties with the outside world but
maintained a division within: cutting themselves off from memory and emotion. This is an
attempt to escape the engram of early pain and trauma. Cannabis Indica people live their
lives as a dichotomy between their inner world of thoughts, delusions, and fantasies and
the outer world, which is absorbing but precarious. Everything is split between two
fundamental poles: the inner world and the outer world, the known and the unknown, the
safe and the dangerous.
The trauma that results in this particular type of wound is common in our culture.
Individuals of any remedy can have a similar history of events causing a similar wound;
however, detection of the specific features of the wall that the organism arranges around
itself is necessary for recognition of the remedy picture. The severed reality, unique to
Cannabis Indica, results in a chasm, or wall, and creates damaging effects throughout the
lives of these individuals.

The Wall
After each abuse, the memory of the event is buried and forgotten. Each violent
episode becomes isolated and hidden from consciousness, and the experience becomes
clouded and eventually fades away as if it had been a nightmare.
The unbearable pain and humiliating shame cause the victim to immediately dissociate.
The victim reacts by becoming numb and leaving the body.
The memories of the event are hazy, yet the sensation of panic remains. Cannabis
Indica individuals are haunted by feelings of horror and dread, yet there is nothing in their
conscious reality to account for this. Thoughts of the past and future are blocked, and they
live only in the present moment. In the absence of memories to link their inner fears with
reality, they feel as though they are going insane. This is represented by the rubric
Delusions, everything around seemed a terrifying mystery, on page K30, in which
Cannabis Indica is the sole remedy. These people harbor a deep fear that they are crazy,
because they have no knowledge of the incidents that have precipitated their unbalanced
state. Thus, they fully identify themselves as deranged, believing that the sensation of
shame belongs to them rather than to the perpetrator of the abuse. As the pathology
deepens, the Cannabis Indica state can result in a multiple personality disorder.
Once the dissociation has taken place, the Cannabis Indica individual can dwell
indefinitely in a state of unreality. The image is that of a person riding a bicycle on a
beautiful day, completely oblivious to what is going on around him yet deeply involved in
his own mental processes. Cannabis Indica people do not relate to the world; they are out
of touch with reality. The rubric MIND, Delusions, transferred to another world, on page
K33, contains this idea. A great deal of the energy of these individuals is spent protecting
themselves from reality, maintaining an unrealistic cartoon-like existence. Remaining in
this state arrests their personality development, and eventually these people become
helpless and out of sync. They dwell on the fringes of society.
From the fog of dissociation, Cannabis Indica individuals view life as a bad dream from
which they must take flight. They become unreactive and unresponsive, as if the cognitive
self has left the body to function on its own, as in the rubric MIND, Delusions, fancied the
body was too small for the soul or that it was separated from it, on page K32. The extent of
this denial of reality can be astounding. If a Cannabis Indica person loses an arm, she may
either deny that the amputation happened or else steadfastly maintain that the limb will
grow back. In the later stages of Cannabis Indica pathology, these individuals will refute
unhappy events of life, such as losing a job, getting a divorce, or experiencing the death of
a loved one. Dissociation from reality becomes habitual - a way of life.
Outwardly, Cannabis Indica individuals appear shy, aloof, and withdrawn. They often
have a drowsy look or appear weary and exhausted. Their eyes blink frequently, and their
voice is low in volume. Their eyes might appear bright and shiny, or else they can have a
blank look with a flat facial expression. Cannabis Indica is bold type in the rubrics FACE,
Expression sleepy, and FACE, Expression stupid, on page K374. It is also represented in
the rubric FACE, Expression intoxicated, on page K374. Their body is stiff and the jaw is
set, and considerable tension is maintained in the facial musculature. Cannabis is included
in the rubric FACE, Distortion, on page K364, and FACE, Stiffness of the lower jaw, on
page K392.
Cannabis individuals can also present an odd or silly appearance. Their clothing tends
to be eccentric, mismatched, or strangely colored. They can also be unkempt, with
rumpled clothing and uncombed hair. A small percentage of people who need this remedy
also have unusual mannerisms or gestures and might exhibit peculiar behavior, such as
talking to themselves. Cannabis Indica is found in the rubric MIND, Gestures, involuntary
motions of the hands, and MIND, Gestures, hands rubbing together, on page K50.
Cannabis Indica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Mischievous, on page K66; their
behavior can be harassing or malevolent. Their relationship with society is tenuous, and
they make no attempt to conform to the societal norms. Cannabis Indica is found in the
rubric MIND, Forsaken feeling, sensation of isolation, on page K49; Social isolation and
ostracism are the frequent results of the peculiar lifestyle of the Cannabis Indica individual.
Because of the tenuous connection that Cannabis Indica people maintain with the
outside world, they have difficulty communicating with others. They rarely reciprocate
facial expressions or gestures, such as a smile, a nod, or a wave of the hand. When they
attempt to speak with others, they get lost in their thoughts. The rubric MIND, Thoughts,
vanishing of thoughts while speaking, on page K88, reflects this tendency.
Excessive social anxiety is a predominant characteristic of Cannabis Indica. These
people are extremely uncomfortable in social situations, especially when unfamiliar people
are present. This is reflected in the rubric MIND, Fear of others approaching him, on page
K43. It is difficult for Cannabis Indica people to maintain a relationship, so they rarely have
close friends or confidants. Some Cannabis Indica individuals might have a close
relationship with one other person, but the majority remain isolated from other people.
The pressure to conform to the dominant version of reality is one of the greatest
stresses for individuals needing the remedy Cannabis Indica. They live their lives according
to the sensations, feelings, and ideas that spring forth inside themselves. Cannabis Indica
is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Delusions, visions, on page K34, and is in the
rubric MIND, Delusions, hears voices, on page K34. To Cannabis Indica individuals, the
inner world is more alive, more brightly colored, and more encompassing than reality.
Because of this, their attention is turned inward, and they express their thoughts and
feelings in their own eccentric way. What other people think of them matters little, since
they are not motivated by the pressures to conform. Cannabis Indica is listed in the rubric
MIND, Spits in the faces of people on page K82. These people are true nonconformists.
 Cannabis Indica individuals often find it difficult to gain acceptance from others; these
people are frequently the subject of ridicule. They interpret the world very differently from
everyone else, and although most cannot be classified as mentally ill, other people might
perceive them as being crazy. Cannabis Indica individuals will often start laughing in public
because a thought strikes them as funny. Cannabis Indica is represented in the rubric
MIND, Foolish behavior, on page K48, and in bold type in the rubrics MIND, Laughing
constantly, and MIND, Laughing immoderately, and is second degree in the rubric MIND,
Laughing involuntarily, on page K62.
Cannabis Indica individuals, often in the role of outsider, are prone to be suspicious of
the people with whom they interact. Cannabis Indica is listed in bold type in the rubric
MIND, Suspicious, on page K85. These people can be cognizant that they are separate
from the rest of society, and this leads to a state of suspicion and paranoia. Cannabis
Indica individuals often believe that people are talking about them. They question the
loyalty and trustworthiness of their friends and associates. Without ant basis for their
distrust, they expect to be exploited or harmed by others. They are reluctant to confide in
others, because they fear that the information they divulge will be used against them.
Cannabis Indica has the MIND, Delusion, thinks people were bribed to murder him, on
page K29, which is a reflection of this state of paranoia.
On the other hand, when people express anger, frustration, exasperation, or outrage
toward Cannabis Indica individuals, their reaction is one of incredulity. They are
completely mystified by the intensity of other people's negative feelings toward them,
because they are not aware of the extent to which they are out of touch with reality. If
anger or pressure from others is strongly expressed, they respond by withdrawing further
from reality and deeper into their own delusional world. They then dissociate completely,
becoming numb, affectless, and fully unreactive. Cannabis Indica is found in the rubric
MIND, Indifference, apathy, to external things, on page K55. There can be a hysterical
element in their flight from reality which is difficult to detect because there are no outward
signs of the hysteria: It is internalized. If the external pressures are sustained, Cannabis
Indica individuals develop the deeper pathology of multiple personality disorders.
Cannabis Indica people, however, can become anxious and self-conscious when they
have to relate to others who dwell in the regular world." They are somewhat aware of their
differences from others, and they know that people do not often respect or appreciate
these differences. They can display a quick temper when other people insist that their way
of life is wrong and try to mold them to normal standards of behavior. Freedom from
constraining rules, routines, and standards is important to Cannabis Indica individuals. The
price for this freedom, however, is loneliness and isolation.
The Cannabis Indica state has repercussions on the health of individuals requiring this
remedy. Much of their energy is diverted to maintain the wall of separation from reality,
creating a serious drain on their system. They will often report that they have little reserve
and are compromised whenever the stress in their lives is increased. Frequently,
Cannabis Indica individuals will complain of constant fatigue. They might be diagnosed
with chronic fatigue syndrome, Epstein-Barr virus, systemic candidiasis, or other maladies
where the chief symptom is ongoing malaise.
These people can have many different ideas about health, disease, and self-help
techniques. Cannabis Indica is listed in the rubric MIND, Ideas, abundant, on page K52;
they can often be walking textbooks" on herbology, diet, Chinese medicine, or other
alternative forms of therapy, yet they can resist taking any effective action in their own
healthcare. They can practice serious self-neglect. They will not go to a doctor if they are
ill and often do not recognize when they have a serious physical or mental disease.
 These people do not easily trust doctors and prefer to remain in denial while their health
continues to deteriorate. They may hold the belief that nothing can save them, and this is
reflected in the inclusion of Cannabis Indica in the rubric MIND, Despair of recovery, on
page K36.
Cannabis Indica is a remedy with many fears. What Cannabis Indica individuals fear
most is that they are losing their mind. Cannabis Indica is bold type in the rubric MIND,
Fear of insanity, on page K45, and is one of only a few remedies in the rubric MIND, Fear,
losing the senses, on page K46. Cannabis Indica individuals have a marked fear of the
dark; Cannabis Indica and Stramonium are the only remedies listed in bold type in the
rubric MIND, Fear, dark on page K43. Cannabis Indica individuals also have a profound
fear of change, fear of ghosts, fear of death, fear of having a fit, fear of being injured, and
fear of mirrors in a room.
It is always difficult for people needing Cannabis Indica to maintain steady employment.
They have a short attention span and very poor organizational skills. Cannabis Indica is
found in the rubric MIND, Work, aversion to mental work, on page K95, and in bold type in
the rubric MIND, Absent-minded on page K1. Cannabis Indica people have a distorted
sense of time. The remedy is capitalized in the rubric MIND, Time passes too slowly, and
MIND, Time, a few seconds seems ages, on page K88. A long day at work can, thus,
seem interminable to Cannabis Indica people; they are not ambitious or competitive.
These people are also plagued with serious memory problems; the remedy is found in
numerous rubrics on this topic, including MIND, Weakness of memory, for what they have
heard, for what they have said, and for what they have thought on pages K64-65.
Cannabis Indica people do best in repetitive or routine work that does not absorb them or
present a challenge for them; they prefer to tune out" and still accomplish a day's work.
This explains the inclusion of Cannabis Indica in the rubric MIND, Unconsciousness,
conduct automatic, on page K90. When the body is engaged in robotic activity, the mind
can escape reality and can sojourn indefinitely in a dream world.
A chief characteristic of Cannabis Indica is a condition of mind-body split. There are
many rubrics in our repertories that document this symptom, among them MIND,
Delusions, body divided; MIND, Delusions, sensations present themselves in a double
form; MIND, Delusions divided in two parts; and MIND, Delusions, body was too small for
the soul or the soul was separated from the body, page K 20- K 35. The mind is very
active but the body is not. Cannabis Indica is listed in bold type in the rubric
GENERALITIES, Paralysis, painless, on page K1390. This is a symptom of the
dissociation that took place at an early age - a survival mechanism that blocks the
memories of severe trauma.
One well-known mental symptom of Cannabis Indica is the quality of theorizing.
Cannabis Indica is the only remedy listed in bold type in the small rubric MIND, Theorizing,
on page K87. When the mind is completely filled with thoughts, ramifying in infinite
variation, the emotional state can be totally blocked. The rubric MIND, Thoughts intrude
and crowd around each other, on page K87, so eloquently describes how the minds of
Cannabis Indica individuals are filled with a super abundance of ideas.
The center of gravity of the pathology of Cannabis Indica is the mental plane. The
emphasis in life, for Cannabis Indica people, is thinking rather than doing. For the
Cannabis Indica, the body is only a vehicle for the mind. The mind is so overactive, and
there are so many thoughts flooding in at all times, that the mental world far outweighs the
corporeal world of action.
Cannabis Indica individuals spend most of their time speculating, theorizing, turning
ideas over in their minds, examining them from every angle, and endlessly producing new
interpretations. For Cannabis Indica people, anything, no matter how outlandish or
horrible, is worth considering. And anything thinkable seems real. These people wind up
losing the forest for the trees. They have no sense of how an idea can come to fruition;
everything remains hanging in the air in a cloud of possibilities. Cannabis Indica people
spend much of their time abstractly analyzing things like the environment or the political
scene, yet most of the material for their thoughts comes from their sense perceptions
rather than from the outside world.
Sulphur individuals and Cannabis Indica individuals both have a tendency to theorize
but extreme abstraction of mind and the inability to bring projects to completion become the
differential between Cannabis Indica and Sulphur. For Cannabis Indica people, the new
ideas have no connection to the outside world and they cannot establish a relationship
between ideas and reality. This is very different from the mental process of Sulphur
individuals who will work on an idea or project and bring the task to completion. A
Cannabis Indica individual tries to write his ideas down, the more he writes, the more
complex and multifaceted the idea becomes, until it is virtually incomprehensible. A similar
scenario occurs when Cannabis Indica individuals attempt to communicate with others.
Their thought processes are very complex and convoluted, and they become enraptured
with endless tiny details. They can spin elaborate monologues, meandering off on
tangents, jumping from one point to another without indicating the intervening steps in their
logic. It eventually becomes impossible for others to follow their train of thought.
Ultimately, Cannabis Indica individuals become increasingly detached from everything
around them, consumed by the intensity of their mental processes. They lose perspective
by finding plots, stratagems, innuendo, and hidden meanings in everything.
Cannabis Indica individuals, intrigued by their own mental profusion, often project
grandiosity. They fantasize themselves as the source of many original and momentous
ideas, some of which might even be important for the survival of the planet. This type of
fantasy is well represented in the repertory in such rubrics as MIND, Delusions, is a great
person; MIND, Delusions, has creative power; MIND, Delusions, thought he is possessed
of infinite knowledge; MIND, Delusions, is superhuman, on pages K22-35. These people
have strong values and overblown ideals, yet they still feel weak and powerless. They are
subject to wide mood shifts; the remedy is listed in the rubric MIND, Mirth, hilarity and
liveliness, alternating with sadness, on page K66.
Although Cannabis Indica individuals are experiencing ecstasy and exhilaration in their
mind, the body is locked in a pattern of sluggishness and immobility. Cannabis is bold type
in the rubric MIND, Exhilaration, on page K41, and is found in the rubrics MIND, Ecstasy,
page K39, and MIND, Dullness, sluggishness, page K37. Thus, people needing this
remedy are actually incapable of actualizing their thoughts or ideas.
Cannabis Indica individuals in conjunction with their flight from reality, seek mental and
spiritual expansion. They crave experiences that send them to new peaks of excitement
and awareness of their inner being. They seek rapture, and are thus often very willing to
explore their own inner darkness. They are open and interested in the occult and
supernatural. Cannabis is also listed in the rubric MIND, Clairvoyance, on page K11. In an
attempt to push the limits of their experience, many Cannabis Indica individuals will
experiment with a variety of “mind-expanding" activities from primal-scream therapy to
fasting, long hours of meditation, isolation tanks, psychedelic drugs, or extensive periods of
listening to music and sitting deep in thought. Cannabis Indica is a common remedy
among followers of the new age movement. The loose umbrella of the human growth
potential movement provides a setting for these people to continue their spiritual seeking
and to express their unconventional beliefs.
 The Cannabis Indica individual who has experimented heavily with drugs can suffer
from extreme emotional, mental, and behavioral symptoms that are secondary to the
substance abuse. It is critical, however, to differentiate the drug use from the core etiology
of this remedy. The traumatic etiology and development of the pathology of this remedy
generally precede the contact with drugs, and many people who need this remedy have no
history of drug use. Drugs are used as another form of medication to suppress the intense
and frightening emotions that lie beneath the surface. Cannabis Indica individuals are
continually searching for activities to numb themselves and space-out so they can maintain
dissociation from their emotions.
Over time, Cannabis Indica individuals can become anxious. Cannabis Indica is listed
in bold type in the rubric MIND, Anxiety, on page K4. The anxiety can be linked to the fear
of insanity or can become a dominant state of mind.
As in childhood, Cannabis people are tremendously insecure in their environment,
perceiving society as unpredictable and threatening. They protect themselves from this
perceived danger by becoming extraordinarily observant and vigilant in an attempt to
anticipate potential peril. Their curiosity, clairvoyance, insights, and theories are
mechanisms to defend themselves from real or imagined dangers. Cannabis Indica
individuals frequently subscribe to elaborate political conspiracy theories or become
overzealous activists in environmental preservation activities. The intensity of their mental
awareness of phenomena occurring in the world causes Cannabis Indica to be the most
mentally alert remedy in materia medica. The great anxiety that these people experience
stems from their inability to perceive reality objectively.
Eventually, Cannabis Indica individuals become unsure of what is real and what is not,
gradually buying into their own peculiar and paranoid interpretation of reality. As they
spiral downward into deeper pathology, their perceptions are more intensely focused on
what seems to be threatening and dangerous in the environment and they become more
anxious and fearful of unseen antagonistic forces.
Cannabis Indica individuals are prone to panic attacks; Cannabis Indica is listed in
italics in the rubric CHEST, Heart, palpitations, on page K873. One of the key
manifestations of this remedy involves a profound fear of loss of control. They can have a
strong aversion to certain experiences in which control is normally relinquished: some of
these people are afraid to fly because they will not be in control of the airplane, and others
have great anticipatory anxiety about being placed under the effects of medical anesthesia.
Cannabis Indica people are also suspicious of anyone who tries to influence or control
them, and they are afraid of being possessed by outward forces or by other people. As
they attempt to function in the world, they are continually distracted by strange sensations
and thoughts. They are terrified, that if they lose control, they will slip permanently into
insanity.
Anxiety and paranoia typifies the Cannabis Indica relationship with other people. They
begin to have the delusion that everyone hates them or wants to destroy them. They, for
example, believe that the stranger walking toward them on the street is coming to arrest
them, that a spy has them under surveillance, or that a madman is about to attack. Their
thoughts become hectic, and they begin to combine incidents together in their minds to
form scenarios that have no basis in fact. As their fear and disorientation become more
consuming, these people can progress from mild eccentricity through the spectrum to a
state of insane paranoid delusion.
Paranoid delusions of persecution can alternate or combine with delusions of grandeur.
Cannabis Indica individuals believe that they are great inventors or that they are historical
figures like Napoleon or Joan of Arc. They might think they are being watched by someone
important - God or an extraterrestrial. One Cannabis Indica person reported that the FBI
was out to get him because he alone knew about research into a nuclear antigravity
device. They become convinced, for example, that the telephone is bugged, that their mail
is being read by the CIA, that their food is being poisoned, or that their friends are secretly
plotting against them. They finally arrive at the ultimate conclusion: Everyone else on the
planet is out of touch with reality and they are the only ones who know what is really going
on.
It is particularly frightening to Cannabis Indica individuals that their thoughts seem to
have a life of their own. Their thoughts emerge in an uncontrollable frenzy, and their minds
race wildly, terrified by illusions from which they cannot escape. Reality becomes distorted
and objects take on a different appearance: The ceiling is about to collapse on them, their
armchair might swallow them up, the TV is giving them brain cancer. They may also
experience hallucinations, both visual and auditory. They can hear voices. They can begin
to experience their own bodies as alien, turning against them, just as their environment has
appeared to turn against them. Cannabis Indica individuals cannot escape these
hallucinations at this stage because they cannot stem the tidal wave of thoughts churning
forth from their minds. Unable to turn off their minds, they eventually become physically
exhausted.
If the inner emotions begin to emerge, Cannabis Indica people can suffer from bouts of
depression. Cannabis Indica is represented in the rubric
MIND, Sadness, mental depression, on page K75, where it appears in plain type, and is
included in italics in the rubric MIND, Weeping, involuntary, on page K93. In most cases,
however, emotions remain quite buried, and Cannabis Indica individuals linger in the
daydream of the dissociated state. Ultimately, the rubric MIND, Unreal, everything seems,
on page K91, is the best description of the Cannabis Indica state of mind.

THE CANNABIS INDICA IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS

Over time, Cannabis Indica individuals become increasingly detached from other
people. They possess a strong ambivalence toward people, and although they are
attracted to people, they feel simultaneously suspicious of them. They avoid getting
involved with people, because childhood experience has shown them that people are
unpredictable and unreliable.
As much as they would like to avoid involvement with other people, however, strong
libidinal urges make this impossible. They are fascinated with the idea of a sexual
relationship and require an outlet for sexual expression, yet they remain cautious.
Cannabis Indica individuals often have difficulty controlling the strong emotions aroused
by being involved in a relationship. They can be overcome by the feelings of passion that
flood very easily into their minds. Thus, it is typical for Cannabis Indica individuals to
remain unmarried or to have a series of stormy relationships. Maintaining intimacy with
others is a complex and exhausting proposition for Cannabis Indica people.
Because of their inability to focus their attention, Cannabis Indica individuals find it
impossible to function well in a group. They dislike parties where many conversations are
going on at once. They cannot play card games like bridge if there is more than one table
because they cannot filter out the talk from the other tables and they lose track of their
cards. They can become completely engrossed, however, when reading a book, watching
TV, or working at a computer. Once they are immersed in their own mental processes,
they can thoroughly tune out the world and will not hear or respond to someone calling to
them. When involved in a relationship, they often neglect their partner, just as they
practice self-neglect. Involvement with a Cannabis Indica partner, therefore, can be an
exercise in frustration.
Cannabis Indica individuals can become quite reclusive. Cannabis Indica is
represented in the rubric MIND, Company, aversion to, on page K12. These people avoid
intimacy because they fear that the other person will gain influence over them or control
over their thoughts. This is a quality that they share with Sulphur individuals. They are
pulled back into the mirage of their own inner world and thus do not require the company of
others. This quality is portrayed in the rubric MIND, Talk, indisposed to, desire to be silent,
taciturn, on page K86. They will go their own way by themselves and will not enter into
relationships simply because it is expected of them. Generally, they enjoy having few
attachments; however, many often report feelings of loneliness.

The Mask
The mask of Cannabis Indica is kept intact by their immense efforts to control the
turmoil within and to present a face of rationality to the world. One aspect of the mask is
the gay and cheerful demeanor presented by some Cannabis Indica people. Cannabis
Indica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Cheerful, on page K10. Other rubrics that
carry this flavor include MIND, Jesting, makes puns, on page K60, and MIND, Laughing
over serious matters, on page K62. The laughing, jesting, cocky punster presents the
illusion that everything is perfectly under control and that, in fact, any adverse aspects of
reality are trivial, a big joke.
Another aspect of the mask of Cannabis Indica is a projection of arrogance and
indifference. Cannabis Indica is listed in the rubric
MIND, Haughty, on page K51, and in MIND, Indifference, apathy, on page K54.
By withdrawing, becoming silent, vague, taciturn, and distant, the Cannabis Indica
individuals can avoid the attention and inquiry of others.
Perhaps the most effective mask projected by individuals who need this remedy is that
of the calm, passive, mystical dreamer. Cannabis Indica is the only remedy listed in the
rubrics MIND, Delusion, thought himself to be on the ridge of a mountain, on page K29,
MIND, Delusion, that he is a spirit, on page K32, and MIND, Delusion, fancied he was
carried into expansion of space, on page K32. This disguise can be evoked in the earlier
stages of pathology and allows Cannabis Indica individuals to mingle with others while
maintaining a safe and unruffled distance. Careful observation of these people, though,
will often reveal the fear and pain that lie just beneath the surface.

Physical Characteristics

Stomach
Cannabis Indica individuals often have a thirst for cold drinks.
STOMACH, Desire, cold drinks, page K484
Cannabis Indica people can have a craving for sweets.

Male/Female
Cannabis Indica individuals have a strong libido and express increased sexual desire.
MALE GENITALIA, Sexual passion, (3) page K711
MALE GENITALIA, Sexual passion, excessive, (2) K711
MALE GENITALIA, Sexual passion, violent, (3) K711
FEMALE GENITALIA, Desire increased, page K716
 Temperature
Cannabis Indica individuals are often chilly.
CHILL, Coldness in general, page K1259

The Cannabis Indica Child

Cannabis Indica children have functional problems in many realms, mental, emotional,
and behavioral - stemming from early childhood trauma. These children dwell in a
dreamlike world and are often dazed and inattentive. Without normal attention to external
conditions, their lives are a series of bewildering and discouraging experiences; the effect
of this is further withdrawal from the environment and from society.
Cannabis Indica children have myriad problems in the classroom. They have a short
attention span and their concentration is quite poor. They exhibit a great deal of
impulsivity: interrupting the teacher, jumping up to answer a question before it is asked, or
jotting down answers before thoroughly reading the question or thinking the problem
through. They do not take the time to contemplate the consequences of their actions.
Cannabis children are plagued with the same mental hyperactivity as their adult
counterparts. Divergent thoughts are constantly popping into their minds, and they have
difficulty filtering the important data from the unimportant. They are easily distractible.
When stimulated by minor visual or auditory stimuli unrelated to the subject matter at hand,
they can easily enter a dreamlike state of consciousness that takes them far away from the
real world of the classroom. Cannabis Indica children spend much of the day “spaced-out”,
in another world, unaware of the activities of the teacher and their classmates. These
children might have many ideas, but they are unable to bring them into fruition.
When Cannabis Indica children do engage verbally, their comments often seem totally
unrelated to the topic of discussion. At other times, they can become loquacious: taking
over the conversation, calling out of turn in group discussions without first raising their
hand, or constantly interrupting the teacher. Cannabis Indica is listed in the rubric MIND,
Loquacity, on page K63. Cannabis Indica children function quite well when in a one-on-
one situation where the instructor can give them their full attention. In this type of setting
they are reasonable and more responsive. When placed in a larger group setting, however,
they become overwhelmed by the stimuli and resume their pattern of acting impulsively
without forethought.
The inability to focus attention results in poor organizational skills. These children have
an extremely difficult time coordinating the tasks involved in a particular activity. Cannabis
Indica is listed in second degree in the rubric, MIND, Concentration difficult, on page K13.
Cannabis Indica children can struggle to complete their assignments and then lose the
papers before they reach the teacher's desk. They forget to write the assignment down, to
leave the necessary study books at school, or do not return the workbooks to school the
next day. The process is turned inward: They spend time thinking about the homework - it
takes place in their minds - but they cannot write it down. While involved in a task, their
mind wanders off into a daydream until the allotted time for completion of the assignment
has passed.
Cannabis Indica children create a chaotic environment. Their handwriting is unsteady,
and it changes from one assignment to the next. Their desks are disorderly; books,
assignments, and partially completed papers are overflowing. At home, their rooms tend to
be messy, with toys, books, and clothes strewn all over the floor.
Cannabis Indica children have very poor short-term memory. Cannabis Indica is known
to have weakness of memory and is listed in second degree in the rubric MIND, Memory,
weakness of, for what he has just thought, on page K65. This creates problems with math
and other subjects that require a set of prescribed steps. These children cannot follow
more than one instruction at a time. So, reminding them of three chores is useless, since
they cannot complete more than one task at a time and will quickly forget the remaining
instructions. This memory deficit becomes a pronounced problem as the child grows. The
normal demands of high school, such as memorizing spelling words, vocabulary lists, and
historical dates become virtually impossible.
Due to their impulsivity, Cannabis Indica children are quite prone to injury. They often
leap before they look. A Cannabis Indica child might jump from a roof just because it looks
like fun. These children might exhibit restlessness, but the motions of their body are often
slow and choreiform rather than fast and jerking. Cannabis Indica is listed in the rubric
MIND, Restlessness, on page K73.
Cannabis Indica children elicit a constant stream of discipline and corrections from their
parents and teachers. When this occurs, they either deny their misbehavior or else they
need to be told the same thing repeatedly because they do not remember what is required
of them from one time to the next. These children frequently have a problem with truancy.
Cannabis Indica children can also exhibit hysterical symptoms. They might practice
self-mutilation or other deviant behaviors. They are also extremely fearful. These children
do best with uncomplicated and predictable routines because they have a tremendous fear
of change. Change is interpreted as loss of control, which is intolerable to Cannabis Indica
individuals. They can also have a fear of the spirit world, as does the remedy Mancinella.
They have a fear of ghosts, fear of the dark, fear of monsters, fear of being alone, fear of
devils, and fear of cemeteries and can also have a preoccupation with death; scary ghosts
stories are therefore terrifying to them. Cannabis Indica children sometimes have
imaginary playmates or hear voices in their heads.
Over time, Cannabis Indica children experience serious eroding of their self-esteem.
They become a serious disciplinary problem for their teachers and are often ostracized by
their peers. Their negative self-image is internalized, and they perceive themselves as bad
or dumb. Misbehavior can become an attention-getting device. Eventually, Cannabis
Indica children might express hostility and extreme mood swings. They can oscillate from
hilarity to despair, laughing one minute and crying hysterically the next. They can also act
sweet and shy but later become loud and assertive. They can be quick-tempered and
prone to explosive outbursts of anger or physical aggression.
Many Cannabis Indica children have childhoods that are filled with loneliness and
rejection. They can experience periodic bouts of severe depression. The coping
mechanism for these unhappy feelings is usually further withdrawal and dissociation.

SUMMARY
Cannabis Indica is a remedy with an etiology that usually begins with childhood trauma.
The trauma is often repeated and severe in nature. As a survival mechanism, people
needing Cannabis Indica fragment themselves psychically to escape their fearful reality.
They dissociate from people in their environment and from their own emotions and
memories, entering instead a dreamlike world within their own minds.
The hyperactivity of the mental processes is, for the Cannabis Indica individual, a
powerful defense. Cannabis Indica individuals are incapable of coping with the intense
emotions that have been deeply buried: their survival is dependent on the suppression of
their emotions. With each successive trauma in their lives, they deteriorate further,
ultimately becoming alienated from society and trapped in a cycle of anxiety and paranoid
delusions.

RELATIONSHIPS

Differential Materia Medica of Cannabis Indica

Opium
The wound of Opium is produced by exposure to extraordinary trauma that requires the
development of an extensive wall characterized by absolute emotional shutdown. The key
element in the wound is profound fright, and Opium individuals thus develop ailments from
fright that are expressed as symptoms on the physical plane.
Opium individuals exhibit a kind of emotional anesthesia that prevents them from feeling
anything. Outwardly they smile blankly and act happy and cheerful, yet they are shy and
withdrawn, and have great difficulty communicating effectively. Their speech is incoherent
and slow, and their thoughts tend to wander. Like Cannabis Indica, they become lost in
their thoughts and do not respond to the usual social gestures, such as smiles or nods.
Opium individuals do not connect well with other people, and they become very anxious
and fearful in the presence of strangers.
Unlike Cannabis Indica, though, Opium individuals do not appear eccentric, odd, or
bizarre. They do not have the imagination, paranoid delusions, or angry rebellion that are
characteristic of Cannabis Indica people. Cannabis Indica individuals are driven to live their
lives in accordance with the sensations and thoughts that spring abundantly from within.
Because of this, they are nonconformists and will actively resist conformity. They will
develop theories and arguments that express their different viewpoints and will complain or
rebel against the constraints of society.
Opium individuals do not exhibit these maverick elements. They are withdrawn and
benumbed and do not appear to react to painful or disagreeable events. They behave
amiably and agreeably, never issuing complaints. They do not react, because they are
indifferent to both pleasure and suffering. They are unfeeling to the extent that they have
little awareness of the outside world. For this reason, they do not have the fear of losing
control that is seen in Cannabis Indica individuals. They have little need for control: their
emotional state is best described as a form of stupor. Opium individuals are in a state of
insensibility; they do not react to sensuous stimuli, like flavors, aromas, and colors, as do
Cannabis Indica individuals. Opium represents a deeper state of emotional sedation than
Cannabis Indica.
Opium individuals have a strong tendency toward self-reproach, and they sigh when
depressed. They are very sensitive to noise, and they can develop physical symptoms,
such as convulsions or paralysis, from fright.

Causticum [Caust]
GENERAL
 Causticum [Caust]
Causticum is derived from a mixture of slaked lime and a solution of potassium
sulphate, which is then dissolved in a tincture of spirit. J. H. Clarke refers to Causticum as
a great polychrest of the Chronic Diseases of Hahnemann. Hahnemann notes that it is
useful in the treatment of the three miasms: psoric, sycotic, and syphilitic. Clarke explains
the leading feature of the pathology of Causticum as the tendency toward paralysis
involving both the voluntary and involuntary muscles. The weakening effect of the
potassium element was well-known to the early homeopaths from clinical experience with
allopathic overdosing and was further substantiated in the provings of Causticum. Clarke
also states, "The Causticum weakness may result from grief of longstanding."

Etiology of Causticum
The etiology of Causticum often lies in childhood. Many Causticum children have
experienced years of repeated trauma, usually violence. The memory of the trauma is lost
to the conscious mind, yet it remains locked inside the subconscious.
Although Causticum adults generally have no memory of their traumatic experiences,
the buried emotions and unconscious reactions to these experiences demand the
production of a protective wall. Much energy must be expended to maintain this wall and
the burden of its maintenance sets the stage for the general paralysis that eventually
permeates the organism.

The Wound
The wound of Causticum is often associated with repeated trauma. Causticum
individuals can have a history of neglect, physical abuse, battering, sexual abuse, or might
have frequently witnessed violence in their environment. They often experience one
wounding experience followed by another. This form of trauma is represented in Kent's
Repertory by inclusion of Causticum in the rubric MIND, Love, ailments from disappointed
love, on page K63. Although this rubric is often interpreted as referring to romantic loss, it
can also have another meaning: The relationships within a family, between parents and
children, or between siblings or other close family members, are supposed to be imbued
with love. Children have a biological and psychological expectation that their parents and
family will provide them with nurturing and protection. When this expectation is not fulfilled,
or the bond of love is shattered by abandonment or abuse, children will suffer from
disappointed love.
Causticum individuals often have lives affected by abandonment. They might have
been abandoned by their parents, have never known their fathers, have been adopted, or
have experienced abandonment because of circumstances such as divorce, separation, or
the death of a parent. These wounds are losses and, for Causticum individuals, the
sensation of repeated loss becomes the source of unprocessed grief. Causticum is listed in
bold type in the rubrics MIND, Grief and MIND Ailments from grief, on pages K50-51. The
basic needs for security and love were never filled for Causticum individuals, so the
sensations of emptiness and grief that remain unconsciously motivate many of the attitudes
and behaviors that these people manifest in adulthood.
Causticum individuals are driven to recreate the scenario of abandonment in their
relationships with others. Their lives contain a series of relationships that result in
disappointed love. They might choose the type of partnership in which abandonment is
inevitable, or else they might be attracted to people who are emotionally unavailable. If
they do become involved with a committed person, they can be so sensitive to any minor
emotional separation of their partner that they interpret these actions as abandonment.
They then react by leaving the relationship before they are abandoned. These people can
be very attached to friends or lovers, behaving in a clingy manner, or they can remain
distant, to avoid the risk of rejection. Causticum individuals often have a pattern of moving
from one relationship to another in their attempt to find the security and love that was
missing from their childhood. The intensity of their emotional suffering is captured in the
rubric MIND, Anguish, in which Causticum appears in bold type, on page K3.
The wound resulting from the experiences that form the history of Causticum individuals
is open, raw, and deep-seated. Their fear of being forsaken, abused, or abandoned
becomes woven into the fabric of their very being. This wound is expressed as great
emotional vulnerability. The tenacity and thickness of the wall that Causticum individuals
develop to protect themselves is determined by the extent of their vulnerability.

The Wall
The dominant features of the wall of Causticum are control and power.
Causticum individuals feel most alive when they are in control. They have the need to
control those around them and to eliminate all unpredictable elements in their environment.
These individuals maintain control by taking power: they prefer to be at the helm, in the
position of command. Causticum is listed in the rubric MIND, Dictatorial, on page K36. The
vulnerable inner self must be sheltered at all cost; therefore, the Causticum individual
remains always on guard. These people do not like surprises but prefer to direct and
control the flow of events in their lives. Maintaining control requires a tremendous outlay of
though, so these individuals spend much of their energy remaining on guard. Eventually
their energy becomes depleted, however, which results in a weakening on all planes.
Their desire to remain in control is fueled by an inner feeling of terror. Causticum is
included in the rubrics MIND, Frightened easily, in which it is listed in italics on page K49,
and MIND, Fright, complaints from, also in italics of on page K49. Many Causticum
individuals are unaware of their terror and, if they are aware of them, they resist expression
or exposure. Maintaining control of themselves and those around them decreases the
chances that their vulnerability will be revealed to others. They avoid intimacy because
genuine connection with another person requires some degree of vulnerability and
acceptance. Instead, Causticum individuals remain behind their wall of power and
invulnerability.
When they have needs, they are unable to ask for help. They have internalized the
belief that no one listens to them, and they thus find it difficult to listen to the requests of
others. Their emotional world does not include feelings of connection or closeness with
others. They always have the fear that something terrible or unexpected will happen.
Causticum is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Fear, happen, something will, on page
K45. When these people have problems on the job or with their personal relationships,
they often experience great disappointment. The resulting feeling of isolation that envelops
them can be devastating: This sense of isolation resonates deeply with the loneliness and
isolation that they felt as young children.
For Causticum individuals, the need to control moves in two directions:
They must have control over their own thoughts, emotions, and actions, and they also
seek to control these elements in others. The personality of Causticum individuals tends to
be masculinized. This means that the masculine aspect of their personality is more
developed than their feminine side, which is underdeveloped. They choose powerful roles
and leadership positions; in these capacities, they can be arrogant, aggressive, and
defensive. This state is not balanced by flexibility and responsiveness, however. The
armored wall of power and control assures that their vulnerability and softness will not be
exposed. Although Causticum individuals appear to be domineering, they behave in this
way in an effort to hide their internal apprehension. For this reason, Causticum is listed in
the rubric MIND, Cowardice, on page K17.
Causticum individuals can have difficulty setting appropriate emotional limits and thus
have poor emotional boundaries. It is as though the armor they have created around
themselves is riddled with small openings that allow certain events to penetrate easily,
stimulating an inappropriately strong sympathetic response. Causticum is listed in italics in
the rubric MIND, Sympathetic, on page K86. As children, the boundaries of Causticum
individuals were violated or not respected. These people are thus condemned to move
through their lives unable to interact acceptably with others. They absorb the feelings of
others like an emotional sponge. They can be brought to tears by watching the six-o'clock
news on television, and they can sympathize viscerally with the violation of animal rights.
The news of an outbreak of war can make these people ill. They can also express their
own feelings inappropriately, angrily voicing their political views to strangers in the
supermarket or divulging the details of their sorrow to mere acquaintances.
Because Causticum individuals are sympathetic, they become outraged at the thought
of injustice. They are not completely benevolent, though, since their first concern is to
obtain justice for themselves. They tend to be extremists who see all issues as either black
or white. Causticum individuals identify strongly with the underdog in any situation
because, beneath their own defensive armor, they have an unconscious experience of
being victimized. These people will take great interest when they learn of a situation where
someone is being unfairly treated; they will go out of their way and use any means at their
disposal to bring the matter to justice. For them to assume the role of savior, redeemer, or
liberator demonstrates their own capabilities and asserts their power. When injustice
occurs in the political arena, they can become obsessed with the issue at hand, using up
much of their energy and becoming consumed in the process. This places great stress on
their vital force, and it explains why Causticum individuals often have fatigue as a chief
complaint.
Although Causticum individuals can appear to be sympathetic, they are not particularly
sensitive to the emotional condition of others. They might cry at the movies or during the
homeopathic interview, but they are not truly in touch with their own sadness. Causticum
individuals do not understand that the way in which they interact with others causes them
pain and humiliation. They do not value sensitivity, or emotional responsiveness, and tend
to interpret these qualities as weakness, indecisiveness, or helplessness. Thus, people on
the receiving end of their brand of interaction feel manipulated or attacked. If a targeted
individual is able to make a strong stand, however, this will inspire admiration and respect
in Causticum individuals. These people are like the male animals of many species; trying
to achieve dominance, constantly sizing up the competition, and vying for the upper place
in the social hierarchy. This is another expression of their extreme masculinization.
Causticum individuals admire strength (in themselves and in others), and they are
repulsed by weakness. In group situations, they instinctively evaluate each person and are
drawn to the most powerful person in the group. They will have a great respect for the
person who has gained this place of honor but if they desire the leadership position, they
will initiate a power struggle. When they decide on a goal, they have perseverance and
stamina and will manipulate the situation to reach their goal. Once they set their sights on
something, therefore, they usually get it. Unlike Staphysagria individuals, who feel drained
after a conflict, Causticum people are revitalized by the chase and the conquest. They are
ambitious and usually overcome any obstacles to rise to the top rank in whatever field they
choose. Causticum is listed in the rubric MIND, Ambition, on page S1, 23. Causticum
individuals tend to be materialistic. They expect to acquire love, fame, and material
possessions, as a secondary gain, from the enormous amount of energy they expend,
ostensibly, to correct injustice in the world.
Because Causticum individuals are drawn to strength and power, they often seek a
subject of admiration. They project all the qualities that they most admire onto this person,
often a movie star or world leader. They then begin to idolize that person. If the person
fails to live up to their expectations, they will abandon them hastily. They expect their idols
to be perfect, and they have no tolerance for human error or frailty.
Another aspect of the defensive wall of Causticum is haughtiness. Causticum is listed in
italics in the rubric MIND, Haughty, on page K51. Causticum individuals have a
commanding presence. Their carriage and attitude state this more clearly than their words.
Their body language declares, "If you have a problem with me, here I am. Deal with me."
Their haughty behavior conceals internal feelings of inadequacy and shame. They hide
their shame from others and from themselves. Causticum individuals tend to exaggerate
their own importance and, as this behavior becomes habitual, they lose touch with their
inner feelings.
Causticum individuals act on the assumption that they have the strength to overcome
any obstacle. This is a mask that they project to the world. All of the issues in their life
become transformed into power struggles. They are defiant, do not fear conflict, and will go
up against authority and demand reform when they believe in a cause. Causticum is
included in the rubrics MIND, Defiant, on page K17, and MIND, Disobedience, on page
K37.
This mask is well-illustrated by the case of a young woman whose childhood experience
of her father's unpredictable episodes of rage caused her to become frightened of her
father. To lessen her terror, she would deliberately provoke him until he lashed out at her.
He would feel remorse after his rage, so she could be assured of a period of emotional
safety. By provoking his outbursts, she gained control over the situation. As a result, this
woman reported that she could not remember ever having felt that the people in authority
over her were on her side. Her school memories include cutting classes, signing her own
report cards, and leading a self-directed life of anarchy. Her rationale for her behavior:
"The system is unfair."
Causticum individuals are very competitive. They love to be in the position of authority,
having the final word in all decisions. Whenever another person holds an opinion that
opposes the beliefs of a Causticum individual, that person should be prepared for an
intense confrontation. They are fond of playing the devil's advocate in arguments and
debates. Causticum is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Contradict, disposition to, on page
K16. An adversary who lacks confidence or appears timid or unsure stands no chance
against a Causticum individual. Causticum individuals can easily spot weak people, and
they will override, interrupt, or ignore people who are hesitant or unsure of themselves.
They are direct and blunt communicators, and they expect direct answers to their
questions. For this reason, Causticum is listed in second degree in the rubric MIND,
Quarrelsome, on page K70. When Causticum individuals decide to enter a conflict, they
are generally victorious, emerging from the encounter relatively unscathed.
Language can be used as a weapon by Causticum individuals. They are usually very
intelligent people who have a powerful command of language. When they are feeling
powerful, their language reflects this; they become quite eloquent, using words to energize
or compliment themselves or the people in their environment. Their friends or colleagues
can become entranced by their articulate use of language; it can inspire loyalty and
dedication. Conversely, when Causticum individuals are feeling negative or threatened,
their words can criticize, humiliate, intimidate, and undermine the confidence of those
around them. Like the remedies Nux Vomica, Aurum Metallicum, and Hyoscyamus,
Causticum individuals can instill shame in others.
Causticum people are unaware of the effects of their overbearing behavior on others;
they pay a high price for this in the form of broken relationships. They can be insensitive
and critical in their interactions with others, continually finding fault in their partners or
friends. This quality is represented in the rubric MIND, Censorious, in which Causticum is
listed in italics, on page K10. Causticum individuals remain in the "attack mode" in an
effort to protect themselves. When an issue is under debate, they will tenaciously argue
their side, and if they believe their view is correct, they cannot let go. They seek to
vanquish the opposition rather than to resolve the issue. Causticum is included in the
rubric MIND, Contrary, on page K16. The unconscious rule for Causticum people is: never
surrender.
Causticum individuals have a horror of being wrong, because of their inner feelings of
shame and vulnerability. Inwardly, they are afraid of failure and are exquisitely sensitive to
criticism. Causticum people interpret criticism as a form of abandonment. Causticum
appears in italics in the rubric MIND, Offended, easily, on page K69. Causticum people,
when criticized or questioned about their conduct, will instantly provide an argument to
justify their behavior. They tend to be extremely defensive. Self-justification and
rationalization are protective mechanisms since it is crucial for Causticum people to always
be right. It is nearly impossible for these people to admit to making a mistake. They can
be intolerant of feedback or evaluation by others, even when this evaluation occurs in the
normal course of their employment.
In order to maintain the upper hand in all of their relationships, Causticum individuals
attempt to avoid emotional responsibility whenever conflict arises, by blaming the other
person. If Causticum individuals can indict someone else, they can avoid their own
feelings of failure and shame. These people assume a parental or governing role in their
relationships, thus diffusing their inner sense of fallibility by pointing the finger elsewhere.
They seek out imperfections or inferiorities in other people, and, elevating themselves to
adjudicator, hand down decisions from on high. Their belief in their superiority shelters
them from the reality of their own fears and inadequacies. These people are unable to
achieve intimacy in their relationships, because their only strategy is an offensive posture.
A partner who is on the receiving end of a stream of blame and criticism will respond by
becoming angry or simply retreating. Thus, the rejection and abandonment are re-
experienced, creating an ongoing cycle of wound followed by reactive wall.
Many Causticum individuals have eating disorders as a consequence of their anxiety
and their preoccupation with control. Some overeat, using food as a medication to block
out the unpleasant emotions. Anorexia and bulimia can also become a part of the
Causticum pathology. Causticum is listed in several rubrics that indicate these tendencies:
MIND, Eat, refuses to, on page K39; MIND, Fear, of eating, on page K44; MIND, Fear,
supper after, on page K47; and MIND, Hurry when eating, in which Causticum is listed in
bold type, on page K52.
Causticum is included in italics in the rubrics MIND, Anger, irascibility, on page K2, and
MIND, Anger, ailments after, on page K2. Causticum individuals have a tremendous
amount of anger, which can be expressed as rage, righteousness, or haughtiness. When
Causticum individuals express rage, it acts as a powerful medication, erasing their self-
doubt and feelings of inadequacy. They revel in the feeling of power that occurs when they
are enraged. Although they are capable of outwardly expressing their rage, much of it can
be turned inward, and this internalized rage can manifest in deep bitterness or hatred.
Causticum individuals are comfortable with other people's expressions of anger; they
believe that, when angry, people become more truthful. These people do not become timid
in the face of conflict. They cannot tolerate indirect communication, secretiveness, hidden
messages, or subterfuge, however.
There is a large well of unexpressed emotion in Causticum individuals; this emotion can
manifest in fear and anxiety. These people experience fear in the morning, in the evening,
at twilight, and at night. They fear the dark, being alone at night, closing their eyes, or being
in a crowd. They fear death, dogs, evil, and ghosts, and they suffer from the diffuse fear
that something bad will happen to them. Their fears can produce true phobias,
obsessiveness, or anxiety disorders. Causticum individuals lack a basic feeling of security
in their lives, and this prevents them from being able to trust their environment or the
people in their lives.
Another characteristic of Causticum individuals is a deep mistrust or fear of authority.
They idolize their leaders, placing them on a pedestal, and they can thus be easily
intimidated by certain people.
Conversely, they can feel that they are the ultimate authority in many issues and
develop an attitude of mistrustful rebellion toward other authority figures. Causticum is the
only remedy in the rubric MIND, Anarchist, on page S1, 26. Causticum individuals often
mistrust their own feelings, instincts, thoughts, or ideas; yet they can appear overconfident,
acting as the leader and behaving as though they had no self-doubts.
One Causticum woman was a criminal attorney and had worked for many years as a
public defender. She loved the excitement and did not mind the pressures of the job, as
long as she was going up against the system for her clients. Eventually, financial
pressures forced her to work for big money in the private sector. She was heartbroken
when she had to turn down the less affluent clients who could no longer afford her
services. In her firm, she often assumed the role of leader and could be quite dictatorial.
Her colleagues would listen to her and follow her advice. Many of them looked up to her.
She enjoyed this aspect of her life, but inside she felt lonely and afraid. She allayed her
feelings of emptiness and loneliness by assuming a facade of power and control, but deep
within she harbored the fear that she would be abandoned.
As with all remedies, there is a soft or passive form of Causticum.
People exhibiting this form of Causticum have the same wound of abandonment and
grief, but the wall they form to protect themselves is softer and is somewhat different from
that of the active Causticum. These people are not openly angry or confrontational. They
do not exhibit the dictatorial qualities; yet, they have certain firmness and often a defensive
demeanor.
The following example illustrates the characteristics of a soft Causticum individual: This
patient was a 54 year-old woman who presented with the chief complaint of menopausal
symptomatology. She had suffered emotional trauma as a child: Her mother had been
fiercely critical of her, ridiculing her in front of others and punishing her by withholding
physical affection. When she was in the seventh grade, her mother was also her
classroom teacher at school. She recalled one occasion when her mother called her out of
the room and whipped her bare legs with a wire hanger outside of the classroom door, as a
form of punishment. Later in the interview, she stated that her husband of thirty years had
engaged in affairs with other women and had then left her and remarried. The
abandonment she suffered as a child had been repeated in this relationship.
 This woman had clearly suffered much and was in a state of grief, but there were also
elements of anger in her demeanor. She was not tender or broken but had remained
strong and slightly hardened. She felt that it was important to be in a profession that
offered service to the world and described herself as very sympathetic, yet she was
rebellious and did not always respect the rules. Her mother had resented having to work
and considered herself a victim. As a result, this woman felt that the standard work
environment was oppressive and favored changing the nine-to-five routine into something
more flexible. She stated that she disliked any form of employment because it felt as
though other people had control over her. In these moments, she revealed elements of
anarchist or reformist thinking. She felt angry but, unlike individuals of the active form of
Causticum, she could not express her anger openly, and she feared speaking in public.
She did not seek psychotherapy to deal with her emotional turmoil but regularly attended
workshops on assertiveness training, instead.
Psychological safety was a major issue for this patient. She rarely felt safe with other
people and was very defensive and unable to reach out to her friends. Her self-esteem
was admittedly quite low. Yet, she expressed a desire for a partner and a strong need for
physical affection.
In closing, she remarked, "I know what I want, but I fear that someone will tell me that I
can't have it. A person keeps going to the well. It should have water in it, but instead it has
a cement bottom." These words express the grief, anger, and disappointed love that are
the key elements of Causticum pathology.
Causticum individuals are prone to sleeping disorders. They have a difficult time falling
asleep because their minds are very active. This is represented in the rubric SLEEP,
Sleeplessness, thoughts, activity of mind, on page K1254. Causticum individuals can use
sleep as an escape, attempting to retreat from the problems of their lives by staying in bed
and increasing their sleep time. This is rarely a fruitful solution, because unconscious
memories, fears, and shadows of past events often surface during sleep. For this reason,
Causticum individuals frequently experience restless sleep and often have nightmares.
Causticum is listed in the rubrics SLEEP, Sleeplessness, with sleepiness, on page K1254,
and in italics in SLEEP, Dreams, anxious, on page K1236. While asleep, Causticum
people can experience the terror that they hold within. Causticum is also found in the rubric
MIND, Shrieking, sleep in, on page K80.
Eventually, Causticum individuals begin to experience lassitude or exhaustion. They
can experience broad energy swings, throwing themselves eagerly into their work and then
crashing from fatigue. They often become involved in many projects at once: crusades to
end injustice, meetings, teaching engagements, etc. The endless activity allows them to
feel productive and avoid feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness. These people take on
more and more responsibility, until they are overwhelmed by stress and experience a
complete loss of energy. They can then become so weak that it becomes impossible for
them to rise from the sofa. Causticum is listed in italics in the rubric GENERALITIES,
Weakness, on page K1413. Periods of fatigue can also manifest as anxiety attacks or
nervous breakdowns. When fatigued, Causticum individuals lose their drive and
motivation.
Fatigue and exhaustion can also affect mental function. Causticum individuals often
have a poor memory. They have the peculiar tendency to forget whether they have
completed simple tasks, such as shutting off the stove or unplugging the iron; for this
reason, Causticum is one of only two remedies in the rubric MIND, Forgotten something,
feels constantly as if he had, on page K49. They can experience problems in speaking,
using incorrect words or syllables or stammering from excitement. Causticum is listed in
bold type in the rubric MIND, Mouth, speech, stammering, on page K419. They can exhibit
many symptoms of dyslexia, including reversing words, transposing letters when writing,
and using the wrong words. The following rubrics reflect these tendencies:
Mind, Absent minded, (3) page K1
Mind, Concentration difficult, (3) page K13
While reading and studying, page K13
Mind, Forgetful, (2) page K48
Mind, Weakness of memory, page K64
Mind, Mistakes in speaking, page K66
wrong syllables, page K66
Mind, Mistakes, misplacing words, page K66
reverses words, page K67
transposing letters in writing, page K67
using wrong words, page K67

Poor coordination is another problem that is common to Causticum individuals. There is

a deficit in both small motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination. Causticum is listed in
italics in the rubric EXTREMITIES, Awkwardness, on page K953. Lack of connection in the
neuromuscular system of the physical body mirrors the lack of free-flowing energy that is
experienced in the mental and emotional planes. It is as though the spirit had been broken
by the repeated trauma of early life and the resulting neurological disconnection that
eventually manifests in gradual paralysis.

The Mask
As with many other remedies, the mask of Causticum serves to project an image of
stability, strength, and vitality to the outside world.
Causticum individuals enjoy feeling powerful and strong, because only in that state can
they allay the inner fears of their inadequacy and weakness. Causticum is listed in the
rubric MIND, Positiveness, on page K69, and the image of positive, forward-moving
momentum is what Causticum people most wish to convey to others. Even as they
descend into deeper pathology and begin to experience symptoms of weakness and
paralysis, they still attempt to project qualities of strength and capability.
The attainment of a leadership position is very important to Causticum individuals. They
feel compelled to manipulate people in their environment by acting dictatorial and defiant.
These qualities are a function of the mask of Causticum. Causticum individuals slip into
states of greater weakness and self-doubt, they become an integral part of the wall.
Causticum individuals can appear cheerful and tranquil. Causticum is found in the
rubrics MIND, Cheerful, gay, on page K11, and MIND, Tranquility, on page K89.

CAUSTICUM IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS

Many of the problems that arise within the context of friendship, employment, and
professional association also plague the intimate relationships formed by Causticum
individuals. Their childhood environment was unpredictable, unstable, and unsafe; thus
they are suspicious and guarded in their interactions with others. Causticum people have
specific needs that must be filled if they are to maintain an intimate relationship; most of
these needs stem from the negative experiences they had as children. They require
absolute consistency, understanding, and stability in a partner.
Causticum individuals have great difficulty trusting others. Causticum is listed in bold
type in the rubric MIND, Suspicious, on page K85. Their partners must be emotionally
stable enough to withstand a certain amount of abuse, judgment, and criticism. They must
be able to stand up for themselves without retreating in the face of anger and hostility.
Causticum people need partners who will not back down when their wounded feelings of
shame and self-hatred begin to emerge.
Unfortunately, Causticum individuals often pick partners who are incapable of filling their
needs or sustaining a reliable and stable emotional climate. They often select people with
problems such as alcoholism, sex addiction, abusive behaviors, or people who cannot
share feelings but intellectualize or suppress their own emotions. As a result, Causticum
individuals experience isolation and abandonment within their relationships. It is typical for
Causticum people to have a series of painful and unrewarding relationships that reinforces
their sense of their own lack of control and vulnerability. Causticum individuals have a
spectrum of sexual desire ranging from low to high. Many that have a history of trauma or
sexual abuse can exhibit a depressed libido.
Causticum individuals have very high expectations of their partners and friends. These
expectations become a controlling force in their intimate relationships. When they trust
another person enough to commit themselves emotionally, they often develop the intense
desire to spend all of their free time with this other person. They phone their partner during
working hours, send them notes, and meet whenever possible. Eventually, they feel
trapped by these constraints of their own design and begin to feel the overpowering desire
to flee.
Because of childhood trauma that might have included sexual abuse or abandonment,
Causticum individuals have many problems in the area of sexuality and intimacy. When
they surrender their need for total control within a relationship, they swing to the opposite
pole, becoming intensely close to their partners. This illustrates another way that
Causticum people express their inability to set appropriate boundaries; at first, they derive
pleasure, warmth, and a sense of purpose from their partners, often wishing to become
inseparable. As time goes on, though, they begin to experience power struggles within the
context of intimacy. When they feel trapped, Causticum individuals can become sullen
and morose. Causticum is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Sulky, on page K85. They
can then choose to end the relationship and walk away, celebrating their freedom and
independence. Causticum people are unable to tolerate the loneliness and isolation of
separation for very long, however; they begin to feel frantic and can become self-
destructive.
Rejection or abandonment represents, for Causticum people, the ultimate lack of
control. This experience brings forth the terror of their early childhood trauma. If a partner
expresses the desire to leave them, Causticum individuals will do anything to avoid being
deserted. They will plead, promise to change, pressure, threaten, and manipulate to avoid
the abandonment. Some Causticum individuals will leave the relationship first or sabotage
it, so that, even if the relationship ends, they have retained control. Causticum individuals
can find themselves on an emotional roller coaster, with periods of elation followed by
depression. Causticum is found in the rubric MIND, Cheerful, gay, alternating with sadness,
on page K11. These people are happy and secure when they are in control, but if they
lose footing they can sink into suicidal depression or drug abuse. Causticum is listed in the
rubric MIND, Suicidal disposition, on page K85. Causticum people often avoid
psychotherapy, because they fear that the therapist will try to control them.
 Physical Characteristics
There are many physical characteristics of Causticum. Among the most prominent are
<> Weakness of the bladder, including symptoms of enuresis, stress incontinence, and
chronic cystitis. Causticum appears in bold type in these rubrics:
BLADDER, Involuntary, (3) page K659
BLADDER, Involuntary, night, (3) page K659
BLADDER, Urination, dribbling, involuntary, (3) page K656
BLADDER, Urging, to urinate, (3) page K652
BLADDER, Paralysis, (3) page K650
<> Paralysis in general, particularly on the right side of the body
GENERALITIES, Paralysis, one-sided, (3) page K1390
GENERALITIES, Paralysis, right side, (3) page K1390
<> Contracture of the ligaments
GENERALITIES, Extremities, of muscles and tendons, (3) page K966
<> Aggravation of symptoms in dry, cold weather
GENERALITIES, Cold, dry weather aggravates, (3) page K1349
<> Causticum individuals often crave chocolate. Most prefer dark chocolate but some
may like milk chocolate. Although Causticum people can be averse to sweets, many of
them crave sweet things. They also tend to desire salt, smoked meat, and alcohol.

The Causticum Child

Causticum children often have an early experience of abandonment. This sets the
stage for emotional and physical symptoms that are characteristic of this remedy. There
are many emotional symptoms, and the pain and terror of their early experiences can be
somaticized, resulting in physical pathology

Physical Characteristics
Causticum children are slow learning to talk and late learning to walk. When they do
start to walk, they are unsteady on their feet and tend to fall frequently.
EXTREMITIES, Awkwardness, lower limbs, stumbling when walking, (3) page K953
These children often have a delicate appearance. They can appear sensitive and might
be confused with children who need Natrum Muriaticum.
Causticum children have a tendency toward enuresis.
BLADDER, Urination, involuntary, night, (3) page K659
Bedwetting can actually be interpreted as a method of venting emotions that have no
other form of expression. When the remedy begins to act, the first indication will often be
verbalization of fear, anxiety, or other previously hidden emotions. Eventually, the child will
feel more in control and the enuresis will cease.
For similar reasons, Causticum children can also exhibit encopresis or involuntary stool
during the day.
RECTUM, Involuntary, stool, (2) page K621
Children often desire salt and smoked meat.
STOMACH, Desires, salt things, (2) page K486
STOMACH, Desires, Meat, smoked, (3) page K485
Somaticized emotion can take the form of abdominal distension or frequent
gastrointestinal symptomatology.
ABDOMEN, Distension, (2) page K544
Causticum children can have difficulty sleeping and can shriek in their sleep.
 SLEEP, Restless, (2) page K1247
MIND, Shrieking, sleep, during, page K80
These children are prone to infections, chronic nasal catarrh, and otitis media. The
wound and resulting wall use up much of their vital energy, and this tends to compromise
their immune responses.

Emotional Characteristics
Before their experience of abandonment or abuse, Causticum children behave normally,
happily remaining busy in play. Once they experience a wound, their personality becomes
altered and they become saddened and withdrawn. These children can sit with a glazed
expression on their faces, and it will be difficult to draw them into play. They can appear
very much like children requiring Natrum Muriaticum or Medorrhinum. As the pathology
deepens, Causticum children can become very withdrawn, going through the motions of life
without really experiencing it. They perform the duties of daily life in a mechanical manner,
moving in a robotic fashion, lifelessly and automatically. They might smile on cue when it
is expected of them. It is as though they are emotionally paralyzed.
Causticum children are very sensitive. They are particularly sensitive to domestic
discord.
MIND, Sensitive, oversensitive, (2) page K78
Over time, the traumatic event or events can bring forth feelings of anger. At this time,
their behavior can shift; they might become more irritable, restless, and excitable. They
might exhibit anger toward adults and aggression toward other children. They can verbally
lash out at people who are in authority over them becoming angry and abusive toward their
caregivers.
These children might begin to exhibit other behavioral patterns that are common to
children who have suffered some degree of abandonment. These include:
<> Daydreaming, particularly wishing for things to return to the way they were before.
They can identify with fairy tales, such as Snow White, that carry the message "things are
dark and gloomy now, but soon everything will be OK, and there will be a happy ending."
<> Preoccupation with the person who has left: In the case of the divorce or departure
of a parent, children can become obsessed with intense thoughts and desire for contact
with the loved one who is no longer there. They can close their eyes and imagine that
person and have the compulsion to speak with them.
<> Feelings of guilt or responsibility for the events that have taken place in their lives:
Causticum is listed in the rubric MIND, Anxiety of conscience, as if guilty of a crime, on
page K6. For example, they can feel responsible for the divorce of their parents or the
death of a household pet.
<> A sense that something is about to happen: Causticum children can suffer feelings of
anxiety that something bad is about to happen to them. As a result, they become restless
and unable to sit still. They can be constantly searching for something to do to ameliorate
their apprehension.
<> Causticum children, like the adults, have both a strong sense of justice, and the
need to control. If an older sibling strikes them, their sense of justice is violated and they
feel a loss of control. Causticum children react with bitter resentment if they are assaulted
unjustly.
<> Causticum children do best in school when there is a structured curriculum. They
hunger for group acceptance, and they are very loyal to their peers. They must have
hands-on experience, and physical involvement with the subject matter at hand, in order to
properly assimilate information. They thrive in an atmosphere of competition. They do not
respond well to authoritarian discipline, and will rebel against excessive supervision.
<> Causticum children develop many fears, such as fear of the dark, fear of being alone
at night, and fear of dogs. They do not want to be alone in their beds. They wake
frequently at night to check on the whereabouts of their mother. They are sometimes
afraid to walk to school by themselves.
These children can become easily frightened when domestic discord arises. This fear
will be particularly strong if there is an impending split-up between their parents. The
children will begin to imagine terrible scenarios that are far beyond what is occurring in
reality. They will often hide their feelings of terror because they do not want to cause their
parents grief or additionally burden them.

SUMMARY
J. T. Kent has said of this remedy:
Causticum has cured insanity: not the acute mania with violent delirium, but mental
aberration of the mental kind, where the brain has become tired. The constitution has
become broken down with long suffering and much trouble and finally the mind can no
longer be coordinated: it is in confusion.
For Causticum individuals, the wound of trauma, grief, and disappointed love is quite
deep-seated. There is tremendous fear of abandonment. The reaction of Causticum
individuals to potential abandonment becomes a wall that serves to further isolate them
from intimacy with other people. Thus, their lives are filled with repeated experiences of
abandonment and trauma.
The wall of Causticum is erected by Causticum individuals in an attempt to become
powerful enough to control the events in their lives, and thereby gain emotional security.
Causticum individuals are on guard, lest anyone should gain power over them. They are
defensive, dictatorial, judgmental, and defiant - an attempt to gain power over others. They
prefer the position of leader and are often both competitive and materialistic. Although
Causticum individuals are critical of their friends, colleagues, and partners, it is difficult for
them to accept guidance or criticism from others. Any form of criticism penetrates deeply
and re-stimulates their early wounds of shame and humiliation.
Anger and haughtiness are also characteristics of Causticum individuals. Because they
are distrustful of authority, they do not follow the rules but behave in a rebellious manner.
They appear overconfident, but this is merely a mechanism for protecting the fearful,
anxious, and insecure being within.
Causticum individuals have great sympathy for less fortunate members of society. In
truth, they identify with the victims of chance: The plight of these victims mirrors the
suffering that Causticum individuals endured in their early life. Causticum people are
motivated to work hard and to do everything in their power to obtain justice for the
underdog. They seem to believe that if they are able to exert their power and control and
succeed in resolving an unjust situation, perhaps they can somehow thereby erase the
uncontrollable and unjust treatment they received as children.
The mask of Causticum is the image of strength, vitality, power, and capability. The
wall and the mask enable Causticum individuals to survive in a world that they interpret as
unsafe and unjust. All of their energies are poured into the maintenance of this defense,
until eventually there is breakdown, fatigue, weakness, and paralysis on the physical plane.
They can also exhibit a breakdown on the mental plane, becoming weak in memory and
confused in their thoughts. The physical and mental symptoms associated with the remedy
are the result of long-term depletion of the vital force.

Differential Materia Medica of Causticum

Sulphur
The wound of abandonment is present in Sulphur as well as Causticum. The symptoms
that comprise the wall, however, are very different. Sulphur individuals live in the realm of
the intellect; they do not recognize the emotional or dependent aspects of themselves.
When Sulphur individuals are confronted with a situation that might elicit an emotional
response, they have the tendency to withdraw, become bored, and behave in a detached
and disinterested manner. They are less easily aroused into an emotional state than are
Causticum people.
Sulphur Individuals are intellectually oriented, focusing their energies on plans and
calculations designed to make their lives easier. Their minds are in perpetual motion,
fitting together the pieces of life's puzzle. They are curious and exploratory and often have
ideas that are much ahead of their time. Causticum individuals, on the other hand, do not
approach their lives through the mental arena. They are highly sympathetic and
emotionally reactive. They are swayed by their emotional responses; thus fewer of their
ideas and opinions are well grounded in fact.
Because Sulphur individuals are primarily intellectual and analytical, they are drawn to
people with similar intellectual capabilities. They can only enjoy friendships or relationships
with people whose intelligence matches their own. Their interactions with others are
impersonal and often center on sharing plans, ideas, and opinions. It is difficult for Sulphur
individuals to bring forth an emotional response; they prefer to communicate with their
minds and often suffer a degree of disassociation from their hearts.
Sulphur individuals do not have the sympathetic qualities that are characteristic of
Causticum people. They are capable of setting firm boundaries between themselves and
the events that involve other people. When Causticum people watch the six-o'clock news,
they identify with the victims of unhappy events. Their identities merge with those of more
unfortunate people. They imagine that the same form of trauma could happen to them.
Sulphur individuals, conversely, actually feel the trauma; they avoid feelings of discomfort
and emotional pain by instantly sublimating those feelings, escaping into their heads and
replacing the emotions with theories and mental hypotheses.

Platina
Platina individuals have a wound that consists of abandonment and insecurity. As
children, they became frustrated by an environment that lacked nurturing and kindness but
contained elements of abuse and shame. The wall in Platina is the adaptation made by
these individuals to medicate their feelings of shame. Platina individuals compensate for
the loss of love and nurturance in their childhoods by becoming determined to satisfy all of
their own needs by tenaciously going after the things that they desire in life. Achieving and
possessing anything that they desire becomes, for them, a symbolic way of acquiring their
mother's love.
Platina individuals create a huge and imposing persona to disguise their tremendous
lack of self-esteem. They behave as though their importance were self-evident, and they
expect to be recognized and venerated. Platina individuals do not do well in the world,
because their grandiosity and self-preoccupation blind them to the realities of life and alter
their judgments and perspective. Yet, they can be smooth, charming, and seductive - able
to talk their way in the door and convince others of their special abilities. They often exploit
others to get ahead, and they expect and demand to be given special treatment.
Both Platina and Causticum individuals are sensitive to criticism, but their reactions are
very different. Causticum individuals are crushed by criticism, because it penetrates them
deeply, resonating with their inner sense of inadequacy. Platina individuals, on the other
hand, respond to criticism with inappropriate rage. They will attempt to manipulate the
situation until they achieve their agenda, and they will often attack their critics.
As Platina individuals progress in pathology, they become greedy, selfish, and
insensitive to the needs of others. They lack the sympathetic elements characteristic of
Causticum individuals. They focus only on their own gratification.
Platina individuals are often hedonistic: the experience of physical pleasure can be a
driving motivation in their lives. Much energy is focused on oral gratification. Many of their
favorite activities center around their mouths: talking, eating, drinking, laughing,
wisecracking, and performing oral sex. Sexual expression serves to allay their inner pain.
Platina individuals often have a strong libido, although the passive type of Platina can have
a moderate sex drive.
Platina individuals are very jealous of those who seem to have more than they do; they
can become consumed by envy. They are self-centered and do not care about the welfare
of others. They can be preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance,
beauty, or sex. Platina people feel that they are endowed with special qualities. They do
not think they should have to wait in line or follow the rules like ordinary people. Although
they are dictatorial like Causticum people, they lack empathy; they are not sympathetic.
Causticum people tend to identify with the underdog, people who are less fortunate than
they are. This is an important point of differentiation between them and Platina individuals
who hold themselves above all others.

Phosphorus
Phosphorus individuals exhibit more intense fear and anxiety than do Causticum
people. They are not dictatorial and controlling but are open and receptive to the ideas and
needs of other people. They tend to be followers and are less aggressive and arrogant
than Causticum people. Their energy generally tends to be feminine, softer, and more
receptive, in contrast to Causticum individuals, who are often masculinized. Phosphorus
individuals can also be quite clairvoyant.
Phosphorus individuals do not have a heightened sense of abandonment; they do not
strive for power and control. In Phosphorus, there is the very prominent fear that they
might lose control of their lives and suffer or die as a result. Phosphorus people are
capable of expressing their anxiety very openly, though, and do not attempt to control the
people and events in their world in order to obtain control of their lives.

Hyoscyamus [Hyos]

GENERAL.
 Hyoscyamus [Hyos]

Hyoscyamus, commonly known as henbane, comes from a biennial plant belonging to

the order of Solanaceae. It is found growing on old rubbish heaps, near ruins, on
roadsides, and sometimes by the seashore. The mother tincture of this drug is made from
the whole fresh plant. The action of Hyoscyamus has an affinity for the organs of the
nervous system, including the brain, nerves, and eyes; the muscles; and the blood. It is
useful in the treatment of mental and emotional problems.

Etiology
The etiology of Hyoscyamus is trauma that results in a fundamental identity split, such
that personality development is integrally altered. The early emotional experiences of
Hyoscyamus people are so traumatizing that they make an unconscious decision to divide
themselves, splitting off from the intolerable pain and entering a realm where there are no
feelings. Hyoscyamus individuals take flight from the empathic elements of their psyche,
as a desperate attempt at survival. Those elements that comprise the core of human
interconnectedness - vulnerability, receptivity, moral perception, and conscience - are put
aside. What remains are the instinctual, wily, and cunning impulses of crude survival,
which grow prolifically like weeds, unchecked by conscience or ethical inquiry.

The Wound
The childhood experiences of Hyoscyamus individuals are characterized by an absence
of nurturance, support, and stability. These children dwell, instead, in a world marked by
abuse, neglect, unpredictability, abandonment, or violence; thus, Hyoscyamus children
experience disappointed love. Every human child is born into the world with the
expectation that their family will provide them with protection, nourishment, and support.
For Hyoscyamus individuals, however, the family system is not a source of shelter, but
rather a shifting hostile environment that they can only negotiate with caution, suspicion,
and fear. The rubric MIND, Love, ailments from disappointed love, carries this idea;
Hyoscyamus is listed in third degree on page K63.
Ken Magid, Ph.D., describes the phenomenon that causes character development very
close to that observed in Hyoscyamus individuals:
In most infants, the affectional bond - the essence of attachment to a parent - develops
during the first nine months of life. The most important event occurring during the first year
is the formation of these social attachments.
What happens, right or wrong, in the critical first period of a baby's life will imprint that
child as an adult.
A complex set of events must occur in infancy to assure a future of trust and love. If the
proper bonding and subsequent attachment does not occur - usually between the child and
the mother - the child will develop mistrust and deep seated rage. He becomes a child
without a conscience.
These children may become psychopathic and they possess a poisonous mix of traits.
They are arrogant, shameless, immoral, impulsive, antisocial, superficial, charming,
callous, irresponsible, irreverent, cunning, and can appear self-assured. They are found in
jails and mental institutions... but they can also be found in boardrooms, or in politics, or in
any number of respected professions. This disorder evades established definitions of
sanity and insanity.
 Hyoscyamus individuals have often been forced to endure frightening experiences.
They react to fear on an instinctual level, intuitively strategizing for their own survival. The
internal feeling of fear propels them through life, and they learn to "cover their backs" at all
times. Much of their energy is absorbed by their need for self-protection. It is difficult to
perceive the fear in Hyoscyamus individuals, however, because the intensity of their fear is
masked by their anger. Their fear is transformed into suspicion and rage, the natural
reaction of growing up in an unsafe environment where the very people who are expected
to protect and nourish are instead exploitative, abusive, and violating. Hyoscyamus is
listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Fright, complaints from, on page K49.
Hyoscyamus individuals live in a state of grief, their world shattered by experiences that
can include neglect, abuse, violence, marital strife or divorce, battering, and incest.
Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Grief, on page K50. These people do
not express their grief in the form of withdrawal, like Natrum Muriaticum individuals, but
encapsulate it and bury it, dissociating from it. The buried grief of remedies such as
Natrum Muriaticum or Causticum results in the development of sympathy; however, in
Hyoscyamus individuals the grief is so insulated and sequestered that the opposite effect
can be observed. These individuals can exhibit a lack of sympathy for others; they have
learned to equate caring, needing, or loving other people with great emotional pain.
Hyoscyamus is the only remedy listed in the rubric MIND, Fear of being betrayed, on
page K43.

The Wall
Hyoscyamus is one of the most narcissistic remedies in materia medica. Individuals
who need this remedy can be even more vain and conceited than those of Sulphur, Platina,
or Palladium. As might be expected, this characteristic places them into constant conflict
with other people. Hyoscyamus individuals are always "on"- that is, they live life as though
it were a performance; the people in their lives are their audience and they are always on
stage. They appear to be in love with themselves but, more precisely, they are in love with
the fabricated image they create for themselves. They cannot accept themselves as they
actually are, so instead they cling tightly to an inflated facade. This charade bears little
resemblance, though, to the underdeveloped and injured person behind the facade.
Being essentially self-centered, Hyoscyamus individuals have a limited ability to
empathize with the needs or feelings of others. They have little capacity for love, and this
prevents them from forming long-lasting relationships. Although outwardly arrogant,
inwardly, Hyoscyamus individuals have very low self-esteem. Hyoscyamus is included in
the rubric MIND, Confidence, want of self. These people feel inadequate and insecure
about themselves. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Reproaches himself,
on page K71. These individuals are finely tuned to the reaction of others and can instantly
respond by projecting whatever they perceive would best serve their purpose at that
moment, but everything they do is for show. This is part of their mask, but behind the mask
lies a deeply hidden sense of dependency. This places them in a difficult double bind: they
are generally hostile and suspicious of other people, yet they are dependent on them
because they feel worthless without the adulation of others.
For Hyoscyamus individuals, the experience of failure is profoundly humiliating. Their
Fear of failure and the humiliation that inevitably accompanies it, drives them to do
whatever it takes, including fraud or deceit, to avoid failing. It is critical for Hyoscyamus
individuals to maintain the illusion of superiority and success. These people can become
unethical and unprincipled: they will do anything to manipulate the situation to their
advantage, including lying on their resumes, cheating on examinations, stealing ideas, or
taking credit for the work of others. They are without scruples, and will not hesitate to
discredit their competitors and come out on top. Hyoscyamus is included in the rubric
MIND, Slander, disposition to, on page K81. They are determined not to be losers, even if
others are forced to pay the price for their success. Although these people might achieve
prosperity in the world, nothing can erase the feelings of worthlessness they carry with
them throughout their lives.
In the early stages of the pathology, Hyoscyamus individuals are intensely competitive
with other people; they desire success and prestige. This quality is similar to what is seen
in Nux Vomica or Sulphur individuals. Their methods of obtaining what they desire,
however, are quite different from those of other remedies. Hyoscyamus individuals very
much want to make a favorable impression on others. Instead of developing themselves
emotionally, they rely on a superficial form of showing off in order to gain admiration. They
act haughty, a behavior that grows out of their need to camouflage their feelings of
inferiority. Hyoscyamus is found in second degree in the rubric MIND, Haughty, on page
K51. They are very calculating and have the chameleon-like ability to change their image
to whatever they feel is most likely to attain the desired result in a given situation.
Hyoscyamus individuals have no scruples about exploiting other people to maintain an
unfair advantage or to rise to a position of superiority. When it is to their advantage, they
can cause conflict between their colleagues in order to advance themselves. Hyoscyamus
is the only remedy in the rubric MIND, Inciting others, on page K54. In their single-minded
drive to reach their goals, they can be extremely devious. Hyoscyamus is listed in second
degree in the rubric MIND, Misanthropy, on page K66. They can be very focused on
obtaining success in their careers; Hyoscyamus can be found in the rubric MIND,
Business, talks of, listed in second degree on page K10. If they are in danger of losing in
any form of competition, such as job advancement or a business opportunity, they will
maliciously use any means within their power to ruin the other person and achieve a
conquest.
Hyoscyamus individuals can have extraordinary social skills. Generally, they enjoy
being with other people and like to be the center of attention. They can be skilled
conversationalists and are often both charming and seductive. This behavior is
characteristic of the active form of Hyoscyamus.
There is also a passive form of Hyoscyamus. Individuals of this type can be painfully
shy and introverted. The shame and mortification that they have hidden inside destroys
their self-confidence, and they become frozen, unable to function in the world. They are
self-conscious, self-doubting, and very critical of themselves. They hold a distorted image
of themselves, aware only of their defects and imperfections. They prefer to be alone and
often remain isolated from society. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND,
Reserved, on page K72. In contrast to the sexual appetite that is often associated with this
remedy, individuals of the passive form of Hyoscyamus typically exhibit a low libido.
Passive Hyoscyamus individuals can also be quite timid. Hyoscyamus is included in the
rubric MIND, Timidity, on page K89.
Because the members of their families exhibited behavior that was unpredictable and
untrustworthy, Hyoscyamus individuals are extremely mistrustful of other people.
Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Suspicious, on page K85. To
Hyoscyamus individuals, the world feels very unsafe. They cannot find real pleasure in life,
and it is very difficult for them to achieve intimacy with other people. The wall they have
formed around themselves prevents them from being spontaneous or creative.
The lesson of early childhood, for Hyoscyamus individuals, is that the world is unsafe
and that they must take responsibility for protecting and caring for themselves. They must
take on this role because there is often no one in their environment who is willing or
capable of providing protection for them. They develop an attitude that can be expressed
in the following ways: "Don't trust anybody. Never ask for help. Do it yourself. Don't allow
other people to see your vulnerability. Don't let anyone know who you really are, because
they will use this against you." These people believe that other people will try to hurt them,
if given a chance. This is their response to the loss and trauma that occurred in their
childhood. Again, this idea is best repertorized by the rubric MIND, Love, ailments from
disappointed love, K63.
Hyoscyamus individuals have no sense of loyalty. They are ever ready to sell out, lie,
change their loyalties, or take advantage of others in order to come out on top. These
people do not feel guilty about exploiting other people, because they have not developed a
conscience. They are hustlers, opportunists, people on the make, and they frequently take
actions that are detrimental to others.
Because Hyoscyamus people are unable to express their real emotions, they tend to
communicate in a covert fashion. They can be extremely manipulative of other people.
Hyoscyamus individuals can manipulate people through language, using their quick
tongues to persuade others to acquiesce to their desires. They can become quite
quarrelsome, a characteristic that is reflected in the rubric MIND, Quarrelsome;
Hyoscyamus is listed in italics on page K70. Even if these people were sensitive to the
feelings of others, their impaired sense of conscience would not deter them from speaking
and acting in a manner that is inconsiderate, discourteous, and imprudent. For this reason,
Hyoscyamus is included in the rubrics MIND, Rudeness, on page K75, where it is listed in
italics, and MIND, Indiscretion, on page K55. Hyoscyamus individuals are often very
critical of other people; Hyoscyamus is included in the rubric MIND, Censorious, critical, on
page K10.
Their ability to manipulate people, combined with their critical attitude, allows
Hyoscyamus individuals to sustain the illusion of their superiority over others.
Hyoscyamus individuals observe the world around them through a filter of suspicion and
mistrust; they are constantly sizing up the competition and analyzing their success relative
to the success of others. When they feel their achievements do not measure up, they
become dogged by a feeling of inferiority that breeds intense jealousy. Hyoscyamus is
listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Jealousy, on page K60. As the result of their intense
jealousy, they might have the desire to do harm to others. Anyone who has attained their
chosen goals and achieved status or success can be viewed as a threat and become the
object of their malice. They become increasingly defensive, artificial, and manipulative.
Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Malicious, on page K63.
Hyoscyamus people do not have a sense of connection with other humans; this can be
expressed as a total lack of emotional affect. They are capable of moving through life with
a poker face, expressing very few emotions. Their emotional flatness can remind you of
Phosphoric Acid but, in the case of Hyoscyamus individuals, it is not induced by lack of
energy. Their lack of emotional expression enables them to deceive other people - to use
others for their own advancement. These people are consumed with self-interest. In their
minds, they constantly wonder, "What's in this for me?" or "How can I turn this situation to
my own advantage?" Their behavior does not pose a moral dilemma for them, because
they are fully cut off from the ethical and moral part of themselves.
Lack of emotional affect also serves as a protective mechanism for Hyoscyamus
people. Their emotional responses are progressively shut down; in this way, they block
any emotional pain that might be inflicted on them by other people. They have difficulty
feeling or expressing emotions other than anger. Many Hyoscyamus individuals, however,
are completely unaware of their anger and jealousy.
Hyoscyamus individuals project hostility towards those in their environment. Other
people will sometimes perceive the element of viciousness in their personalities and will
avoid close contact with them. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubrics MInd, Anger, on
page K2, and MIND, Abusive, on page K1. Their anger and hostility create a formidable
wall that keeps other people at bay and insulates them from their own feelings of shame
and inadequacy. Hyoscyamus is listed in second degree in the rubric MIND, Company,
aversion to, on page K12. Because they feel so defective, they find it necessary to keep
other people at a distance. So, their hostility, rage, and contempt for others effectively
serves to isolate them. The rubric MIND, Contemptuous, on page K16, illuminates this
characteristic.
Anger is a prominent feature of Hyoscyamus behavior. In the early stages of the
pathology, anger can be expressed as impatience or passivity. In the next phase, anger is
expressed by becoming sullen and withdrawn. In the later phases, Hyoscyamus
individuals exhibit frequent flaring of their tempers: Any broken expectation can spark their
rage. All of their hidden emotions - sadness, guilt, shame, and fear - are absorbed into
their anger and expressed as such. When they rage at others, it serves as a release of the
pent-up emotions that are confined within themselves.
In the latter stages of the pathology, Hyoscyamus individuals can be quite malevolent -
obsessed with the desire to ruin those who appear to stand in their way or pose a threat to
their success. They are driven to consummate their materialistic aspirations. Their anger
can become violent and can erupt at any time, touched off by the slightest stimulation, but
they do not have the same type of anger found in Aurum Metallicum or Nux Vomica.
Hyoscyamus is included in the rubric MIND, Anger, violent, on page K3.
Nux Vomica individuals can exhibit episodes of rage or anger, but when the outburst is
over, they feel better and do not continue to carry the anger around with them; their
expression of anger temporarily expels it from their being. Hyoscyamus individuals also
have outbursts of rage, but after they express their anger, it remains with them and is held
continuously in their conscious and unconscious minds. Aurum Metallicum individuals, on
the other hand, attempt to control their anger; they hold it tightly within and, as it seeks
expression against their control, they can begin to tremble with rage. It is like the rumbling
of a volcano before it erupts, releasing the hot lava and explosive gas that lies beneath the
surface crust. Hyoscyamus people do not try to control their outbursts of rage, because
they do not care what effect their anger will have on other people. Hyoscyamus is listed in
bold type in the rubric MIND, Rage, fury, on page K70.
As their jealousy and fury mounts, these people can have the desire to harm to other
people. In their anger, they might actually have the desire to kill their adversaries; they
contemplate ways to rid themselves of people that they think may thwart their forward
motion. The farther that these people descend into pathology, the more aggressive and
violent they can become - acting out their cruelest revenge fantasies. They continue on
their destructive path until either their adversaries are ruined or they are forcibly stopped.
For this reason, Hyoscyamus is included in the rubric MIND, Rage, Kill people, tries to, on
page K71, and in bold type in the rubric MIND, Kill, desire to, on page K60. In their
frustration and anger, Hyoscyamus people want to inflict pain on others, just as they have
been hurt in the past. This remedy is also listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Strike,
desires to, on page K84.
Criminal behavior is one aspect of Hyoscyamus pathology. Besides crimes like assault,
arson, and rape, these individuals can also be capable of committing murder. Hyoscyamus
is probably the predominant remedy among criminals who commit crimes such as mass
murder or terrorism, in which the perpetrator strikes out randomly at other people. This is
an aspect of the desire to strike out at others. Hyoscyamus individuals can be capable of
killing, with very little remorse. They are driven to destroy other people by their
overwhelming need to assert their superiority.
Hyoscyamus individuals have many fears, and they can develop symptoms from the
repression of fear. Many of these individuals secretly fear that other people are superior to
them. By holding their feelings of inferiority hidden inside, they create tension in their
bodies. Over time, the internal pressure seeks release and can result in twitching and
jerking motions; Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric FACE, Twitching, on page
K395. This is the result of the vital force attempting to liberate the pent-up emotion, and it
can be similar to what is observed in Agaricus and Veratrum Album. Hyoscyamus
individuals can also develop peculiar gestures, such as grasping, reaching, picking, or
brushing something away; Hyoscyamus is found in second degree in the rubric MIND,
Gestures, on page K50. Hyoscyamus individuals can also be fast talkers, loquacity is
another symptom that results from fear and internal tension; it is listed in bold type in the
rubric MIND, Loquacity, on page K63. These people are also prone to certain phobias,
including the fear of dogs, fear of being alone, fear of evil, fear of being injured, and fear of
water. Hyoscyamus is found in these rubrics under the section MIND, Fears, on pages
K43-K48.
As Hyoscyamus individuals divert their vital energy into efforts to defend themselves
from the world, there can be a weakening on the mental plane; Hyoscyamus is listed in
italics in the rubrics MIND, Concentration difficult, on page K13, and MIND, Absent minded,
on page K1. These people become dull and confused, unable to focus their minds on the
task at hand. This is reflected in the rubric MIND, Dullness; Hyoscyamus is found in bold
type, on page K37.
Hyoscyamus individuals can be slothful, avoiding many of the responsibilities of life.
They want to get ahead and obtain prestigious positions, but they are often unwilling to
work hard to get there. Hyoscyamus is included in the rubrics MIND, Indolence, aversion to
work, on page K55, and MIND, Work, aversion to mental work, on page K94; it is also
listed in the rubric MIND, Loathing, work, on page K63. To avoid work, these people can
feign disease or malinger; Hyoscyamus is the only remedy listed in the rubric MIND,
Complaining, of supposed injury, where it appears in italics on page K12.
Initially, the act of exploding in rage serves as a release for Hyoscyamus individuals.
Eventually, however, they can begin to feel guilty about their abuse of other people. At this
point, they can descend into deep self-reproach. Their violent thoughts can then be
directed toward themselves. Their sense of conscience, long suppressed, will then be
stimulated. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Anxiety of conscience, on
page K6. These people continue to act impulsively and abusively toward others but they
now begin to recognize that this is partially intentional - that they desire to hurt others. This
realization causes additional shame and self-condemnation. New-found perception of the
darker side of their personality further erodes their self-esteem. They are humiliated by
their own behavior and thus become even harder on themselves, causing extreme self-
consciousness.
These individuals wish to strike out at others, but this impulse results in feelings of
shame. These hostile and aggressive tendencies are then directed inward, and this can
result in self-destructive behavior, such as nail-biting or biting the cuticles, head-banging,
skin-picking, being "accident prone", or self-mutilation. In frustrated rage, they reproduce
the abandonment, neglect, and abuse that was an integral part of their childhood, by
becoming self-abusive. They pick at themselves, physically, creating scabs and scars, and
they pick at themselves emotionally, punishing themselves for their past transgressions.
These behaviors serve to further isolate them from other people. Hyoscyamus individuals
feel they must hide themselves from others; they believe no one could love or even tolerate
them if they could see them as they really are. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric
MIND, Destructiveness, on page K36. The destruction they cause moves in two directions:
directed outward toward other people and inward at themselves.
Hyoscyamus is one of the most lonely and isolated remedies in materia medica.
Although these people can appear to be gregarious and charming, they have a life-long
experience of loneliness and disconnection from the rest of humanity. The wounds
afflicted early on have a devastating effect on their lives, and they are forever tormented by
fear, shame, and self-loathing. Hyoscyamus is included in italics in the rubric MIND,
Anguish, on page K3. When they are no longer able to block this tremendous inner pain,
they can enter a state of profound depression. For this reason, Hyoscyamus is included in
the rubrics MIND, Weary of life, on page K92, and MIND, Suicidal disposition, where it is
listed in italics, on page K85.
Hyoscyamus individuals slip into the dream world of dissociation, as their vitality ebbs
and they spiral down into deeper stages of pathology. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the
rubric MIND, Dream, as if in a dream, on page K37. In this stage of the pathology, these
people no longer feel enraged, hostile, or vindictive: They dissociate from their anger - the
only emotion that they are really in contact with - and instead they become benumbed.
They take flight into a realm where there are no emotions. Hyoscyamus is listed in third
degree in the rubric MIND, Escape, attempts to, on page K39. In this state, they are
deadened, flat, without energy or interest in anything including their own well-being. They
stop caring for themselves; thus they deteriorate on the physical plane and sink into a
vegetative state. Hyoscyamus is found in the rubric MIND, Loathing of life, on page K62.
As the darkness of dissociation envelopes them, Hyoscyamus individuals become even
more isolated from their fellows than they had been in the earlier stages of their illness.
They do not want contact with other people, and this is reflected in the rubrics MIND,
Answers, aversion to, and MIND, Answers, stupor returns quickly after, in which
Hyoscyamus appears in the third degree, on pages K3-K4. Hyoscyamus also appears in
the rubric MIND, Spoken to, averse to being, on page K82. They involute into themselves
and avoid either the possibility of rejection or the comfort of acceptance from other people.
The reclusive quality of this phase of the illness is captured in the rubric MIND, Light, shuns
the light, on page K62. During this period, these people might begin to experience
moments of anxiety. For many, this will be the first time that feelings of anxiety have been
allowed to surface.
Hyoscyamus individuals can also develop a condition of psychosis. They enter a
delusional world where they see insects or snakes surrounding them, converse with absent
or dead people, see visions, hear noises, or believe that they have been possessed.
These delusions are well-covered in the repertory in the rubrics under MIND, Delusions, on
pages K20-K35; Hyoscyamus is one of the most prominent remedies found in the section
on delusions. It is possible for the Hyoscyamus character to fragment, developing multiple
personality disorders. The multiple personalities that emerge might be more accurate
reflections of their inner being than the false images they have previously shown to the
outside world.
 The Mask
Many of the characteristics that form the wall of Hyoscyamus can also be part of their
mask. Their mask is thinner, more transient, and more changeable than the wall. During
the interview, when the Hyoscyamus individual becomes more relaxed and establishes a
rapport with the prescriber, the characteristics of the mask might begin to fade. The
qualities that are part of the wall, however, will be apparent throughout the interview.
Seduction and charm can be a part of the mask of Hyoscyamus. These people can
appear to be friendly and engaging; Hyoscyamus is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND,
Cheerful, on page K10. These individuals can seem to be absorbed in their work, happy,
and busy; Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric MIND, Industrious, on page K56. If
they appear to be haughty or grandiose, it can be part of the wall or mask. The qualities of
lust, lasciviousness, or the dreamy dissociated demeanor can also become part of the
mask in Hyoscyamus. These people are uncomfortable with disclosure, openness, and
honesty and are anxious about revealing the negative aspects of their character.

HYOSCYAMUS IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS

It is extremely difficult for Hyoscyamus individuals to form a relationship with another.
Commitment to a relationship involves exposing themselves to another person, becoming
vulnerable, and risking rejection. Genuine intimacy with others is particularly threatening
because it implies that the other person will have access to their interior and will see what
is under their facade.
Not all individuals who need Hyoscyamus have a highly developed sexuality. In some
instances, Hyoscyamus individuals can exhibit low libido; others become addicted to sex.
In either case, their expression or repression of sexuality is colored by their early
experiences of abuse or violation; Hyoscyamus individuals are sometimes driven to repeat
the forms of sexual abuse that were perpetrated upon them as children. Sex can become
a form of medication to suppress or deaden the emotional pain they have sequestered
within. Hyoscyamus individuals confuse sex with nurturance. All nurturing activities, such
as support, communication, care, and love, become sexualized. Unfortunately, sexual
expression does not satisfy the need for love. Sadly, though, for many Hyoscyamus
individuals, sexual intimacy is the closest experience they can have to receiving or giving
love.
There are Hyoscyamus individuals who have normal or low libidos; thus, it is important
to focus on characteristics other than sexuality. Sexual obsession, however, can be a
prominent feature of Hyoscyamus pathology. Hyoscyamus individuals of the sexual type
can have an awakening sexual awareness at a very early age. This symptom is commonly
seen in children who are victims of sexual abuse; their first sexual experiences often
involve masturbation and autoeroticism. Through sexual expression, they can escape the
frightening and unpredictable world of their childhood and retreat to something that is
pleasurable, predictable, and within their control.
Hyoscyamus individuals feel that they must have control of their interactions with other
people, in an effort to guarantee sexual gratification. Yet, they harbor a secret fear of going
out of control and becoming enslaved by their insatiable need for sex. Sex is confused
with nurturing and comfort; through sexual contact, they obtain a temporary feeling of
security.
Because Hyoscyamus individuals are seeking safety and security through sex, they are
compelled to have sexual experiences repeatedly and frequently. Through sexual
intercourse, they gain a transient sense of wholeness and mystical union. For one fleeting
moment, the pain of their existence is blotted out, but only during the few seconds of
orgasm do they feel whole and worthwhile. The feelings of shame, guilt, and self-disgust
return almost immediately after coition. Once again, the prince is turned back into the frog,
and they are flooded with feelings of failure and inadequacy.
For Hyoscyamus individuals, sexual satisfaction and gratification can become the focus
of their entire existence. These people tend to infuse all of their relationships with
sexuality; as a result, they are often very seductive. Hyoscyamus children flirt and seduce
as a form of manipulation. During the homeopathic interview, Hyoscyamus individuals can
turn on the charm and attempt to seduce the prescriber - to win them over. If these people
can succeed in their attempts at seduction, they feel they have gained power and control
over the other person. The goal of this process is to assert their superiority and emerge
the winner in the power struggle.
Sexual fantasizing can be a frequent activity for Hyoscyamus individuals of the
hypersexual type. Some Hyoscyamus people have difficulty relating to or conversing with
other people, because they are constantly distracted by thoughts or fantasies about having
sexual encounters with these people; Hyoscyamus is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND,
Lascivious, on page K61. The minds of Hyoscyamus individuals are bombarded with
sexual imagery until their sexual appetites become a controlling force in their lives. The
fantasies of Hyoscyamus individuals are so vivid that they can be frightening.
Hyoscyamus individuals devote an inordinate amount of their time and energy to sexual
activities or sexual fantasy. Hyoscyamus appears in second degree in the rubrics
GENITALIA, Sexual passion increased, and GENITALIA, Sexual passion excessive, on
page K711. For these people, sex becomes their medication, their escape from the
worries or problems that complicate their lives. They use sex as a way to relax - to combat
their tensions and fears - or to hide from the uncomfortable feelings they carry inside
themselves.
Once Hyoscyamus individuals become involved in a sexual encounter, certain patterns
of behavior arise. Hyoscyamus people find it almost impossible to engage in sexual
activity without the addition of vivid sexual fantasies. They dwell on memories of past
"unique experiences," in order to heighten or prolong the orgiastic element of sexual
intercourse. For these individuals, the sensation of orgasm is perceived as love.
After sexual intercourse, Hyoscyamus individuals often want to distance themselves
from their partners. The feelings of guilt, remorse, or shame flood back into their
awareness, and they feel the need to hide. Hyoscyamus is listed in italics in the rubric
MIND, Remorse, on page K71. This withdrawal prevents the development of intimacy and
protects them from exposure or vulnerability; Hyoscyamus is included in the small rubric
MIND, Hide, desire to, on page K51.
Because true intimacy is frightening and intimidating to Hyoscyamus individuals, their
relationships tend to be brief and shallow. They have many affairs or one-night stands.
They enjoy spending time driving around and looking at women (or men). They experience
a great deal of tension, mood swings, or compulsions around sexual issues.
Hyoscyamus individuals can masturbate excessively, even when they have a sexual
partner with whom they have frequent intercourse; Hyoscyamus is listed in the rubric
GENITALIA, Masturbation, disposition, on page K701. They can exhibit compulsive
masturbation - a compulsion to masturbate in unusual places or at peculiar times. Their
masturbatory habits can overflow into inappropriate behavior, creating embarrassing
situations that interfere with their lives. Their behavior becomes increasingly improper; this
is reflected by the inclusion of Hyoscyamus in the rubric MIND, Lewd, where it appears in
italics, on page K62. As their sexual activity becomes more compulsive, their productivity,
effectiveness, creativity, and ability to concentrate decreases.
Hyoscyamus individuals are drawn to commercialized sexuality. They can frequent
pornographic book stores and enjoy sexual magazines or videos and sexual performances
on stage or in movies. They can be involved with different forms of prostitution, including
escort services, sexual massage parlors, and sex for hire. They can be obsessed with
sexual paraphernalia. Hyoscyamus individuals of the hypersexual type have a history of
sexual promiscuity. They want to seek out greater and greater sexual thrills; thus they
become involved with activities such as group sex, sexual triangles, swinging or partner
swapping, and other forms of sexual experimentation.
Hyoscyamus people can also express their hypersexuality through obscene gestures,
obscene language, and dirty jokes. They are capable of making obscene anonymous
phone calls, sending suggestive letters, and verbally or physically harassing colleagues in
the workplace. They take advantage of others with sneaky touching and by using
inappropriate language; Hyoscyamus is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Shameless,
on page K78.
Voyeurism is another characteristic of Hyoscyamus sexual expression. These people
can enjoy peep shows, hiding and watching others in the act of sexual intercourse, or
interrupting people who are naked or engaged in sex acts. This form of sexual expression
leaves the Hyoscyamus person in full control while the objects of their voyeurism become
vulnerable. Indeed, desire for control over other people is a large part of their motivation for
sexual activity.
There can be a malevolent aspect to the sexuality of Hyoscyamus. They are capable of
committing sexual abuse, such as incest and rape. They can become pedophiles,
preferring to have sex with children who they can completely dominate. They are attracted
to a wide range of inappropriate partners, including family members, adolescents, and
prostitutes who are minors. If their partner is smaller and weaker than they are, they are
assured of compliance; they will always be "the winner." Their motivation for sex is often to
gain power over another, to control and assert their dominance. In this way, they can
maintain the illusion of superiority.
The sexual expression of Hyoscyamus individuals is infused with secrecy, dishonesty,
and shame. As children, many were exposed to sex at an early and inappropriate age; by
witnessing sexual acts, as the victims of incest or rape, or through ritualization of violent
and sexual expression. Their abusive caretakers might have given them messages such
as: "if you tell, I will kill you" or "if you love me, you will let me do this." As children, they
had no power to alter events and no way of protecting themselves. When these children
become adults, they are powerless against their own violent instincts. Anger and violence
has been deeply implanted into their psyches, and it seeks expression through sexual
dominance and the perpetration of behaviors or crimes that are very similar to what was
perpetrated upon them.

The Hyoscyamus Child

Hyoscyamus children have deep-seated effects from long-term emotional abuse. Their
experience of life is filled with rejection, isolation, and neglect. They did not receive
emotional stimulation or validation, and their intellectual interests were ignored or derided.
There is often a history of physical or sexual abuse. Many aspects of their personality
developed in response to abuse and neglect and serve as a protective wall that surrounds
the organism even in early childhood.
 The Child

Physical Characteristics
<> Hyoscyamus children can exhibit enuresis.
BLADDER, Urination, involuntary, night, page K659
<> They can exhibit nervous twitching of the facial muscles.
There might also be excessive blinking of the eyes.
FACE, Twitching, (2) page K395
<> The children can chew or pick at their cuticles. They might pick at any marks, such
as scabs, flea bites, or warts, that appear on their body. They can make nervous gestures,
playing with their fingers.
MIND, Gestures, plays with his fingers, (2) page K50
MIND, Gestures, makes involuntary motions with the hands, (2) page K50
<> The withheld emotions can result in symptoms on the physical plane. It is common
for Hyoscyamus children to have somatized complaints, such as frequent stomachaches or
headaches.

Emotional Characteristics
Like Hyoscyamus adults, these children tend to be competitive and jealous. They have
a boastful demeanor that seems to say,
I'm better than you." They love to compete, because in competition they can assert
their feelings of superiority.
Hyoscyamus children tend to be very loquacious. They frequently interrupt
conversations and have difficulty waiting for their turn to speak out in the classroom. They
react poorly to discipline; if they are asked to behave in a certain way, they will often do the
opposite of the request. They act impulsively, without sensitivity to the effects of their
behavior on other people. They prefer to dominate in all social settings. They can be
charming and seductive as a method of manipulation. Typically, they cannot accept peer
pressure and are thus not well-liked by other children.
Hyoscyamus children are very energetic. Their energy and high activity level can be
exhausting for their caregivers. They are often accident-prone, bumping into things, falling
down, and frequently injuring themselves. Like their adult counterparts, Hyoscyamus
children have self-destructive tendencies. They cannot take care of themselves, because
they lack the experience of having been taken care of by their parents.
Regressive behavior is frequently encountered in Hyoscyamus children. When under
stress, they can return to the habits of a much younger age. They can demand to sleep
with a teddy bear, carry a special blanket, and return to an earlier state of fear of being
alone. They might also suck their thumb, bite their nails, or whine and cry excessively.
Hyoscyamus children can have difficulty sleeping. They cry often, mostly at night, and
can cry in their sleep. They do poorly when sleeping away from home, since they become
very homesick at night and will have a strong desire to return home and be with their
mother. These children can be very attached to their mother, and can be very demanding
and needy.
MIND, Weeping, sleep in (2), page K94
Low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness are characteristics of Hyoscyamus
children. Because of this, they are extremely envious of other children; they want what
other children have and become upset if they do not get what they want. Many will
become involved in fights on the playground, and they will place the blame on the other
child. Their experiences in school further verify their view of the world as an unfair and
unjust place. Hyoscyamus children feel attacked both when they are at home and when
they venture out into the world.
Hyoscyamus children often develop a rich fantasy existence. Retreating into fantasy is
part of their flight from the frightening and unjust elements in their lives. Their desires to
harm other people can be safely played out in their fantasies. For example, a Hyoscyamus
child can imagine that he is a cook or restaurant owner; he will build a fantasy that he is
making poisonous cakes to feed to the people that come to his restaurant. The elements
of dissociation from conscience and flattened emotional reactivity can be observed even in
small children.
Hyoscyamus children can be destructive and they can develop inappropriate behaviors
such as taking off their clothing in public. Some might have a habit of laughing
inappropriately. They laugh and then start to whine or they laugh in their sleep. They can
laugh so uncontrollably that it becomes spasmodic.
MIND, Laughing, alternating with whining and moaning, page K61
MIND, Laughing, silly (3), page K62
MIND, Laughing, sleep during (2) page K62
MIND, Laughing, spasmodic, page K62
Hyoscyamus children have a very early awareness of their sexuality. They can begin to
show seductive behaviors as toddlers. The children are savvy about sexual language, and
they often know many swear words and slang expressions for the sexual organs. They
can engage in sexual fantasies or produce drawings or make up stories about sexual
topics. Hyoscyamus children can masturbate excessively, to the point of causing
soreness, redness, and excoriation of their genitalia.
Physical contact can draw a variety of responses from Hyoscyamus children. They
have great sensitivity, fear, and apprehension about physical contact with other people;
they can only accept physical affection on their own terms. They might stiffen when
touched or resist being hugged. Hyoscyamus children can withdraw from physical contact,
yet they might have a strong desire for sexual contact. This dichotomy is typical in children
who have suffered sexual abuse: They fear physical contact but gain control of the
interaction by becoming sexually manipulative. This is a defense mechanism that develops
after they have been violated or forced to have physical contact against their will.
The anger of Hyoscyamus children is immense, and it can be expressed in various
ways. Hyoscyamus children often express feelings of absolute hatred toward friends or
family members. They have the desire to strike out and can suddenly and intentionally bite
or kick; they are very aggressive, even with children who are smaller and younger than
they are. Eventually, their aggressive behavior will cause other children to reject them.
They will be shunned and ostracized by their peers, which reinforces their feelings of
inadequacy and worthlessness. Over time, their behavior becomes even more antisocial.
They become skillful at coercion, disobedience, and rebellion. They are resistant to
discipline, and their attitude and behavior cause their teachers and peers to distance from
them. Because they are troublesome and perform poorly at school, their parents can also
distance from them.

The Adolescent
Adolescence is typically a time of difficult transition from childhood to the increased
responsibilities of young adulthood. There are many sources of stress during adolescence,
including pressure to succeed at school, pressure to conform to the standards of a peer
group, and the physical and emotional problems that arise from rapid growth and surging
hormones. The Hyoscyamus teenager is ill-prepared to cope with the additional stresses
of adolescence: These children often enter this difficult period with a history of disciplinary
problems, ostracism by peers, and an extremely low sense of self-worth. Many of the
symptoms observed in these young people are the result of their childhood wounds.
Because of their history of abuse and the resulting low self-esteem, Hyoscyamus
teenagers can be self-destructive and self-abusive, exhibiting behavior such as cutting
themselves, burning themselves with matches, and other forms of scarification. Their
bodies can be covered with scabs and scars, and they can have a habit of picking at
themselves until they bleed. Hyoscyamus adolescents can have an unusually high
tolerance for pain. Interestingly, they can complain loudly about a small injury, like a sliver
in their finger, yet they can have a broken arm and say nothing - denying any feelings of
discomfort. They simply do not feel the pain. This is a symptom complex that is often
observed in association with childhood abuse: children learn to dissociate and numb out to
avoid the pain of beatings or sexual assault. As a result, Hyoscyamus teenagers have
made the unconscious decision not to allow themselves to feel pain, because feeling pain
is the equivalent of being helpless and vulnerable.
Hyoscyamus teenagers see themselves as invincible. They have no fear of heights or
dangerous situations; they are actually attracted to dangerous activities, such as jumping
off a high building suspended by a bungee cord. Engaging in daredevil activities furthers
their feeling of invulnerability and physical superiority. They accept any challenge, reveling
in the accomplishment of activities that are perilous and unsafe. Because they do not
believe that they will feel pain, these children are more likely to hurt themselves; they are
incautious and can be accident-prone. Sometimes the resultant injury is intentional, and
sometimes it happens because of their belief that they are invulnerable to pain.
Hyoscyamus teenagers are filled with confusion and conflicting impulses. They might
desperately want to be accepted into a group of peers, but they are more often the object
of rejection. They develop certain personality traits to maneuver into a position of power
and to cover their feelings of inadequacy. One prominent characteristic is phoniness.
They are trying to find their identity but have no appropriate role models. They are
unsocialized and do not actually know how to respond to other human beings.
Attempts by Hyoscyamus teenagers to show emotion appear insincere and
manipulative. They base their interactions on what they feel will achieve the desired
response in other people. Police officers, social workers, therapists, and their parents can
all be sucked in by the attractive appearance and apparently friendly nature they perceive
in these teens during their first encounter. The highly manipulative Hyoscyamus
adolescent can create any outward appearance: bright, sweet, helpless, or sympathetic.
They attempt to fool and deceive - to convince people to accept the facade they present as
themselves. Their feelings of self-loathing are so intense that they could not consider
dropping the facade and just being themselves.
The expression of love becomes another form of manipulation for Hyoscyamus
teenagers. They might say I love you," if it serves their purpose, but they do not mean it.
They are very good at playing a part and can be charming and seductive enough to disarm
the people around them. It is almost impossible for them to relate in an honest way with
other human beings, however.
Like Hyoscyamus children and adults, these adolescents can exhibit hypersexuality.
They can have a large interest in masturbation and sex. They might have a preoccupation
with their genitalia, and they tend to have intercourse at an early age. Teenage pregnancy
is a problem that occurs frequently in people needing this remedy.
 Hyoscyamus teenagers are often isolated and lonely. They cannot maintain long-term
friendships. Their peers might be seduced into friendship for a while, but eventually they
see through the facade to the manipulation and cruelty in Hyoscyamus individuals, and this
causes them to abandon the friendship. Still, Hyoscyamus teenagers are capable of
keeping an active social schedule. They talk for hours on the phone and become jealous
when anyone else in their family uses the telephone.
The area of discipline becomes a battleground for Hyoscyamus adolescents. They
cannot tolerate the limits placed on them by society, and they seek to push these limits at
every opportunity. They are constantly testing and baiting, to see what reaction their
behavior will elicit. They can create a major disturbance when asked by parents or
teachers to comply with simple and reasonable requests: They are rebellious and
ungovernable. Eventually, they exhaust their parents and teachers, which leads to further
abandonment and rejection. While they outwardly resist all attempts at control, on the
inside, they are insecure and unsure of themselves.
Many forms of dishonesty arise from their desire for acceptance, coupled with their
manipulative tendencies and their mistrust of other people. Even as teenagers,
Hyoscyamus individuals can run a fairly sophisticated con game. They are master
manipulators who can appear to be cute, loving, helpless, harmless, or smart; they will
assume any mask that serves their purpose. They can cheat in competition or when
playing games, and they have no compunction about cheating on school work, or
examinations.
Hyoscyamus teenagers often lie. They lie to enhance their status, they lie to cover up
their dishonest actions, and they lie out of fear that they will get accused of or punished for
some offense. They can be habitual liars who will lie even when it is inconsequential and
unimportant. For example, they can lie to their parents about what they had for lunch or
the color of the socks they are wearing. They can also exaggerate in order to make
themselves appear superior. Power, status, and superiority are the chief concerns of these
children. They might say, My dad is the president of the company" or I went backstage
and hung out with the musicians at the concert." Hyoscyamus teenagers even lie when
they are caught red-handed; they might be caught with their hand in their mother's purse,
yet they will say, What purse?" They can be removed from a store by the security guard
for stealing a candy bar, and they will deny that the candy is in their hand. It is as though
the Hyoscyamus teenagers confuse the way they wish their life was with the way it actually
is.
Stealing, shoplifting, and hoarding of stolen goods are also behaviors seen in these
adolescents. The Hyoscyamus teenager has a chronic feeling of inner emptiness. Some
might try to fill the emptiness with food, which they steal and hoard; they might also steal
clothing and larger items, like automobiles. They steal to increase their status with their
peers. Hyoscyamus teenagers often lack self-discipline or the notion of restraint. They
steal out of a desire for immediate self-gratification.
As a means of expressing their anger and resentments, Hyoscyamus teenagers can
participate in acts of vandalism. They strike out and destroy other people's property from a
need to inflict pain.
They can exhibit great cruelty toward others; Hyoscyamus is an addition to the repertory
in the rubric MIND, Cruelty, on page K17. They can be very sneaky about their cruelty;
their cruel acts are always explained away as an accident, and because of their social
facade and convincing nature, the Hyoscyamus teenager is often the last to be suspected.
If they can place the blame on a younger sibling or another child, they will do so without
qualms and easily allow someone else to be punished in their stead. They are also
capable of inciting other children to do their destructive deeds. Household pets can often
be the target for the cruelty of the Hyoscyamus child or teenager.
Hyoscyamus adolescents can also have a preoccupation with blood, fire, and gore.
Like the remedy, Mancinella, Hyoscyamus is listed in the repertory in the rubric MIND,
Delusions, devils sees, on page K23. The rage they feel inside is so intense that it can
manifest itself as an allegiance and identification with symbols of evil. Their interest in the
iconography of evil can be expressed in their drawings. From an early age, these children
love to make images of horrible monsters, devils, or demons, dripping in blood or being
engulfed in flames. The pictures eloquently depict the rage they have locked inside
themselves. Deep inside their psyches, Hyoscyamus teenagers have the feeling that they
are bad and that the acts they commit are wrong. They can never admit this, but they do
have an unconscious recognition of their unbalanced behavior. Hyoscyamus teenagers are
locked in an ongoing battle between their internal world of impulsive and destructive rage,
and the people who represent normalcy and the forces of good" and right" in society.
The anger and mistrust of Hyoscyamus adolescents is reflected in their eyes; they
exhibit abnormalities in eye contact. Usually, the Hyoscyamus teenager will not look
someone directly in the eye; during the interview, Hyoscyamus teenagers will evade eye
contact. They often roll their eyes and move them all around in their sockets. The only time
they will make eye contact is when they are extremely angry or when they are attempting
to manipulate. An intense change can be observed in the eyes of Hyoscyamus individuals
when they are enraged; the eyes become slits and appear very dark. They have a wild
devilish appearance, and a look of intense hatred can be perceived in them.

SUMMARY
The wound of disappointed love is often the initiating etiology in the pathology of
Hyoscyamus. Hyoscyamus individuals find themselves in a family system that is
unpredictable, violent, or abusive rather than being a source of nurturance or a safe
environment. Because of this, these people experience grief and fear, but they protect
themselves by encapsulating their emotional vulnerability and producing a wall of anger,
manipulation, and deceit.
J. T. Kent relates some of the delusions of Hyoscyamus: Thinks he is in the wrong
place. Thinks he is not at home." For Hyoscyamus individuals, there is no experience of
home." These people were born into a hostile and uncaring environment, and they decide
to divorce themselves from their feelings in order to survive.
Hyoscyamus individuals did not develop trust or emotional bonds with their parents or
caregivers; they thus view other people with jealousy, suspicion, and mistrust. They
develop a superficial persona that is charming, seductive, and charismatic, to hide the
frightened, injured being within. The passive type of Hyoscyamus can be shy and
introverted, becoming reclusive and hiding themselves off from the world. The passive
type of Hyoscyamus usually has a fairly low libido and might not exhibit the charismatic or
competitive qualities that are characteristic of active Hyoscyamus individuals.
Hyoscyamus people have low self-esteem and feel insecure and inadequate, but they
project a mask of self-confidence and haughtiness. They will use any strategy within their
means to procure a position of security and the illusion of success, motivated by their
tremendous fear of failure. Hyoscyamus individuals lack ethics and scruples, and they will
use manipulation, exploitation, and deceit to attain their goals.
Hostility and anger are prominent features of Hyoscyamus pathology. Because of the
abuse that occurred in their childhoods, Hyoscyamus individuals are disappointed and
rageful. They can have the desire to strike out or kill anyone who appears to stand in their
way. Their violent anger can also turn inward, and they can become self-destructive and
self-mutilating. Their state of emotional repression can also cause pathology on the
physical plane and result in twitching, jerking, and involuntary muscle contractions.
As children, Hyoscyamus individuals felt unloved, insecure, and out of control. In an
attempt to gain love and security, these individuals turn to sexual expression. The children
become sexually aware at an early age and can practice auto-eroticism and masturbation.
Hyoscyamus individuals equate sexual union with love and acceptance, so they attempt to
fill their inner emptiness with one sexual encounter after another. They can become
engrossed in sexual fantasy and often require unusual forms of sexual expression, or
sexual paraphernalia, to heighten the experience of sex. In their pursuit of security, they
find solace in sexuality, since it is pleasurable, predictable, and within their control.
Hyoscyamus individuals can enter a state of deep depression and become dissociated
from reality. In this state, they block out all of their emotions and become emotionally flat
and unresponsive. They can also enter a delusional state, exhibit bi-polar disorders, or
fragment into multiple personalities.

RUBRICS

Rubrics of the wound of Hyoscyamus

Love, ailments from disappointed love
Grief
Fright, ailments from fright

Rubrics of the Wall of Hyoscyamus

Anguish
Want of Self-Confidence
Reproaches himself
Aversion to Company
Haughty
Loquacity
Slander
Misanthropy
Jealousy
Suspicion
Quarrelsome
Rude
Malicious
Contemptuous
Violent anger
Rage, fury
Lewd
Lascivious
Shameless
Desire to Strike
Desire to Kill
Destructiveness
Twitching
Gestures
 Shuns the Light
Hide, desire to
Delusions

Rubrics of the Mask of Hyoscyamus

Cheerful Timidity Haughty
Industrious Reserved

Differential Materia Medica of Hyoscyamus

Sulphur
Sulphur individuals might experience disappointed love in their relationship with their
mothers or fathers, but it does not create as deep a wound as in Hyoscyamus. Sulphur
individuals also have the fear of being seen or exposed by others, but their protective wall
is composed of intellectualization.
The narcissistic behavior of Sulphur is limited to the mental sphere; Sulphur individuals
are attracted to situations that promise high levels of intellectual stimulation. These people
have a good command of language, a large vocabulary, and they are often able to speak in
front of a group and maintain their intellectual dominance. They are willing to become the
viable leader of a group, and they thrive on intellectual debate. These are very different
from the desires of Hyoscyamus individuals, who are attracted to situations that have the
potential to enhance their superiority but use seduction and manipulation rather than
pedagogy or intellectual domination.
Sulphur individuals suffer from a degree of self-reproach, but it is less than that of
Hyoscyamus people. In Hyoscyamus, the sexual sphere is often a much larger component
of their personalities. They can also have physical symptoms, such as twitching, jerking,
and spasms, which are uncommon in Sulphur individuals. Sulphur individuals, on the other
hand, can have circulatory abnormalities causing their extremities to become too hot or too
cold; this is not seen in Hyoscyamus.

Platina
The wound of Platina consists of abandonment and insecurity. The wall that they build
around themselves is based on their attempt to secure material wealth and anything else
they desire as a substitute for the nurturing they lacked in childhood. Platina individuals
want to gratify their desires, and they will become greedy and selfish in order to ensure that
they get what they want. They do not exhibit the violence and deceit that is seen in
Hyoscyamus, however, and they do not lie and steal. Instead, Platina individuals make
plaintive demands. They expect to be given special treatment and have grandiose
fantasies of power, beauty, and success.
Both Hyoscyamus and Platina individuals can be seductive and charming. Hyoscyamus
people are charismatic, but they are generally coarser and less sophisticated than Platina
individuals.
Platina individuals are smooth, worldly, and able to convince other people of their
special status; they are unaware of their dissatisfaction and unhappiness and focus,
instead, on gathering many of the good things in life to buffer themselves from their inner
pain. They are completely self-preoccupied. Hyoscyamus individuals are more self-aware.
They know they are unhappy, but their repressed emotions are expressed either in violent
rage or, on the physical plane, in the form of twitches and spasms.
 Hyoscyamus individuals are often sexually active because they equate sexual union
with love and nurturance. They can commit sexual abuse, because their anger drives them
to repeat the crimes that were perpetrated on them in childhood. Platina individuals
become addicted to sex because they become dependent on activities that bring them
pleasure. Pleasurable experiences are used to block out the pain of their childhood. In
comparing the two remedies, Platina individuals act out their emotional discomfort by
behaving like spoiled children, whereas Hyoscyamus individuals behave like juvenile
delinquents.

Aurum Metallicum
Aurum Metallicum individuals, like those of Hyoscyamus, lacked nurturing in childhood.
Aurum Metallicum, however, creates a wall of perfectionism, self-reproach, and isolation.
These people can have a violent temper, like Hyoscyamus people, that tends to drive other
people away. They are very uncomfortable with intimacy and prefer to focus instead on
their work.
Aurum Metallicum individuals are driven, competitive, and perfectionistic at work. They
feel they must do everything perfectly and, if they fail to achieve their goals at work, they
reproach themselves. Hyoscyamus individuals, by contrast, are not driven; they prefer to
do the least amount of work possible to gain their desired goals of achieving status and
prestige. Many Hyoscyamus people would prefer to reap the rewards of hard work without
going through the actual process of doing the labor.
Aurum Metallicum individuals are very hard on themselves, but they are also extremely
sensitive to criticism from others; criticism is devastating for Aurum Metallicum individuals.
They cannot separate their egos from criticism of their job performance. Criticism is taken
as a personal affront, and it injures them deeply. Hyoscyamus individuals do not share this
degree of sensitivity to criticism.
The anger of Aurum Metallicum is often directed inward, and these people can become
deeply depressed. They direct their violent thoughts toward themselves instead of others,
and they can become self-destructive or suicidal.

Nux Vomica
Nux Vomica individuals are often raised in an environment of criticism and lack of
acceptance. The message they received from their parents was, You are not acceptable
as you are; you must strive to be better." Nux Vomica individuals have a wound of intense
fear that they cover with a wall of anger. The anger of Nux Vomica is, however, much
different than the anger of Hyoscyamus. Nux Vomica individuals have explosive bouts of
anger but, after they explode, they feel great relief, and their rage is quickly dispersed and
forgotten. Hyoscyamus individuals can explode in rage, but they do not experience a
release from their outburst and will remain angry in the aftermath of their rage.
Another wall of Nux Vomica is efficiency and fastidiousness. Nux Vomica people are
more orderly and have many more compulsive behaviors than Hyoscyamus individuals.
Nux Vomica people are also more judgmental and critical than Hyoscyamus individuals.
They are severe in their judgments and cannot stand to be opposed or proven wrong.
Nux Vomica individuals have a great need for control, because of the fear they
experienced as children. They internalize this need for control and thus have an
overdeveloped sense of conscience. Because of this, they will feel guilty if they do not
perform perfectly on the job. Nux Vomica individuals are fully identified with the fruits of
their labor; if they are not constantly productive, they will feel worthless. They believe that
their way of doing something is the only right way and that any imperfection or deviation
from their ideal must be rooted out, because it will ruin the entire project. They cannot
delegate responsibility, because this will relinquish their control over the outcome.
Hyoscyamus individuals often have an impaired sense of conscience and are not driven by
the need for productivity or perfection.
Nux Vomica individuals control their impulses and emotions. They are emotionally rigid
and cannot make compromises or deviate from their predetermined course. Anger and
irritability are their most prominent emotions, and these mask the fear that they hold inside.

Medorrhinum [Med]

GENERAL

Medorrhinum [Med]
Medorrhinum is a nosode prepared from the gonorrhea virus. Medorrhinum is a large
polychrest on the order of Sulphur and Calcarea Carbonica; however, it is greatly
underrepresented in Kent's repertory. As with the large polychrest, Medorrhinum has
many facets and is varied in its presentation.
Much has been written about the miasmatic nature of this remedy and the physical
symptoms associated with it. At the core of the remedy there is an extreme sensitivity. J.H.
Clarke has said, "Sensibility is exalted almost to clairvoyance." The idea of great sensitivity
forms the fiber from which the fabric of this remedy can be generated.
Medorrhinum people live in a world of emotion. They experience life vividly and
expansively. They are sensation-oriented, emotionally demonstrative, and physically
affectionate. They react to events on the emotional level rather than the intellectual level,
creating the potential for rapid mood shifts from the extremes of depression to hyperactive
exaltation. Medorrhinum individuals come from the heart. They have vivid imaginations,
tell wonderful stories, and are drawn to romance and drama. They have an intuitive sense
of beauty, flamboyance or joie de vivre, and sensuality that can be detected from afar. Yet
the exuberance of this outwardly flowing whirlwind of excitement is fueled by inner
sensitivity and emotional pain.

Etiology of Medorrhinum

The Wound
The most striking feature of the wound in Medorrhinum is the trauma of abandonment.
The Medorrhinum organism is born with an increased vulnerability to any form of
abandonment. Because of this, the breadth of the concept of abandonment is greatly
expanded; a wide spectrum of experience will be interpreted as abandonment by the
Medorrhinum individual. Medorrhinum individuals have great sensitivity to experiences of
abandonment and Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric MIND, Sensitive, oversensitive, in
italics, on page K78. Physical desertion, the most common form of abandonment, forms
the upper end of the spectrum; however, many subtle forms of abandonment will also
create a wound and set the stage for the development of Medorrhinum pathology. The
child will sense implied abandonment from parents who do not express physical affection
or who do not provide overt emotional support. Medorrhinum children, like all children,
require time, attention, direction, emotional reassurance, and love, but the atmosphere of
benign neglect, in which many children find themselves today is particularly damaging to
the Medorrhinum organism. When the emotional needs of these children are not met, they
will perceive this as abandonment. When people are abandoned, they are left alone;
whatever the inciting incident has been, children will experience loneliness, alienation, and
isolation. This is the wound or trauma of Medorrhinum.
The history of the Medorrhinum individual may contain a variety of experiences that can
activate the wound. The patient might report physical or emotional neglect, physical or
sexual abuse, or early exposure to pornography. The parents might have exhibited overt
anger or violent behavior. In addition, there is frequently an element of degradation,
belittling, criticism, or another form of injury to the child's self-esteem.
Other patterns can be identified in the early childhood of individuals who develop
Medorrhinum pathology. The emotional environment is often defined by a set of rules:
1. Don't talk about feelings or experiences or express emotions.
2. Don't make waves.
3. Don't cry.
4. Never lose.
The prohibition on expressing emotions creates a tendency for these children to remain
in their heads."
Medorrhinum is a miasmatic remedy. There is a center of gravity in the sexual sphere.
Furthermore, the clinical history of a large percentage of individuals who require
Medorrhinum contains some form of sexual abuse.
The case histories frequently include one or more of the following elements:
1. early exposure to pornography
2. exposure to inappropriate nudity
3. inappropriate physical contact with others which can include sexual stroking, petting,
or tickling
4. witnessing of, or involvement in, sexual affairs of the parents
5. an environment of extreme sexual repression.
In this last polarity there is an undue focus on sexuality; however, the sexuality is
perceived as negative, dirty, sinful, or evil.
There is an overload of sexual stimulus to the organism, and this is combined with an
inherent sensitivity in the sexual realm. This produces an imbalance that seeks release,
resulting in the need for an outlet. The Medorrhinum individual creates this outlet by
producing a discharge of any type. The discharge can come from any orifice: the vagina,
the penis, the nose, the ear, etc. The discharges frequently have a fishy odor.
In summary, the wound of Medorrhinum is characterized by abandonment, and the
discharges so typical of the remedy picture represent the weeping of the wound. In most
cases, however, knowledge of the inciting cause or early trauma does not point to a
specific remedy. Recognition of the remedy picture often depends on detection of the wall,
the particular type of defense that the organism produces to protect the wound.

The Wall
The Medorrhinum individual will exhibit a specific type of behavior pattern that acts as a
wall, protecting the traumatized being within. There are two notable characteristics of this
behavior: Enmeshment and isolation. The individual may either remain primarily in one of
these two modes of behavior or else vacillate between them.
 Enmeshment, for Medorrhinum people, is a state in which they merge and attempt to
become one with another person in a relationship. This can occur between partners,
lovers, friends, or between parent and child. Initially, this intertwining feels close and warm,
but eventually the warmth becomes sticky and rigid. The Medorrhinum individual becomes
obsessed with the subject of the enmeshment, and the closeness begins to smother and
imprison the other person in the relationship. Envision the Medorrhinum enmeshment as
two grasping hands with interlocking fingers. There is a sensation of closeness and
warmth, yet there is also a blurring of boundaries, so that it is difficult to differentiate which
finger belongs to which hand, or where the edge of one part ends and the other begins. It
will eventually feel limiting to maintain that tight a grasp. If the hands are locked in that
fashion, it is impossible to handle, hold, release, gesture, or use the hands to take care of
oneself. There is an absence of expression and freedom. As a result, Medorrhinum
people will be driven to the other extreme of behavior: to separate, push people away and
enter a state of isolation. The physical counterpart to this emotional state is reflected in the
rubric MIND, Touched, aversion to being, on page K89.
Parallel to isolation and enmeshment, one major key to the understanding of
Medorrhinum lies in the recognition that there are two dominant poles to the personality of
individuals requiring this remedy. These can be characterized by the passive type, also
referred to as soft, and the active, extroverted, or hard type. This polarity can be observed
in every aspect of existence (self-identity, occupation, social interaction, and emotional
expression) and it is the thread that runs through the remedy picture of Medorrhinum. Any
individual patient, however, is significantly more complex, so it would be unusual to find
people who are exclusively passive or active. A given individual can be primarily of one
type, a mixture of both, or may alternate between active, outward expression and inward
passivity.

Emotional Characteristics of the Wall

The extroverted Medorrhinum people are highly social beings, most content when
surrounded by other people. They are the life of any party, happiest when the atmosphere
is intense and all eyes are focused on them. The central focus of their lives is to win
friends and influence people. In this pursuit, they arouse others, energize them, then
charm and seduce them until, finally, the objects of their attention open their hearts. Their
great sensitivity, coupled with their genuine fondness for people, gives them the ability to
make other people comfortable, perceiving and providing whatever will please them.
Medorrhinum individuals are blessed with a certain type of clairvoyance and intuition,
giving them insight into the emotions of others. So finely tuned are their faculties that they
can read the feelings of other people from gestures, expressions, tones of voice, and body
language. Their strong sensitivity is enticing and impassioned. In the presence of a
Medorrhinum person, the world appears enhanced, exciting, and vivid. They weave a spell
around all who enter their realm.
The passive form of Medorrhinum results in an individual who expresses the unique
sensitivity of this remedy in a soft" or internalized mode.
Medorrhinum is listed as Oversensitive in the Synthetic repertory, page SI 898. The
passive type feels very comfortable when their world is small, populated by a few people
with whom they have grown comfortable. They have great difficulty communicating directly
and tend to say what they believe others want to hear. They prefer the known to the
unknown. They are comfortable traveling short distances but do not travel abroad easily.
They operate best when there is routine to their lives. These sensitive individuals care
deeply about what others think of them; however, they are withdrawn and do not generally
disclose their emotions or express their own needs.
Regardless of the mode of expression, Medorrhinum individuals will eventually require
periods of separation, to provide relief from the excessive constraint of an enmeshed
relationship or the intensity of their social interactions. In this phase, the focus is on their
own needs. They can eat what they please, smoke, drink, sleep as long as they please,
and work and play without considering the needs of any other person. Over time, this
behavior tends to become exorbitant and is then characterized by excessive eating,
drinking, smoking, or using drugs. Medorrhinum individuals can spend hours in front of the
television, at the movies, or reading. For a while, this intense self-focus dulls the pain
inside, but eventually the sensations of emptiness and isolation return, propelling the
Medorrhinum again into an enmeshed relationship, either struggling with or becoming
obsessed about the old relationship or else becoming ensconced in a new one. Some
Medorrhinum individuals remain primarily in the enmeshed state, others remain isolated,
and a third type will spend their lives vacillating between the two extremes.
In isolation, the passive type of Medorrhinum individual can look very much like Natrum
Muriaticum. The Medorrhinum can be reclusive, preferring to live alone, play alone, and do
things alone, but the isolation is different from that of Natrum Muriaticum. In Natrum
Muriaticum the wall is caused by grief; thus, individuals needing this remedy create a
barrier to human contact as a protection to prevent them from getting hurt again. This can
manifest itself, for example, in a long-distance relationship. Medorrhinum individuals, on
the other hand, need contact and, unlike Natrum Muriaticum, the Medorrhinum usually
does not hold a grudge.
The expression of anger is particularly difficult for the passive Medorrhinum.
Resentments fester inside and can eventually result in a state of apathy resembling
Phosphoric Acid. Medorrhinum people can exhibit a flat affect while inside their stomach is
churning. The outward appearance suggests passivity, coupled with a passive/aggressive
form of anger. These people don't get angry; they get even and they withdraw.
Medorrhinum is represented in the rubric Morose, on page SI 765. They shut down
emotionally in order to punish those closest to them. There is then a fear of intimacy,
because it is experienced as a loss of sense of self. This is, indeed, another aspect of
enmeshment.
The active Medorrhinum individual expresses anger in an open, uninhibited manner. If
something needs to be said, these people will have no problem speaking out. The anger
will often be expressed in the form of biting sarcasm. Their expression of anger is
indicative of the active aggression that characterizes this pole of the remedy.
The role of "helper" is frequently assumed by the passive type of Medorrhinum. These
individuals are comfortable offering assistance but cannot ask for help for themselves.
They prefer to be the listener, the one who gives out the advice. Many people come to
them for support, but they do not seek reciprocal support from others. In this role, the
Medorrhinum individual retains control and avoids vulnerability, very much like Natrum
Muriaticum. Another method of maintaining distance is to assume the role of "critic".
Medorrhinum individuals use a judgmental and negative tone. They use criticism and
blame to deny their feelings of vulnerability. They may frequently whine and complain. As
a result, people generally have a negative reaction to their initial contact with Medorrhinum
individuals, feeling repulsed by them. This reaction changes, as the sensitivity,
effervescence, and inner beauty of the Medorrhinum is perceived. Eventually, the
Medorrhinum will be well-liked and may even have a charismatic attractiveness.
The passive type of Medorrhinum has no real sense of humor. They lack the ability to
laugh at themselves. They interpret everything as a put-down. The body often assumes a
burdened countenance; the muscles are held tightly as if weighted down. These people
cannot be spontaneous or laugh with others. This is in contrast to the active type of
Medorrhinum who have an excessive reliance on humor. These people live by wit and
humor in their daily lives. These Medorrhinum people are lively and fun and much sought
after as friends, and they often command a large social circle. They may be loquacious
and they move a lot when they talk. They are very spontaneous, act on impulse, and take
advantage of the moment. Since the evening and night are generally times of amelioration
for Medorrhinum individuals, Medorrhinum is included in the rubrics MIND, Cheerful, in the
evening, on page K11 and MIND, Exhilaration at night, on page K41, in which
Medorrhinum is the only remedy and is listed in italics. In this case, humor can be used as
a cover-up, a mask, a device to avoid pain.
For the passive Medorrhinum individual, genuine emotional response is replaced by
sentimentality. The passive Medorrhinum might cry when a loved one leaves for the
weekend but will find it difficult to be tender, caring, or supportive throughout the week.
They can talk longingly about the things they care about but are not actually responsive in
an intimate setting. They can be self-centered, and the remedy is found in the rubric
MIND, Selfishness, on page K78. The passive Medorrhinum does not speak in the
language of feelings, and can only convey feelings in the form of a thought or observation.
Since they are out of touch with their feelings (especially those of sadness), Medorrhinum
adults do not realize when they are depressed. During the interview, they will
intellectualize and rationalize to explain their emotional predicament.
The extroverted type of Medorrhinum displays emotions freely and openly. Every feeling
is exposed; there is no "stiff upper lip." These are good-natured, generous people, and
they react powerfully and immediately to interpersonal events. Because of their emotional
reactivity, their feelings can change very quickly from joy to fury and then to misery and
despair. They live at the extreme poles in their emotional lives, swinging from depression
at one end of the spectrum to extreme hyperactivity at the other. This idea is contained in
the rubric, MIND, Mood, alternating, on page K67. After an explosion of anger,
Medorrhinum individuals will often feel regretful and apologetic. Medorrhinum is listed in
italics in the rubric MIND, Remorse on page K71. Whatever the mood, the extroverted
Medorrhinum tends to express emotion outwardly. This type of individual enjoys drama
and is easily moved, because of the strong emotional sensitivity characteristic of the
remedy. The stormy emotional atmosphere created by the Medorrhinum personality can
be quite a strain for an intimate partner. If there are problems within the relationship, the
Medorrhinum will take this very personally, interpreting any criticism as a direct blow and
an injury to self-esteem. Overall, Medorrhinum individuals are not in touch with their true
feelings and use many devices to distract themselves from their feelings.
For the passive Medorrhinum, the urge to connect with others is controlled by the
mechanism of overindulging themselves. Self-indulgence in food, drugs, and/or material
possessions is a form of protection from contact and intimacy. The passive Medorrhinum
creates a carefully constructed external image that they must uphold and maintain. This
unyielding conformity causes a loss of true identity. They are rigid, and out of this rigidity
comes a fear of change.
In contrast with the active type of Medorrhinum, individuals of the passive type have
undue social discomfort. Many of them must have a glass of wine or other form of
medication to feel comfortable at a social gathering. Social situations can produce extreme
anxiety for these people, which is another attribute of this remedy that is similar to Natrum
Muriaticum. Medorrhinum individuals can regain power in what is for them an
uncomfortable setting, by using alcohol as an anesthetic and choosing to socialize chiefly
with people that they feel they can easily control. Once their inhibitions are lowered,
Medorrhinum people will use charm and a seductive form of interaction to control people
further and manipulate them in social interactions.
Both the active and passive types of Medorrhinum exhibit fear of intimacy. The
closeness and vulnerability inherent in relationships poses the potential threat of
abandonment. These individuals are so sensitive to the sensation of abandonment that
they will feel abandoned in many situations in which abandonment is not really present.
The passive type will, most often, choose to withdraw; over time, there will be an
overwhelming sensation of loneliness and emptiness. Without real contact in relationships,
the internal pain erupts to the surface, becoming intolerable. This causes the Medorrhinum
to seek immediate medication, often in the form of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or drugs.
These substances dull the terrible emotional discomfort and the Medorrhinum thus
becomes addicted.
Other forms of addiction common to the remedy include gambling, exercising, reading,
sex, and sports (either by attending games or watching television). The active type of
Medorrhinum will engage in another form of addiction, the addiction to rage. When
Medorrhinum individuals feel rage, they feel powerful. This erases their feelings of
inadequacy. As long as they can get away with it, rage remains the drug of choice.
Both the active and passive types of Medorrhinum will tend toward self-neglect. As
stated earlier, the Medorrhinum will frequently choose a helping profession, such as
psychotherapy, nursing, medicine or social work. While plying their trade, they can remain
in control and in denial. It is characteristic of this remedy that they take care of others but
neglect their own needs.
Again, this remedy can exhibit a polarity in which the opposite can also be true.
Medorrhinum individuals can have complete self-focus with a strong concern about
anything that affects their health or well-being. This is represented by the rubric MIND,
Anxiety about health, on page K7, in which Medorrhinum is an addition in bold type.
Medorrhinum individuals, too, can be quite hypochondriacal. They can constantly worry
about cancer or other illnesses. These people will engage in fad diets, cleanses, colonic
irrigation, and overuse of vitamins. The feelings that are being suppressed often find
expression as physical pain: The illness is not real, but the pain is real.
This anxiety about health can create difficulties for the homeopath in long-term case
management of this remedy. A patient might report that she is sure she is worse and
knows that she is not going to live. She cannot see any improvement in her health, even if
it is brought to her attention. The Medorrhinum individual is impatient in therapy and wants
to get well immediately. Medorrhinum is listed in the second degree in the rubric, MIND,
Impatience, on page K53. As with the desire to indulge themselves with food and drugs,
Medorrhinum people are incapable of delaying the gratification of their needs. They expect
treatment to make them feel good now. Medorrhinum is listed in bold type in the rubric,
Mind, Hurry, page K52.
Medorrhinum individuals can exhibit a great deal of anticipatory anxiety. This is reflected
in the rubrics, MIND, Anticipation, complaints from anticipation, on page K4, and MIND,
Anxiety, anticipating an engagement, page K5. Situations such as going to a job interview,
taking an exam, or performing under pressure are particularly difficult for people needing
this remedy. One Medorrhinum patient, who had come for treatment, paced in continual
agitation through the waiting room before the interview. In Medorrhinum, anxiety and
restlessness go hand in hand. In addition, a strong fear of death results in anticipation of
death, as seen in the rubric MIND, Death, presentiment of, on page K17, in which
Medorrhinum is listed as second degree.
Medorrhinum is a remedy with many fears. Because of their early history, these people
do not have a feeling of emotional safety in their lives, and this underlying insecurity is
expressed as worry, anxiety, obsession, and phobias. There is a fear of the dark,
expressed in the rubric, Mind, fear dark, in which Medorrhinum is listed in italics on page
K43. There are other frequently encountered fears: fear of ghosts and monsters, fear of
spiders, fear of thunderstorms, claustrophobia, fear of contagion, fear of insanity, fear of
being alone, fear of death, the fear that someone is behind him, and finally the MIND, Fear,
of something creeping out of every corner, on page K43. These fears, taken together,
describe a perception of the world as a dangerous place rife with unseen threats. The
Medorrhinum's reaction to all this is to be constantly on guard, which is another aspect of
the wall.
The active type of Medorrhinum may appear fearless, seeking out experiences that
frighten and thrill. This flavor is captured in the rubric, Mind, Wildness, on page K95.
Despite the outward appearance of bravado, the underlying fear is expressed in the
restless legs of Medorrhinum: They are fleeing.
The active Medorrhinum is outward and other-directed. These intense social beings
tend to define themselves from the outside in and are particularly aware of how others see
them. For this reason, the image they project is extremely important to them.
Medorrhinum individuals love to be noticed. They wear shorts in the winter for their eye-
catching appeal, not just because they are feeling warm. They wear very bright colors,
unusual styles, and dress with a decided flair. They tend to wear clothes that conform to
the latest fads and fashion of the social group with which they identify, and their eyes are
always trained outward toward the reactions of others. They love perfume and usually
smell wonderful. Preparing to go out involves an exacting process of dressing and
redressing. Even the children might try on several outfits before venturing out to school.
Great attention is lavished on the appearance; every hair must be in place. Being the
center of attention and being complimented nourishes the Medorrhinum like food nourishes
others. This type of acceptance is needed to balance the inner feelings of insecurity and
fear of abandonment.
Medorrhinum individuals will frequently have a distorted body image. They experience
dissatisfaction with their appearance and the shape and size of their bodies. They are
driven to invest in expensive treatments, resort pampering, and unnecessary cosmetic
surgery. They are propelled to buy lots of clothes and jewelry, use many cosmetics, visit
tanning salons, and frequent beauty salons where they continually change hair styles and
color. They desperately seek the "quick fix" of changing their external appearance to gain
acceptance from others and relief from their inner turmoil.
The area of self-confidence provides another contrast between the passive and active
types of Medorrhinum. The soft or passive types distrust their basic instincts and feel
doubtful about their perceptions, feelings, and thoughts. These individuals will place their
faith in the ideas of others, which gives them a quality of gullibility. Medorrhinum
individuals lack a calm, consistent, and centered sense of themselves. They require
feedback and reassurance from others in order to maintain their self-confidence. They
need to hear that the meal they just cooked tastes good, that their artistic side is well-
developed, that they are attractive, and especially that they are loved. In this way, the
Medorrhinum is quite similar to Pulsatilla.
The active type, however, can exhibit qualities of the opposite extreme, and appear
overconfident. Their instincts are finely tuned, almost to an animalistic degree. They
intuitively sense many things about the people with whom they come in contact. Active
Medorrhinum individuals have learned to trust their basic instincts, acting on them readily,
rarely doubting themselves or their feelings. Individuals of this type often project an animal
magnetism or charismatic quality, and they also rely heavily on seduction or charm. This
overconfidence results in the inclusion of Medorrhinum in the rubric, MIND, Egotism, on
page K39.
Although the active type of Medorrhinum appear extremely self-confident, they can be
simultaneously defensive. This is a form of self-protection that serves to push people away.
It is difficult for the Medorrhinum to accept criticism, evaluation, or feedback. They are
extremely sensitive to reprimand. It is too painful and thus almost impossible for the
Medorrhinum individual to admit to a mistake. Criticism resonates with the early wounds,
and the Medorrhinum individual perceives criticism as abandonment. In the face of
confrontation, passive Medorrhinum people will refuse to defend themselves.
As an extension of this defensive posture, the Medorrhinum can become quite defiant
toward authority. It is difficult for the outward type to accept direction, so they break rules
for the sake of breaking the rules. They have no respect for tradition and wish to break out
of the mold. They act on impulse; any form of regulation impinges on their need for
freedom of expression.
It is very difficult for the Medorrhinum person to place their trust in other people. These
people find it impossible to form a therapeutic relationship or turn themselves over to the
care of another person. Their tendency is to be suspicious and cynical. Often there is the
belief that everyone else has an ulterior motive for their actions, and thus actions and
words cannot be taken at face value but must be viewed from a position of mistrust.
Passive Medorrhinum individuals do not want to appear cynical or jaded, though, so they
will mask this distrust by acting naive.
Although they feel mistrustful of others, Medorrhinum individuals can be very
manipulative. Their actions can be covert, thus seeking to accomplish interpersonal goals
in an indirect manner. Medorrhinum individuals have difficulty setting clear boundaries with
other people. They will seldom recognize or respect the boundaries of those around them.
Medorrhinum individuals can exhibit a type of loquacity. They talk excessively, and they
sometimes gesture or move around a lot when they talk. They are prone to gossip and will
violate themselves by divulging personal information in an inappropriate setting.
Medorrhinum individuals can exhibit a particular form of fastidiousness. Although
objects in their material world might not appear to be organized, they are often specifically
arranged in a fashion that only the Medorrhinum can decipher. Movement or
reorganization of these objects can produce anger or anxiety in the Medorrhinum
individual. For example, the furniture in the room must remain in a specific placement;
things thrown in an apparently haphazard manner inside an automobile assume a great
importance and cannot be moved or thrown away. Medorrhinum individuals may also be
fastidious in their personal hygiene. Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric Washing hands, on
page S1 1062.
Poor time management is a frequently encountered problem for Medorrhinum
individuals. They are always in a hurry and may exhibit an extreme anxiety about time.
This is reflected in the rubrics, Mind, Hurry, on page K52, in which Medorrhinum is listed in
bold type, and in Mind, Anxiety, if a time is set, page K8. These people have difficulty
creating or adhering to a schedule. This results in stress throughout the day.
Medorrhinum individuals will habitually lose track of time; it is difficult for them to arrive on
schedule. They characteristically arrive in the nick of time or are chronically late for
appointments. There is an underlying fear that the responsibilities of life will completely
overwhelm them; this results in a tendency to procrastinate.
 Medorrhinum people suffer from an inability to complete a task. They become addicted
to beginnings and relish the initial excitement. However, once the project is under way,
their interest wanes and they have difficulty sustaining interest. This pattern is repeated in
job performance, in hobbies, with taking care of pets, and in their relationships. In the
Synthetic Repertory, Medorrhinum is the only remedy listed in the rubric MIND, Aversion to
Responsibility, on page S1 834.
The Medorrhinum tends to exhibit impatience and/or anxiety when organizing, planning,
and dealing with detail, routine, and finances. This is, again, reflected in the rubric, MIND,
Impatience, on page K53, in which Medorrhinum is listed in italics. If Medorrhinum people
read the newspaper, they tend to skim the headlines, skip the politics, and concentrate on
the human-interest stories, crime investigations, or the entertainment and sports sections.
The passionate and pleasure-loving Medorrhinum has a very low frustration level. They
tend to be spontaneous, impulsive, and impatient. They want immediate gratification.
They will say, Please let me open my present now; I can't bear to wait until my birthday."
In their normal state, Medorrhinum individuals will have difficulty being restrained and
will find it almost impossible to hold anything back. They cannot refrain from expressing
anger, from acting on sexual attraction, or from going for the third plateful at Sunday
brunch. To feel fully alive, they create an all-or-nothing existence. All previous pledges or
goals are forgotten as they turn to gratification of the desire of the moment. Getting more of
whatever feels good is the Medorrhinum solution to life. Because they cannot just say "no,"
Medorrhinum people will try to cram as many experiences as possible into their day. They
must do everything fast - eat, talk, work - so that they can quickly move on to the next
event. There is a strong oral focus to this remedy. Talking, eating, drinking, smoking,
laughing, wisecracking, gossiping, and oral sex are typical forms of expression, and
Medorrhinum individuals prefer to perform many of these activities at the same time, if it is
possible. Medorrhinum individuals love to spend money. They will often indulge
themselves, running up large debts with their credit cards. The focus on excitement and
intensity of sensual experience eliminates boredom and deflects their inner feelings of
vulnerability. As the pathology deepens, the temptation to act on impulse becomes harder
to resist. Self-control, in general - eating, spending money, keeping secrets, suppressing a
hot temper - will prove very difficult for Medorrhinum individuals. They want immediate
gratification. A bit of self-indulgence will lift their spirits immensely and transport them into
a cloud of apparent emotional and functional safety.
Restlessness is a prominent characteristic of Medorrhinum, and it is listed in italics in
the rubric MIND, Restlessness, on page K73. These people cannot sit still; the leg is in
constant motion while sitting or when in bed. They must have something to do at all times,
even while on vacation. The only good thing about being in a cabin by the sea is that the
ocean is there, as reflected in the rubric, Generalities, Air, seashore ameliorates, on page
K1344, in which Medorrhinum one of a few remedies. Conversely, some Medorrhinum
individuals become worse at the coast, as reflected in the rubric Aggravated at the
Seashore, page SII 30. Characteristically, Medorrhinum people cannot stand silence. They
will often have the stereo or the television on (or both) while they talk on the telephone.
Medorrhinum people can have great difficulty making decisions and can be irresolute.
In this respect, Medorrhinum can resemble Baryta Carbonica. Every decision is made with
great trepidation, and there is a tendency to waver, reconsider, or second-guess the final
choice. Unlike Baryta Carbonica, Medorrhinum individuals will, eventually, make the
decision. These people fear the consequences of their decisions, focusing on what they
decided against rather than what they have chosen. For example, a child of nine was
allowed to choose a drink from a large deli case. He spent fifteen minutes agonizing over
the decision; finally, unable to make a choice, he decided to have no drink at all. Over
time, this indecision can result in a feeling of being frozen or immobile, unable to move
forward because of the ensuing confusion. Medorrhinum individuals also have difficulty
with compromise. There is a desire for control; thus they cannot dwell happily in middle
ground.
Medorrhinum men and women generally make good parents. They are fun and
energetic, offering their children a wide range of experience in the world. The major
weakness in their parenting skills lies in their inability to teach and model restraint,
consistency, and calmness. As parents, their pattern of disorganization can allow
important details to slip. Examples of this are forgetting teacher conferences, field trips,
softball games, and even tuition payments. They are so much in a hurry and there is never
enough time; this results in incomplete tasks and unfulfilled promises. Although
Medorrhinum parents are often emotionally understanding, empathic, and creative, they
can exhibit a low threshold for frustration with their children. In many cases, Medorrhinum
parents can become needy in their relationships with their children, requiring approval,
admiration, and assurances of love from them. They will have difficulty letting go of this
relationship; they will become enmeshed and thus make it difficult or impossible for their
children to go their own way and become independent as they mature.
Medorrhinum people love an exciting work environment where they can make an
impact. They are "idea people" and can be quite brilliant. They are particularly effective
when they can persuade other people to back or complete their projects. They often fail to
follow through with the details, however; thus they must find someone to do this for them.
Generally, they will require help to bring their dreams into reality.
Medorrhinum people have a tendency to operate on hunches and insights, instead of
reasoning things through in a detailed manner. This can be understood through the rubric,
MIND, Work, aversion to mental, and MIND, Work, mental work impossible, on page K95,
in which Medorrhinum is listed in italics. Medorrhinum is also listed in the rubric Mental
exertion aggravates, on page SI 461. Life will be difficult for these people if they work in a
bureaucratic office that requires schedules, outlines, plans, budgets, and detailed follow-
through. Medorrhinum individuals do well, though, in broadcasting, advertising, or the
entertainment industry. They blossom in creative positions that demand flexibility and
reward employees for improvisation and using intuition. As in other relationships, too,
Medorrhinum individuals need to be appreciated and assured that they are doing a good
job.
Medorrhinum people can also be strong managers, skilled in inspiring their employees
to work hard, although they will require a skilled and trustworthy assistant to keep the work
moving and take care of the routine responsibilities. Medorrhinum individuals can be
generous to those who work hard on their behalf but, on the other hand, they do not
attempt to hide their anger when things go wrong. They may lambaste a subordinate who
displeases them or even threaten to fire the person. Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric
MIND, Irritability in italics, on page K56, and MIND, Irritability about trifles, on page SI 672.
But Medorrhinum people do not usually follow through with their threats. They are
emotionally changeable people with the potential to be gruff and uncommunicative one
day, yet cheerful and enthusiastic another.
The polarity of passive and active expression that is characteristic of Medorrhinum
individuals can be seen in their response to depression. Those of the passive type will hold
their feelings inward and reproach themselves. In their sadness, they become listless and
exhausted. Depression, for Medorrhinum individuals, can be like being imprisoned. They
withdraw and move into a solitary part of the house. Gradually, outside contact is
eliminated and, as the depression deepens, they reject all offers of assistance from the
outside. Hopelessness predominates, because they do not believe that anyone can
understand their inner state. Eventually, the vital force is depleted in the internal battle
between thoughts and feelings.
The active type of Medorrhinum project their feelings of depression outward by
transforming them into anger. They accuse and blame others and can become quite
paranoid. Both the active and passive forms of the remedy will have periods of complete
shutdown when they are depressed. This state is characterized by isolation and emotional
apathy. Eventually, the depression can deepen into a suicidal state. Medorrhinum is
included in the rubric MIND, Suicidal disposition, on page K85.
Both the active and the passive types of Medorrhinum exhibit extreme vulnerability.
The passive type compensates by withdrawing. They may "space out," have a faraway
sensation, or view life from a distance as though it were unreal. Medorrhinum is listed in
italics in the rubric, MIND, Delusions, everything seems unreal, on page K34. The active
type will act invulnerable, creating an impenetrable armor. As the pathology progresses,
the defenses crumble and Medorrhinum individuals will become increasingly more anxious.
This anxiety can become amplified until it is overwhelming. There can be feelings of
extreme claustrophobia, a sensation of being swallowed up or paralyzed with fear - fear of
going insane, of being annihilated, of being trapped in endless torment with no way out.
This is characterized in the rubrics Mania, on page SI 723, and Insanity, on page SI 634.
The source of this terror cannot be named and is therefore even more frightening and
elusive. Because Medorrhinum people have habitually distracted themselves with external
sensations, they are not equipped to deal with the intense emotions that lie within.
Eventually this state of mind can deteriorate to panic, and the Medorrhinum can become
recklessly out of control. In this phase, they may experience persistent thoughts or
obsessions. They can spiral downward into violence and impulsivity, becoming abusive to
their spouses or children. At the end stage, Medorrhinum individuals can become
dangerous, capable of killing or injuring others or doing harm to themselves.
Repression of emotion can alternatively lead to burnout or collapse. In the collapsed
state the Medorrhinum experiences a loss of mental power. They become weak, confused,
absent-minded and forgetful. This is represented by the inclusion of Medorrhinum in the
rubric Stupefaction, on page SI 967. They can't remember words, spellings, names, or
where they put the car keys. During the interview, they might lose the thread of the
conversation or have a momentary lapse in thought. Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric
Words, while speaking, word hunting, on page SI 546, and Thoughts vanishing, on page SI
1016. Some individuals have difficulty relating their symptoms and have to be reminded of
what they just said. Concentration is difficult because their minds are elsewhere.
The Mind section of Kent's repertory contains many rubrics that describe this state:
Concentration difficult (2), K13
Confusion of mind (2), K13
Forgetful of his own name (3), K49
Forgetful of words while speaking (2), K49
Weakness of memory (3), K64
for names (2), K65
what has said (2), K65
what has read (2), K65
what is about to say (2), K65
what has just thought (2), K65
Mistakes in spelling (2), K66
 The Synthetic repertory additionally lists Medorrhinum in the rubrics:
Memory weakness S1 737,738
of words
of proper names
in time
Mistakes in writing S1 751
During the homeopathic interview, Medorrhinum individuals can become agitated while
describing their symptoms. Concentration on their symptoms can cause immediate
exacerbation of the pain, whether physical or emotional. Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric
MIND, Thinking of the complaint, aggravates, on page K87 where it is listed in italics. This
will often result in tears, and Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric MIND, Weeping when
telling of her sickness, on page K94. Often, the Medorrhinum individuals will feel a sense
of relief after they cry and Medorrhinum is found in the rubric MIND, Weeping ameliorates
symptoms, listed in second degree on page K93.
Medorrhinum people will ignore and deny the reality and extent of their problems until
things have reached crisis proportions. This can result in either a very pessimistic outlook
or can be further repressed with a mask that projects "everything is OK."

THE MEDORRHINUM IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS

The core of Medorrhinum is emotion and relationships. Medorrhinum is very sexually
oriented. The dress is overtly sexual and the behavior is seductive.
Medorrhinum relationships are often formed in haste, and there is typically too much,
too soon. These individuals love the early stages of a relationship best. Seduction and
passion are their driving forces, and Medorrhinum people tend to have many "hot
beginnings," rather than forming slow, long-term relationships. The rubric, MIND,
Excitement, when anticipating events, on page K40, in which Medorrhinum is one of only
three remedies, describes this quality. The Medorrhinum individual emits natural
sensuality and flirtatiousness, and this causes the object of their affection to feel like the
center of the universe. These people are free with flattery, complements, and appreciation.
Intuitively, they understand the other person's needs and will go to great lengths to satisfy
their desires. There are, however, some Medorrhinum individuals who exhibit a lowered
sex drive, and increased libido is not a reliable confirmatory symptom.
When another person responds to the Medorrhinum, the passions are set afire. Soon
the Medorrhinum will require more and more stimulation to remain fully excited. Even
remedies with strong sexuality and personalities like Nux Vomica and Sulphur will have
difficulty keeping up with the voracity of the Medorrhinum.
In coition with the active Medorrhinum, one is never sure whether one is being loved or
devoured. Medorrhinum individuals will perform to get attention but also to express
aggression and to fulfill their need to dominate. Relationships can also contain elements of
a power play, with the Medorrhinum in the controlling role. Examples of this are
teacher/student or doctor/patient relationships. Medorrhinum people can also be very
jealous and possessive of their partners. Medorrhinum is included in the rubric MIND,
Jealousy, on page SI 674. The passive Medorrhinum always acts "nice" in relationships,
never makes waves, and acts to preserve the peace at all costs.
Medorrhinum individuals have a low tolerance for boredom in the relationship. Rather
than allow the sex to become boring, they are eager to experiment and to help their
partners overcome possible inhibitions. They might plan vacations, parties, and other forms
of entertainment to keep life at a high pitch. When Medorrhinum people get bored in a
relationship, they might seek an affair outside of the primary relationship in order to keep
the level of excitement high; some Medorrhinum types will flirt, tease, and collect admirers,
yet remain sexually faithful to their partners. A contrasting element can occasionally be
observed in Medorrhinum individuals: In some cases, the connections that are created with
friends or lovers are very deep and strong, and when a commitment is made, the bonds
are made for life.
For Medorrhinum men and women, the world is a storybook land of fantasies and
romance. To remain in the real world of mundane workaday existence is to risk the return
of unpleasant inner feelings.

The Mask
In the world of romance, all dreams come true. This explains the inclusion of
Medorrhinum in the rubric, MIND, Dream, as if in a, on page K37. Medorrhinum individuals
want to believe in happy endings. They tend to be very optimistic about the present and
the future. Everything will work out" is their motto. Thus Medorrhinum people prefer to
dwell in the fog of denial. Their strategy for coping with stress is to ignore the unpleasant
elements of reality.
Medorrhinum individuals generally prefer to be in a relationship. If they find themselves
alone after the loss of a long-term partner, the mere responsibility of providing for their own
needs can provoke extreme anxiety. Medorrhinum individuals can easily become
overwhelmed by the daily demands of work, home, children, money management, etc. (As
mentioned earlier, Medorrhinum has a strong aversion to responsibility.) This state of being
alone is usually short-lived. Typically, the Medorrhinum will soon begin to attend parties
and social gatherings, putting on the mask of happiness and casting a delightful spell over
their new admirers.

Emotional Characteristics of the Mask

The active Medorrhinum will cope with stress and anxiety by looking on the bright side.
This is a form of denial. These people prefer to suppress unpleasant emotions and will
maintain an optimistic outlook at any cost.
Individuals of the active form of Medorrhinum have a group of behaviors that create a
front, deflecting the advances of others and preventing people from penetrating to the
person within. They can be extremely argumentative, creating an altercation from even
slight differences in opinion. They can frighten, badger, and verbally bully those around
them, or the can behave in an unpredictable manner to create an atmosphere of insecurity
for those who dare to get close. These forms of intimidation prevent other people from
attempting to approach them, and mask the true nature of the being within.
Soft Medorrhinum adults will often engage in childish behavior. This can be an attempt
to regain a lost element from their own childhood but is often really a form of manipulation,
as in Baryta Carbonica. Medorrhinum adults might pout, whine, or throw tantrums. They
can also act cute to gain attention or approval.

Physical Characteristics
Many physical characteristics of Medorrhinum are well-known and represented in
existing literature; these include warts, eczema, asthma, cystitis, vaginal infections, urethral
discharges, herpes, fibroid tumors, prostate problems, rhinitis, arthritis, edema of the
ankles, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and diaper rash. The following aspects are
included to facilitate clinical recognition and confirmation.
 The Face
There is rigidity in the muscles of the face, especially the lower lip, which can be drawn
tight to the teeth. There can be a split in the middle of the lower lip. The jaws are stiff:
FACE, Stiffness of the muscles of the lower jaw, page K392.

The Appetite
Medorrhinum people will eat to a point beyond their capacity. They can be hungry even
while eating and hungry at midnight.
There is either a thirst for large quantities of water or else thirst for small quantities of
water that is accompanied by restlessness.
Medorrhinum people crave alcoholic beverages, cold drinks, salt, sweets such as
candy, and often like to eat ice. There can also be an aversion to salt. For Medorrhinum
individuals who are on a diet, whenever the forbidden foods are eaten, the resulting stress
can trigger physical symptoms.

The Female
The female can experience itching of the vagina and labia; thinking about the symptom
will make it worse. FEMALE GENITALIA, Itching, vagina (2), page K720. There can be
great soreness of the vagina.
Medorrhinum women can experience a variety of symptoms during the premenstruum.
They might be aggressive, argumentative, or irritable. Some women experience headaches
or constipation.
The menses can last a long time, and the flow can be either light or copious. The
menses can also be dark, clotted, profuse, and offensive; if blood stains the underwear, it
can be difficult to wash out, as in Bromium. During the menses, there is pain across the
abdomen that reaches around the body, and there can be backache. Medorrhinum women
can experience intense dysmenorrhea with terrible labor-like, bearing-down pain. The pain
causes women to draw up their knees or press their feet against a support, like women
often do in labor. For relief from the pain, these women would like to lie on their abdomen,
but they fear the pressure of that position might do them injury. The nipples and breasts
can be very sore and sensitive to the touch; this is worse during the premenstruum and
menses. The breasts can be very cold (particularly the nipples), while the rest of the body
is warm. There is an increased desire for sex after the menses.
During the climacteric, Medorrhinum women can have profuse metrorrhagia that can
continue for weeks at a time. The blood comes in gushes, and movement increases the
flow. There can be hot flushes accompanied by perspiration that causes the hot flush to go
either up or down. Women will wake at night from the heat and perspiration, causing them
to throw the covers off or stick a foot out of the covers to cool off. The hands and feet burn,
producing the desire to uncover oneself and be fanned. Generally, the sexual appetite
increases at night, rather than during the day.

Sleep
Medorrhinum individuals can have difficulty falling asleep, since they are not tired and
their best time is often at night. Their dreams can be horrid or troubled, SLEEP, Dreams,
frightful (2), page K1240, or painful and exhausting. There can be dreams of drinking,
SLEEP, Dreams, drinking, page K1238. Sometimes Medorrhinum people can be asleep
but still hear everything that is going on in their environment. Medorrhinum individuals
often snore and, during the night, they might perspire on any part of the body. They can
wake at 5:00 or 6:00 AM and then fall into a profound sleep in the early morning, later
waking weary and unrefreshed. Medorrhinum is listed in the rubric Fear on waking, on
page S1 531. During the day, there is often a desire to yawn, SLEEP, yawning, page
K1256. When Medorrhinum individuals take a nap during the day, either a short or long
one, there will be profuse perspiration about the head and neck.

General Characteristics
Medorrhinum people have a nervous sensitivity to the touch of a shirt or a lock of hair
on their skin.
The Medorrhinum can be restless and usually cannot keep still. They can derive a
great feeling of relief from clutching their hands very tightly together.

THE MEDORRHINUM CHILD

The Infant
Medorrhinum infants exhibit the great sensitivity that is characteristic of the adult.
These infants are exquisitely sensitive to physical stimuli in the environment and to the
emotional climate. This often results in an uncomfortable, irritable, or fussy infant. They
have many needs, and they learn to develop behaviors designed to get their needs met.
The following is a list of characteristics commonly seen in Medorrhinum infants.

Physical Characteristics
Medorrhinum infants prefer the right breast.
The teething process is slow, but Medorrhinum children generally talk at the normal
time.
Learning to walk can be delayed in these babies.
Medorrhinum babies have a tendency toward colic. The spells of colic are persistent
but are ameliorated when the child is taken into the open air.
STOMACH, Pain, cramping, gripping, page K517
Medorrhinum babies will have great difficulty falling into a routine in either their eating or
sleeping patterns.
These babies have great difficulty adapting to change. They might initially reject
transition to solid foods or any other change in their daily routine.
Medorrhinum children sometimes cry when new foods are introduced.
Children wake often in the night and at all different times.
SLEEP, Sleeplessness (2), page K1251
They display a preference for sleeping on the abdomen or in the knee-to-chest position.
SLEEP, Position, knees on with the face forced into the pillow, page K1246
If Medorrhinum infants are upset or experiencing colic, they can often be soothed by the
sound of running water from a tap, or by being given a bath. Medorrhinum children love
water. These babies often do well with a water birth. Conversely, though, some babies will
be adverse to water.
Medorrhinum babies do not like diaper changes because of the element of restriction;
they do not like to be held down. Like their adult counterparts, Medorrhinum babies have a
great need to feel free.
Medorrhinum infants might suck the fingers or thumb.
MOUTH, Fingers in the mouth, children put, Medorrhinum is an addition, page K405
These infants always desire something in their mouths. They must have something in
their mouths at all times.
There is a tendency to have serious problems with diaper rash or redness and irritation
around the genitalia.
The babies crawl early and for a long period of time.

Emotional Characteristics
Medorrhinum infants are very demanding. Demanding a response from others tends to
have an ameliorating effect on these children.
MIND, Weeping, ameliorates the symptoms (2), page K93
These infants cry frequently and intensely and will not stop even after a diaper change
or a feeding.
MIND, Weeping (2), page K92
These infants can exhibit the fastidiousness seen in some Medorrhinum adults. They
require their positioning to be precise, or they require a specific positioning of the blanket
before they are able to fall asleep.
Medorrhinum babies cry easily when strangers approach and have early and prolonged
separation anxiety when the parent leaves.
Medorrhinum infants will startle easily from noise and cry immediately when awakened,
as in Lycopodium.
MIND, Starting (2), page K82, MIND, Starting from noise (2), page K83, and
MIND, Starting from sleep (2), page K83

The Toddler
As Medorrhinum babies get older, it becomes increasingly more difficult to satisfy the
needs of these children. They become dissatisfied and angry if they do not get their own
way. Medorrhinum children will cry bitterly when a toy is taken away but are not as easily
distracted as other children. They will resist moving from one activity to another, however,
Medorrhinum children lose interest in new toys very quickly and will cry immediately if left
alone, even briefly.
Medorrhinum children require the full attention of their parents. They have difficulty
playing by themselves and must have frequent direction from or involvement with their
mother. These children show remarkable persistence in getting their desires satisfied and
often use tantrums in an attempt to control their parents.
Medorrhinum children hate having their faces or hands washed or having their hair
shampooed. Haircuts are also strongly resisted, because they have a great sensitivity of
the scalp, yet they love to have their hair played with and combed. Medorrhinum children
present great difficulty at the doctor's office, screaming and kicking continually during the
physical examination and resisting temperature checks.
At home Medorrhinum children can also have many problems. They have trouble sitting
through a meal and are continuously restless. They usually eat in a hurry and prefer
snacks, ice cream, and popsicles to regular meals. One child was easily weaned from the
breast at 21 months when her mother gave her the choice between breast milk and fruit-
flavored popsicles.
Temper tantrums begin earlier and are longer and more persistent than in other
remedies. During the tantrum, these children can suddenly lash out in anger at the parent,
teacher, or caregiver. They are easily frustrated. Medorrhinum toddlers want to be in
control of peer interactions. If they do not get their way, they frequently become
aggressive, resorting to pushing, biting, and kicking. Medorrhinum children can be so
pushy and temperamental that other parents will want to keep their children away from
them. This can herald the beginning of the isolation that is characteristic of the childhoods
of Medorrhinum people.
Passive Medorrhinum toddlers can be very timid. If they are invited to a birthday party,
they will cling to their mother. In the last half hour, they might overcome their shyness,
though, and begin to interact with the other children.
Medorrhinum children have difficulty going to sleep at a reasonable time, preferring to
stay awake; they can waken at night with increased energy and a desire to play. They
sleep on their abdomen in the genu-pectoral position and are prone to nightmares. They
are prone to many fears, including fear of the dark, fear of ghosts and monsters, fear of
crowds, fear of spiders, fear of dogs, fear of sudden noises, and fear of change.
Commonly, these children will have a fear of being in their bedroom alone. They imagine
monsters under the bed and this can cause them to wake frequently in the night and crawl
in bed with their parents. This behavior can persist throughout childhood.
Developmentally, these children are normal to fast, making most developmental
landmarks within the normal range; however, many Medorrhinum children exhibit a delay in
learning to walk. The eruption of the teeth can be slow or difficult and the teeth can be
discolored and crumbling, creating a differential with Calcarea Carbonica. In Calcarea, the
overall development is delayed or slow. Medorrhinum children will put sand and dirt in their
mouths but do not swallow it as does Calcarea Carbonica and Nitric Acid. They do like to
place everything in their mouth, including their thumb or fingers.
Medorrhinum children have one peculiar symptom: Their feet are so sensitive that even
lint between the toes can be intolerable for either Medorrhinum children or adults. The feet
are thus extremely ticklish.
Masturbation can occur at an early age and can become excessive.
Male Medorrhinum infants can have an erection even during the diaper change.

The Child
As with Medorrhinum adults, children can be passive and soft (inward), or can appear
primarily active and hard (aggressive). Any combination of the two states is also possible.
The homeopath must be flexible when taking the case of a child, searching for a unifying
thread rather than expecting the individual to conform to a preconceived pattern of
behavior. The presenting symptoms in Medorrhinum are infinitely varied and are
comparable to the larger polychrest.
Medorrhinum children can live in relative isolation. These children are often loners,
preferring to spend time alone rather than risk rejection from others. This is a reaction to
the deep wound of abandonment. Medorrhinum children can be antisocial and withdrawn.
They do not socialize well, and it can take a long time for them to comfortably interact with
other children. At home the Medorrhinum child can spend hours alone in his room, busy
with stamp collections, models, or other hobbies. Some Medorrhinum children lose
themselves in books or watch an excessive amount of television. Video games such as
Nintendo can become the ultimate addiction for Medorrhinum children.
The fear and anxiety that arises out of the original wound can make it impossible for
Medorrhinum children to move freely out in society. As a result, they cling tenaciously to
the primary caregiver, usually their mother. Some Medorrhinum children are afraid of
losing their parents. They can become upset or exhibit physical symptoms if a parent
leaves on a business trip. They can harbor the fear that the parent will forget to pick them
up from school. The symptoms of nail-biting and nocturnal enuresis arise out of this
anxiety. Sometimes the Medorrhinum child can have her identity so intermingled with the
parent that she will desire to become that person, emulating the behavior and wishing to
wear the clothes and shoes of that parent.
Medorrhinum children can exhibit a lack of self-confidence. If reprimanded,
Medorrhinum children will often reproach themselves. They become very uneasy if other
people scrutinize them. When discussing their behavior with parents or teachers, however,
these children will negotiate every point.
Medorrhinum children have difficulty expressing the problems they have with their
peers. They may harbor an inner feeling that they are different but will rarely admit to
feeling lonely. These children will often get a stomach ache or butterflies in the stomach on
the first day of school or on entering a new class.
The active Medorrhinum can be quite aggressive. Outward Medorrhinum children can
exhibit aggressive antisocial behavior that will tend to further isolate and alienate them.
The problem is greatly exacerbated if the parents nag the child to go out and make friends.
These children can be quick-tempered and subject to periodic episodes of physical
aggression or explosive outbursts of anger. They are often a terror in the classroom,
talking loudly and out of turn, being disobedient, and disrupting the class. They will often be
both domineering and dictatorial. They need to be the center of attention and to gain
control through terrorism. The wall in this case is tremendous anger that stems from
feelings of rejection, insecurity, and deeply seated pain. This rage explodes in aggressive
behavior, causing the child to punch other children, destroy property, steal, or set fires.
Medorrhinum children typically resist going to school for two reasons: They do not make
friends easily so they tend to feel lonely and ostracized, and they often perform poorly in
school on the academic level. Medorrhinum children can become fitful, restless, and
inattentive in school. They can be unmotivated, lazy, and underachieving. Their mental
clarity is often poor and their memory weak. They can become apathetic about their
lessons and have great difficulty managing their time and completing their projects. They
can have great enthusiasm at the beginning of a new project, but just like the Medorrhinum
adult, children will lose interest and fail to bring the task to completion. These children do
not follow the classroom routine yet have great difficulty responding to change.
Anticipatory anxiety can present a problem in performance on quizzes and tests. The
mother might report that the child knew the spelling words perfectly the night before the
test, but during the exam he acted as though he had never seen the words. Children might
learn well and easily in a one-on-one situation but, when placed in a busy classroom, their
attention can be easily distracted. Once their attention is distracted by a sneeze or a book
being dropped, it will be difficult for them to regain their original focus. Medorrhinum
children are sometimes diagnosed as hyperactive or learning disabled or are said to be
suffering from an attention deficit disorder. Eventually their self-esteem will be seriously
eroded, and they can have bouts of depression.
For Medorrhinum children, the social atmosphere must be one of acceptance. The
passive type can be greatly ameliorated by having a special pet of their own. Rather than
brave the trials of interaction with other children, they will retreat to the comforting
acceptance they receive from their pet, and they will be extraordinarily gentle with this
special pet. Active and outward Medorrhinum children will act out their aggression toward
animals: pulling their tails or otherwise tormenting the family pet, throwing stones at birds'
nests, etc.
Medorrhinum children are generally disorganized. They have messy bedrooms and
cluttered desks at school. They prefer the room to be messy but become easily frustrated
if they cannot find an important object or piece of clothing. If their mother tries to straighten
up the room, they will be further agitated, because they can find their belongings easier
when everything is spread out all over the floor. Fastidious Medorrhinum children will
require that the furniture remain precisely fixed and that their toys be arranged in a specific
way.
Medorrhinum children can also be very forgetful and tend to lose their belongings easily.
They continually misplace things such as toys, shoes, or books. It is a challenge to get
these children off to school on time with their shoes on, matching socks, and with their
jackets, lunch boxes, books, and homework. Of course this task is made even more
difficult because these children are typically tired, grouchy, and foggy in the morning.
Medorrhinum children can also have an unkempt appearance that will remind you of
Sulphur. Buttons, snaps, and zippers may not be fastened properly, and their shirt might
clash with their pants; their hair might be disheveled. Another type of Medorrhinum child
will be perfectionistic about appearance, trying on many outfits before school, insisting on
coordinating their accessories, and showing a great sensitivity for color. These children will
place a great deal of attention on the details of their fashion statement, and every hair will
be in place.

Physical Characteristics
Nocturnal enuresis
BLADDER, Urination, involuntary at night (2), page K659
Nail-biting
MIND, Biting the nails, an additional rubric
Constant runny nose, the discharge can be green or yellow
NOSE, Discharge, from the posterior nares, page K333
Awakening with a stuffy nose
Chronic cystitis in small girls
BLADDER, Inflammation (2), page K646
Tendency to asthma, eczema, tonsillitis, enlarged glands
RESPIRATION, Asthmatic (2), page K764
Awakens with irritability from a night's sleep and after a nap
Sensitivity of the feet
EXTREMITIES, Sensitive, feet, page K1189

Emotional Characteristics
Enmeshment with either parent or caregiver, resulting in clingy behavior
Tender or aggressive behavior with a pet
Anticipation anxiety
Aggressive behavior
Concentration difficult; short attention span
Withdrawal and preference for being alone

The Adolescent
Medorrhinum teenagers will frequently assume a leadership position in their group.
They can be likable and popular and often contribute greatly to group activities.
In Medorrhinum, the steroid hormones can develop at an early age, leading to early
secondary sexual development and precocious interest in sexual behavior. Females tend
to begin their menses early and have early breast development. The girls might dress very
enticingly, even when quite young, preferring low-cut blouses and short skirts. Young
Medorrhinum boys and girls often become involved in love relationships at an early age
and may have boyfriends or girlfriends as early as age seven. There may be moderate or
excessive masturbation. Early on, Medorrhinum girls can develop a chronic leukorrhea
that can be yellow, green, or white.
There is a continuation of the symptom of nail-biting and removal of the skin from
around the cuticle.
Medorrhinum teenagers can have many problems arising from laziness and lack of
motivation. They are usually average to above average in intelligence, but in some cases
they will experience academic decline in response to an increased demand for
performance. A heavy work load of classes and increased homework will prove too much
for them, and they then become anxious and confused. Their organizational skills are
poor, so these children have difficulty remembering to complete their homework, return
assignments on time, and bring the appropriate materials home from school. Medorrhinum
adolescents, like their adult counterparts, are adverse to responsibility and will frequently
lie about having completed their homework so that their parents will allow them to go out.
Another type of Medorrhinum, however, has the ability to pay attention for 20 minutes in
class, grasp the point quickly, and learn the material very well.
This early and intense surging of hormones can produce mood swings in the growing
Medorrhinum adolescent. This in turn can cause periods of depression that will alternate,
in some individuals, with periods of mild euphoria. Teenagers might want to remain inside
the house in relative isolation but then switch to feeling good, talking on the phone for
hours, and venturing out into the world to socialize. At this time Medorrhinum teenagers
can begin to experiment with or overindulge in tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. Their emotional
lability makes them particularly prone to addictive behavior.
Medorrhinum adolescents can be impulsive and hot-tempered. They can experience
explosive outbursts of anger that are frightening to other people because of their intensity.
Their impulsivity and wide mood swings, which can appear similar to Hyoscyamus, can
have the effect of alienating their friends. They have a hard time relaxing and are easily
bored and frustrated. These feelings are fueled by low self-esteem. This powder keg can
then explode into episodes of violence that can have severe repercussions.
Medorrhinum teenagers can be quarrelsome and domineering while attempting to catch
up to their peers. They will interrupt someone when a thought occurs to them, because
they are afraid they will forget what they wanted to say. Medorrhinum youth will ignore
others when they are concentrating on something important; this results in rude and
inconsiderate behavior. They also tend to be impatient about trifles. Their relationship with
their parents can be particularly tenuous at this time. The underlying pain of early
abandonment remains largely suppressed and is instead expressed by angry and
aggressive behavior.

SUMMARY
Medorrhinum is a large remedy that presents a portrait in contrast.
There is a palpable tension created by the fluctuation from enmeshment to isolation,
from active to passive, and from inward to outward states. The Medorrhinum individual is
extremely perceptive, intuitive, and emotional. A special kind of clairvoyance allows the
Medorrhinum to anticipate and feel things most sensitively before they occur. As M. L.
Tyler writes, "Everything startles her, news coming to her seems to touch her heart before
she hears it." The events of life are heightened, brightly colored, and enriched, yet there
can be a sensation of unreality, as if living in a dream. Finally, Medorrhinum people can
display a curious confusion about time, weakness of the memory, and a disruption of the
thought processes.
The wound of abandonment creates a sensitivity that allows people needing this
remedy to resonate deeply with others. They can thereby understand, empathize, and
respond emotionally to the feelings of others. The wound also necessitates the creation of
a wall, resulting in behavior that repels others.

RUBRICS

Rubrics of the Wound of Medorrhinum

Forsaken (addition)

Rubrics of the Wall of Medorrhinum

Anxiety of conscience, as if guilty of a crime (2)
Anxiety if a time is set
Anxiety about health
Clairvoyance
Delusions, sees ugly faces wherever he turns
Delusions, everything seems unreal (2)
Egotism
Hurry (3)
Impatience (2)
Irritability (2)
Jealousy
Moods alternating
Restlessness (2)
Selfishness
Sensitive, oversensitive
Suicidal disposition
Touched, aversion to being
Wild feeling in the head

Rubrics of the Mask of Medorrhinum

Cheerful in the evening
Childlike behavior (addition)
Dream, as if in a
Unreal, everything seems (2)

Relationships
Differential Materia Medica of Medorrhinum

Sulphur
The wound in Sulphur is a form of abandonment. Sulphur babies were often reared in
an environment that was tough, critical, and controlling. The dynamic interchange that
existed between infants and parents left these children with a feeling of powerlessness.
Sulphur individuals are thus sensitive to the slightest act of domination, and they react in
an effort to regain the security of control.
 Sulphur individuals have a great deal of inner pain and discomfort that they disguise
and protect with a wall of intellectualization. They use this as a defense, focusing on
intellectual ideas as a way of avoiding emotional vulnerability. Sulphur individuals are
intellectually oriented; they use their minds to find ways of improving their lives. Their
minds are in perpetual motion; calculating, planning, fitting the pieces of their lives
together.
Control is a central issue for Sulphur individuals. They prefer to be in a position of
power, to take charge over a situation, and to maintain overall control. Medorrhinum
individuals also enjoy being in control, but they exert control by becoming emotionally
intimidating rather than through intellectual domination. Medorrhinum individuals do not
typically exhibit the mental organization characteristic of Sulphur.

Natrum Muriaticum
Natrum Muriaticum individuals have suffered an early wound that usually contains
elements of abandonment and betrayal; the consequence of this is longstanding,
unprocessed grief. The resultant wall consists of emotional distancing, a generalized state
of numbness or of “feelinglessness". They fear engulfment, being swallowed up by
another person, if they enter into a relationship. They become emotionally withdrawn,
protective of their emotional responses, in an effort to avoid further emotional pain. They
suppress anger and sadness, and they lose touch with their emotions by chronically
avoiding them.
Natrum Muriaticum individuals can be confused with the inner or passive form of
Medorrhinum. Medorrhinum individuals of the passive type can prefer to be alone and can
be reclusive for long periods of time. Eventually, however, they will require human contact
and will enter a relationship that can include elements of enmeshment. Natrum Muriaticum
individuals will often have a series of tragic relationships or carry on a long-distance
relationship. Typically, they are not truly intimate with their partners. They do not enmesh
or become dependent on their partners as do Medorrhinum individuals. On the contrary,
they distance themselves and fear becoming dependent, because through emotional
dependency they can be hurt or betrayed. They can become bitter over time and tend to
hold grudges. Medorrhinum individuals generally do not hold a grudges.
Medorrhinum individuals seek close contact and intimacy in a relationship. They can
use this heightened emotional climate like a drug to medicate themselves from their
tremendous fear of rejection and abandonment. Natrum Muriaticum individuals keep their
grief hidden, whereas Medorrhinum individuals openly express their grief.

Anacardium
The central thread of Anacardium is contradiction of will: the oscillation between two
intended paths forms the wall of this remedy. Anacardium individuals are pulled between
two poles because there is an essential division in their life's purpose. This can develop
from an early wound caused by their parents' failure to accept and embrace them. For
Anacardium individuals, a part of their being strongly desires to fulfil the expectations of
others, yet another part of them demands to be accepted unconditionally. This sets these
people at war with themselves.
Anacardium individuals are emotionally dependent on others, but they do not like to
reveal much of themselves. They test people to determine whether they are worthy of
trust. Anacardium individuals are very reactive, and they fluctuate from one state of mind
to another very quickly. They are difficult to understand, because of their sudden
alternation of state that is characteristic of their personalities. Anacardium individuals can
be caring and compassionate one moment but become irritable and angry the next
moment. They can oscillate between being decisive and self-assertive, then rapidly
become indecisive and clingy. Anacardium individuals do not exhibit the emotional
enmeshment characteristic of Medorrhinum, however. There are two sides to their
personalities: One side is soft, passive, and weak; the other side is hard, independent and
aggressive. This contradiction of will runs through every aspect of their lives. They do not
typically have the emotional sensitivity of Medorrhinum.

Silicea [Sil]

GENERAL
Silicea [Sil]
Silicea terra is silicon dioxide, pure flint. A large proportion of the sea sand and the
Earth's crust are composed of silica. Silica is a structural component of the cells of
connective tissue and the walls of plant cells. Just as silica is found in abundance on the
Earth, it is a remedy that is well represented in Kent's repertory and materia medica. Many
homeopaths are familiar with the use of Silica for specific conditions; however, it is
probably underutilized by most prescribers. The body of homeopathic literature provides
some clues to the emotional picture of Silica but falls short of presenting a cohesive picture
of the personality traits and behavior patterns that would indicate a need for this drug.
The idea of Silica is refinement, delicacy, yielding mildness, and a reserved quality. The
image is that of stalks of growing wheat, bending but not breaking in the wind because of a
certain internal rigidity. These are undoubtedly the threads of the remedy, yet they do not
translate into an easily recognizable clinical picture. Differentiation from other soft
remedies" such as Pulsatilla remains elusive.
There are many well-known physical symptoms of Silica. Silica individuals are usually
thin, frail, pale, and sometimes have a thin upper lip. They may have small delicate bones
and small feet. The remedy is characterized by deep pathology, festering wounds that are
slow to heal, suppuration and induration. These terms aptly describe many emotional
aspects of the Silica individual. There is a mirroring of the action of the vital force in the
body and in the mind.
Recognition of the Silica state requires understanding this polychrest from its wound or
etiology, its protective wall, and the resulting mask.

Etiology of Silica

The Wound
The characteristics that form the complex picture of Silica are forged in childhood. The
elements of the etiology of this remedy include fright, abuse, neglect, and abandonment.
In normal development, the child slowly separates psychologically from the mother and
evolves its own sense of individuality. In Silica individuals the separation occurs
prematurely, resulting in trauma. Typically, you will be able to detect a flawed family
system in which the Silica child felt hurt and isolated. There was a lack of intimacy and
often the parents were emotionally unavailable to the child. The abandonment can come
from various circumstances, including marital discord or divorce, addictions, verbal abuse,
child abuse, incest, or anything else that would emotionally distance the parent from the
child. This results in an emotional fragility, as though the child had been set adrift in a
paper boat, aware that a storm is brewing on the horizon. The wound is, thus, an injured
sense of self, resulting in a belief in one's own incompetence and a dread of the
uncertainties of life.

Vulnerability
The Silica individual is sensitive to impressions from the emotional environment.
Because of this vulnerability, many situations are perceived as abandonment by the Silica
organism. The Silica emotional pathology can be triggered by being the product of an
unwanted pregnancy, parental preference for a child of the opposite sex, or transient
separation from the parents in the hours or days after birth. The etiology of the Silica state
can also result from incarceration in concentration camps, after intellectual overwork, with
loss of sleep, or as a sequela to vaccination. The remedy is often required in people who
have eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. After the inciting cause, the Silica
individual begins to obtain protection from further trauma by forming a specific type of wall.

The Wall
This "distance" is the seed of the properness seen in Silica individuals. They seek
intimacy but they also fear it. Although Silica people usually prefer to be in a relationship,
they will often create cycles of getting close, becoming afraid, and then distancing. They
may have perfectionistic ideas about their relationships. Thus they remain reserved and
from this distance they have a sense of fright and isolation. This fear might not be
expressed verbally or even consciously by Silica individuals, but it motivates their actions.
Silica is bold type in the rubric MIND, Complaints from fright, page K49.
Accompanying the quality of distance is a sensation of emptiness. It is as though Silica
individuals have psychic holes in their bodies and the nucleus of their being is leaking out.
Thus, when interviewing Silica patients, you might feel that you cannot fully rely on their
answers. They may give responses that they perceive are the ones that will please you.
Unlike the type of manipulation seen in Thuja, Silica individuals have an inner emptiness,
an expression of the lack of trust that grew out of their childhood abandonment.
Silica and Pulsatilla have a similar type of wound, both resulting from abandonment;
however, the wall and mask produced in each case are dissimilar and form the basis of
differentiation between the two remedies.
In comparing Silica with Pulsatilla, one can use the image of the iceberg. The bottom of
the iceberg, the wound, which is the deepest part, has a tremendous fear of abandonment.
Silica and Pulsatilla share this common etiology, but only Silica has the tip, which is
composed of sadness, anger, guilt, and fear. These emotions translate into the flinty wall
that can be observed in the Silica individual.

Emotional Characteristics of the Wall

Silica, like all remedies, is as complicated as a multifaceted crystal. Examination of the
prism that is Silica will reveal many qualities; any of these might be expressed by a specific
individual requiring this remedy. Some of the emotional characteristics are part of the
protective wall created to compensate for the wound and vulnerability of Silica.
A premier quality of the Silica wall is denial. This can be manifested as denial of the
problem or denial of the feelings associated with the problem. Silica patients have many
buried issues that reach up to control their lives. Denial and repression of emotionality
results in either the feeling of stiffness, which can be expressed as emotional reserve or
properness, or a physical stiffness that can be observed as rigidity of posture.
Perfectionism is another quality that can be observed in individuals needing Silica. Silica
individuals really expect perfection and can be quite fastidious. They want a perfect
relationship and this is, of course, impossible because everyone has character defects and
issues to work out. The result is their dissatisfaction with the world around them and with
themselves. In the repertory, this is reflected in the rubric Mind, Conscientious about
trifles, on page K16. They are so conscientious that they will exhaust themselves trying to
do or overdo what is required of them. They will also point out little inconsistencies or
mistakes made by others in their environment at home or on the job, resulting in tension in
their relationships. This is represented by the rubric MIND, Discontented, displeased,
dissatisfied in which Silica is italicized, on page K36.
One of the strategies used by Silica individuals to preserve their separation from others
is the mechanism of leaving. When there is a problem, the Silica person will "go on
vacation." They will distance themselves rather than stay around and risk emotional
vulnerability. The idea of distancing can be found in the repertory. Silica is listed in bold
type in the rubric MIND, Aggravated by Consolation, page K16.
The desire for escape can take many forms. After Silica individuals overstrain their
minds from intellectual overwork, they can cross the usual psychic boundaries and become
clairvoyant; MIND, Clairvoyance, page K11. This is a manifestation of their emptiness and
need for escape. In this state, they may take on the opinions of others. The mind
becomes so weak that it is easier to do this than to maintain thoughts and feelings of their
own. Silica is listed in bold type in the small rubric MIND, Magnetized, desires to be, page
K63.
Silica individuals exhibit a specific form of manipulation. They manipulate covertly and
very quietly. One example is their tendency to answer a question with another question,
thus placing the responsibility for response back on the other person and diverting the
necessity to interact away from themselves. Their manipulation is thus a form of hiding
and can be reflected in the rubric MIND, Conversation aggravates, in which Silica is listed
in second degree, on page K16.
Another form of denial and distancing that can be seen in Silica patients is found in the
characteristic of intellectualizing. This mechanism is used to deny the feelings that are
buried so deeply within. Silica is found in the small rubric MIND, Theorizing on page K87.
Using the mind to deflect emotional vulnerability is a mechanism that can result in mental
overwork; from this the Silica individual becomes confused and exhausted, as represented
in the rubric MIND, Confusion, from mental exertion, page K15.
Each remedy exhibits its own distinct manifestation of anger. In Silica the anger lies
deeply within and is not easily accessed or expressed. Just as Silica is associated with
suppuration on the physical plane, on the emotional level anger and resentment tend to
fester inside. In Silica individuals, anger can be triggered by broken promises or unfulfilled
expectations. The anger can be difficult to perceive as it is often cloaked in a soft voice
and smiling face. Silica individuals do not openly express anger but indulge in such covert
behaviors as slamming doors, pouting, or becoming "quiet." Thus the anger, rarely
expressed directly, results instead in impatience, smoldering passivity, or withdrawal.
Repressed anger is also often misdirected toward themselves. They get down on
themselves for imperfection and get down on themselves for getting down on themselves.
Often the Silica individual will exhibit passive/aggressive behavior. They lack the
strength for big arguments so they don't get angry, they get even. There will be a
shutdown, either emotionally or physically, with the underlying goal of punishing those
around them. Silica is listed in bold type in the rubric MIND, Morose, on page K68. There
is an inability to take a stand or defend themselves and they will often forgive too easily.
Timidity is a well-known feature of Silica. The Silica individual is often perceived as
being mild-mannered, quiet, and shy. Silica is listed in the rubrics MIND, Mildness, in bold
on page K88, and MIND, Sensitive, in bold on page K78. The Silica temperament is
indeed often soft and quiet; however, the Silica individual may tenaciously maintain this
countenance at any expense, even while feeling suppressed anger or rage. Silica
individuals conceal their true selves from others, to protect themselves from unwanted but
expected criticism and rejection. They hide themselves to obtain a sense of safety, but this
buffer zone of apparent timidity succeeds in preventing intimacy with others.
The rubric MIND, Timidity also reflects a quality of cautiousness. Silica people can be
overly cautious. Their timid approach to life restricts their experience. They may refuse to
take even small risks. In addition, Silica individuals have great difficulty asking for help.
Their sensitive nervous systems are easily aroused and they withdraw from all conflict and
threatening events.
Silica individuals have a profound fear of failure. They avoid situations that hold the
slightest potential for failure, whether academic, social, or sexual. The fear of failure is so
strong that it produces unconscious behavior that assures failure in many of the activities
they engage in. Silica is listed in the rubric Delusions of being doomed, on page S1 272.
Silica individuals have an extreme dread of being called on to answer questions or perform
in front of other people. They become overwhelmed by anxiety and wish to hide
themselves, to disappear. The timidity becomes a shield that keeps them from being
noticed. In his Materia Medica J.T. Kent writes,
"The peculiar Silica state is found in dread of failure. If he has any unusual mental task
to perform, he fears he will make a failure of it, yet he does it well."
One Silica woman studied diligently, maintained an excellent grade-point average,
scored very high on the law board examination and was accepted to three law schools.
Once beginning law school she became increasingly intimidated in class, praying that the
professor would not call on her even though she had studied thoroughly and knew the
answers. She withdrew from school before the first quarter was over.
A prominent characteristic of the Silica personality is extreme self-consciousness. Like
Staphysagria, Baryta Carbonica, and Carcinosinum, Silica individuals internally question
themselves: "What do they think of me?" How can I make sure that they like me?" "Am I
inadequate?" The internal voice repeats phrases like: I am inferior, ugly, stupid, or
worthless. Because of their self-consciousness, Silica people avoid the spotlight and this
reflects their tendency to remain in the background. Silica is listed in the rubric MIND, Quiet
disposition, on page K70. Silica individuals are reluctant to engage in conversation; they
talk in a soft voice and avoid eye contact. They can become so anxious during a
conversation that they lose the train of thought. Silica is listed in italics and is the only
remedy in the rubric MIND, Confusion of mind, conversation aggravates, on page K14.
Silica people develop specific tactics to deflect attention from themselves or their
shortcomings:
If challenged in a conversation they will abruptly change the subject:
"How much longer will this take? I have an appointment."
They will make excuses for their (perceived) poor performance in activities: "Florescent
lights mess up my concentration."
"Tennis isn't my thing. I'm into chess."
 They may devalue a failed task: "Eating with chopsticks is a waste of time if forks are
available."
Silica individuals will then attempt to elicit reassurance: "I hope I didn't mess you guys
up too badly. Did I?"
Poor self-esteem is another hallmark of the wall. Lack of self-esteem is found in the
rubric MIND, Want of self-confidence, page K13, where Silica is listed in italics. Poor self-
image is a natural extension of perfectionism. Silica people can never be as perfect, in
every minute respect, as their unrealistic expectations dictate they must be. Silica
individuals hold a distorted view of themselves; they are not able to see the beauty within.
No matter how well they do or how good they appear, it will not be good enough. This
leads to self-abusive behavior. One case illustrated this point beautifully: A woman was
driven to undergo multiple cosmetic surgeries, such as breast reduction, in a desperate
attempt to obtain a body image that would satisfy her need for perfection and allay her
tremendous self-hatred. This behavior, however, did not quiet her internal fears.
Silica is not found in the rubric, MIND, Complaining, but it is found in MIND, Censorious,
page K10, and MIND, Lamenting, page K61. Lamenting does describe a particular form of
criticism, whining, and complaining that is seen in the Silica personality. This negative and
judgmental attitude acts as a barrier; it further distances Silica individuals from other
people. Silica people may also form emotional bonds with others based on mutual
complaints and suffering. Silica is listed in the rubric MIND, Delusions, fail, everything will,
page K25.
The Silica person has feelings of emptiness, isolation, and being unloved. Silica people
cannot get enough into their lives to fill this void. They often feel unwanted, unappreciated,
unnoticed. They are incapable of filling their own emotional vacuum and will never be fully
satisfied by the offerings of those in their emotional environment.
The role of victim can be assumed by individuals needing Silica. They believe that they
are powerless, that people are doing things to them, that they are being victimized by
others. This results in a pattern of being repeatedly "used," a tendency to become involved
in relationships in which the other person gets what they want from them and then drops
them. Silica people may have a naive "Pollyanna attitude" toward life and relationships.
Conversely, they can also become excessively suspicious or cynical, believing that
everyone has an underlying selfish motive for whatever they do. Silica is one of the few
remedies in the rubric MIND, Delusions that he is about to receive injury, page K28.
An example of this victim role can be seen in the way that Silica parents interact with
their children. In a sense they are controlled by their children. Because Silica individuals
are out of touch with their own center, the needs of others can serve as the entire focus of
their lives. Their children's development, education, struggles, or desires may consume
them. They have the need to fulfill all of the wishes of their children immediately. They
may have fixed ideas or become obsessed with their children. They may tolerate or subtly
encourage disrespect from their children.
One factor in the makeup of the Silica individual is dishonesty. The fear of showing
their true thoughts and emotions, coupled with lack of self-confidence, results in a specific
form of dishonesty. This can translate into being secretive, or not forthcoming, with their
feelings. If they hate something they will say it is OK. When they feel awful, they will say "I
am fine." They have a tendency to smile when they talk about painful feelings. Silica is
listed in the rubric Liar, on page S1 706.
Silica individuals believe in their worthlessness, which leads to a feeling of guilt. This is
also an extension of self-doubt. When something goes wrong, Silica individuals will feel
that their self-perceived inadequacies are the cause. They can descend into monomania
on this point. Silica is in italics in the rubric MIND, Anxiety of conscience, as if guilty of a
crime, page K6, and MIND, Monomania, page K67.
Just as Silica has a tendency to easily form tumors, nodosities, and induration, the mind
will become fixed and set on certain ideas. The tendency toward fixed ideas is seen in the
repertory in rubrics such as Monomania. Silica individuals often hold fixed opinions or
prejudices which are difficult to change.
In Silica there is deeply buried pain. Food is used to medicate this hurt, thus many
Silica individuals engage in disordered eating. The pathological relationship with food can
take several forms. The Silica person can either become obsessed with food or ignore the
need for food (anorexia). Their relationship with food becomes distorted, and often they
will have fixed ideas regarding food.
Each event in the lives of Silica individuals has the potential to set them back or initiate
a crash. They will have a delayed recovery from illness, injuries, and lost relationships or
jobs. Silica is listed in bold type in the rubric, GENERALITIES, Wounds, slow to heal, page
K1422. In Silica, emotional wounds are also slow to heal. Again the physical symptoms
mirror a tendency found on the emotional plane. Silica people have great difficulty
regaining strength, regrouping forces, and getting back on track. They may wallow in their
pain and illness and thus avoid getting well and returning to their employment.

THE SILICA IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS

Silica individuals have difficulty establishing intimate relationships with others because
they feel incompetent or unworthy and thus behave in a timid or shy manner. They are
particularly uncomfortable in social situations where they might be evaluated by others.
This is similar to Calcarea Carbonica. The quality of properness is reflected in their
sensitivity to violations of their personal space." They prefer distance to physical
closeness.
The timidity or shyness characteristic of this remedy extends into the sexual sphere.
They prefer lovemaking to be simple, silent, fast, and to be performed in the dark.
Discussions of sexual preference provoke undo anxiety. Silica individuals feel the pressure
to satisfy their partner and the pressure to act satisfied. The performance anxiety prevents
spontaneous enjoyment.
Silica individuals can harbor feelings of sexual inadequacy but are often too
embarrassed to discuss these feelings with another person. An example of this is the case
of a 26-year-old male. He had refrained from masturbation until the age of 19. Although
he enjoyed the feeling of orgasm, he felt that masturbation was wrong and was always
embarrassed about having an erection. His state of virginity was his deepest secret. At 26
he was too terrified to ask a woman out for a date because he felt he did not know how to
act or how to perform sexually. He had become imprisoned by his timidity.

The Mask
Emotional Characteristics of the Mask
The mask of Silica is the unruffled exterior that one is likely to encounter when
interacting with individuals of this remedy. The mask is, in a word, nice." The outward
presentation is soft, sweet, and tranquil, despite feelings of insecurity, anxiety, irritability or
anger that lie just beneath the surface. Thus the mask of Silica is represented by the rubric
MIND, Tranquility, on page K89.
The timidity that is so characteristic of this remedy can be a mask as well as a wall. As
a mask, timid behavior causes Silica individuals to fade from sight and prevents other
people from approaching them or expecting things from them. They can behave in a pitiful
manner as an attempt to arouse sympathy in others. Another tactic is the tendency toward
ignoring the requests of others. If Silica people pretend not to notice the remarks of others,
they will not have to respond to those needs or requests.
Silica individuals withdraw by becoming quiet. As was mentioned above, this is
reflected in the rubric MIND, Quiet disposition, on page K70. By shrinking into the
background, they avoid the pressure of engaging with other people. Minimizing is another
aspect of the strategy to disengage from other people. When Silica individuals find
themselves in an argument or conflict, they will minimize the differences in the conflicting
viewpoints or quickly agree with the other person to avoid further contention. They do not
have the physical stamina for conflict, and they abhor the expression of emotion inherent in
an altercation. They will usually take the line of least resistance.
A quality of helplessness associated with the mask of this remedy can be expressed in
either of two ways: Silica people may act helpless so that other people will take care of
them or they may adopt the role of the helper, which gives them more control. When in the
helper role, they will be unable to ask for help for themselves. This will often result in self-
neglect and further add to their role of victim.

Infancy to Adolescence: Identifying Symptoms of Silica as the Child

Grows
The following characteristics are seen frequently in the clinical setting and can help to
confirm that a prescription of Silica is indicated.

The Newborn
Physical Characteristics:
Light birth weight; may be premature
GENERALITIES, Emaciation in children (3), page K1358
Weepy with frequent waking after midnight
SLEEP, Frequent waking (2), page K1256
Very delicate appearance
Sensitivity to noise (vacuum cleaners, sirens, etc.)
MIND, Sensitive, oversensitive to noise (3), page K79
Cephalhematoma
HEAD, Cephalhematoma (2), page K108
Head sweats around the lower part of the neck
HEAD, Perspiration, occiput (2), page K222
Eyes:
Yellow discharge from the eyes
EYE, Discharges, yellow (3), page K237
Stricture of the lachrymal duct
EYE, Stricture of the lachrymal duct (3), page K266
Inflammation of the lachrymal sac
EYE, Inflammation of the lachrymal sac (3), page K243
Adverse to mother's milk
STOMACH, Aversion to mother's milk (3), page K481
Diarrhea from mother's milk
RECTUM, Diarrhea after milk (2), page K614
Constipation
 RECTUM, Constipation (3), page K606
If Silica newborns are being breast fed and the mother drinks milk, they can get either
diarrhea or constipation.
Preference for the right breast
Ingrown toenails
EXTREMITIES, Ingrowing toenails (3), page K1019
They can get cold from exposure of the feet. [like Cuprum]
EXTREMITIES, Icy cold, takes cold through (2), page K964
Perspiration of the feet, which may have an odor
EXTREMITIES, Offensive perspiration of the foot (3), page K1183
They like blankets and warm clothes and prefer to be wrapped tightly.
GENERALITIES, Uncovering aggravates (3), page K1410
They like to be covered and actually have an amelioration from wrapping the head
warmly.
GENERALITIES, Uncovering single part aggravates (3), page K1410, and
HEAD, Uncovering aggravates (3), page K233
They like to lie down.
GENERALITIES, Lying in bed ameliorates (2), page K1372
Dislike bathing
GENERALITIES, Bathing aggravates, page K1345
Dislike diaper change due to the draft [like Nux v.]

Emotional Characteristics:
Babies have a very sweet, nice personality.
MIND, Mildness (3), page K65
Sulky: do not like to be spoken to [ like Ant c. and Nat m.]
MIND, Morose (3), page K68, and MIND, averse to being spoken to, page K82
Intolerance for the nursery or intolerance for being left alone: Isolation in the nursery
can result in a feeling of abandonment and the Silica child may feel abandoned at this early
age. If the mother does not give the Silica child the time and attention they require, this
will form the etiology for Silica pathology.

The Toddler
Physical Characteristics:
Aggravation from vaccinations
GENERALITIES, after vaccinations (3), page K1410
Difficult and slow dentition
TEETH, Dentition difficult (3), page K431
Slow learning to walk, due to weakness of the lower limbs EXTREMITIES, Late
learning to walk (2), page K1223 and
EXTREMITIES, Weakness of lower limbs (2), page K1226
Slow learning to talk
Open fontanelles, with delayed closure of the fontanelles [ like Calc]
HEAD, Open fontanelles (3), page K132
Perspiration on the scalp when falling asleep
HEAD, Perspiration, on falling asleep (2), page K222
Sour perspiration on the head
HEAD, Sour to perspiration (3), page K222
 Skin which is unhealthy and pale
SKIN, Unhealthy (3), page K1339
Eats sand [like Tarantula, Nitric Acid, Calcarea Carbonica]
Diarrhea from dentition
RECTUM, Diarrhea during dentition (3), page K612
Diarrhea in emaciated children
RECTUM, Diarrhea in emaciated people (3), page K612

Emotional Characteristics:
Very sensitive, mild, and sweet
Obstinate and headstrong, but may cry when approached or when spoken to kindly
MIND, Obstinate children, yet cry when kindly spoken to, page K69
Problems that may have developed from infancy are given fuller expression as the
Silica child grows. If the child is exposed to physical or emotional abuse at this stage, that
will further potentiate the emotional state of Silica. The Silica child will learn and exhibit the
following:
<> Always being in control of feelings and behavior
<> Perfectionism: avoiding what is bad, wrong, or inferior
<> Intellectual achievement as a goal: being right in everything
<> A tendency to blame or feel guilt: If something goes wrong, they tend to blame
themselves.

The Child
Physical Characteristics:
Decayed teeth
TEETH, Caries (2), page K431
Chewing food too long and keeping it in the mouth too long
Tendency for obstruction of the nose after every cold
NOSE, Obstruction, after every cold (2), page K341
Impaired hearing from catarrh of the eustachian tube
HEARING, Impaired from catarrh of the eustachian tube (2), page K322
Persistent purulent discharge from the ears
EAR, Discharges, purulent (3), page K287
Recurrent bronchitis
CHEST, Inflammation of the bronchial tubes (3), page K835
Purulent expectoration which can be yellowish-green and copious
Cough, Expectoration, purulent (3), page K818
Constipation, the stool may recede
RECTUM, Constipation, stool recedes (3), page K607
Curvature of the spine
BACK, Curvature of the spine (3), page K887
Awkwardness
EXTREMITIES, Awkwardness, page K953
Cold feet or perspiration of the feet
EXTREMITIES, Coldness of the foot (3), page K962, and
EXTREMITIES, Perspiration of the foot (3), page K1183
Sleepless from noise, anxiety from noise, frightful dreams
MIND, Anxiety from noise (3), page K7, and
 SLEEP, Frightful dreams (3), page K1240
Emotional Characteristics:
Silica children, like their adult counterparts, have a lack of self-confidence and exhibit
apprehensive behavior. They are reluctant to initiate conversations and do little talking with
classmates, preferring, instead, long periods of silence. In school they remain in their
seats and wander around less than other children. They obey orders and are rarely
troublesome.
Activities like dance create special problems for the Silica child.
They are uneasy with unstructured activities and do better in lecture classes. Silica is
listed in the rubric Averse to Jesting, on page K60. During the homeopathic interview,
these children rarely gesture with their hands, sitting quietly and somewhat rigidly in their
seats.

Other prominent characteristics include:

Timidity, especially fear of appearing in public
MIND, Timidity, appearing in public (3), page K89
Overly obedient, yielding and meek
Poor self-confidence
MIND, Want of self-confidence (2), page K13
Weeping or shrieking at trifles
MIND, Weeping at trifles, page K94
Difficulty in separating from their parents
Continually trying to please the parents to win their love
Frightened feeling, easily startled or shaken
MIND, Frightened easily (2), page K49, and MIND, Starting easily (2), page K83
Frightened by strong emotions such as anger with yelling
Needy, seeking the attention of others
Sensation of isolation, a feeling of not belonging
Low self-esteem with many manifestations:
Perfectionism, constantly apologizing, making excuses
Bragging, bribing, giving away candy or toys
Antisocial behavior, using attention-getting devices
Being silly, being very shy, whining, wanting many things
Striving to do everything right, over-striving to please

The Adolescent
Physical Characteristics:
Acne
FACE, Eruptions, acne (3), page K366
Annual coryza with asthmatic breathing
NOSE, Annual coryza with asthmatic breathing, page K326
Painful sinuses from chronic coryza
HEAD, Middle forehead, pain in the frontal sinuses from chronic coryza (3), page K161
Constipation
RECTUM, Constipation (3), page K606
Scoliosis
BACK, Curvature of the spine (3), page K887
 Brittle nails or white spots on the nails
EXTREMITIES, Brittle fingernails (2), page K954
Warts on the sole of the foot
Perspiration of the feet causing a rawness between the toes or cracked skin between
the toes
EXTREMITIES, Perspiration, foot, between the toes (3), page K1184, and
EXTREMITIES, Perspiration, foot, excoriating (2), page K1183
Tendency to be very chilly
GENERALITIES, Lack of vital heat (3), page K1367
Delayed sexual development
Menstrual symptoms
PMS MIND, Anxiety during menses (3), page K7
Breast tenderness
Constipation and chilliness aggravate before and during the menses
RECTUM. Constipation before the menses (3), page K608, and CHILL, Before menses
(3), page K1269

Mental and Emotional Characteristics:

Prostration of mind from mental exertion
Mental weakness from too much homework
MIND, Dullness after mental exertion (2), page K38, and
MIND, Prostration after writing (2), page K70
Amelioration from magnetism (hypnotism)
MIND, Desires to be magnetized (3), page K63
Extreme loneliness, feelings of isolation
Unexpressed anger and fright
MIND, Complaints from fright (3), page K49
Awkwardness stemming from delayed sexual development
Poor self-esteem, self-hatred
Perfectionism
Eating disorders
Acting out the family's unexpressed secrets.

SUMMARY
Clarke, describes Silica, in the Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica:
"The sensitiveness of Silica is one of its keynotes, and an over-susceptibility to nervous
stimuli is a frequent accompaniment of conditions requiring Silica. The surface is tender
and the least touch painful. The senses are morbidly keen."
This is an excellent description of the underlying vulnerability of Silica.
There is a constitutional deficit in defenses that is reflected on all three planes: physical,
emotional, and mental. The Silica organism exhibits a delicateness which can be observed
in the body and perceived in the temperament.
Silica is particularly sensitive to specific situations, chiefly those including elements of
abandonment, fright, abuse, or neglect. These elements form the wound that Clarke
describes as "deep-seated and long-lasting."
The wound then results in a state of weakness. Kent explains, "What Silica is to the
stalk of grain in the field, it is to the human mind. Take the glossy, stiff outer covering of a
stalk of grain and examine it, and you will realize with what firmness it supports the head of
grain until it ripens; there is a gradual deposit of Silica in it to give it stamina. So it is with
the mind; when the mind needs Silica, it is in a state of weakness, embarrassment, dread,
a state of yielding."
The compensation for this thorough weakness in Silica, as in other remedy types, is the
development of a wall and a mask. The wall is characterized by stiffness, properness, and
distancing. The mask of Silica is the outer softness which does not fully disguise the
anxiety, anger, guilt, and fear that lie beneath the surface.
Regardless of the etiology, there are certain characteristics seen in Silica:
1. Difficulty or inability to trust people
2. Problems with intimacy
3. Poor self-image
4. Perfectionist expectations
5. Difficulty with spontaneity
6. Difficulty feeling safe
7. Fear of being out of control
8. Inflexible opinions
9. Secretiveness
10. Rigidity
11. Intellectual

RUBRICS

Rubrics of the Wall of Silica

Anxiety of conscience
Clairvoyance
Confidence, want of self
Conscientious about trifles
Consolation aggravates
Concentration difficult
Confusion from mental exertion
Conversation aggravates
Cowardice
Discontented, displeased, dissatisfied
Delusions he is about to receive injury
Lamenting
Magnetized, desires to be
Morose
Prostration of mind
Sensitive, oversensitive
Timidity

Rubrics of the Mask of Silica

Mildness
Quiet disposition
Timidity

RELATIONSHIPS
 Differential Materia Medica of Silica

Baryta Carbonica
Baryta Carbonica individuals can have an etiological wound of abandonment, betrayal,
or abuse. Their organism generates a wall of timidity and slow development, as a
protective barrier. Baryta Carbonica individuals lose themselves in union with another
person in their relationships; like children, they identify with and mirror the persona and
beliefs of the other person. Baryta Carbonica individuals exhibit childish behavior because
their character development became frozen in childhood, at the time of some significant
trauma. Silica individuals can appear to be yielding, but this is a mask. Silica individuals
also have an inner rigidity and can have fixed ideas.
The minds of Baryta Carbonica individuals work slowly; their thoughts drift, and they
have difficulty remaining focused on the subject at hand. Their mental function is dull,
sluggish, and their memory is weak. They can exhibit elements of imbecility. Performing
even simple tasks can be overwhelming for them. Because of this they often become lazy
and indolent and develop an aversion to work. Silica individuals can also have poor mental
function, but it is the result of exhaustion and lack of stamina rather than an intrinsic quality
of their mental capacity.
Baryta Carbonica individuals are bashful, suspicious, and timid, but they lack the
refinement and "properness" characteristic of Silica individuals. Their behavior can be
childish or mischievous, and their moods can be changeable, oscillating between childish
acceptance and quarrelsome anger. They have a tendency to ridicule others.

Staphysagria
The fear of anger and aggression is central to the pathology of Staphysagria: These
people cannot tolerate witnessing the anger of others or expressing anger themselves.
The wound is often the result of abuse, mortification, or grief, and the wall consists of an
apparent passivity where they assume the role of the victim. They attempt to avoid anger
by wearing a mask of innocence and sweetness. They suffer from suppressed anger but
are actually capable of violent rage; their anger remains unexpressed and festers until it
explodes in violent episodes. Staphysagria individuals prefer to subjugate their own needs
and desires rather than risk the wrath of others. They lack the internal rigidity and
obstinacy of Silica.

Phosphorus
Phosphorus individuals have a wall consisting of thin boundaries, and they tend to
absorb the impressions, thoughts, and feelings of others. They have many more fears than
Silica individuals do, including the fear of disease, fear of the dark, and fear of death.
Phosphorus exhibits much more anxiety than Silica does, yet Phosphorus is not
conscientious about trifles. Phosphorus does not have the secrecy, rigidity, and
inwardness characteristic of Silica. Phosphorus people are openly expressive; their energy
flows outward, represented by the outpouring of their feelings. Here there is a lack of
emotional control, rather than the rigid control seen in Silica individuals. Silica individuals
remain aloof and maintain distance in their relationships. Phosphorus individuals are
sympathetic, deeply concerned with others, and tend to empathically merge with their
partners, becoming incapable of maintaining proper boundaries in their relationships.
 Pulsatilla
The wound of abandonment forms the origin of Pulsatilla pathology; these people thus
require close, sustained, and active contact with others. Pulsatilla individuals have a mask
that is mild and bashful. This mask can appear to be similar to Silica, but these people do
not have the same quantity of anger, fear, and guilt that forms the wall of Silica.

Pulsatilla individuals are not rigid, proper, or conscientious about trifles. They are,
however, virtually addicted to romantic relationships - particularly the beginnings of
relationships, where they feel a sense of union with their partners. Pulsatilla individuals do
not feel whole or fulfilled without involvement in a romantic relationship. They also tend to
be more emotionally expressive than their Silica counterparts. Their moods are
changeable, shifting from laughter and excessive joy to morose sadness. They are
dependent on their partners and can become clingy, weepy, or hysterical. Pulsatilla
individuals can be quite content and comfortable if their partner provides them with
reassurance, strength, and protection. The warmth and passion of their temperament is
mirrored in their physical bodies in greater vital heat. Silica individuals are both physically
and emotionally cooler.