By Jadwiga James – Homeopath
& Herbalist, Access Bars
practitioner
Dealing with death of a loved one is never easy, and one of the most difficult and heart-wrenching experiences is the loss of a child, whether it’s through miscarriage, stillbirth, illness or an accident.
Grief is a complex and confusing process, involving a whole array of different and conflicting emotions. We are told that there are 6 stages of grief:
• Shock and denial
• Pain and guilt
• Anger and bargaining
• Depression
• Reconstruction
• Acceptance and hope
But the truth is that grief is such a personal experience, that it cannot be classified nor put within any time frames. Each bereaved person carries a completely unique story. Although some of us might be sharing the same circumstances, their scope and impact on each one’s life can vary dramatically and will depend on a whole range of different factors.
It’s very important to be able to open up to someone about what you are dealing with but, ultimately, grief is a very lonely state. Some people find dealing with loss so difficult that they cut themselves from it completely, whilst others become stuck… paralysed by grief and devastation, becoming incapacitated and unable to carry on living a life they knew before. Some people are not willing to ask for help and want to deal with loss on their own. They might feel that doing anything to lessen their heartache lies on par with betrayal of the memory of their loved one. In the end, we are rarely the same people after grief.
How can homeopathy help?
In choosing a remedy for grief, a homeopath takes into account the person’s experiences and their reactions to them. Being of belief that the mind, body and emotions are interconnected, homeopath looks for specific pattern hiding behind the suffering, the very thing that makes the person’s experience so individual to him.
As homeopathy has been around for over 200 years, its remedies have an equally long history of practical and clinical verification. Thanks to the sheer volume of their usage, some of the preparations became widely-known for their specifically useful action when it comes to dealing with effects of grief, shock and trauma.
The most commonly prescribed homeopathic remedies for dealing with grief and loss are:
Aconite: a remedy for shock; not only for those who experience the loss themselves but for those who may have bore a witness to it, e.g. the nursing staff. Aconite is most useful when a person suffering loss becomes convinced of approaching death, experiences panic attacks and palpitations. It’s a sudden and active response. Aconite can be considered as a first-line remedy.
Calcarea Carbonica: a remedy for over-identifying with the deceased; people needing Calcarea Carbonica are very easily affected by tragic stories, might start imagining what it’s like to be dead and become either easily startled and oversensitive or suffer from dullness and confusion of thoughts as a result.
Ignatia Amara: a remedy for recent grief or grief which is felt with the same intensity despite the passage of time; people needing Ignatia might suffer from sudden, uncontrollable bouts of tears, laughter, anger and despair, all of which are very intense in their character; very commonly there is a sensation of a ball stuck in their throat as well as frequent sighing and yawning.
Natrum Muriaticum: a remedy for chronic effects of grief which was never allowed to be expressed fully; it’s a very common occurrence that people need to cut-short their time of bereavement on account of work or family commitments, which can result in semi-permanent state of unresolved feelings; the grief becomes like a secret wound which needs to remain hidden from others and never shared, thus people needing Natrum Muriaticum are very often closed emotionally and find it difficult to cry, especially in front of others.
Phosphoric Acid: a remedy for burn-out after a death of a loved one; people needing Phosphoric Acid might experience hair loss as a result of grief as well as complete apathy, emptiness and physical, as well as mental, exhaustion.
Staphysagria: a remedy for unexpressed grief with feelings of anger; especially suited for when the loss involved further surgical intervention which might have aroused feelings of having been violated; people benefiting from Staphysagria very often blame themselves for what has happened.
Homeopathy doesn’t interfere with bereavement. It will not prevent anyone from experiencing or processing the pain and loss in a balanced and healthy way. It can simply aid in release of emotions and ensure one does not become stuck in any part of the grieving process, whilst providing support in dealing with it in a gentler and more conscious manner. Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic, don’t cause any adverse side-effects and can be taken on their own as well as a part of any other type of treatment; there is no age limit to their usage, which makes them safe to use in every stage of life.
My name is Jadwiga James and I offer a free 15/20 minute consultation either over the phone or in person at Acorn Natural Health Centre. Please get in touch to find out more.
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