A patient of 32 years called me over the phone on 04 Aug- 2020. He said that he cannot come to the clinic right now because of pandemic situation but he will send his brother to collect the medicines. His voice was really low and he spoke slowly, not taking a pause, but just the way he completed the sentence was really slow. I said it’s alright. Then he asked me, “Doctor I am suffering from Panic attacks since 2014. Do you treat such cases, I mean psychiatric cases”? To which I said yes, we treat all types of psychiatric cases in homoeopathy.
He said OK. He also had some flatulence and distension of abdomen with constipation. He was not able to sleep properly, he usually fell asleep really late after midnight.
I asked him about desire and he said he likes sweet.
He had a fear from water sources such as lake or river, he didn’t know why. I asked him, “Do you have any other fear?” and he said “Yes doctor, whenever it thunders, I am scared and my heart beat rises.”
Then I asked him- “How did your panic attacks started?”
Patient- “Actually doctor what happened was that my friend went to Goa on a trip. He was my really good friend and they were on a boat and suddenly he had a heart attack, and they tried him to rush to the hospital, but he didn’t make it. He died at such a young age; the news really affected me. Now whenever I get this anxiety attacks or panic attacks, I fear I’ll have a heart attack. I do not go out of the house because I feel that I’ll have a heart attack. My heat beat rises, I start to feel heaviness in my chest. I also had a history of OCD for which I took allopathy.”
He also had an electric current like sensation in the head if he does not take allopathy (Clonazepam)
He also had tobacco addiction in the past but now he does not use anymore. He has episodes of allergic rhinitis in the morning since childhood.
In the family history his grandfather had bipolar disorder.
Based on the case, following rubrics are selected from complete repertory-
- Mind, anticipation ailments from agg
- Head, Shocks, blows, Electric like
- Food and drinks, sweets desire
- Fear, Thunderstorm of, thunder especially of
- Answer, answering slowly.
Based on above repertorisation, Phosphorus was selected.
04/08/20-
Phosphorus 1M with sac. Lac. for 30 days.
Pt. was advised to taper the doses of allopathy slowly by consulting his psychiatrist.
Follow up on 01/09/20 (In clinic)-
Patient said the anxiety attacks are relieved, there were no episode of single attack in that month. No electric like sensation in the head even if sometimes he doesn’t take allopathy for few days. From last week he himself stopped taking allopathy and have no problem in the head.
But he said- “I still cannot go out; I still have the fear of heart attack. My confidence is low, my concentration is low and my memory is low. Flatulence and distension are better now.”
Phosphorus 10M with sac lac for 30 days.
(The reason for increase in potency is because the patient still has symptoms on mental level, his intellect is affected, he still had fears. This demands an increase in potency to balance the vital force at a deeper level.
Follow up on 03/10/20-
First time during his treatment he greeted me with a smile and sat in front of me leaning forward on my table like a typical Phosphorus personality.(Magnetized, desire to be)
During this last month he went out 4 times out of the house (5th if you count his visit to my clinic). He said he is more confident now. No more allopathy is required. Memory is a bit low but he said it will be better he knows.
Sac lac for 30 days
Follow up on 06/11/20
Patient is better and improving.
Sac lac for 30 days.
Follow up on 10/12/20 (over the telephone)
Patient said that he is better. Asked something to boost up his memory. Had an episode of rhinitis for 4-5 days but it resolved.
Sac lac. For 30 days
Follow up on 16/01/21 (over the telephone)
Patient is better. Said memory is improving as well.
Sac lac for 30 days.
Follow up on 02/03/21
Patient came with his brother. Reported that everything is fine but wants to continue taking medicines.
Sac lac. For 30 days
Occasionally the patient continued his treatment to this day on and off or for any acute troubles but overall, he is doing fine.
Conclusion-
Phosphorus is one of the leading remedies for anxiety. Phosphorus is really sensitive to his environment and he is like a sponge that absorbs everything that is happening around him. Everything around him can affect him deeply may it be a casual event like a thunder or a traumatizing event like death of his friend from heart attack that led him to this state of panic and fear that he himself may get a heart attack if he goes out(Mind- Impressionable). Phosphorus individuals may speak in a low voice in such a state of depression which he may enter after a shocking event just like Phosphoric acid. But unlike phosphoric acid they may come out of such events easily due to they buoyant nature. Phosphorus is given in Curious and is also found in the sub-rubric- Curious, wants to know the training of the physician, just like in this case when the patient first asked me whether I treat psychiatric cases.
It is really remarkable how a few doses of similimum can work magic in such cases where modern medicine just tries to correct the chemical imbalance in the brain, where in fact the real cause lies so deep that it can only be annihilated by a dose of highly potentized homoeopathic remedy.
References-
- Synthesis repertory Treasure edition
- Complete repertory 2018- (Hompath Zomeo software)
- Homeopathic Psychology by Philip M. Bailey
- Organon of medicine 5th and 6th edition.
About Author:
Dr ABHISHEK CHOUDHARY
Education – BHMS from Vasundhara Raje Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Gwalior (MP), INDIA in 2016.
Work – Currently Practicing as Homoeopathic Consultant for 5 years at Gwalior (MP) with main emphasis on Classical Approach.
