KEY SYMPTOMS

Mental dullness and sluggishness, chilliness, tendency to drop things, person feels worse between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

REMEDY PROFILE
The people who benefit most from taking this remedy are characteristically dull and sluggish. It is best suited to those who feel stupefied and have slow mental processes. They commonly experience anguish, irritability, apathy, and depression. These people frequently feel as though their brains are in turmoil, and do not understand what is going on around them. Although they may beg for help, they are generally inconsolable.

Physical symptoms generally worsen between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and improve in warmth and when lying covered up. Helleborus is prescribed for mental states that feature sluggishness and stupefaction.

Acute inflammatory nervous conditions may be helped, as may headaches, digestive problems, and depression. Symptoms may follow as a result of concussion, surgery to the brain, or a bout of meningitis or encephalitis.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Grows naturally on rocky or mountainous sites in southern Europe. Flowers from winter to spring and is widely cultivated as a popular garden plant.

BACKGROUND
Used in the past by herbalists as a treatment for lice, and as a local anesthetic, purgative, heart tonic, and means of inducing an abortion. The leaves were used as a heart stimulant for the elderly.

PREPARATION

The tincture is prepared from the fresh root of the plant. This is dug up in the winter, chopped, and macerated, then filtered and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Black hellebore, Christmas rose.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Behavioral problems with erotic tendencies, delirium and paranoia, spasmodic cough, laughter at inappropriate times.

REMEDY PROFILE
Hyoscyamus is the best remedy for those with paranoid traits and behavioral problems. The typical Hyoscyamus pattern is incoherent, excited behavior, muttering, and obscene sexual exhibitionism.

Laughter at inappropriate times is common, as is a sense of being ostracized in a private world. In addition, Hyoscyamus is used for physical conditions associated with involuntary twitching, such as delirium, and for fits of dry coughing. Homeopaths may prescribe it for certain types of convulsions, such as petit mal, epilepsy, and, in children, febrile convulsions with a rapid rise in temperature. In some cases, the remedy may be given for schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease, if accompanied by marked withdrawal, obscenity, and inappropriate laughter.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to southern Europe and western Asia, and now found throughout much of Europe and America.

BACKGROUND
Used in herbalism as a painkiller and sedative for urinary tract pain and nervous spasms. Herbalists also massage in the oil externally for nerve pain and rheumatoid arthritis.

PREPARATION
The whole fresh plant in flower, including the root, is chopped finely and steeped in alcohol for ten days. It is then diluted and
succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Henbane, common henbane, black henbane, hairy henbane, stinking nightshade, stinking Roger, hog’s bean, cassilata.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Conditions generated as side-effects of surgery, particularly urogenital surgery, suppressed emotions, increased sex drive and masturbation.

REMEDY PROFILE
Staphysagria is most appropriate for people who bottle up their emotions, especially rage. They tend to be extremely sensitive, particularly to criticism or rudeness. Irritation and anger can bubble away inside them, although they appear mild-natured and yielding on the surface, avoiding confrontation. When their emotions finally erupt, they often overreact and tremble with anger.

There may be a history of abuse. Common physical symptoms include perspiration, gas, and stools that smell of rotten eggs. Cravings for alcohol and sweet foods are typical. Suppressing emotions may cause headaches, depression, or an increased sex drive.

Despite shyness, the libido is often high and there is a tendency to masturbate. Staphysagria is generally most commonly prescribed for cystitis and other urogenital disorders, and for joint pains and neuralgia, skin conditions, insomnia, and toothaches.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to Europe and now grown in Asia and southern Europe. Prefers chalky, loamy soil in areas of waste ground and cornfields.

BACKGROUND
In Western herbal medicine the seeds of the plant can be used to make an ointment for treating head lice and other parasites.

PREPARATION
The seeds of the plant are gathered once it has finished flowering. They are then dried, triturated, and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Stavesacre, palmated larkspur, housewort.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Anger accompanied by fear, fear of the dark, fear of water, stammering, trembling  and     convulsions.

REMEDY PROFILE
People who respond best to Stramonium may experience rage and violence, particularly     sudden outbursts accompanied by strong fears. The anger may be rooted in profound fear,   following abuse or an accident. The fear may take the form of terror of the dark or of water.   Those affected may also manifest hyperactive or overt sexuality. They are prone to stammering, and may have religious delusions, praying and proselytizing incessantly. Sleep may exacerbate symptoms.

Stramonium is prescribed for fevers and chest complaints accompanied by the typical rages and terrors. It is also used, if the
characteristic traits are evident, for delirium, tics, convulsions, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and other nervous-system disorders.
The remedy is sometimes prescribed to treat chorea and for some serious psychological problems, such as mania, manic depression, and schizophrenia, particularly if they are accompanied by hallucinations or violence.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Thought to be native to both South America and western Asia, but now found growing in
many temperate areas, often on wasteland.

BACKGROUND
Introduced to Europe in the 16th century, and traditionally used as a narcotic, a painkiller, an anti-inflammatory, and
to treat convulsions.

PREPARATION
The fresh leaves and flowers, or the seeds, are chopped and macerated in alcohol, before being filtered, diluted, and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Thorn apple, devil’s apple, stinkweed, false castor oil.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Conditions that are triggered by pent-up anger, colicky pains that are relieved by pressure, indignation, neuralgic pains that are better for warmth.

REMEDY PROFILE
Colocynthis works best on those whose symptoms are brought on by suppressed anger. These people tend to be generally
restless, anxious, and reserved, but easily irritated or angered. They have a strong sense of right and wrong, and can feel humiliated if their opinion is contradicted; the humiliation then gives way to indignation. Colocynthis is prescribed if the physical complaint, such as neuralgia or a digestive disorder, is brought on by, or exacerbated by, pent-up anger.

The remedy is used chiefly for acute pain, specifically colicky abdominal pain; cramping in the hips, kidneys, and ovaries; headaches; or shooting nerve pain in the face, neck, and limbs. It may also be prescribed for gout and rheumatic pain in the neck.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN

Native to Turkey, but can now be found growing in many hot, dry, sandy regions throughout the world.

BACKGROUND
Used in ancient Greece as a strong purgative and for complaints ranging from mania to lethargy, edema, and dropsy.

PREPARATION

The dried, deseeded fruit is powdered and macerated in alcohol, before being diluted and succussed.

COMMON NAMES

Colocynth, bitter apple, bitter cucumber.