Homeopathic Remedies For Manic Depression

Manic depression, more commonly known as bipolar disorder, is a mental condition in which episodes of profound depression alternate with periods of extreme excitability or elation. These mood swings need not be equally distributed, meaning that the condition can exist when a patient is almost always depressed but experiences an occasional manic episode. Homeopathic treatments generally address the depressive and manic phases of the disorder separately. Consult with your doctor before beginning any self-treatment regimen.

Natrum Sulph

Unlike conventional medicine, homeopathy offers few one-size-fits-all remedies. Instead, homeopathic practitioners assess the totality of a patient’s symptoms and overall nature before identifying one or more medications that seem appropriate for treatment. Dennis Chernin, M.D., author of “The Complete Homeopathic Resource for Common Illnesses,” says natrum sulph is one of several homeopathic remedies for depression but one that is particularly well suited for use in patients who are bipolar. Characteristics that make a patient an ideal candidate for natrum sulph include sensitivity, symptoms that worsen while listening to music, suspicion, suicidal ideation and extreme dislike of speaking or being spoken to. Symptoms in such a patient also tend to worsen in cold, damp weather and abate when the weather is warm and dry. Homeopathic remedies do not lend themselves to self-treatment, so don’t take this or any other homeopathic medication unless you’re under the care of a medical professional.

Natrum Muriaticum

Natrum muriaticum is a homeopathic medication most often prescribed for depression in people with an outer facade of reserve and an insistence on privacy, according to British homeopathic practitioner Sayeed Ahmad. It also lends itself well to treatment of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. Ideal candidates for natrum muriaticum typically react poorly when others offer words of consolation, and they may also display symptoms such as anxiety, migraines, back pain, insomnia and brooding over past grievances during the depressive phase of their illness. This remedy is also ideal for the treatment of depression that appears to be the culmination of “long suppressed feelings,” according to Asa Hershoff, author of “Homeopathic Remedies.” Such remedies, however, should be taken only under the care of a medical professional.

Remedies for Manic Phase

Because homeopathic treatment is highly individualized, selecting the ideal remedy to treat the manic phase of bipolar disorder must be preceded by a careful examination of the patient’s symptoms and overall behavior. Regardless of the specific medication selected, the goal of this therapy is to bring unrealistic feelings of euphoria or elation under control. Hpathy, a collection of online resources related to homeopathic medicine, identifies several substances that are used to treat the manic phase. These include arsenic, belladonna, coffea, cuprum-met, hyoscyamus, lachesis, nux-vomica, platina, stramonium, syphilinum and tarentula.