Depression, pharmacological treatment and homeopathy

Only 50–60% of patients with severe depression respond to appropriate antidepressant medication after 2 months of treatment. Also double/triple therapy and the addition of a mood stabilizer often give no relief. Can these patients be treated successfully with homeopathy while still under psychopharmacological treatment?

Two cases are presented: a 42-year-old woman with severe depression for 2 years (3^rd-phase) came for treatment in 10/2000. Several antidepressants, neuroleptics, mood stabilizers and 2 months of hospital treatment without amelioration. 4 psychopharmacons were taken at this time. 2 homeopathic remedies were given without success. Aurum Muriaticum cured this patient in 5 weeks. Since 1/2001 no psychopharmacological treatment needed, and no relapse.

A 50-year-old man came in 11/2000 with major depression (4th phase) for homeopathic treatment. 2½ years of psychopharmacological treatment, 18 months of hospitalisation in 1998 and 2 months in 2000 without constant relief. 3 psychopharmacons were taken at this time. Alumina cured him in 5 weeks; to date no relapse and no psychopharmacological medication since 2001.

Both remedies were chosen according to the presented signs and symptoms and worked safely and fast. The allopathic treatment did not complicate the finding of the homeopathic remedies nor did it disturb or even hinder their action. It was not necessary to stop the psychopharmacological treatment at once as doing so would have been a risk to the patient. After 15 years of practice in the homeopathic treatment of thousands of psychiatric patients I can state that there is often no severe suppression of the action of homeopathic remedies by psychopharmacological drugs. Unsuccessful treatment cannot always mean suppression. There are nearly always enough symptoms to find the right remedy. It is not necessary or useful to stop allopathic drugs at the beginning of the cure; this can even be dangerous. My feeling is that it is better to treat simultaneously and slowly reduce the psychopharmacological medication when we have an amelioration of the clinical state of the patient and/or clear indications for the action of the chosen homeopathic remedy.

Keywords:

Psychiatry, Aurum Muriaticum, Alumina, homeopathy during allopathic treatment.

Schlüsselwörter:

Psychiatrie, Aurum muriaticum, Alumina, Homöopathie während allopathischer Behandlung.

Korrespondierender Autor: Dr. med. Nikolaus Hock, Arzt für Psychiatrie – Homöopathie, Pettenkoferstr. 1, D-80336 München, Germany