Benefits of homeopathy for mental health
A quarter of the UK population will experience some kind of mental health problem in any year, yet conventional medicine has so far failed to find any solution to this growing problem. Homeopathy, on the other hand, has been shown to work as well as anti-depressants and better than placebos. [4]
Homeopathy is one of the most popular complementary therapies. It has been used across the world for over two centuries. Mental and emotional problems, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia, are among the most common reasons individuals seek complementary/alternative treatments.[2] Studies show that when used appropriately homeopathy is a safe therapy [3] and that its uses cover a wide range of physical, mental and emotional conditions.
Homeopaths take a different, often complementary, approach to mental health, tailoring their consultations and the prescription to suit the person’s unique set of symptoms. Qualified homeopaths are experienced professionals, so can play a role in identifying mental and emotional health needs at an early stage. Homoeopaths work with their patients to get to know their stories and individual symptoms well.
Homeopaths aim to treat the causes of ill health as well as the effects. We achieve
a deep understanding of our patients’ underlying issues
REASONS TO CHOOSE HOMEOPATHY FOR MENTAL HEALTH
- Recommended by professionals Registered homeopaths in the UK represent a sizeable workforce with the potential to contribute significantly to promoting and protecting the public’s physical and mental health. A 2017 report by the Professional Standards Authority and the Royal Society for Public Health spoke about how Registered Homeopaths (RSHoms) and others on accredited registers could take an increasing role in supporting the public’s health.
- Drug-free and unharmful Homeopaths don’t believe that there is just one reason for the increase in mental illness, but many of them think drug-induced illness is probably more common than is generally recognised.
- Free from side-effects Homeopathic remedies are made from high dilutions of natural or manmade substances, so they don’t have the unpleasant side or withdrawal effects of conventional antidepressants, tranquilisers and anti-psychotics. [4,5]
RESEARCH PROVING HOMEOPATHY WORKS FOR MENTAL HEALTH
- A large-scale study (EPI3) of GPs in France found that patients with anxiety and depression who consulted GPs prescribing homeopathy reported lower use of conventional anti-depressants and were more likely to experience clinical improvements than patients who just received conventional care. Whether this was due to differences in approach, remedies or both the outcome was that many patients benefited from this therapeutic intervention. [9]
- One outstanding study is the randomised clinical trial of over 500 patients carried out by Peter Viksveen and his team. The results showed that people who had received homeopathic treatment reported lower scores for depression than those who just continued with their usual care. [7]
- In a longterm Indian study of patients who suffered from mood disorders, a course of six months of homeopathic treatment was associated with significant benefits in patients suffering from depressive episodes. [8]
- Two randomised clinical trials in South America have found homeopathy to be equally effective, but with fewer side-effects than the anti-depressant Prozac (fluoxetine) in treating moderate and severe depression. The first, a 2011 study in Brazil, followed 91 people who suffered from moderate to severe depression, with positive results for the homeopathic group. [10]
- The other, a 2015 study in Mexico, focused on premenopausal women with severe depression. The researchers concluded that homeopathy was as effective and safe as anti-depressants in the treatment of pre-menopausal women. [4]
PARTICULARLY RECOMMENDED FOR DEPRESSION IN UNDER-18s
Mental illness is afflicting people at younger and younger ages. Even those who receive modern medical aid for mental disorders can remain chronically ill and dependent upon pharmaceutical interventions over very long periods. Many medications are not recommended for patients under 18 years of age, and research suggests that the effectiveness of many drug therapies is limited.
HOMEOPATHY HELPS ADHD
Homeopathy has been used in several studies for ADHD, with good results. In one randomised clinical trial of 83 children aged 6-16 years with ADHD, impulsivity and poor attention improved significantly with homeopathic treatment.[11]
Another study found that homeopathic treatment for ADHD was associated with sustained, increasing improvements with patients left feeling less anxious, depressed or irritable. [12]
CONCLUSION
Depression is now the major cause of disability across the world, affecting more than 300 million people. [6] About 38 per cent of patients with depression do not use pharmaceutical treatments, which suggests that there is plenty of scope for additional or alternative approaches. There have been several well-designed studies where homeopathy was used to treat patients with depression.
To reject homeopathy in the face of a mental health crisis is ludicrous. The role that trained and qualified homeopaths can potentially play in providing holistic care for those with mental and emotional problems across the community is substantial. Research suggests that, even given the limitations of clinical trials, homeopathy has been shown to work as well as anti-depressants and better than placebos. [4]