[SPAM?] obsession with disease

[Dale Moss]

Hi, Rosemary

Interesting that the DD for your female patient included Cann-i. When I read your earlier question about how to repertorize for this tendency to produce a profusion of symptoms, I remembered a case of my own where you couldn't see the forest for the trees. Only later did I realize it was a Cann-i. case.

The following is from a DD between Nit-ac. and Cann-i. (from my notes; I forget the attribution):

DD: Anxiety re health. A Nitricum acidum case vividly illustrates the anxiety about health that these two remedies have in common. A man wrote to me complaining of lumbago. He had seen a chiropractor whose adjustments had only worsened the pain. He had seen many doctors and subsequently a homeopath whose prescriptions had had no effect. The man was bedridden and could not work. The letter he sent to me consisted of twelve pages - twelve pages! He wrote that he was surely going to die or retire to a monastery, that his life was no longer worthwhile. It became apparent from reading his letter that he was suffering from a profound anxiety about health -- the only symptom he failed to mention! I sent him a dose of Nitricum acidum 10M, and he made a full recovery within a week. Similar states can be seen in Cannabis. With any little stress, they feel that they are breaking down and take to their bed. When they visit the homeopath, they complain of a vast number of symptoms -- exhaustion, constipation, headaches, pains, etc. They can produce twenty pages of symptoms -- there is no symptom they do not have -- and they will tell the physician to be certain to underline one symptom twice and another three times because it is very important. In addition, they admit to having whatever symptoms the physician suggests. If their symptoms alone are focused upon, the case will be hopelessly confusing; one blind alley after another will be followed. They call their physician frequently, even daily, to complain of their multiple problems in a panicky way and with great intensity. Other remedies, such as Agaricus, Arsenicum, and Nitricum acidum manifest similar behavior. Cannabis patients keep the physician on the telephone for a long time complaining; they demand explanations, but are not readily reassured. Phosphorus patients, on the other hand, also frequently telephone their physician with anxiety about health, but they can be easily reassured within a few minutes and their concern evaporates. Cannabis tries to explain his symptoms away when you go to confirm. The important thing to remember is the intensity with which the symptoms are given, the underlying anxiety about health, and the exaggerated degree to which they attempt to sabotage symptom validity by providing discrediting theories. He goes from one doctor to another complaining, "He did not pay the right attention to my case."
A nice picture of the hysterical patient whose core problem is that he feels he's losing control.
Peace,

Cinnabar