Minutus

Zaidee,

I was intrigued by your post as I regularly treat both heroin and
cocaine addicts by conventional methods (allopathic drugs for withdrawal
symptoms and behavioral therapy) and have not had much success so far
using homeopathy in this context.

Where are you located and in what kind of setting do you practice? Are
you using the remedies you named to manage acute symptoms, or are they
the constitutional remedies that come up most commonly? How do you
incorporate the oat porridge and the herbal tinctures?

Later this week I will be seeing a patient who has just completed an
outpatient detox from oral opiates and cocaine and wants to try
constitutional homeopathic treatment. She is highly motivated but still
having difficulty sleeping at night, which I currently see as the
biggest short-term obstacle to her recovery. I expect that for a while
she will require continued allopathic medicine, herbal remedies, and
nutritional supplements (all of which she is currently taking) for sleep
in addition to whatever constitutional remedy comes up.

To the group at large, I would be interested in dialoguing with other
members who regularly treat addictions (on or off list). It has been my
impression so far that the altered brain chemistry that occurs with
chemical dependencies is a relative obstacle to homeopathic treatment.

Sincerely,
Arlene

Just to alter this thread a bit, I wanted to know what success others have had in treating other types of addictive
behavior; ie, smoking. I have seen alcohol patterns changed, but not necessarily when the person was addictive.

tanya
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Arlene,

Thanks for your email and sorry for replying late. The choice for Sulphur
is always for two reasons, firstly, the sedative allopathic treatment and
second, it itself causes insomnia, if given at bedtime. Thus it cures
insomnia...being homeopathic. No doubt, overall picture of the patient must
be considered. Besides this, the area I live in, has too many suppressive
treatments and ointments for skin affections...lots of suppressions. We
have lot of leather garments industry here and the water is well polluted
!! Nearly every third house has a concern manufacturing soccer balls.
They use different chemicals for screen printing and do not use gloves
while at work. They also use a chemical called Butyl for removing any
specks. This is an organic compound with some other chemicals in it. Such
patients are regular patients mostly. All these external forces render here
a picture for Sulphur. So these are the few reasons, that Sulphur, if
indicated, (mostly it is), is chosen. I hope, my detailed answer has been
of any assistance to you. Take care.

Sincerely,
Zaidee.

At 08:52 PM 9/5/02 -0700, you wrote: