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By Joy Lucas RSHom.
One
of my online courses is in comparative materia medica - where one rubric
is selected and some of the remedies are compared - so I thought you
might be interested in this.
The repertories are full of strange and bizarre rubrics. There are rich,
quality sensations that you feel so lucky if a client utters them.;
strange symptoms that are a gift if elicited during case taking.
Sometimes you just wish clients would present with some of these clear
cut but obscure states just to make life easy - but they rarely do -
many cases come across initially as quite ordinary and even after
careful and detailed case taking one can still be left with a certain
amount of interpretation, having to unravel the richness of someone's
story in search of a quality that comes with strange, rare and peculiar
symptoms.
Kleptomania could be one of those rubrics. But what is Kleptomania and
why are the remedies that are in this rubric there; what do they have in
common; how do they relate to each other; what are the themes and
essences of some of the remedies that have this rather strange symptom
and how might they present during the case taking?
Let's look at the word itself first - klepht = a Greek belonging to one
of several independent and armed and sometimes brigandish communities,
formed after the Turkish conquest of Greece. From the brigandish, bandit
element (brigand can also mean to bring strength and honour), we get
klepto = to steal. With the addition of mania we have finally = a
persistent, neurotic impulse to steal, especially without economic
motive in which the object stolen is usually believed to have a symbolic
significance to the kleptomaniac. Almost
magpie like.
The desire to steal is irresistible and obsessional and the emphasis is
on stealing items that are not rationally needed for personal use or
monetary value - we could perhaps extend this to 'Desires more than s/he
needs'; or 'Capricious, knows not what s/he wants'; then there is 'Delusion
s/he has stolen something'; 'Fear of poverty'; 'Contradiction of will';
and 'Makes useless purchases', to consider in the analysis. Aetiology is
not to be underestimated and could prove to be a confirming factor
within the case - such as jealousy for example. Some clinicians view
kleptomania as part of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum of disorders,
reasoning that many individuals experience the impulse to steal as an
unwanted intrusion into their mental state. Other evidence suggests that
kleptomania may be related to mood disorders such as depression - which
in turn will have its own aetiology.
But the emphasis really is on the need to steal. And, the thing is, you
can steal almost anything. You can steal a kiss, ideas, a look, time,
belongings, confidence, protection, energy, money, liberty, secrets,
identity, and so on.
If we take a closer look at some of the remedies in this rubric it might
shed some light and give us a deeper sense of understanding of these
remedies.
REMEDIES:
BRYONIA
Bryonia effects all serous membranes causing great inflammation and
fever of many kinds. The circulation and the blood is disordered.
Aggravation from any movement at all, they have to be still and resting.
There is physical weakness when attempting to move. There are stitching,
tearing, bursting pains. 'Bry is dry' - mucous membranes are dry and
they are very thirsty, discharges are scant, menses are suppressed,
joints seem to lack lubrication - hot, red and swollen, skin rashes
recede or do not develop - a definite with-holding state, one of
congestion.
Often affects people who are normally of a robust and determined
constitution, the complaints develop slowly but with great force, they
do not succumb quickly.
The trigger with Bryonia is all to do with clinging, protection and the
fear of being scorned (yet wants to be alone), fear of losing that
protection (and yet so ugly in behaviour as to repel). - Bryonia is a
clinging and climbing vine. The climbing aspect might well relate to the
normal robustness of this remedy - they often do well in life, reach
sociable heights, are always talking of their business (even when ill).
The clinging relates to the amount of protection they really do need,
their fear of being scorned - ailments from being scorned - and as a
plant that needs something to cling to the 'home' is a likely source of
discontent.
Anxiety in the house Delusion is away from home Delusion as if in a
strange land Attempts to escape Desires to go home Talks of home
For people who fear being scorned and have a need to cling then Bryonia
is unusually repellent in its attitude. They are so irritable and grumpy,
to the point of rage. They want to be left alone (good thing too!), very
ugly behaviour, taciturn. Usually so robust they cannot come to terms
with being ill so they are extremely apprehensive about their condition,
and fear for their future, but the overwhelming emotions are
irritability and complaining.
The need to cling and fear of losing protection comes in the form of:-
Delusion is being injured Delusion he is pursued Delusion under the
control of strangers Delusion he is unfortunate Despair of recovery Fear
of being alone Fear of being poisoned Fear of suffering Ailments from
scorn Aversion to being touched Feels unfortunate
So, Bryonia steals for self gratification, needing to reward the self at
any cost, they steal your time and drain your energy - a very selfish
and needy remedy.
STAPHYSAGRIA
Once known as an exterminator of vermin Staphysagria has the action of
stupefying. It also has physical, moral and sexual disturbance. Morbidly
sensitive, everything is painfully sensitive, sensation as if being
squeezed between stones - pushed to the limit where there is no thought
as to the consequence of actions - becomes warped and stupefied, numb to
the consequences. The faculties of perception and understanding are
deadened but at the same time shocking, astonishing, stunning.
Manipulative with a great propensity to object to what others may say or
do to them but this is suppressed until again, pushed to that limit.
Staphysagria stands tall and haughty with dignity, reputation and honour
at stake. So in the early stages their emotions are kept tightly
controlled. But if they fall from this grand stance (fear of falling)
they become capricious, appear sweet and romantic, sexually lures,
suffers rape or sexual abuse because of this (?), there is want of self
control and then deep suppression and remorse and finally more lack of
control, violence and serious deep pathology.
Like Bryonia, Staphysagria cannot be scorned and yet they want to throw
what they have away. They play with fire and like to throw things into
the fire, until they cannot maintain the image anymore and a very
unstable symptom picture begins to emerge.
But why does Staphysagria have kleptomania? What is it exactly that
Staphysagria needs to steal?
When you stupefy someone you take away their notions of freedom and this
is what Staphysagria steals - freedom of choice. Staphysagria suffers so
much at their own makeover, their own self image, that they suppress
their own identity to such a degree that they then, can only, explode
and crumble (sensation as if broken in pieces). Temper, bones, teeth,
limbs, stomach, sexual energies - all come to a violent breaking point
and then break down.
SEPIA
Sepia gives and works and works and gives more and more until they feel
as though everything they are doing is against their will (undertakes
things opposed to her intentions and contradiction of will), they become
completely worn out doing things for others and never for themselves.
They also have fear of poverty and part of their disharmony is when they
feel they want to have something back for all the hard work endured - so
they steal it, whatever it is that they want - often is it freedom and
liberty. The problem is, they continue to work enduringly hard, they
continue to give against their will (even sexual activity is indulged in
against their wishes) and this exhausts them even more. Pulled in two
directions like this - stasis occurs.
Sepia has dreams of rape - this might be actuality - and this violation
is a form of 'stealing' in reverse - so within the Sepia concept of
despair 'stealing' becomes the norm. They cannot tolerate being
contradicted, this is stealing respect; delusion, feels she could injure
herself, this is a stolen self worth; unconscious while kneeling in
church, this is stolen stability; ailments after anger, this is stolen
control; averse to family, this is stolen love. But to counter this they
refuse sympathy and consolation, they are heedless and impetuous, they
love and welcome anything which disturbs the environment such as
thunderstorms, suffer from states of mildness and indifference, have
delusions the family will starve - the balance is never achieved, hence
stasis, which has to be the encompassing keynote of Sepia.
KALIUM BROMATUM
Kali brom has guilt written all over it - they fiddle and fidget with
their hands, the eyes are never still, always averting, suspiciously
scanning - deep sense of guilt, as though they had committed a crime.
This might actually be the case but there is Delusion about to commit a
crime; that money is sewed up in the clothing; that he has been accused
of stealing. Taking their case is more like a police questioning - they
answer no to all questions!!
The Kali brom person is very unstable. It is likely that they have been
brought up to feel this deep sense of guilt - delusion forsaken and
deserted - perhaps they were not wanted as a child, so the love they had
to work for is deemed as being stolen. They develop depression and
melancholy, concern about their health, complain about everything, lose
all moral and religious feeling, are full of remorse and eventually
become paranoid - delusion is the object of god's vengeance, that life
is threatened, that they are in danger from their family (do not
underestimate this), that they are conspired against. They often develop
overwhelming sexual activities and epilepsy - all because love was
stolen from them and they want it back.
CALCAREA CARBONICA
I never expected to see Calc carb in this rubric. The oyster in the
shell, cannot exist without a shell, this protection is a must for Calc
carb - protection and security, the stuff of bones and life and the need
for a 'home' and all that entails. A fragile and threatening world is
out there waiting for them if this is threatened or stolen from them -
delusion small and weak.
Protection comes in many forms - people, money and possessions, softness,
food - Calcarea needs company, has fear of poverty, loves soft food (especially
eggs) and are often plump (but not always). If these basics are missing
then they will steal to get them. But they are fearful of being observed
and don't want to be found out, (in fact many fears will evolve over
time, all to do with a theme of persecution). So this is how they do it:-
they complain about offences long past spend ridiculous amounts of money
- delusion wealthy steal money talk a lot about money in general become
indifferent about their own recovery so others will attend to them get
irritable become extremely obstinate talks all the time of danger - fire,
cruelties, murder, rats and snakes - and how it effects them become
averse to the family pretend to be sick become destructive will let
people take them over completely indulge in sexual excesses shriek and
scream for attention they bite you
So next time you bite into an oyster, think on.
CARBO VEGETABILIS
This is an antiseptic, disinfectant and deoderent remedy. It is a remedy
of decay and putrefaction, there is no oxygen in the blood, there is
stagnation and collapse, maybe after a long period of serious and
weakening illness, they are weak, sick and exhausted - they appear to be
lifeless and this is a clue as to why this remedy is in the kleptomania
rubric. It is a 'must have' state:-
must have air must be fanned must have windows open must have cold water
must have high living and over indulgence with lots of stimulants, rich
food and wine - this is often the causation of their diseased state.
But there is also 'never been well since a violent attack or shock'.
This can be absolutely anything, but it will be something that renders
them lifeless, something big has been taken from their life, there will
be a great loss somewhere - rape and abuse might be present and this is
what needs disinfecting. It will be an event that does this:-
makes them feel small become indifferent to the music he used to love
anxious as if committed a crime anxious with strangers but desires
company they bite (defence mechanism) delusion as if someone in bed with
them delusion deserted or forsaken hears footsteps in the dark delusion
people are beside him fear of evil and that something will happen
shrieking during sleep very timid and bashful
They are so dejected and unhappy that they can become excessively
affectionate - they just want to 'buy' or steal it back.
ABSINTHIUM
Anyone who knows anything about the history of drinking absinthe will
know the effects it has on the brain - hysterical cerebral irritation,
hyperemia, epileptiform seizures, delirium and hallucinations, sometimes
loss of consciousness, otherwise extremely restless, trembling and
twitching, nervous and no relief found in sleep - cannot sleep, insomnia.
The active compound in Artemisia absinthium is Thujone which causes
brain damage. It occurs naturally in all the artemisias. It is a
monoterpene with 10 carbons and is found in many other fragrant plants
especially those which emit an essential oil. Thujone is related to
menthol and can be found in products such as Vicks Vapour Rub.
There is a theme of two extremes which evolve out of the fact that the
alcoholic effects of Absinthe would be sedative but the Thujone
content would cause the excitation and the hallucinations. So you have
stupor AND violence, unconsciousness AND brain excitation.
The inner organs become paralysed and have sensations of swelling (probably
are), especially the liver, spleen and tongue, the heart thumps and can
be felt and heard all over the body.
Two of the most notable symptoms are always falling down (which can be
taken to mean both physical and emotional) and a compete loss of memory.
Perhaps that is what the absinthe drinkers wanted - to forget, to numb
the brain and memory of their fall from grace, from a higher status.
They fall so far as to end as if in a dream, where he has awful visions
and feels persecuted, pursued by enemies and fears being murdered. In
return they become dangerously violent themselves. It all gets so bad
that death is desired.
The best part is the dreamy state, the initial exhilaration and then the
loss of memory - who would want to remember all that anyway. And like
any addictive habit, it has to be paid for somehow - by stealing.
I have always thought that comparative materia medica is a valuable
learning method - perhaps someone would like to add to this or make
suggestions for other unusual rubrics to compare.
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