Supporting children's mental health with homeopathy

Children’s Mental Health Week 7th to 13th February 2022

The events of the last two years have shone a light on the terrible (and increasing) plight of children with mental health conditions. Who will ever forget, at the height of the pandemic, the sheer sadness (and horror) of seeing children’s playgrounds taped up and closed off, school closures, children too scared or not allowed to play with each other, the closure of essential extra-curricular activities such as dance, swimming, Brownies, football clubs? Consider the impact on a child’s mental wellbeing when they’re forced away from much loved activities, friends and family members for months, and for some, more than a year? This makes me shudder to think of the impact on kids that were perhaps already struggling. I find it tremendously sad that we live in a society where mental health conditions such as anxiety and stress were already considered the ‘norm’ for many youngsters, without the events of the last twenty-four months piled on top. Thankfully, there is help and support out there.

Have you heard about Children’s Mental Health week?

This year it runs from the 7th to 13th February, and the theme is, poignantly, ‘Growing Together’ Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk) where the focus is on finding new ways to grow together, in spite of challenges and setbacks and how these can actually propel us out of our comfort zones, to a world of new opportunities and possibilities.

The focus is on being able to adapt; being able to move forwards whether that’s from a situation, a belief, past events, old habits, giving them the inability to let go.

This is where the beauty of homeopathy fits in. Homeopathy is so much deeper than many people imagine or understand; the depths of which the right remedy can reach on a mental and emotional sphere as well as the physical is quite incredible.

A homeopathic prescription is based on the WHOLE of you; physical, medical, mental and emotional symptoms. The very act of the consultation is often therapy for many – an opportunity to talk, uninterrupted, in a safe and confidential space without judgement, about your stuff, about whatever is going on for you, no matter what that is. The homeopath takes it ALL into account in order to make the best prescription, and this applies to adults and children alike.

The most appropriate homeopathic remedy is there to lift you out of your ‘stuckness’, to enable you to move on. How many of us have experienced some element of sudden fright, or fear, in our lives, that somehow remains with us, manifesting in panic attacks, stress, phobias, anxiety, PTSD, activities related to OCD? Those symptoms are not YOU, they result from your experiences, and thus we remain ‘stuck’ in the fright or fear because it has never been truly addressed.

The same applies to children; how much of today’s mental health decline is as a result of previous trauma that is unresolved? This could be anything from a traumatic birth, through to parental discord or separation, perhaps moving house and school away from friends and family? Or as I mentioned at the beginning, consider the trauma that was lockdown…the uncertainty, the fright, the change, the loss and the grief that followed. How many children might benefit of being able to chat freely about their fears and experiences? How many children might be ‘stuck’ in such a trauma?

There are some quite beautiful remedies available to move us on through trauma, and an in-depth consultation with your homeopath will enable the most appropriate remedy to be prescribed.  Although a reminder that this is no ‘one pill quick fix’. We are complex beings! Think of trauma as an onion; there are often a few layers (even for youngsters) to work through before we get back to the core of our very true selves.

Let’s have a look at the keynotes of some frequently prescribed remedies for children where trauma may be indicated as a root cause:

Aconite

Think sudden shock here. A strong fright, a fear of death, which will surely happen NOW. The shock of witnessing an accident, the death of someone close. Panic attacks triggered by similar events to the initial trauma, a feeling of restlessness, sudden terror. In an aconite state, a child may develop strong phobias. Children may develop complaints of the head and chest after the fright of an injury or shock. Impatience and oversensitivity develop. Claustrophobia in cars, lifts, narrow spaces.

Ignatia

A remedy for recent grief (and this can mean any recent loss or disappointment – think the loss of school friends and hobbies for children in lockdown as well as the loss of a loved one). A child may become reserved or stand offish, whereas previously open and mild, developing headaches and a desire to be on their own to cry. They may feel as if they have a lump in their throat or develop a cough that gets worse with coughing; as if words are stuck in their throat, unable to be expressed. Instability in emotions, like a rollercoaster; crying followed by hysterical laughter. Involuntary sighing in children and adults alike.

Carcinosin

We often see excessive self-control resulting from a history of being dominated (parent or partner), abuse or a prolonged fear. In a Carcinosin state, a child may express a very strong sense of duty or responsibility, towards themselves or other, tying themselves up in knots to achieve perfection – for example in schoolwork, in appearance, in behaviour (they feel mortification and shame if told off by parents or teachers).  Trauma may manifest physically as allergies, tics, recurrent infections, even dyslexia or stammering speech.

Arsenicum

Children who develop OCD tendencies; unusually tidy, obsessive with belongings and order, who owns what etc. They cannot bear to be left alone; as infants they need to be carried from one room to another, woe betide the parent who dares to put them down. Highly strung; yet their physical stamina does not match their mental stamina and they exhaust easily. The trauma of a child in an arsenicum state may arise from deep rooted sense of feeling uncared for or criticised. Physically, asthma is one of the keynotes for this state and colds with burning discharges. Arsenicum is a chilly remedy, and children may appear pale, thin and emaciated. 

These are just four examples of the many (thousands) of remedies out there, and evident from this small selection is just how unique each remedy state is (hence the very detailed consultation with your homeopath; this is not a one-size-fits-all approach!) 

Perhaps you recognise some of the characteristics in children or young adults that you know, possibly your own child? I’m always happy to have a free chat with anyone considering homeopathy for themselves or their children to support them through these challenging times so please email me melissa@bransgore-homeopathy.co.uk for more information or book in with me directly using my online calendar for a free 30 minute discovery chat.

In the meantime please do take a look at Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk); there’s a lovely section for parents and carers with top tips and stories to share with little ones right through to teenagers.