Articles
/
Self-Esteem 
Homeopathy
for Improving Self-Esteem
As
published in the April 2006 issue of Vitality Magazine
Our
self-esteem is shaped by the responses we get from our parents,
siblings, peers and teachers while growing up. Psychology’s
definition of self-esteem is the person’s perceived value
of their self-worth. While self-esteem tells the truth about self
worth, in contrast, the ego is an artificial aspect of the self;
one can remain highly egotistical to disguise their feelings of
inadequacy.
The
cost of low self-esteem can be high. Not valuing oneself can lead
to self-destructive habits like addiction to alcohol and drugs,
anxiety,depression, poor relationships all around, feelings of
inadequacy and jealousy, and ending up in abusive relationships,
to name just a few.
The
American Psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908 -1970), one of the
leading authorities on human needs, proposed that in order for
human beings to act unselfishly, their needs must be satisfied.
According to Maslow, all humans have five universal needs:
1.
physiological (air, water, food, sleep, sex, etc.)
2.
security (shelter, safety of family, law and order, etc.)
3.
social or love (sense of belonging; family, social groups, clubs,
gangs, etc)
4.
esteem (self-esteem and recognition from others) and
5.
Self-actualization (desire to become all that you are). Maslow
further proposed that needs are proponent (have the greatest influence
over our actions) until satisfied. For example, food will be the
proponent need for a hungry homeless person. Once their hunger
is satisfied, the proponent need will then become shelter or security.
The
proponent need for the average Canadian is likely to fall in the
“social” or
“esteem” categories – where the need for a sense
of belonging, approval and praise from family and peers is paramount.
Thus conflict, selfishness, depression, feelings of inadequacy,
sibling rivalry, behavioural problems in children, and ill health
in general can stem from a perception that one’s needs are
not being satisfied.
Homeopathic
medicine can help change this perception and put you in touch
with your higher self. Homeopathy is a medical system that heals
the whole person simultaneously; mind, body and spirit. The Greek
philosopher Plato (428-349 BC) said that physicians are misguided
in considering the soul and body as separate when treating illness.
In the homeopathic model “dis-ease” is a sign that the
person is ill at ease in him or herself, and that his or her soul
is fragile.
In
consulting with a patient, a homeopath’s task is to determine
each person’s essence or the core issues that create negative
energy patterns in their minds and bodies, which attract situations
of conflict into their lives. The corresponding homeopathic remedy,
one that matches the negative energy patterns, can heal the spirit
and allow it to proceed with its higher purpose. When the human
spirit is healthy, physical and emotional illnesses cannot exist
within it.
Patients
often consult me for relief from “traditional” physical
ailments like arthritis, insomnia, digestive disorders, migraines
and the like. During the initial consultation, a long discussion
about their specific ailment and the chain of life events that
lead to the ailment almost always reveals underlying emotional
disturbances.
Case
Histories
Leila,
a 42-year-old single mother was no different. She consulted me
for a chronic cough she’d had on and off since childhood.
Her cough had gotten worse since after her divorce and escalated
into spasmodic fits that would wake her up or keep her up at night.
As I got to know Leila’s personality, it became apparent
that she had feelings of inadequacy, relied excessively upon others’
approval and her biggest fear was being alone. She confided that
she would hang on to relationships that were not good for her
(even abusive) because it was better than being alone. The remedy
Phosphorus was a perfect fit which encompassed the specific symptoms
of her cough, her general nature, her predisposition to lung disorders,
her feelings of inadequacy and most importantly her fear of being
alone.
Over
a period of three months, Leila’s cough subsided and became
almost non-existent. She reported feeling more confident, happier,
and not as concerned with being alone.
Poor
sleeping patterns and difficulties with memory and concentration
were the main symptoms exhibited by two brothers ages 10 and 14
respectively. After their initial visit, treatment progressed
as usual and I saw the boys twice more. The 10-year-old was given
the homeopathic remedy Sulphur for his poor sleeping, and the
14-year-old was given Lachesis for his poor memory and concentration.
Their health improved greatly over the next four months, and their
mother was quite pleased with the results. The younger one was
sleeping through the night and the older had developed better
concentration.
What
was astonishing to their mother was the “side effect”
(as she called it) from the remedies. The boys had grown much
less hostile towards one another and actually showed mutual respect.
The once habitual hostility and exchange of insults was replaced
with camaraderie and good feelings towards one another. The boys
still had occasional disagreements, but were able to resolve them
amicably. Their mother urged me to write this article and spread
the word about the success.
At
first, I had a dilemma with making statements like “homeopathy
cures sibling rivalry” or “I have the potion for sibling
rivalry!” People will surely think I should be receiving
medical attention, rather than offering it, I thought. After much
contemplation, however, I decided to share my theories. The truth
is that homeopathy had helped improve the self-esteem of both
boys, making them feel more healthy and whole. As a result their
feelings of jealousy and competitiveness towards one another had
diminished substantially.
My
proposal is simply that homeopathy heals the human spirit, freeing
us to pursue our passions and progress towards our purpose in
life, and conflict cannot reside within a healed spirit.
Over
the last century human beings have come to realize that in order
to be happy, one must be healthy physically and emotionally, and
fulfilling his or her creative potential. In addition, we have
become conscious of the fact that happiness does not come from
outside sources or material things; true happiness can only come
from within.
Psychologist
Carl Jung stated that modern man is sick because he is not whole.
In homeopathy there are thousands of remedies, each corresponding
to different “states of emotional suffering.” Denial
of our feelings of fear, anger, grief and loss can restrict our
freedom of expression and create these states of emotional suffering.
These bottled unexpressed emotions create conflict within us,
and over time create disease. A carefully prescribed homeopathic
remedy “mimics” the person’s state of emotional
suffering; reminding the body to resolve and release the negativity.
When
we take a carefully selected homeopathic remedy, one which corresponds
with our deepest emotional issues combined with our physical ailments,
the result can be truly remarkable. Our physical ailments slowly
disappear, our emotions are healed and we embark on a journey
towards our purpose in life.
Tamara
Der-Ohanian is a Classical Homeopath practicing and teaching in
Toronto and Bolton. She can be reached at 416-385-1001.
