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View Analyses Submitted From Around the Globe

Our second community case effort is well under way.  Below are the first of the "Team Effort" analyses that have been submitted.  Keep checking as we will continue to add more as they come in.

Student Submissions

St #1) 

OBSERVATION:

Bags under eyes

Most of the interview he has hands folded behind his head

He laug hs a lot, esp. when talking about something he feel uncomfortable with or perhaps foolish about.

PHYSICAL COMPLAINTS:

Memory

Prostate

Constipated/bloating

Depression

Itch between toes

Stiff neck

WORDS OR INTERESTING STATEMENTS

Guilt

Moralistic

Indifferent

Comparing myself to others-felt inferior

Superior/inferior

Paranoia-I feel watched by other people, they are superior

Double like me-I had to humanize him

Dreaming to be a genius/ wanted to be some thing special

I COULD NEVER HAVE A COMPLETELY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Introverted/timid

Sexual part of body was dirty

Erotic

INHIBITION

UNHIBITION=EXHILARATION

Fly in ointment

I was a fly

She was paralyzed, I was crippled too

***Hate public toilets can't pee if someone there, couldn't stool in hospital in front of nurses either-felt shameful

Paralyzed

Too intellectual for me

Depression-loss-old age, best years are over, death not far away

Envy that others are so young

Jealous of sister

Internalize

Suppress

Obsessed

Can't get over English lady/cannot forgive

Discarded

My instinct

If remedy could lighten me up

Fight and argue in my mind

Humiliating situation

Anger/bitterness

Poetry/beautiful music

The two things that came to mind was the gold series line esp. Baryta carb or Ambra Gries because Vithoulkas says the essence is INHIBITION and a keynote is cannot urinate in presents of others. Both remedies are timid thinks others are looking at them, Baryta carb more laughing at them. My feeling is more animal than mineral.

ANIMAL THEME:

Superior/Inferior

Double (spilt)

Erotic/sexual

Instinct

Anger/jealousy/fight

Hates getting older

POSSIBLE MINERAL THEME:

Superior/inferior

Said “not flexible”

Was worried about inferior sexual performance

THEMES:

INHIBITION:

Timid/introvert

Thinks people are looking at him

Wife knows faults and inhibitions

INFERIOR/SUPERIOR

Feels not good sexually

Poor expressing self

Wanted to become a great poet

Dreams to be a genius

GUILT

Mother's moralist religion

Lived a privileged life

Hated my own people-Germans

Sex dirty

RUBRICS

MIND- anxiety of conscience

Combo

Mind watched, she is

Mind fear observed, of being

Combo

Mind timid

Mind inhibition

Combo

Rectum, constipation in presence of others, such as nurse

Bladder retention of urine, company

MIND- MEMORY weakness

VITHOULKAS- ambra patients are emotionally sentimental people who suffer tremendously from crippling inhibition. People who are easily excited and easily depressed. Sexual life- aroused yet unable to bring about and sustain a proper relationship. Terrified to be put down by other ‘what will they think about me'?

My first choice is Ambra Grisea, my second is Baryta Carb.

Staria Manos

St #2) 

A 62 year old male presents with “melancholia. He has a very “mobile” face and rather extravagant gestures. He repeatedly places his hands behind his head and smiles almost constantly. He makes frequent reference to his mother saying that she was high minded, spiritual and “anti-body.” He portrays her as anti sexual as well as against the family's “privileged” status. He was born with a hip dislocation which kept him from walking until he was five and later exempted him from participating in sports. He sees this as contributing to his sense of “inferiority.” He always wanted to be a genius or a “great orator”. He tells of keeping copious journals in the hope of writing a novel but has found himself unable. He describes his relationships as not healthy due in part to his inability to satisfy his partner sexually, alluding to erectile dysfunction.

Feelings of inferiority would appear to be a theme for this man. His susceptibility would seem to lie in that sensation. The congenital hip problem probably started him out with great vulnerability and that coupled with his mother's “anti-body” attitude combined to create the conflict within him – feeling inferior with a strong drive to excel. He seems to vacillate between these two positions resulting in “melancholia.” He demonstrates anguish (failed marriage, love affair) and accepts that his failing was the cause – wife left for another, unable to sexually satisfy “earthy” lover yet he smiles rather a lot and even giggles. He is forgetful and theorizes.

Rubrics:

FACE - SWELLING - Eyes - Under

MIND - ANGUISH

MIND - CHEERFUL

MIND - MIRTH - wretched; simulating hilarity while he feels

MIND - DISCONTENTED

MIND - MEMORY - weakness of memory

RECTUM - CONSTIPATION

BLADDER - URINATION - dysuria

Radar indicated: Apis., Ars., Aur., & Calc.

Peculiarly, the image of this man strikingly reminds me of a caricature of a honey bee! The smile on his face with his arms behind his head – elbows protruding look re mark ably like wings. He tells of being fruitlessly busy with all his notes that do not translate to a novel. Apis has “brought up in a family where one of the parents (most likely the mother) was paramount, encountered from an early age a life full of rules, duties and tasks… there was no escape from the penetrating , dictatorial and restraining influence of the mother.” (Vermeulen) the patient describes himself as fleeing from the influence of the mother by not embracing her beliefs yet he remains driven to be seen as a “genius.” Apis finds it very important to keep strong relationships intact – this man cannot get over his English lover, and lives with his divorced wife. The fellow also mentions, somewhat oddly, that he finds the birds (vultures) flying overhead when he's on vacation in Spain disquieting. Apis has fear of birds. The patient talks of routine boredom, drudgery, and frustration which are reminiscent of the life of the drone in the beehive. Apis has irritable, nervous, fidgety persons hard to please clearly reminiscent of this fellow. There is also “desires company but not affection” which would explain his living with his ex-wife. Vermuellen states, “The peculiarity of its (Apis) effect is to produce a state of cheerful levity, from a mild mirthful restlessness up to a fruitless, frenzied, uncontrolled activity.”

While this fellow seems to lack the characteristic stinging, burning pains of Apis and says he prefers a warm climate his mental and emotional states seem to reflect that of Apis. I realize that my choice of this remedy is to a certain extent based on intuition and not fully supported by the symptoms presented but I do feel it is worth a try. Therefore I would prescribe Apis 200. I would expect to see a lightening of his melancholia and perhaps a new focus in his life to appear.

Carole Maslich

St #3)

Description:

Subject is a very slender gentleman of slight build, early 60's.

Quite talkative, open, smiling, animated. Body language is open hands behind head, leaning back in chair. He says he is timid and easily aggravated.

Client's story:

Most peculiar thing about case is the discomfort/obsession with people looking at him and then wanting to pursue them. The purpose of the pursuit is to find some fault with the person so they are not better than he is. He wants to be unique, special and he doesn't want anyone to be like him – his “double”. This makes him feel “superfluous”. He is envious of gifted people. He is always comparing himself to others.

The client is depressed, discouraged, there are no new horizons in life. There is a sense of loss of opportunity, perhaps a sense of failure and an end to the good in life.

He has lost a relationship which was very important to him. He cannot get over the loss. He feels “cheated” and “betrayed”. The relationship lasted 2-3 years and sex was apparently a big factor in the breakup. “The fly in the ointment” of our relationship. He says he “still bleeds” from the loss.

He has erectile dysfunction and appears to feel that sex is dirty and that the body is something to be ashamed of. He attributes these feelings to his mother. His wife had other lovers and left him also.

He also said that he liked the fact that the girlfriend was crippled – a paralyzed arm. It made her like him because he was somewhat crippled.

Another outspoken thing he mentioned which I feel is important is that he hates public toilets. He cannot use the toilet if anyone is next to him.

Physical Symptoms:

Constipation

Prostate problems – 1-2X per night must get up to urinate

Itching between toes.

Memory impaired.

Congenital hip dislocation at birth, didn't walk until he was 5

He takes Vitamin C for the constipation

He never eats eggs

Chilly – cold hands and feet

Likes warm weather

Worse morning

Better night

Case Analysis:

Here we have someone with extremely low self esteem. Almost a self loathing. He feels his body is bad and that sex is dirty and not O.K. He attributes these feelings to his mother. He is always comparing himself unfavorably to others. I sense that he feels he must eliminate everyone who he compares himself with so that he can feel better about himself. He is timid and seems to avoid other people. He did not really initiate the relationship that he lost. It was a family contact that he had help re-establishing 40 years later. He is uncomfortable in his body and with his body and his bodily functions.

He wishes he were a genius, unique, special etc. All of the things that he clearly feels he is not. His envy of others comes from a huge lack of confidence and self –esteem. He has guilt feelings that he carries around with him about not being there when his mother died. He also feels guilty about having a “privileged life” So he gives money to causes out of guilt.

I cannot fit the hands gestures into the case as I see it. As far as the pursuit of others to find something wrong with them I have had some trouble fitting that in as well.

Possible rubrics one could use are:

Seeing people looking at him – seize them tries to – one remedy Stramonium

Delusion laughed at

Delusion despised

Delusion wrong he has done

Ailments from disappointed love

Delusions betrayed he is

Rectum constipation

Presence of strangers aggravates

Memory, weakness of memory

Timidity, bashful, public about appearing in

Extremities, itching toes

Generals, morning

I considered 3 remedies, Ambra Grisea, Lac Caninum, Staphisagria

I believe that this is an animal remedy because there are so many animal related issues. A couple of plants did come to mind however. I initially felt that this was an honor wounded situation and so Staphisagria came to mind. I decided to stay with animal remedies so I eliminated it.

Ambra Grisea was the strongest contender. Ambra Grisea covers most of the case except for the hands gestures and the pursuit. Sankaran says Ambra Grisea feels like “shit”. I believe that this person has that feeling. A real self loathing. Ambra Grisea wants to go exclusively to their own toilet because they are aggravated by strangers and cannot use the toilet if there is a stranger around. Apparently they get constipated as a result of this problem. Ambra Grisea is very agg. by strangers, they are timid people but they can also be excited and loquacious. Ambra Gresea has the itching on the feet at various locations and also an impaired memory.

Lac Caninum also has very low self esteem, a deep feeling of inferiority. Lac Caninum feels they are not good enough, they are looked down upon….. similar to Ambra Grisea except A. G. feels “like Shit” L. Caninum blames others for their condition. Ones own body seems disgusting. They are also forgetful and have poor concentration. They are extroverted and excitable.

I selected Ambra Grisea because I felt it covered the case better than anything else I could find. I always use either an LM 1 or a 30C in water to start my cases. I have been very happy with this approach.

Carolyn Hess

St #4)

Here is my analysis of the 62 year old male with melancholia. I did it after viewing the initial intake prior to viewing the follow-up and additional intakes because I didn't want to be influenced by anything. I used Kent's repertory. The case, to me, showed an obvious inferiority complex or lack of self-confidence. However, there was a compensation for this with a feeling of superiority. For me, this conflict had to be addressed. He also had an obsession with comparing himself to others - having to be one-up on whoever he was competing with. He needed to find fault with others so that he could feel superior and not inferior. The notion of him having a "double" was particularly interesting. I feel that he projected certain qualities onto his double and then had to find fault with that person so he could feel special and superior. I also feel that jealousy is a big component in the case. He mentioned it many times in varying circumstances. This once again ties into his inferiority complex which he also references with regard to his last sexual relationship. I chose the remedy based mainly on his mental/emotional state as well as a few generals. The remedy covers these areas that I repertorized as well as those I didn't such as envy, depression, grief, constipation, cold hands and feet, competitiveness and some paranoia (feeling of being watched by others). The remedy I chose is LACHESIS. The rubrics I chose are as follows:

Mind, Confidence, want of self

represents his inferiority complex

Mind, Delusions, double, of being

represents his SRP of having a doppelganger

Mind, Delusions, identity, errors of personal

represents the fact that he projects himself onto others that he thinks are his double and then compares himself to this other person. At this point it seems he has lost his true identity

Mind, Jealousy

many references to this throughout the case

Mind, Thoughts, intrude and crowd around each other

represents his obsessive thoughts of inferiority and competitiveness combined with his thoughts of guilt and self-reproach and how they all get muddled in his head

Mind, Will, two, feels as if he had two wills

represents the conflict he has between his feelings of inferiority and need to compare and his desire to be superior and special

Generalities, Heat, vital, lack of

represents his overall chilliness (including cold hands and feet)

Generalities, Waking, on

he made a point of saying how hard it is to get out of bed and that it's difficult to face the world upon waking

Susie Killian

St #5)

This is a gentle, sensitive, romantic man. I would consider him an intellectual even though he denies it.

He has been greatly affected by his national heritage – both in terms of its culture (writings, art and music) and wartime crimes and tragedies.

On the one hand, it seems to have contributed to low self esteem and sense of inferiority, and to his obsession with genius, along with the need to create something of his life.

On the other can be found a ‘reason' for his sense of guilt (maybe denying a natural compassion) and responsibility, betrayal, loss of belief in ideals.

I wonder if he has ever been treated for the great shock he experienced on learning the truth of the war crimes?

I found this case very touching, and if he were to know it, quite astounding because I kept COMPARING him with a German friend 3 years older than him, and living in an English speaking country for many years. There are so many similarities that he would no doubt regard him as a DOUBLE. They both talk with the same mixture of hesitancy and fluidity, processing and reprocessing what they say. This man has also published a book and translates poetry!

My sense is that what needs to be cured is the inferiority complex. His sense of failure, inadequacy, resignation, unworthiness, envy are all tied in with this.

I also think that the shock of finding out about the crimes of his nation needs to be addressed since that seems to be the source of the issues such as betrayal, guilt, maybe suppressed anger, the melancholic sinking feeling and introversion – and perhaps also his sexual inhibition.

In physical terms we need to address the chronic constipation

In addition he would like to see an improvement in his memory, the loss of which may well be a side effect of the anaesthetic.

There is some polarity:

Inferior – superior

Homeland: hate – desire for

Guilt – compassion

For some reason – maybe because he mentioned the Vulture, I am thinking of FALCON – Peregrinus .

There is polarity in this bird – one eye is said to represent the sun and the other, the moon. It has lack of confidence, anger, constipation, memory weakness, sexual issues – low libido, incomplete ejaculation, and humiliation.

Deidre Scott-Hayward