The Calcarea'sOf the
Calcarea group Calc and
Calcium phosphoricum are especially well known. Of these two, only Calc has a clear central delusion, i.e. the delusion that others will notice his confusion. This leads us to the first central theme of the
Calcarea's, namely the sensitivity to what others will think or say about them. This sensitivity is not quite as obvious in
Calcium phosphoricum, but this will become clear later. In
Calcium sulphuricum this sensitivity is obviously present in the desire to be appreciated.
What others will say about him
The
Calcarea's are continually worrying about what others will think about them. In Calc this is typically expressed in the symptom 'delusion that others will see her confusion'. And yet they are not so incapable as they feel/appear. We see the same thing in the shy Calc children: what will all those grown ups think of me?
In
Calcium sulphuricum this is expressed in a great need to be appreciated. Hence the symptom 'lamenting because she is not appreciated' (Kent, 1983 b, page 61). They are constantly looking for appreciation, and
Calcium sulphuricum children can, for instance, be asking their mother all day 'do you think I am nice', or 'do you think I am pretty?'. It is typical that they are asking 'do you think I am nice', instead of saying 'am I nice'.
Sensitive to criticismThe fear that others will not think them good enough expresses itself in a great sensitivity to criticism. This is what we can best recognise the
Calcarea's by. We can ask about this specifically during a consultation. The answer often proves to be a reliable source of information. By asking what sort of criticism they are most sensitive to, we can differentiate between the various
Calcarea's.
The original situation of the
Calcarea's could be that another person has openly criticised them. They are especially sensitive to being criticised in public. Something like that should be done in private, according to them. Their great sensitivity to criticism is not always easily recognised. As adults they are often very good at hiding this.
InsecurityThe central idea of
Calcarea is thus the fear what others will think of them. This is a theme of great insecurity. The
Calcarea's are very uncertain about themselves. They constantly have to compare themselves with others. But they might not do this openly, it can also be happening inside.
FearsIf you are constantly busy comparing yourself to others, you will naturally get many fears. That is why Geukens (seminar 1988) says that Calc is the most common remedy for fears. The fear of being disapproved of leads to the fear to be abnor-mal, or to have abnormal things. And so there is the fear of loss. Fear of
disease, poverty, the future, that something will go wrong, etc. And all this often before anything is really happening: a strong anticipatory fear.
Protection and withdrawalThe way the
Calcarea's protect themselves is by fending off. They withdraw and build a protective layer around themselves, like an oyster who surrounds his soft body with a hard, protective shell. They withdraw into their shell. This method of protection has a passive character. They wait, rather than act. That does not mean that they don’t work hard, but they are passive in their soft spot. This tendency to hold on, to be passive, to become hard, can be seen again in the local complaints.
General characteristicsLocation: somewhat left sided; fat and weak.
Temperature: cold, < damp, < cold.
Perspiration: on back of the head and neck.
Time: < 3 pm.
Desires: sweet(2), eggs (2).
Menses: profuse. Myomas.
Sleep: on stomach.
ComplaintsSwollen glands, thyroid.
Hypothyroidism.
DD: the Baryta's, Staph.