Remedy code: 3-665.71.08
An 11-year-old boy who is alert, clear, and has a fresh appearance comes in with his mother, who strongly takes and tries to keep control. He speaks openly and clearly about his issues: "I’m afraid of the dark, afraid to be alone in a room." He gets out of bed in the dark and doesn’t dare to wash his hands in the bathroom. He also believes in ghosts. When walking down the stairs, he thinks he will be cursed, won’t be able to walk anymore, or that the ghosts will lead him to a thief. He always runs down the stairs and sometimes falls. With the light on, he manages to go upstairs fine. This fear has always been present, especially when sleeping. As a small child, his parents always stayed with him. Outside, he is not afraid. Recently, he started sharing a room with his brother, which improved things within a week. He sometimes sees colors forming shapes and ghosts and has seen forms in the dark. The family has a bedtime ritual and has consulted a doctor and a spiritual healer. At night, he doesn’t dare to be alone. After a scary dream, he quickly goes to his parents. His mother often feels too irritated or impatient and doesn’t want to accommodate him too much. His dreams involve ghosts and dolls that come to life. He plays a lot outside: soccer, judo, scootering, cycling, and boxing. Overall, he is doing well and is rarely sick. He gets very upset if someone feels unwell and prefers to leave the situation. He gets worked up before a vaccination and may even vomit. The pregnancy went well, described as a “pink cloud.” The delivery was difficult; he didn’t want to come out, requiring a vacuum pump, but everything went well afterward. The mother didn’t have a hard time afterward. When he gets out of bed, he is very anxious, storms down the stairs to his parents, and needs to be calmed before going back to bed. This behavior seems compulsive. After a busy day, he does sleep through the night. Melatonin helps, but the mother doesn’t want to use it too often. School is going well, but homework is a struggle. He wants to become a professional soccer player or a construction worker. His father is an advisor, and his mother is a schoolteacher. He quickly picks up on things, such as noticing subtle expressions that indicate something is wrong. Sometimes, he reads books but is not into stories or role- playing and never has been. He is always observing and watching, even during his play. He notices how people feel: “Then I get the signal in my head.” He can quickly become angry when given tasks like homework. When someone cries or conflicts, he feels compelled to help. He gives 200% effort. At home, he may sit quietly on the couch for an hour. Sometimes, he has "tics," such as a cough. Falling asleep is difficult, often due to scary dreams or feeling something in the bed, which makes him scared and causes nightmares. It feels like someone is tapping on his back. When he wakes up, he touches his brother briefly for reassurance. He feels more afraid when lying on his back or on his left side, which can trigger panic and prompt him to leave the room. When something exciting or fun happens, he may flap his hands. He calms down when he makes contact with his mother, such as by touching her. His goals include getting a good job or going to a party and dancing (reflecting his parents, as his mother enjoys life in this way). He is always very obedient. Last week, he suddenly developed swollen eyes and sneezing and was given antihistamines for a few days.
AnalysisAfter Kola nitida, he had fewer nightmares, but
Solanum mammosum had no effect. Nightshades are known for nightmares and themes involving ghosts. Stramonium emerged from repertory rubrics (delusion touch, gestures), leading to consideration of the Nightshade family (
Solanales).
He has a vivid imagination, is strong nonv-erbally, and can read others well, which fits
Silver series. His observation skills, including self-observation, fit
Gold series. The desire to escape aligns with
Phase 7.
The rubric escape, run away was scanned for
Solanales, yielding options like
Datura ferox,
Operculina turpethum, and
Solanum mammosum. Differentiation is based on the stage.
Phase 1 relates to panic, psychoscopy, and nightmares in
Solanales.
Phase 7 relates to the night, alarms, and the subconscious.
Datura ferox is in stage 8, which is evident in: Giving 200% effort, the delivery being "forced", the mother’s pressure and reluctance to yield to the child’s demands, the mother is also strongly present and tries to dominate the conversation, despite the child’s independence.
Prescription:
Datura ferox C200.
Follow-upAfter three months, he says he is doing very well. His mother is now calmer (previously, she radiated anxiety) but still quickly takes over the conversation. At the start of the school year, he had a dip, with restlessness in his body and issues getting out of bed. He now goes upstairs alone and falls asleep
independently. He still struggles to stay alone in his room for more than a few minutes, as thoughts like “Oh no, I’m alone” resurface. He now has pleasant dreams. During the summer, he had large red rashes on his armpits for a week. While not bothersome, applying Nestosyl caused itching (allergic reactions to medication align with
Lanthanides,
Series 6). so we are waiting patiently: the extra or incidental stress of the new school year could explain the lingering issues, or it may be part of a general tension pattern. Overall, he is improving. His body has found a new outlet, the skin. Fear returned slightly but appears to be more of a memory, with thoughts and images reacting to or projecting feelings. In the months that followed, the fears disappeared.