5.15.3 Antimonium muriaticum, Case 1
A 30 year old woman suffers from sore throats and pain in her neck. During regression therapy it emerged that this had something to do with her mother and the birth process. She had experienced her birth as being very violent and she is still afraid of violence even now. She doesn’t like being touched and always tries to avoid it. During the birth she had become stuck in the birth canal and this had caused the pain in her neck. Her mother had not really liked getting pregnant because it meant she would have lots of obligations towards her child. Her mother was a very capable woman and had to put all her own wishes aside for the sake of the children. But she (the daughter): ‘I am here anyway because I want to be here, whether you like it or not!’.
The pain in her throat also brings up memories of having her tonsils removed and being tied down in a chair. This is also connected with the feeling of not wanting to be touched, it makes her want to wave her arms around and beat anybody who comes near. She gets very angry when that happens and afterwards she feels sick, and sad with sore muscles.
She has been sexually abused when she was very little. This has also left her feeling threatened in her femininity and sexuality. She feels threatened when she hears footsteps behind her in the dark. It makes her afraid and gives her stomach pains accompanied by nausea.
As a child she never wanted to be touched, but felt very guilty about this. She feels she had to hide who she really was. Nobody took any notice of what she wanted. Her mother didn't’ want her to pursue the things she was good at out of jealousy, because she had really wanted to do all these things herself. This created many conflicts, especially because her mother also told her to do the cooking because she was a girl, but never asked her brothers to help in the house.
Her father always wanted to show off how clever she was and wants her to go to university, but at the same time he doesn’t want to let her go and be independent.
She want to either go and study physics or go to art school.
Generals
Weather: suddenly feels hot, -> summer and sun, sea.
Perspiration: < heat.
Time: < winter.
Desires: fruit, yogurt, sour cream, warm food, sour (3).
Aversion: meat.
Food: < meat. fish, protein, grapes, cheese, coffee, beans, citrus fruit, cherries.
Menses: depressed and changeable moods before menses; back pains and stomach pains during menses.
Sleep: sleeps much because she is always tired.
Analysis
The fact that she doesn’t want to be touched is a very strong pointer towards Antimonium. There are other remedies who have this symptom to a greater or lesser degree, Cuprum and Cina amongst others. But this woman has an aversion to be touched accompanied by stomach pains and nausea, which are typical Antimonium complaints.
The theme of not wanting to be touched is in this case connected with the memory of being stuck in the womb and the rather violent birth process. This aspect indicates a Muriaticum problem, which leads us to the combination of Antimonium muriaticum. her mother was very talented (Silver series) but had to put her wishes aside (Stage 15) for the sake of the children (Muriaticum). Her mother (Muriaticum) stopped her (Stage 15) from pursuing her own talents (Silver series). She feels threatened (Antimonium) in her femininity (Muriaticum).
Other Antimonium symptoms: << being tied up, hitting people who come near, sore throats, neck pains, stomach pains, nausea, fruit, yogurt, sour cream, sour, < grapes, citrus fruit, cherries.
Muriaticum symptoms: depressed and unstable before menses; stomach - and back pains during menses, sea.
Reaction
During the third week after she had taken Antimonium muriaticum 1M she had an aggravation of the depression and listlessness. She went for another regression session and found herself stuck in her mother’s womb once more. She froze and got into a sort of trance, an apathetic state. Suddenly she recognised that this is what happens to her in every day life and it made her laugh with relief. Since then she feels something has been dissolved and she is free to do what she wants. She has become more active and more cheerful. The neck pains, sore throats and soreness in the muscles have almost gone. During the course of the following six months she needed a few more doses of the remedy and she has been getting better every time.