Homeopathic Remedies for Grief, Sadness and Depression

If you’ve been struggling to cope emotionally with the challenges you’re currently facing or you’re grieving the loss of a loved one and need support - homeopathy may be able to help. I’ve used homeopathy for grief, sadness and depression (more on depression below) for my patients, my family members and myself many times and it’s always helped lift the shadow and the soreness from the heart so we can live to fight another day.

Match your mental/emotional state to the remedies listed to below. If these remedies only help for a short time or your grief is more chronic in nature, it may be best to see a homeopath for a consultation where they can help you treat the root cause and reduce/eliminate the reoccurrence.

For more information on dosage and duration see: ‘How to Take Remedies’ below.

Grief

Ignatia

This is a #1 grief remedy and the main remedy to have on hand at funerals. It is invaluable for all states of loss such as the death of loved ones or pets and for painful reactions to tragic news. Ignatia will appear as you would expect in a grief situation as it covers everything from episodes of weeping to hysterical sobbing. There is often a sensation of a lump in the throat and loss of appetite. They are worse for consolation. Ignatia won’t suppress the sadness or the outbursts; instead it enables the person to express in a way that isn’t completely crippling so that they can function and get on with the things they need to without breaking down completely.

Pulsatilla

This is a remedy for grief states where the person will be tearful and dependent on others for consolation. The chief symptom is the need for company where Ignatia doesn’t want it as much.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is useful for those finding it difficult to let go of the loved one that has passed. It helps these people to release their attachment so they can begin to move on and better attend to the practical tasks at hand.

Buddleia

Buddleia is a great remedy for those who feel utterly devastated by someone’s death, by bad news or for those who have witnessed a traumatic situation - as a result they just cannot function. It is a remedy for shock and trauma on an unimaginable scale, so useful if the person is completely broken and inconsolable from the news. It is useful in any scenario involving shock and trauma, but it is especially helpful for those who have bared witness to a terrible accident, event, death or multiple deaths and are struggling to process the horror of the situation. Buddleia helps to put the pieces back together so the person can begin to process and handle what that happened, and reduces the likelihood of developing chronic PTSD from the event.

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy and Bush Flower Emergency Essence

These flower essences can be invaluable to have on hand after someone’s passing, they offer comfort and reassurance whilst you figure out which remedy would be best. We always had some on hand growing up and it was the first thing my parents would administer in grief and shock situations. I remember it always soothed us in times of stress and emotional turmoil, I have witnessed it calm screaming children and adults in seconds many times.

Depression

If you or anyone you know suffers with depression, homeopathy can absolutely help. Depression is a chronic condition that really needs treating constitutionally, with the help of a homeopath, who can help you get to the root cause and work with you to unravel and process the many layers which may be contributing to it, it’s a journey and it’s better to have someone supporting you along the way. There are many remedies that help with depression, and your homeopath will work to find which one/s would be best for you.

How to Take Remedies

In intense situations where they need immediate relief there and then give 200c - 1 pill every 1-2 hours for 3 doses, if no change try a different remedy. Stop when symptoms subside.

When their symptoms don’t need immediate attention, i.e. they’re not happening right now, but it’s a state they go into often, you can either give the remedy as and when symptoms arise, stopping when they feel better, or give the remedy over a course of days in order to allow their body a little more time to process and heal. In this instance take 200c - 1 pill twice daily for 3-5 days. Continue with improvement. If symptoms cease completely, stop the remedy.

If you find they need to take the remedy regularly and symptoms reoccur quite often, it would be better that they see a homeopath, as they will help them treat the root cause and reduce the likelihood of future reoccurrence.