Center For Substance Abuse Treatment, Information About The Costs

For many people, contact with the criminal justice system is their first opportunity for substance abuse treatment. It provides information on the substance abuse treatment system and its clients on the reference date. N-SSATS provides the mechanism for quantifying the dynamic character and composition of the United States substance abuse treatment delivery system. Many people in treatment for substance abuse have other complex problems, such as co-occurring mental disorders, homelessness, or involvement with the criminal justice system. Create an integrated system of referral and treatment for substance abuse that is consistent with the referral and treatment process of other chronic diseases.

Information about the costs of substance abuse, impact of substance abuse, and prevention and treatment are provided at this site. Rensselaer County has long been an advocate for substance abuse prevention and treatment. Objectives Statewide formulation and implementation of a state plan for prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery of substance abuse. Finding effective treatment for and prevention of substance abuse has been difficult. Probationers receive substance abuse treatment, life skills training, relapse prevention, and educational and vocational training in a modified therapeutic community format. Provide design and evaluation of programs related to substance abuse prevention and treatment.

Despite this increase, little research is being done on adolescent substance abuse treatment and prevention. Without additional prevention and treatment resources, the child welfare system will continue to wage a war against substance abuse that it cannot win. The statement concludes with specific recommendations for financing substance abuse prevention, assessment, and treatment for children and adolescents. The listings below show the Department's substance abuse treatment and prevention programs by city. The Center will conduct behavioral, epidemiologic, and evaluation studies on the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

The program is intended to be provided as a component of substance abuse treatment or through family and community service agencies. Delaware's internationally-acclaimed, 3-step substance abuse treatment program is proven to be successful in rehabilitating drug offenders. Even if a victim is able to complete a substance abuse treatment program, being revictimized is predictive of relapse. The program was modified during implementation at two women's residential substance abuse treatment programs. The delegation explored bringing an intensive substance abuse treatment program to their region and chose Delaware's model to study. In Pennsylvania, a child covered by the private program currently will receive no substance abuse treatment benefits.

Also troubling is that this Cdouble stigma occurs among drug users who are addressing their addiction by attending a substance abuse treatment program. Renascence Renascence is a day treatment program for HIV-positive individuals with past or present substance abuse issues. Our nomadic wilderness treatment program incorporates an innovative, holistic approach to issues such as substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and difficulties with relationships. A substance abuse evaluation must be completed before you can be admitted to any treatment program in the Lincoln area. Because he experienced a treatment program that met his needs, he has a better understanding about substance abuse and addiction. He has to pay for his own transportation - bus, train or plane to get to the substance abuse treatment program. The Crest program allows recovering substance abusers to continue their treatment as they transition to the community.
AdChoices

Therefore, the AAFP supports full parity for substance abuse treatment in health care plans. The MAP consists of goals, action steps, and indicators for improving access to health care including substance abuse treatment. Whether these recommended practices come from the substance abuse treatment, children's mental health, child welfare or family support arenas, common themes emerge across disciplines. Minkoff answers questions related to best clinical practices in the treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.

States are assessing how work-first policies (work requirements, definitions of work activities, and sanctions) impact treatment for substance abuse and mental health problems. Women show a greater tendency than do men to seek help for health matters, but not in specialized substance abuse treatment settings (21). Integrated mental health and substance abuse centers provide mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment simultaneously. Providers reported that approximately 80% of youth who were court-ordered to treatment in regional mental health institutes also had substance abuse problems. It reports on the current state of medical and mental health treatment and how this affects people with substance abuse disorders and HIV/AIDS.

Increase the number of admissions to substance abuse treatment for injection drug use. JCAHO is the gold standard in accreditation for drug and substance abuse treatment facilities. NCRPG developed a social indicator model of interstate substance abuse treatment needs that includes both drug and alcohol components. Learn about symptoms of alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse and treatment centers. Our substance abuse treatment campus extends over a 40-acre manicured estate, providing a serene and healing drug rehab environment.

Providing comprehensive substance abuse advice and education regarding options for intervention, drug treatment, and continuing care. rural residency, and marital status, substance abuse treatment providers should also integrate the following recommendations specific to the alcohol/other drug treatment system. A comprehensive guide to the best drug rehabs, residential substance abuse treatment and detox centers for adults, adolescents, and troubled teens.

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Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers Smart Approach

Drug and alcohol addictions, undoubtedly, are no less than curses in one’s life. In the current time millions of people are severely affected by these addictions. But, the good news is that, with the advancement of medical sciences highly effective addiction and mental health treatments have come up, which can cure the patients completely.

Often it is noticed that the addiction affected people suffer from more than one disease. In medial term, this calls dual diagnosis. These patients have mental health or behavioral problems and also suffer from addiction or substance abuse problem.

Recently dual diagnosis has become a common phenomenon. According to a recent study it has been revealed that majority of people who are drug addict suffer from mental disorders as well. Most of the drug rehab programs only concentrate on the addiction treatments; they don’t treat the root of the addiction. But there are several health care centers specialized in dual diagnosis treatment.

The dual diagnosis treatment centers emphasize on both addiction and mental health treatments through which the patients can be completely cured. According to the medical experts, perfect addiction treatment can not be possible without a combination treatment.

The treatment centers usually perform medical detoxification which takes 2-3 days. This program involves medication, group discussion, canceling and so on. They also arrange long duration programs for which the patients need to get admitted in the treatment centers at least for a month. Usually the treatments performed by the dual diagnosis treatment centers are:

    Money and relationship counseling
    Family counseling
    Stress management
    Assertive outreach
    Job and housing assistance
    Social networking

There are several dual diagnosis treatment centers available out there which offer a wide range of dual diagnosis programs. The online medium will help you a lot to find out an extensive range of information on treatments and treatment centers.

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Attending a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

A dual diagnosis treatment center is a substance abuse and mental health treatment setting, wherein patients with dual diagnoses are treated. Patients who suffer from substance abuse, while suffering from psychiatric issues, at the same time are appropriate patients for a dual diagnosis treatment center.

Attending a dual diagnosis treatment center, rather than just a traditional substance abuse treatment program is critical for patients with mental health issues, who have an extremely high rate of failure when they are treated for the substance abuse issues only.

Psychiatric patients, patients who suffer from psychiatric disorders, such as depression, bi-polar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety, compulsive/obsessive behaviors, PTSD, among others, are especially prone to developing chemical dependency. Often, they use drugs and/or alcohol for the same reasons as people without a mental illness, but unlike classic substance abusers, dual diagnosis patients are often much more sensitive to the negative effects of alcohol and drugs and to addiction, due to the attendant psychiatric conditions.

One of every two people in the U.S., diagnosed with a severe mental illness, is a substance abuser, as well, which is an amazingly high ratio.

Patients who are treated in an appropriate dual diagnosis setting are able to achieve full recovery, when they attend a dual diagnosis treatment center, where qualified staff and proven treatment methods are presented and followed by the patients.

Dual diagnosis treatment is often longer in duration and more complex than that for traditional chemical addiction treatment, due to the added complexity of the mental health deterioration.

The odds of recovery from dual diagnosis improve greatly when patients receive appropriate dual diagnosis treatment, which involves treatment for psychiatric disorders, as well as for chemical dependency from the same clinician or clinical team of experts in an environment wherein they can comfortably and safely focus on the two matters, concurrently.

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Selecting Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers

Dual diagnosis treatment programs are designed for the individuals who get associated with alcohol or drug addiction and mental health problems. These recovery programs are suitable for a person who is facing depression and nervousness along with the addition of harmful substances. Such dual diagnosis programs can help in treating the overdo drugs and mental illness. If you are searching for dual diagnosis treatment for any of your family member who is suffering from the same situation, then try to find any reliable dual diagnosis treatment center that can cater to your treatment need. You can avail the option of choosing the right treatment program out of the various alternatives available.

While selecting an effective dual diagnosis treatment center, it is very important to check the medications facilities offered by the center prior in advance so that your patient does not need to suffer much and can easily spend their time in those rehab centers. Most of the dual diagnosis starts off with their treatment program with detoxification therapy. This therapy helps in gradually reducing the harmful impact of dangerous substances from the mind and the body of addicted persons. If the patient responds well to detoxification therapy, then they can proceed further for other recovery programs and care. All these can help your patient in resolving all mental issues and addiction problems quickly and returning back to their normal life.

Make sure that the dual diagnosis treatment center you are showing your interest in to admit your family member suffering from addiction is registered and legal. It must have a staff of dedicated and experienced professionals who hold specialization in taking care of the patients suffering from drug or alcohol addiction and offering them the required assistance. Further, it should have all treatment facilities and programs that can help addicts in recovery quickly from their life threatening addiction. Remember treating a person going through serious addiction is not an easy task. Thus, it is always advisable to take help from an experienced doctor that can recommend you the suitable dual diagnosis treatment and center in accordance to your needs and budget. 

To help your loved one suffering from substance addiction in restoring their mental and physical health, you need to find out the right dual diagnosis treatment center for them. The treatment programs offered at such centers can help addicted people in having control over their increasing desire to use various harmful substances. Although, such programs at times may create some complication and need special care and attention. You can offer the required aid to your patient by moving them to dual diagnosis rehab center and allowing them to get the required recovery treatment from the experienced doctors. Dual diagnosis treatment center is the best medication place for addicts who are suffering from both the addiction and mental disorders.

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Ipecac

Cephalis ipecacuanha

There are two categories of ipecac preparations— a syrup used in standard medical practice and a homeopathic remedy. They are given for different purposes. The medicinal effects of ipecac were recognized centuries ago by the Portuguese who settled in South America.

They found a plant that can make people vomit and appropriately named it Cephalis ipecacuanha, meaning sick-making plant. Nowadays, ipecac is used to treat a variety of conditions. Its most widely accepted use is to induce vomiting in cases of accidental poisoning.

When ipecac is swallowed, a substance in it called cephaeline irritates the stomach and causes vomiting. Syrup of ipecac is now considered the safest drug to treat poisoning and is often the most effective.

There are different types of ipecac preparations that vary greatly in strength. Syrup of ipecac is best for use at home to treat accidental poisoning. Ipecac fluid extract and ipecac tincture should be avoided, as they are much stronger compounds and can be toxic.

Ipecacuanha is a homeopathic remedy made from ipecac by a process of dilution and succussion (shaking). In contrast to syrup of ipecac, it is given to relieve vomiting.

General use

Treatment of poisoning

to cause vomiting in cases of poisoning

Standard medical practice uses ipecac to cause vomiting in cases of poisoning in order to remove the toxic substance from the stomach before absorption occurs. It can be used on animals as well as humans. Ipecac is safer and more effective than many other methods for inducing vomiting, such as sticking a finger down a child’s throat or using saltwater.

There are times, however, when ipecac should not be used because it can make certain kinds of poisoning worse. Syrup of ipecac should not be used if the poison is one of the following.

• strychnine
• alkalis (lye)
• strong acids
• kerosene
• fuel oil
• gasoline
• coal oil
• paint thinner
• cleaning fluid

Poisoning is a potentially serious condition. It is best to contact a local poison control center, local hospital emergency room, or the family doctor for instructions before using syrup of ipecac.

Ipecac’s reputation for inducing vomiting has encouraged some bulimics to take it on a regular basis in order to purge the contents of the stomach after an eating binge. This misuse of ipecac is extremely dangerous; it can cause heart problems, tears in the esophagus or stomach lining, vomiting blood, seizures, or even death.

Homeopathy

The homeopathic remedy made from ipecac is called Ipecacuanha. Homeopathic preparations are given for a reason completely opposite from that of standard allopathic treatment. In homeopathy, ipecac is given to stop vomiting rather than to induce it.

According to Hahnemann’s law of similars, a substance that would cause vomiting in large doses when given to a healthy person will stimulate a sick person’s natural defenses when given in extremely diluted and carefully prepared doses. Ipecacuanha is a favorite homeopathic remedy for morning sickness associated with pregnancy.

It is also given to stop nausea that is not relieved by vomiting; when the vomitus is slimy and white; when there is gagging and heavy salivation; when the tongue is clean despite the patient’s feelings of nausea; and when the patient is not thirsty.

The nausea may be accompanied by a headache, cough, or heavy menstrual bleeding. The modalities (circumstances) that suggest Ipecacuanha as the appropriate homeopathic remedy is that the patient feels worse lying down; in dry weather; in winter; and when exercising or moving about.

A homeopathic practitioner would not necessarily prescribe ipecac for all cases of nausea. Arsenicum would be given when the nausea is caused by food poisoning and accompanied by strong thirst, Nux vomica when the nausea is the result of overindulgence in food or alcohol and accompanied by gas or heartburn. A sick child might be given Pulsatilla, particularly if rich foods have been eaten.

On the other hand, a homeopathic practitioner may prescribe ipecac for any of the following conditions that are not related to nausea and vomiting.

• nosebleeds producing bright red blood
• dental bleeding
• diarrhea with cramping abdominal pain. The stools are green with froth or foam.
• Asthma of sudden onset. The patient has to sit up in order to breathe, but cannot bring up any mucus in spite of violent coughing.
• hoarseness or loss of voice following a cold
• physical or mental exhaustion

Preparations

Syrup of ipecac

sick-making plant

Syrup of ipecac is made from the dried roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of Cephaelis ipecacuanha. It is available over the counter in 0.5–1 oz bottles. Larger bottles require a doctor’s prescription.

The dosage for infants under 6 months old should be prescribed by the family doctor or poison control center. For children six months to one year, the usual dose is 5–10 ml or 1–2 tsp. One-half or one full glass (4–8 oz) of water should be taken immediately before or after the dose.

The dose may be repeated once after 20–30 minutes if vomiting does not occur. For children one to 12 years of age, the usual dose is 15 ml (1 tbsp) to be taken with one full glass (8 oz) of water. Adults and teenagers should take 15–30 ml of ipecac with at least 1 full glass of water.

Syrup of ipecac should not be taken with milk or soda drinks as these foods may prevent it from working properly. If vomiting does not occur within 20–30 minutes after the first dose, a second dose may be needed. If the second dose fails to induce vomiting, the patient should be taken to a hospital emergency room.

If both activated charcoal and syrup of ipecac are recommended to treat poison, ipecac must be used first. Activated charcoal should not be taken until 30 minutes after taking syrup of ipecac, or until the vomiting caused by ipecac stops.

Homeopathic preparations

Ipecacuanha is available as an over-the-counter remedy in 30x potency. This is a decimal potency, which means that one part of ipecac has been mixed with nine parts of alcohol or water; 30x means that this decimal dilution has been repeated 30 times. The dilute solution of ipecac is then added to sugar tablets so that the remedy can be taken in tablet form.

Precautions

Syrup of ipecac

For inducing vomiting in cases of accidental poisoning, only the syrup form of ipecac should be used. Syrup of ipecac should not be mixed with milk or carbonated drinks as they may prevent vomiting.

If syrup of ipecac is not immediately available in the home, it generally cannot be used. A 2002 report studied parents’ attempts to administer the syrup upon calling a poison center when they felt they could obtain it within 15 minutes.

However, actual time to administration was generally closer to 30 minutes. The report recommended that parents not be referred to purchase ipecac when their children have ingested a significant amount of a poisonous substance and the syrup is not already available in the home.

Syrup of ipecac should not be used in the following situations (contact poison control center or family doctor for alternative treatments).

• Poisoning caused by strychnine; sustained-release theophylline; such corrosive substances as strong alkalis (lye); strong acids (such as toilet bowl cleaner); and such petroleum products as kerosene, gasoline, coal oil, fuel oil, paint thinner, or cleaning fluids.
• Overdoses of medications given for depression.
• Excessive vomiting.
• A serious heart condition.
• Timing. Do not give ipecac more than 4–6 hours after the poison was ingested.
• Pregnancy.
• Very young children (less than six months old). Infants and very young children may choke on their own vomit or get vomit into their lungs.
• Drowsy or unconscious patients.
• Seizures.

Homeopathic preparations

Ipecacuanha should not be given after Arsenicum or Tabac because these remedies will counteract it.

Side effects

The following side effects have been associated with the use of syrup of ipecac.

• Loose bowel movements.
• Diarrhea.
• Fast irregular heartbeat.
• Inhaling or choking on vomit.
• Stomach cramps or pains.
• Coughing.
• Weakness.
• Aching.
• Muscle stiffness.
• Severe heart problems often occur in cases of ipecac abuse. Because ipecac stays in the body for a long time, damage to the heart frequently occurs in persons who repeatedly take ipecac to induce vomiting.
• Seizures. These are most likely to occur in patients who accidentally swallow ipecac or in ipecac abusers.
• Death. Deaths have been reported due to ipecac abuse in bulimic persons.

Homeopathic Ipecacuanha has been highly diluted and is relatively nontoxic.

Interactions

Ipecac should not be given together with other drugs because it can decrease their effectiveness and increase

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Iridology

Iridology, also called iris analysis or iris diagnosis, is the study of the iris (the colored part of the eye). Iris “readings” are made by iridologists to assess a person’s health picture (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) and guide them to take measures to improve their health.

The basic concept of iridology has existed for centuries. The medical school of the University of Salerno in Italy offered training in iris diagnosis. A book published by Philippus Meyers in 1670, called Chiromatica medica, noted that signs in the iris indicate diseases.

Dr. Ignatz von Peczely, however, is generally considered the father of iridology, with the date of his discovery given as 1861. Von Peczely was a Hungarian physician. As a child, he accidentally broke an owl’s leg. He observed that a black line formed in the owl’s lower iris at the time of the injury.

After the owl’s leg healed, the young von Peczely noted that the black streak had changed appearance. As a physician, he treated a patient with a broken leg in whose eye he observed a black streak in the same location as on the injured owl’s iris.

Von Peczely became intrigued by the possibility of a connection between diseases and eye markings. Through observing his patients’ eyes, he became convinced of this connection and developed a chart that mapped iris-body correlations.

After several decades of comparative study, von Peczely mapped organs across zones identified by hours and minutes on a clock face superimposed over drawings of the eyes. In 1881, he published his theories in a book called Discoveries in the Field of Natural Science and Medicine: Instruction in the Study of Diagnosis from the Eye.

A Swedish pastor and homeopath named Nils Liljequist also developed the concept of iris-body correlations at roughly the same time but independently of von Peczely’s work. He was the first iridologist to identify the effects of such drugs as iodine and quinine on the iris.

Liljequist based his initial observations on changes in his own irises after illnesses and injuries, publishing writings and eye drawings during the late nineteenth century. One of his students, Dr. Henry Lahn, brought the practice of iridology to the United States.

A variety of practitioners, primarily European, have sought to popularize iridology since these early works. Dr. Bernard Jensen, a chiropractor, is the best-known contemporary American advocate of iridology.

Benefits

Iridologists claim that by studying the patterns of a person’s iris, they can provide helpful and accurate health and wellness information.

Iridology is a holistic endeavor in that it addresses the person’s whole being in the reading. The range of information gleaned encompasses physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the person’s health picture.

In addition to assessing the person’s general level of health, readings can reveal other data, including energy quotients; internal areas of irritation, degeneration, injury, or inflammation; nutritional and chemical imbalances; accumulation of toxins; life transitions; and subconscious tensions.

Iridologists maintain that the eyes reveal information about the person’s physical and emotional constitution, such as inherited weaknesses and risks to which the person may be prone. Strengths may also be revealed, including inherited emotional tendencies from which the person derives particular talents.

Cleansing and healing can be verified by changes in the iris. By looking for certain signs such as healing lines, iridologists obtain information about previous health problems and injuries and discover what may have gone wrong in the person’s past.

An iridology reading reflects the causes of problems, not symptoms. It may, iridologists claim, reveal that organs or systems are overstressed or predisposed to disease before clinical symptoms even develop.

By predicting future problems, iridology can be used as a preventive tool. People can use the information from iridology readings to improve their health and make better behavioral choices in the future, thereby heading off problems before they occur.

In North America, iridology is generally considered to be an assessment tool to be used in cooperation with other health specialties. Iridology is not a diagnostic tool (although it is more likely to be considered so by European iridologists) and should not be used to diagnose or name specific diseases.

Not only would diagnosis represent an improper application of iridology according to many iridologists, as noted by the International Iridology Research Association (IIRA), it could also be construed in many countries as practicing medicine without a license.

Description

Iridology is generally based on the concept of neural pathways between the body and the iris. Although iridologists may differ on the exact mechanism, most maintain that the iris reflects what is happening throughout the body via nerve conduction from all parts of the body to the eye.

The client’s health is assessed by the iridologist, who interprets patterns, shapes, rings, colors and pigmentation markings, fibers, structures, and changes in the pupil and iris. Many iridologists also use sclerology (reading the lines in the white part of the eyes) in their health evaluation.

Iridology readings are typically performed by such holistically oriented practitioners as naturopaths, chiropractors, or nutritionists. The reading may be done using a bright light, a magnifying glass, and a notepad. The iridologist may also use various tools to better view the eye, a special camera to take pictures of the iris, and/or a computer.

Iridologists conduct their readings using charts on which each area of the iris is mapped to a specific body system or organ. Iridology charts vary, with at least 20 different ones in existence.

Some charts are more widely used than others; however, many iridologists believe that there is more than one correct map and that each practitioner should become familiar with several charts.

Some iridologists even develop their own charts. Differences also exist among practitioner techniques; among American, European, and other approaches; and in the interpretation of specific iris signs.

Iridology charts divide the iris into numerous zones corresponding to different parts of the body. Although the specifics may differ on each chart, all share a general pattern.

The left eye is mapped to the left side of the body and the right eye to the right side. The top of the eye is mapped to the upper body (e.g., brain, face, neck, chest and heart).

The center of the eye is mapped to the stomach and digestive organs, with other organs being represented by concentric circular zones moving outward toward the edge of the iris. The bottom of the eye is mapped to the legs and lower half of body. Paired organs (e.g., the kidneys) are mapped to both irises.

Using a holistic approach that considers each client as an individual with unique health patterns and concerns, behaviors, and experiences, the iridologist will examine the eyes and make a health assessment.

Based on the results of that reading, the iridologist generally recommends a wellness program tailored to the individual’s physical, emotional, and life situation.

This program may incorporate various health improvement, maintenance, and prevention regimes. Recommendations may include vitamins, minerals, herbs, supplements, and/or diet and nutrition, among other suggestions.

Preparation

No special preparations are necessary before an iridology reading.

Precautions

An iridology reading is unlikely to cause any physical harm by itself, as it does not involve direct contact with the eye or applying eye drops of any kind.

Critics of iridology, however, argue that iridology can be detrimental to health if a sick person delays treatment for a condition not suggested by the iridology reading; or that it can can cause anguish and unnecessary expense if a reading suggests a problem when there actually is none.

Research and general acceptance

Rita M. Holl, RN, PhD, states that “Within Western medicine, iridology is considered a controversial science at best and medical fraud at worst.” Proponents of iridology argue that the practice is time-tested with proven results.

Although critics acknowledge that certain symptoms of non-ocular disease do appear in the eyes (e.g., brain injury), there is, they argue, a lack of rigorous scientific testing and no evidence that iridology has any merit.

Studies published in the Australian Journal of Optometry, the British Medical Journal, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) have found iridologists’ assessment of patients with diagnosed serious diseases including kidney and gall bladder disease to be inaccurate.

Iridologists counter that the research itself was faulty, citing problems including poor-quality photos; the absence of important additional information including the ability to see/interview the client; and inappropriate expectations of diagnosing specific diseases, a task outside the parameters of iridology.

A more recent study conducted to reevaluate JAMA’s findings in regard to renal failure was published in the Alternative Health Practitioner. Acknowledging that the “study leaves several questions unanswered,” the author reported both similarities and variations in the iridologists’ readings and concluded that the iridologist’s level of expertise is extremely important as well.

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Journal Therapy

Journal therapy is the purposeful and intentional use of a written record of one’s own thoughts or feelings to further psychological healing and personal growth. It is often used as an adjunct to many psychotherapy and re covery programs.

Healthcare practitioners maintain that written expression fills a very important role in the therapeutic process by providing a mechanism of emotional expression in circumstances in which interpersonal expression is not possible or viable.

Origins

People have kept journals and diaries to record dreams, memories, and thoughts since ancient times. Emotional expression has also long held a central role in the study and practice of psychology.

Throughout history, psychologists have advocated the expression of emotions as essential for good mental and physical health. Since the early 1980s, interest in this topic has resulted in numerous research studies investigating the health benefits of expressive writing.

Benefits

Journal writing produces a number of benefits in healthy people—among other things, it enhances creativity, helps cope with stress, and provides a written record of memorable life experiences. Likewise, some researchers have found that journal writing has a number of psychological and physical health benefits for people who are ill.

Aside from a reduction in physical symptoms of disease, the psychological benefits include reconciling emotional conflicts, fostering self-awareness, managing behavior, solving problems, reducing anxiety, aiding reality orientation, and increasing self-esteem.

Writing therapy has been used as an effective treatment for the developmentally, medically, educationally, socially, or psychologically impaired and is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, and forensic institutions. Populations of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds are served by writing therapy in individual, couple, family, and group therapy formats.

The therapeutic use of expressive writing allows individuals to confront upsetting topics, thus alleviating the constraints or inhibitions associated with not talking about the event. The psychological drain of the inhibition is believed to cause and/or exacerbate stress-related disease processes.

Researchers have found that emotional expression facilitates cognitive processing of the traumatic memory, which leads to emotional and physiological change. Specifically, written emotional expression promotes integration and understanding of the event while reducing negative emotions associated with it.

Description

Journal writing and other forms of writing therapy are based on the premise that the mind and the body are inseparably joined in the healing process. Although there are many methods of conducting journal writing therapy depending on the therapeutic technique of the psychologist or psychiatrist, the therapist often instructs the participant to write about a distressing or traumatic event or thought in one or more sessions.

Although researchers are uncertain about exactly how writing about traumas produces improvements in psychological well-being, traumatic stress researchers have pointed out that ordinary memories are qualitatively different from traumatic memories. Traumatic memories are more emotional and perceptual in nature. The memory is stored as a sensory perception, obsessional thought, or behavioral reenactment.

It is associated with persistent, intrusive, and distressing symptoms, avoidance, and intense anxiety that results in observed psychological and biological dysfunction. Thus, one goal in treating traumatic memories is to find a means of processing them.

A narrative that becomes more focused and coherent over a number of writing sessions is often associated with increased improvement, according to several research studies.

The memories become deconditioned and restructured into a personal, integrated narrative. Changes in psychological well-being after writing therapy may result from cognitive shifts about the trauma either during or after the writing process.

Preparations

In a health care setting, the participant often prepares for journal writing by receiving (from the therapist) a set of instructions regarding the length and focus of the writing session or sessions. Other instructions may include writing in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, without censorship or concern about grammar or style.

Precautions

It is advisable that journal therapy be conducted only by a licensed health professional, such as a certified art therapy practitioner or trained psychologist or psychiatrist. While journal writing classes available to the general public may perform a variety of useful functions, these classes are not intended to provide medical therapy.

In journal therapy, the participant may, for example, uncover potentially traumatic, repressed, or painful memories. Therefore, a trained health professional may be necessary to supervise the process and treat these symptoms as they arise.

Side effects

There are no known side effects of journal or writing therapy.

Research and general acceptance

Therapeutic writing became an increasingly popular topic in the final decades of the twentieth century, not only among trained health care professionals, but also among self-improvement speakers without medical training.

Seminars, workshops, and Internet sites purportedly offering therapy though expressive writing sprang up around the nation and gained popular acceptance. Despite the large body of research indicating that writing confers benefits on healthy people, the topic of writing therapy’s affects on diseased individuals has not received a great deal of research attention.

Although increasingly used by health care professionals as an adjunct to various therapeutic approaches, the practice has been criticized by some members of the health care community. Some researchers are distrustful of the findings that so much measurable improvement in health status can occur in just a few brief writing sessions.

In the United Kingdom, the focus of journal therapy has been on descriptive accounts and psychodynamic explanations for subjective improvements in the health status of participants.

In the United States, on the other hand, the focus is on formal scientific research aimed at validating the impact of brief, highly standardized writing exercises on physical measures of illness. The research demonstrates that although physical measures of illness may change, the reasons for the change are not always clear.

In the United States, one study on the effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis found that after four months of writing therapy—in conjunction with standard pharmacotherapy—nearly half the patients enrolled in the study experienced clinically relevant improvement.

A growing number of studies have documented symptom improvement in patients with psychiatric disorders as well, suggesting that addressing patients’ psychological needs produces both psychological and physical health benefits.

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Juice Therapies

Juice therapy involves the consumption of the juice of raw fruit or vegetables. A person may drink juice preventively to stay healthy, to treat a medical condition like cancer, or to produce a certain outcome, such as strengthening the immune system.

Three widely practiced juice therapies differ primarily in the amount of time that a person is involved in the therapy and whether other items are included in the person’s diet.

For some people, adding fresh juice to their daily meal plan is sufficient. Others will embark on a juice fast for several days to cleanse their systems. Juice is also a major component of the so-called Gerson therapy diet that is used to treat cancer. This therapy usually starts with a stay of three to eight weeks in a clinic. Then therapy continues at home and may continue for years.

Origins

Fasting and juice consumption

The two components of most juice therapies, fasting and juice consumption, date back thousands of years. Fasting is a long-standing religious tradition described in the Bible and other sources.

The medicinal use of juice can be traced back thousands of years to India. Proponents of Ayurveda, a healing system, believed that drinking juice strengthens body tissues.

In the centuries that followed, people recognized that eating fruit and vegetables produce many health benefits. Carrots were said to improve eyesight; and according to the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” During the twentieth century, fruit and vegetables became important components of healing therapy.

Gerson juice diet

During the 1940s, a German doctor named Max B. Gerson developed a therapy using juice to treat his migraine. His diet was based on the theory that excessive sodium in a person’s system disrupts the immune system and the functions of the liver, pancreas, and thyroid gland. Gerson developed a low-salt organic diet that focuses on raw vegetable and fruit juices.

The diet included nutritional supplements and coffee enemas to detoxify the liver and relieve pain. The therapy worked for Gerson, so he recommended it to patients. People diagnosed with cancer and tuberculosis said that the Gerson diet therapy produced positive results.

Advocates of juice therapies maintain that refraining from food boosts the body’s ability to heal itself. Since the body is not spending time and energy on digesting high-fat food, it can concentrate on healing instead. That reasoning is the basis of juice fasts.

Juicing

Another form of juice therapy known as juicing involves extracting the juice from raw fruit and vegetables. From the 1970s on, people like “Juiceman” Jay Kordich popularized the concept of drinking fresh juice to boost energy, lose weight, and achieve other health benefits. Kordich provided recipes and sold juice extractors that are also known as “juicers.”

Kordich toured the country and talked about juice ingredients that seemed exotic to a public used to tomato juice and orange juice. One beverage consisted of juiced potato, apple, carrot, and parsley.

Benefits

Research has shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of such diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Furthermore, raw vegetables and fruit contain vitamins, food enzymes, minerals, amino acids, and natural sugars.

Some of those benefits may be lost when commercial juice is purchased because juice sold in stores is pasteurized, which results in the loss of some nutrients. Fresh juice’s benefits extend beyond its nutritional content, according to juice therapy advocates.

Proponents of juice therapies continue to study its benefits. In 2002, a physician reported to the American College of Cardiology that two cups of orange juice daily significantly lowered the blood pressure of hypertensive patients. A British study in the same year verified the positive effects of cranberry juice on urinary tract infections.

Juice is used in Ayurvedic treatment for such conditions as arthritis, anemia, and constipation. Juice is also a component of naturopathy, which is also known as the “whole body cure.” A naturopathic doctor may prescribe a juice fast.

Supporters of fasting believe that the process releases a hormone that helps the body fight disease. A juice fast will strengthen the immune system, according to adherents.

It may be part of naturopathic treatment for conditions including arthritis, cancer, and AIDS. The fast also allows the naturopathic physician to identify food sensitivities (allergens) as the patient begins eating food.

Juice therapy is part of the Gerson diet, a cancer therapy said to eliminate the buildup of toxins in the body by stimulating enzymes, improving the digestive system, and providing the correct balance of vitamins and minerals.

Description

Juice therapy can be as simple as extracting the juice from raw produce or as complicated as the Gerson diet. The therapies vary in the amount of commitment involved and the cost. Whether a therapy is covered by medical insurance will depend on the patient’s health plan.

The person who juices or fasts at home generally isn’t covered. A juice fast administered as part of another treatment by a doctor or health practitioner might be covered. For Gerson therapy, some companies pay for part or all of costs, according to the Gerson Institute website.

Gerson therapy

The Gerson therapy treatment is based on drinking freshly pressed vegetable and fruit juice every hour. During a typical day at a Gerson clinic, a person would drink 13 glasses of raw carrot/apple and green-leaf vegetable juices.

Vegetarian meals of organically grown food are served. During treatment, the patient receives caffeine enemas during the evening to detoxify the blood and tissues, according to the Gerson Institute website.

The institute does not operate facilities; instead it licenses such facilities as the Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana, Mexico. The hospital opened a Gerson Therapy Center in September of 1999 that cost each patient $4,900 for a week of care. That figure included the cost of a companion’s housing as well as follow-up consultations.

Fasting

A juice fast can be done at home with no help or under the direction of a practitioner such as a naturopathic doctor. The fast could also be part of the program at a retreat center.

Another option is a short-term cleansing diet lasting two to three days. One popular fast involves consumption of fruit and vegetable juice for several days.

In some plans, herbal tea and broth are allowed. Another variation is the raw food diet, which involves eating uncooked fruit and vegetables. The diet is said to be useful in treating such conditions as heart disease and arthritis.

Juicing

Juicing involves the extraction of juice from raw fruit or vegetables. An extractor, fresh produce, and a commitment of time to juice the items are required. A blender isn’t strong enough to juice raw produce, and extractors are priced from about $120–2,000. Juice should be consumed as soon as possible after extraction because when it’s stored, juice loses its nutritional value.

BENEFICIAL JUICES. While most people know that orange juice is rich in vitamin C, the juice of other produce is believed to provide additional health benefits. The wide selection of juices offers benefits that include the following:

• An 8-oz (240 ml) glass of carrot juice contains more than 10 times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
• Fresh fruit and vegetable juices, including wheatgrass juice, are consumed for ulcers. Ulcer remedies include raw potato juice for peptic ulcers. For a duodenal ulcer, raw cabbage juice can be mixed with carrot and celery juice.
• Cranberries help prevent and treat urinary infections.
• Beet juice can be diluted to stimulate the liver.
• Garlic lowers the blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Cantaloupe juice can be consumed for stress.

Preparations

People should consult a doctor, practitioner, or nutritionist before beginning a fast or treatment like Gerson therapy. The medical professional can determine whether it’s safe to fast and how long the fast should last. The doctor may discover during the test that the person has a condition like diabetes. If that is the case, only a supervised fast would be recommended.

Precautions

Some caution should be taken with each form of juice therapy. Juicing removes much of the necessary dietary fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Since an adult diet should contain 20–25 g of fiber per day, a person should find other sources of fiber. Another caution is that carrot greens, rhubarb greens, and apple seeds can be toxic and should not be juiced.

Some health professionals advise against fasting, a process they say can produce weakness, fatigue, anemia, and other disorders. Other health professionals believe that fasts are safe but should not be undertaken by pregnant women, people who are diabetic, and those who have ulcers or a heart condition. In some cases, the doctor or practitioner may advise a supervised fast.

Critics of the Gerson diet maintain that its dangerous side effects include too much weight loss and poor resistance to disease. A person diagnosed with cancer should not abandon such other conventional treatments as chemotherapy in favor of alternative treatment, according to organizations such as the National Cancer Institute.

Furthermore, the Gerson Institute advised that therapy should be conducted under the supervision of a Gerson practitioner when a patient is undergoing chemotherapy, is a diabetic, has severe kidney damage, or has breast implants.

Lastly, the juicing of fresh fruit and some vegetables can lead to the intake of considerable amounts of sugar. In some people, the sugar produces a quick rush of energy followed by a “crash.”

Side effects

The side effects of fasting can include weight loss and fatigue.

In Gerson therapy, diarrhea and nausea are considered part of the healing process. During the treatment, a person may experience flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, weakness, and dizziness. Other side effects may include fever blisters, perspiration and body odor,intestinal cramping, and a painful feeling in tumors.

Research and general acceptance

Studies of Gerson therapy indicated a higher rate of survival for cancer patients who received the treatment in comparison to those who didn’t. That research included a 1995 study performed in Mexico.

The therapy has not been researched extensively, however, and the Gerson diet is classified by the National Cancer Institute as not medically proven and potentially unsafe.

Some elements of the diet are beneficial—fruit, vegetables, and low-fat food. Most medical professionals believe, however, that less strenuous forms of therapy can be used to treat cancer.

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Kelley-Gonzalez diet

The Kelley-Gonzalez diet consists of large amounts of raw fruits, juices, raw and steamed vegetables, cereals, and nuts. When combined with massive quantities of dietary supplements and freeze-dried pancreatic enzymes, together with a “detoxification” process involving coffee enemas, it is said to slow the growth of cancer tumors.

Origins

The Kelley-Gonzalez regimen is based on a belief that enzymes from the pancreas are capable, like chemotherapy, of killing cancer cells. The use of pancreatic enzymes to treat cancer was first proposed in 1906 by John Beard, a Scottish embryologist. This idea received some attention at the time but was largely abandoned after Beard died in 1923.

During the 1960s, the concept was resurrected by William Donald Kelley, a controversial dentist from Grapevine, Texas. Kelley wrote a book titled One Answer to Cancer that outlined his five-pronged approach:

• Nutritional therapy: Beef pancreatic enzymes combined with numerous other dietary supplements.
• Diet: A carefully individualized diet, ranging all the way from vegetarian to all-meat.
• Detoxification: As few as three or as many as 52 weeks of enemas and laxative purging.
• Neurological stimulation: Various manipulations including chiropractic, osteopathic, mandibular, and physiotherapeutic.
• Spiritual therapy: Prayer and Bible reading.

In 1981, Nicholas Gonzalez, then a second-year medical student at Cornell University, began a five-year investigation of Kelley’s work. Reviewing 10,000 patient records and interviewing 500 cancer patients, Gonzalez became convinced that many of Kelley’s patients had survived significantly longer than would otherwise have been expected.

“Despite the careful documentation and the five-year investment of time, my attempts at publication were met with scorn and ridicule,” Gonzalez recalls. “It seemed no one in academic medicine could, at the time, accept that a nutritional therapy might produce positive results with advanced cancer patients.”

In 1987, Gonzalez started practicing medicine in New York City and developing his own cancer regimen similar to Kelley’s, except that he rejected the neurological and spiritual aspects of Kelley’s treatment.

In 1999, the journal Nutrition and Cancer published results from a pilot study of the Gonzalez regimen in 11 patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. These results were promising, prompting the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to sponsor a $1.4 million large-scale clinical study of the regimen.

Benefits

In his New York medical practice, Gonzalez uses his enzyme-based treatment on patients with pancreatic cancer, as well as a wide variety of other cancers. In addition, he uses variations of the Gonzalez regimen to treat a range of other illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

Description

As currently practiced by Gonzalez, the regimen includes pancreatic enzymes taken orally every four hours and at meals for 16 days. Patients also take as many as 150 dietary supplements a day, including vitamins, minerals, magnesium citrate, papaya, trace elements, and glandular products from animals. Patients also receive frequent coffee enemas.

They are placed on a strict diet including large quantities of fresh fruits, vegetable juices, cereals, and as many as 20 almonds a day. Red meat, white sugar, chicken, refined grain products, and soy are all forbidden. Fish is allowed only in limited quantities.

Precautions

The Kelley-Gonzalez diet is considered a highly experimental treatment for cancer, with only limited evidence of its effectiveness. It should therefore be undertaken only with competent medical advice and monitoring.

Prospective patients should be aware that the diet requires considerable commitment and can almost be considered a full-time job. Initially, it can involve as many as eight enemas a day, as well as preparing four servings of fresh carrot juice and taking dietary supplements 10 times a day.

Side effects

At least two deaths have been linked to coffee enemas, attributed to hyponatremia and dehydration. With unqualified practitioners, there may also be a risk of contamination from unsanitary equipment used to administer enemas.

For example, one outbreak of Campylobacter sepsis occurred among clients of a border clinic in Mexico that offered coffee enemas. In Colorado, an amebiasis outbreak was linked to fecal contamination of an enema-delivery system. Other side effects of the Kelley-Gonzalez treatment may include low-grade fever, muscle aches and pains, or rashes.

Research and general acceptance

For many years, the Kelley-Gonzalez Diet was rejected by orthodox medical practitioners. However, as described earlier, a 1999 pilot study by Gonzales has led to a clinical trial sponsored by the NIH.

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Kirlian photography

Kirlian photography creates a photographic image by placing the object or body part to be photographed on film or photographic paper and exposing it to an electromagnetic field.

Although experiments with photographing objects exposed to an electrical field are known to have been carried out as early as the 1890s, Kirlian photography is generally said to have originated with the work of a pair of Soviet scientists, Semyon and Valentina Kirlian, beginning around 1939.

Over the next several decades at Kazakh State University, the Kirlians developed electrophotographic techniques that used neither a lens nor a camera. By the 1960s, their work had attracted public attention in the Soviet Union.

Interest in Kirlian photography spread to the West during the 1970s, where attempts were made to replicate effects achieved in the photographs of Alexei Krivorotov, a well-known psychic healer in the U.S.S.R. In the United States, studies were carried out with psychic healers at the Jersey Society for Parapsychology and the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.

Benefits

The most common therapeutic use of Kirlian photography is as a diagnostic tool. Variations in the shapes, colors, and intensity of the images produced are said to provide clues to the patient’s overall health and energy level and to indicate the presence or absence of disease, specific emotional states, and other physiological or psychological conditions.

Description

Practitioners most often photograph the patient’s hand (or, less frequently, the foot), which rests on a photographic medium placed over an electrically charged metal plate. During the approximately one-minute exposure, the patient may feel tingling in the exposed surface.

After developing the image, the practitioner interprets its significance and if necessary, refers the patient to a healthcare provider for treatment. Kirlian photography is also sometimes used to assess the effectiveness of treatments (such as acupuncture) by comparing before and after photographs of the patient.

Research and general acceptance

Although some have speculated that Kirlian photography actually records the aura long said by some mystics and psychic healers to exist around human beings, this is not a generally accepted viewpoint.

A scientific explanation of these dramatic images is that they result from interactions between charged particles created by the electromagnetic field used to form the images. A 1976 Science article concluded that moisture is a principal determinant of the form and color of human Kirlian photographs.

It has also been noted that variations in a variety of factors, including the amount of pressure on the plate, the voltage and frequency, and the exposure time, moisture, and temperature, can all influence the images produced.

For these reasons, as well as claims of unreliability and a lack of research data supporting its use, Kirlian photography is not recognized as a legitimate diagnostic tool by the mainstream medical community.

Nevertheless, individual practitioners and researchers continue to experiment with Kirlian photography for diagnosis, especially in Russia and Eastern Europe. It has also been used for such nonmedical purposes as detecting flaws in metal and determining the viability of seeds.

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Kneipp Wellness

Kneipp wellness is a holistic system for overall health developed by Sebastian Kneipp, a nineteenth-century Bavarian priest. His approach included aspects of hydrotherapy, herbalism, and aerobic exercise.

Sebastian Kneipp was born to a poor family in Stephansreid, Bavaria, on May 17, 1821. He initially took up his father’s trade of weaving, but longed to become a priest.

With help from a sympathetic clergyman, he was admitted to high school as a mature student, but after five years of intensive studies, Kneipp became seriously ill with pulmonary tuberculosis.

At that time, the disease was usually fatal, but Kneipp came across an eighteenth-century book about hydrotherapy that inspired him during the winter of 1849 to immerse himself several times a week in the icy Danube River.

These brief exposures to cold water seemed to bolster his immune system, because Kneipp’s tuberculosis went into remission and he was able to continue his theological studies in Munich. There, he convinced some of his fellow students to join his experiments with hydrotherapy.

Kneipp was ordained as a priest in 1852. In that capacity, he began using hydrotherapy to help some of his poorer parishioners. He broadened his approach to include herbalism, exercise, and other elements, and toned down his initial enthusiasm for shocking the body with cold water.

“I warn all against too-frequent application of cold water,” he later wrote. “Three times I concluded to remodel my system and relax the treatment from severity to mildness and thence to greater mildness still.”

Kneipp’s reputation grew after a number of dying patients recovered when he was called to administer last rites and managed instead to restore them to health. In 1855 he was assigned to Worishofen, a village in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps that soon developed an international reputation as a place of healing.

Kneipp summarized his teachings in two popular books, My Water Cure in 1886 and So Sollt Ihr Leben (Thus Thou Shalt Live) in 1889. Supporters of his techniques formed Kneipp Societies in Germany and the United States.

Father Kneipp was later named a monsignor by Pope Leo XIII. After his death in Worishofen on June 17, 1897, his wellness techniques became less popular, but interest in hydrotherapy increased again during the latter part of the twentieth century.

Benefits

Proponents of Kneipp therapy believe that it bolsters the immune system and results in improved overall wellness. In Germany, it is especially popular for treating varicose veins.

Description

Today, Kneipp physiotherapy is essentially a form of classical naturopathy. It is founded on five “pillars”:

• Hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy involves the use of hot and cold water to stimulate the nerves, blood vessels and internal organs. It uses baths, compresses, packs, and water jets.
• Phytotherapy. Plant therapy takes the form of medicinal herbs added to bath water and also administered as juices, lozenges, teas, or ointments, etc.
• Exercise therapy. This aspect of treatment involves long hikes, gymnastics, tennis, cycling, and other vigorous activities to amplify the effects of the water and herb therapies.
• Nutrition therapy, which employs a low-protein, highfiber diet. Special Kneipp diets are also available for weight loss or such ailments as gout, diabetes, or metabolic problems.
• Health maintenance therapy. Patients in the Kneipp program are trained to adhere to their natural biorhythms.

Precautions

All forms of hydrotherapy may pose some risk of water-borne infections, and patients should make sure that baths and similar facilities are properly maintained and disinfected. In addition, persons with serious health problems should consult their physician before undertaking an exercise program.

Side effects

Side effects may vary, depending on the numerous herbs used in Kneipp therapy. When in doubt, it is best to consult a knowledgeable herbalist.

Research and general acceptance

Initially, Kneipp was rejected as a charlatan by the medical establishment. At one point, he was taken to court for quackery, although the judge acquitted him after learning from Kneipp about the shortage of physicians in Alpine villages. Kneipp is now recognized by naturopaths as a founding father of their discipline.

The benefits of immersion in water are wellknown to physiotherapists, but there is so far little conclusive evidence that Kneipp or other methods of hydrotherapy can increase the body’s immunity.

One German study published in 1977 found that immunological reactions to protein and bacterial antigens were significantly more intense in patients who had undergone Kneipp hydrotherapy, compared with a group of healthy volunteers.

There is little doubt among medical doctors that patients should benefit from the vigorous exercise and high-fiber diet included in the Kneipp prescription for wellness.

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Lachesis

Not all products used in alternative healing come from plants. Lachesis is the venom of the bushmaster snake, Lachesis mutus. It is used in homeopathic medicine.

L. mutus is a tropical snake that lives in the jungles of Central and South America, growing to a length of 12 feet (3.6 m). It is the largest poisonous pit viper in the Western hemisphere, and second in size in the world only to the king cobra. L. mutus is related to the familiar North American rattlesnake.

A large bushmaster can have fangs more than 1 in (2.5 cm) long. Its venom is deadly and kills rapidly by inhibiting nervous impulses or slowly by interfering with blood clotting and accelerating the destruction of red blood cells. The bushmaster is also called the surucucu (sometimes spelled surukuku).

General use

Homeopathic medicine operates on the principle that “like heals like.” This means that a disease can be cured by treating it with substances that produce the same symptoms as the disease, while also working in conjunction with the homeopathic law of infinitesimals.

In opposition to traditional medicine, the law of infinitesimals states that the lower a dose of curative, the more effective it is. To achieve a low dose, the curative is diluted many, many times until only a tiny amount remains in a huge amount of the diluting liquid.

In homeopathic terms, fresh L. mutus venom was “proved” as a remedy by Constantine Hering around 1830. Although born in what is now Germany, Hering is considered to be the founder of American homeopathy.

In 1827 he went to Surinam, South America, to conduct biological research for his government. In experimenting with lachesis venom in an attempt to find a homeopathic inoculation for smallpox, he accidentally poisoned himself with a small amount of venom.

This led him to his “proof” that lachesis was a homeopathic remedy. Ever the curious scientist, Hering later accidentally paralyzed his right side by continuing to test higher and higher doses of lachesis on himself.

Lachesis is used in homeopathy to treat a wide range of symptoms. These fall into the following general categories of:

• menstrual and menopausal complaints 
• throat and mouth complaints
• fear, paranoia, and associated mental complaints
• nervous system complaints 
• circulatory complaints

All these complaints exhibit certain patterns or modalities that indicate they should be treated with lachesis. These symptoms may:

• worsen after sleep and upon awakening
• worsen in the spring
• worsen after drinking hot beverages, taking hot baths, or direct exposure to the sun
• worsen if touched or if the body is constricted by tight clothes
• worsen with alcohol consumption
• produce surging waves of pain
• move from the left side to the right side of the body
• result in a mottled, engorged, congested face
• result in a very sensitive neck
• improve from eating
• improve from the onset of bodily discharge
• improve from exposure to cold and fresh air

In homeopathy, certain remedies are thought to be especially effective in people with specific personality and physical traits. The “lachesis personality” tends to be egocentric, self-important, unstable, and jealous.

They may be possessive. This personality type often talks about doing great things, but rarely follows through. Physically, lachesis types tend to be overweight and bloated. They often have red hair and freckles.

Lachesis is a major homeopathic remedy for hot flashes associated with menopause. It is also used to treat premenstrual and menstrual symptoms such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual pain, and short menses.

Throat and mouth complaints are also treated with lachesis. A sore throat that worsens when hot liquids are swallowed is a good example of the type of throat complaint for which lachesis is considered appropriate.

Similarly, so is a sore throat with left-sided pain or pain in the left ear, and a purplish, engorged throat, swollen gums, tongue, and foul-tasting saliva. The throat, neck, and larynx are extremely sensitive to touch.

Lachesis is used to alleviate certain mental or emotional symptoms. These include suspicion and distrust that can border on paranoia, extreme talkativeness that reflects nervousness and restless, depression, petty jealousy, and unsociability.

Circulatory complaints treated with lachesis include:

• swollen and engorged veins that give the skin a bluish cast
• varicose veins
• nose bleeds
• slow-to-heal, bluish wounds
• a throbbing sensation in various parts of the body
• weak, irregular rapid pulse
• palpitations
• fainting

The main nervous system complaint treated by lachesis is cluster headaches. These are headaches that produce pulsating waves of pain, often on the left side, or beginning on the left side then moving to the right. They often precede menstruation and improve once menses begins. Petit mal seizures and angina are also treated with lachesis.

Other complaints that lachesis is said to alleviate include stomach pains, appendicitis, vomiting and gastrointestinal complaints, anal spasms, bleeding hemorrhoids, and cravings for alcohol, coffee, and shellfish.

Preparations

Fresh venom is commercially prepared in a very highly diluted form. It is available in tablets or liquid and is known as lachesis 12X. It can be taken with other complementary homeopathic remedies.

Precautions

No particular precautions have been reported when using lachesis, however, caution must be taken when using this—and any homeopathic treatment. Individuals should consult a licensed homeopath or physician.

Side effects

When taken in the recommended dilute form, no side effects have been reported. However, concentrated quantities of the venom cause paralysis and hemorrhaging, and can be fatal.

Interactions

Studies on interactions between lachesis given in homeopathic doses and conventional pharmaceuticals are nonexistent.

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Light therapy

Light therapy, or phototherapy, is the administration of doses of bright light in order to treat a variety of sleep and mood disorders. It is most commonly used to re-regulate the body’s internal clock and/or relieve depression.

Origins

Light, both natural and artificial, has been prescribed throughout the ages for healing purposes. Sunlight has been used medicinally since the time of the ancient Greeks; Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed exposure to sunlight for a number of illnesses.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bright light and fresh air were frequently prescribed for a number of mood and stress related disorders. In fact, prior to World War II, hospitals were regularly built with solariums, or sun rooms, in which patients could spend time recuperating in the sunlight.

In the 1980s, light therapy began to make an appearance in the medical literature as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Today, it is widely recognized as a front-line treatment for the disorder.

Benefits

Light therapy is most often prescribed to treat seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression most often associated with shortened daylight hours in northern latitudes from the late fall to the early spring. It is also occasionally employed to treat such sleep-related disorders as insomnia and jet lag.

Recently, light therapy has also been found effective in the treatment of such nonseasonal forms of depression as bipolar disorder. One 2001 study found that bright light reduced depressive symptoms 12–35% more than a placebo treatment in nine out of 10 randomized controlled trials.

When used to treat SAD or other forms of depression, light therapy has several advantages over prescription antidepressants. Light therapy tends to work faster than medications, alleviating depressive symptoms within two to 14 days after beginning light therapy as opposed to an average of four to six weeks with medication.

And unlike antidepressants, which can cause a variety of side effects from nausea to concentration problems, light therapy is extremely well tolerated. Some side effects are possible with light but are generally not serious enough to cause discontinuation of the therapy.

There are several other different applications for light therapy, including:

• Full-spectrum/UV light therapy for disorders of the skin. A subtype of light therapy that is often prescribed to treat skin diseases, rashes, and jaundice.
• Cold laser therapy. The treatment involves focusing very low-intensity beams of laser light on the skin, and is used in laser acupuncture to treat a myriad of symptoms and illnesses, including pain, stress, and tendinitis.
• Colored light therapy. In colored light therapy, different colored filters are applied over a light source to achieve specific therapeutic effects. The colored light is then focused on the patient, either with a floodlight which covers the patient with the colored light, or with a beam of light that is focused on the area of the illness.
• Back of knee light therapy. A 1998 report published in the journal Science reported that the area behind the human knee known as the popliteal region contains photoreceptors that can help to adjust the body’s circadian rhythms. The authors of the study found that they could manipulate circadian rhythms by focusing a bright light on the popliteal region. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this treatment on disorders such as SAD and jet lag.

Description

Light therapy is generally administered at home. The most commonly used light therapy equipment is a portable lighting device known as a light box. The light box may be a full-spectrum box, in which the lighting element contains all wavelengths of light found in natural light (including UV rays), or it may be a bright light box, in which the lighting element emits non-UV white light. The box may be mounted upright to a wall, or slanted downwards towards a table.

The patient sits in front of the box for a prescribed period of time (anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours). For patients just starting on the therapy, initial sessions are usually only 10–15 minutes in length.

Some patients with SAD undergo light therapy session two or three times a day, others only once. The time of day and number of times treatment is administered depends on the physical needs and lifestyle of the individual patient.

If light therapy has been prescribed for the treatment of SAD, it typically begins in the fall months as the days begin to shorten, and continues throughout the winter and possibly the early spring. Patients with a long-standing history of SAD are usually able to establish a timetable or pattern to their depressive symptoms, and can initiate treatment accordingly before symptoms begin.

The light from a slanted light box is designed to focus on the table it sits upon, so patients may look down to read or do other sedentary activities during therapy. Patients using an upright light box must face the light source, and should glance toward the light source occasionally without staring directly into the light.

The light sources in these light boxes typically range from 2,500–10,000 lux (in contrast, average indoor lighting is 300–500 lux; a sunny summer day is about 100,000 lux).

Light boxes can be purchased for between $200 and $500. Some healthcare providers and healthcare supply companies also rent the fixtures. This gives a patient the opportunity to have a trial run of the therapy before making the investment in a light box. Recently, several new light box products have become available.

Dawn simulators are lighting devices or fixtures that are programmed to turn on gradually, from dim to bright light, to simulate the sunrise. They are sometimes prescribed for individuals who have difficulty getting up in the morning due to SAD symptoms.

Another device known as a light visor is designed to give an individual more mobility during treatment. The visor is a lighting apparatus that is worn like a sun visor around the crown of the head. Patients with any history of eye problems should consult their healthcare professional before attempting to use a light visor.

Preparations

Full-spectrum light boxes do emit UV rays, so patients with sun-sensitive skin should apply a sun screen before sitting in front of the box for an extended period of time.

Precautions

Patients with eye problems should see an ophthalmologist regularly both before and during light therapy. Because UV rays are emitted by the light box, patients taking photosensitizing medications should consult with their healthcare provider before beginning treatment.

In addition, patients with medical conditions that make them sensitive to UV rays should also be seen by a healthcare professional before starting phototherapy.

Patients beginning light therapy for SAD may need to adjust the length, frequency, and timing of their phototherapy sessions in order to achieve the maximum benefits.

Patients should keep their healthcare provider informed of their progress and the status of their depressive symptoms. Occasionally, additional treatment measures for depression (i.e., antidepressants, herbal remedies, psychotherapy) may be recommended as an adjunct, or companion treatment, to light therapy.

Side effects

Some patients undergoing light therapy treatments report side effects of eyestrain, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, sunburn, and dry eyes and nose. Most of these effects can be managed by adjusting the timing and duration of the light therapy sessions.

A strong sun block and eye and nose drops can alleviate the others. Long-term studies have shown no negative effects to eye function of individuals undergoing light therapy treatment.

A small percentage of light therapy patients may experience hypomania, a feeling of exaggerated, hyperelevated mood. Again, adjusting the length and frequency of treatment sessions can usually manage this side effect.

Research and general acceptance

Light therapy is widely accepted by both traditional and complementary medicine as an effective treatment for SAD. The exact mechanisms by which the treatment works are not known, but the bright light employed in light therapy may act to readjust the body’s circadian rhythms, or internal clock.

Other popular theories are that light triggers the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter believed to be related to depressive disorders, or that it influences the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that may be related to circadian rhythms.

A recent British study suggests that dawn simulation, a form of light therapy in which the patient is exposed to white light of gradually increasing brightness (peaking at 250 lux after 90 min) may be even more effective in treating depression than exposure to bright light. Dawn simulation is started around 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the morning, while the patient is still asleep.

Wide-spectrum UV light treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis is also considered a standard treatment option in clinical practice. However, such other light-related treatments as cold laser therapy and colored light therapy are not generally accepted, since few or no scientific studies exist on the techniques.

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