Paranoia and allergies

Paranoia and allergies

If one were to ask, what is the relationship between seasonal allergies and paranoia? The answer would be, there are none.

And that’s right…most of the time. However, I once treated a young man with seasonal allergies who, I learned, was packing a gun and, while paranoid, not paranoid crazy, was consumed by the idea that he might be under attack and that there were bad people out there to get him.

He came in in 1997. He was 29 at the time and was there because of moderate allergies, worse in the spring and summer. The allergy symptoms were the usual: itchy nose, palate, eyes and Eustachian tubes as well as sneezing and occasional loss of smell. Such symptoms Homeopaths call common symptoms and it is virtually impossible to prescribe common symptoms successfully because all seasonal allergy sufferers describe the same symptoms. Unlike conventional medicine, where antihistamines provide temporary relief, there is no single medication for allergies. Each patient needs a different medication depending on their individuality.

By now you realize that the homeopath does not target the disease directly, but tries to learn everything about his patient in order to treat all aspects of the person.

On a physical level, I learned that the sweat on his feet was irritating and offensive, causing the skin to harden and later peel off. I have to take my socks off at the end of the day, he said. It's uncomfortable to walk. This information would prove more relevant than any of his allergy symptoms when selecting his homeopathic medicine.

His gums were prone to bleeding again, a fairly common symptom. He was intolerant to cow's milk, an extremely common symptom.

His manner was friendly and open. He admitted to being a little anxious when he was alone. I need people around me, he said.

He then mentioned that he had a permit to carry a pistol and always carried one. We are a hated group, he said.

Who is hated? I wanted to know.

The government. You must always watch your back.

He worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Houston Intercontinental Airport. The work was stressful, up to ten to twelve hours a day, sometimes fourteen days in a row. He allowed or banned passengers from abroad from entering the country. He needed a certain level of awareness and discrimination to recognize illegals. Because he was fluent in Spanish, he often studied Central and South Americans.

He continued how he felt. “I have always been suspicious of people since I was a child,” he said. I always had a backup plan. Especially in relationships. When I had a girlfriend, I dated on the side.

Why?

I fear she will be hurt by her taking my trust and breaking it.

His distrust went beyond personal relationships. I keep my watch, he said. Every day I use strategies to find out if people are on the rise. However, I myself can be a very deceitful and fraudulent person. Life is a game of chess. If you let people take advantage of you, they will.

Because of his hypervigilance and distrust, I searched the repertoire for clues and found these two headings: Deception, everyone is an enemy, and Deception, he is surrounded by enemies. Both categories contain homeopathic mercury, known to homeopaths as Mercurius solubilis. Mercurius also treats painful peeling of the soles of the feet and bleeding gums. Although most of his allergy symptoms were common, he had one that was strange: He sneezed when he walked into bright sunlight. This was an anomaly, something not expected in allergies, and it was a symptom of Mercurius sulphuricum, an analogue of Mercurius.

People who need Mercurius are often suspicious and suspicious. When these traits are intertwined with anger, Mercurius people can be capable of extreme violence, including murder. Luckily, my patient was far from that.

In May 1997 he received a single dose of Mercurius sulphuricum.

Four weeks later he reported that the skin on the soles was no longer hard, the foot sweat was no longer irritating or offensive, and the guns had stopped bleeding. The allergies had improved and returned a week ago. So he took a dose of Arundo, a homeopathic medicine known to work on allergies. It helped, although I wasn't happy he took it as I wanted the deeper medicine Mercurius sulphuricum to take care of everything. I shouldn't be disappointed.

Four months later, in October, the allergies were back and the skin on the soles became harder. Mercurius sulphuricum was repeated for the second time.

In May 1998, he reported that he was doing well until late February, when the allergies returned. I no longer carry a pistol wherever I go, he said, although I carry one in my car. I was so paranoid before. I always carried a gun when I went out to get the mail.

He did well over the next few years and rarely required a single dose of Mercurius sulphuricum. At one point he was doing so well that I didn't see him for six years because his allergies were mild to non-existent.

In 2006 he told me that he had given up his pistol in 2003. Although his level of suspicion was far lower, he admitted: When I go to a restaurant, I scan the place looking for anyone who might pose a threat.

It's hard to know whether scanning a restaurant for hazards is sensible or overly suspicious. I decided that his distrust was above average and Mercurius sulphuricum was repeated.

A year and a half later, in June 2008, I saw him again. He said his allergies are now extremely mild. I can't tell you the last time I was sick, he said. Since I last saw him, I had written down his medical history and had him read it. He looked amazed as he read. It's amazing how I've changed, he said. I have come a long way. I agreed.

In October 2011 he was seen for an unrelated matter, hydrocele of the testicles. We talked about what he was like fourteen years ago. Looking back, he said, that was pretty shocking - that I had that kind of paranoia. I wonder if it was really me.

Do you still keep a firearm? I asked.

I have a gun that I keep in the house for protection, he said, but I can't remember the last time I looked at it.

So, yes, paranoia and allergies can be related. And they can be cured at the same time and with the same medicine. Homeopathy is a therapeutic science designed to skillfully treat the person first and the disease second. If you fix the person, the illnesses will also become okay.

Inspired by Karl Robinson