Homeopathic vs Western Medicine - Research Paper Example

? Homeopathy The increasing use of homeopathic medicine has been questioned by several medical experts and advocates of traditional Western medicine because of the former’s lack of scientific evidence to prove its efficacy. However, as Western medicine is getting increasingly unpopular due to its addictiveness and other adverse side effects, homeopathic medicine is becoming more and more popular because of its various medical as well as environmental benefits. Homeopathy seems to be the answer to whatever traditional Western medicine cannot effectively deal with. The popularity of homeopathic medicine is proven by its various positive effects on mental diseases such as anxiety disorders, specific phobias, acute stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and other similar ailments, while at the same time homeopaths and advocates of homeopathy would in all humility not discredit conventional medicine as they say that it would be better to deal with anxiety through homeopathy first before conventional medicine (Reichenberg-Ullman & Ullman 86). Moreover, there are many other patients who resort to homeopathic medicine in order to deal with their colds and flu, pregnancy, injuries, aches and pains (Kayne 19-21). Homeopathy has become significant in that it has filled the gap that traditional Western medicine was not able to fulfill and that is a rather relatively faster and less addictive way of treating and curing ailments. The aforementioned diseases like anxiety and stress disorders would normally make up the majority of mental illnesses not only of Americans but of other people in the world as well. Besides, no one of any age is immune from anxiety and stress. No matter how trivial, children too experience stress in the same way that adults experience it when dealing with the more serious things in life. The proven effectiveness of homeopathic medicine in curing these mental diseases is indeed a welcome idea for those who want to avoid the side effects as well as the exorbitant cost of conventional Western medicine. Aside from the aforementioned benefits, homeopathy is all-natural as it is mainly plant-based, and this naturalness of homeopathic medicine translates as its being environment-friendly. Homeopathic medicine basically utilizes plant products such as sleep-inducing and tension-relieving Valerian root, the sleep-enhancing lemon balm, the muscle relaxant Scullicap herb, the natural tranquilizer Passiflora, and the relaxants Hops strobiles and Gota kolu (Ballard 22). Unlike traditional Western medicine that is usually synthetically-prepared from a chemical base, homeopathic medicine is directly obtained from nature and only minimally processed. The utilization of such plants would therefore require planting vegetable gardens, which could indirectly reverse climate change, not to mention that if one has the plant products for homeopathic medicine in his or her backyard garden, then he or she gets “CO2-free and dollar-free” food and medicine (Bachmann 256). The connection between homeopathic medicine and global climate change may not be as close as anyone can conceive but a mass production of these plant-based products and an overall reduction in the production of conventional synthetically-prepared products would be tantamount to at least some significant environmental change. Homeopathic medicine may therefore even be the answer not only to a safer, more natural way of healing the body but also to an indirect way of healing the environment. The naturalness of homeopathic medicine ascribes to it relatively fewer side effects to none, compared to conventional Western medicine that is replete with adverse effects plus addictiveness. Many of these drugs, particularly those prescribed for depression and anxiety, may even naturally cause “unintentional prescription drug overdose” even with regular use, impaired intellectual functioning, “cold-turkey” withdrawal symptoms, and an overwhelmingly slow recovery of even up to 20 years, not to mention the cost of medication for all those 20 years (Gadsby 35, 38). Other side effects of conventional Western medication for stress, anxiety and depression include nausea, diarrhea, erectile problems in men, loss of appetite, weight gain, insomnia, stomach cramps, headache and blurred vision, not to mention the cocaine-seeking behaviors that are evidenced by the results in rats in laboratory experiments (Mysels 53). The question now is whether such side effects can be compensated by a total recovery from the disease after a long time such as 20 years. Obviously, complete recovery and total well-being in the end can never seem to make up for all the adverse effects of conventional Western medicine as well as their addictiveness and extremely slow effects. Although, as proven by scientific studies, conventional medicine may possibly be effective, safe and tolerable in patients suffering from substance abuse like alcohol or drugs, the fact that many of them produced cocaine-seeking behaviors in experimental studies with laboratory rats. Cocaine is such a harmful and addictive drug and if such antidepressants and other conventional Western medicines exhibit the symptoms of cocaine in laboratory rats, then it is most likely that they will have the same or similar effects in humans. Moreover, whether such effects take place immediately or in the long run, it clearly does not matter. The point is that conventional Western medicine may always produce in humans certain symptoms that mimic those of cocaine and perhaps other harmful drugs. The answer is therefore once more homeopathic medicine, where such side effects are minimized, the cocaine-like effects are nil or minimal, and the recovery is relatively much faster. Additionally, on the subject of the individual side effects of antidepressants, the side effects may harm the quality of life of the patient. These side effects are in fact not lethal and may not cause immediate death but they will definitely make one’s life a living hell once they occur. Side effects concerning the digestive system such as diarrhea, constipation and stomach cramps will always cause extreme discomfort in the sufferer and consequent delays in his or her daily routine (Mysels 53). Office workers and blue collar workers subsisting on antidepressants will therefore have their jobs placed at risk whenever such side effects attack. The same thing is true with the side effects concerning the sexual aspect of the patient’s life – loss of libido, erectile problems, failure to reach orgasm (Mysels 53). These symptoms will definitely negatively affect one’s sex life and eventually one’s relationship or even marriage. The immediate consequence will then be further depression, which will definitely require more antidepressants. There is only one thing that should therefore be done here and that is to instill in everyone an increased awareness of homeopathic medicine, for such type of medicine will not have such side effects. The mental side effects of antidepressants have similarly disturbing effects on one’s life. The side effects of antidepressants concerned with the workings of one’s mind – such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, trouble sleeping, nervousness, dizziness and drowsiness – will most likely disturb one’s concentration and will definitely create in the patient a fluctuation between good and bad mood (Mysels 53). Although his or her depression is cured in the end, the process is basically disturbing and entails so much pressure and discomfort that its long-term consequences on the quality of one’s life cannot be emphasized too heavily. One mental side effect that is definitely a subject of great concern is “thoughts of death or suicide,” and it is obvious that it is definitely not worth curing depression if only one has to possibly die of the cure (Ballard 22). Perhaps, aside from its harmful effects on the level of the individual, one underrated and underemphasized consequence of the use of conventional Western medicine is its overwhelmingly huge cost at the national level. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, benzodiazepines account for an annual sale of $21 billion worldwide (Gadsby 35). Such a huge amount of money spent on only one type of conventional Western medicine makes one think how much people would normally spend on all types of Western medicine every year. Moreover, the relatively slow recovery one experiences from such type of medicine would even multiply the costs for the next 20 years (35). These numerical figures are not a joke and are definitely not a laughing matter, nor are they something that one should just frown upon. This is a seriously alarming fact that needs the attention not only of the World Health Organization and the world’s governments. Aside from putting the lives of billions of conventional Western medicine users in danger, these patients – with the side effects and all – most likely do not make productive, happy individuals during the course of their almost 20-year treatment. Nevertheless, if they banned conventional medicine, the WHO and the national governments would inconveniently appear like they are advocating homeopathic medicine, which they are not supposed to by virtue of their role and by the lack of scientific backing for homeopathy. This is a dead end being faced here by governments, medical institutions and by patients themselves. The only solution is for those into homeopathy to do their part and help increase the awareness of a community of people who only knew conventional medicine but who never seem to get any better from it. Governments, however, and even the WHO and the National Institutes of Health may sponsor studies and experiments that seek to delve further into the nature of homeopathic medicines. It is high time the governments and medical institutions did this despite political pressure from the companies that manufacture conventional Western medicine. One particular point that may be left neglected but is definitely a huge issue is the use of conventional Western medicine – particularly antidepressants – on children. With such side effects like diarrhea, constipation, blurred vision, weight gain, and stomach cramps, children will definitely lose a lot of self-esteem and a lot of quality time at school and play (Mysels 53). Moreover, the frail bodies of young children may not even be able to handle the more adverse side effects of conventional medicine like vomiting or seizures. The relatively more serious negative effects of conventional medicine on children can definitely never be emphasized too heavily and is practically a concern that should be addressed by physicians, governments and concerned agencies. Nevertheless, the promise of homeopathic medicine in the treatment of certain mental and emotional diseases in children is a source of hope for most parents. Trevor, a 4-year old kindergarten kid with anxiety disorder who was made to take the homeopathic medicine Bismuth subnitricum, got better and lived two years of treatment with his stomach problems and hypoglycemia cured (Reichenberg-Ullman & Ullman 88). Such is the promising future of homeopathic medicine. Perhaps, had Trevor’s parents decided to put him under conventional medication, either he would not have survived the side effects or he would have become mentally disabled. Homeopathic medicine holds a promise of good health and a treatment free of adverse side effects. With the addictive cocaine-like potential of conventional antidepressants, their numerous side effects and their relatively low efficacy when it comes to the duration of treatment, the better and wiser choice appears to be homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy may also help in the alleviation of climate change and other environmental as homeopathic medicines have basically natural sources while conventional medicine uses synthetic chemical sources. Overall, with its numerous benefits, natural source, fewer side effects and relatively greater efficacy, homeopathic medicine seems to be the most promising thing in the field of medicine. Perhaps, the only concern regarding its use is the lack of scientific studies that prove its actual effects on the patient. Homeopaths and, if possible, governments and medical institutions, must work hand in hand in order to study further the potential benefits of homeopathic medicine. Top of Form Bottom of Form Works Cited Ballard, Galen. “All Stressed out…and Nowhere to Go!” 2010. Anxiety. The American Chiropractor. Gadsby, Joan E. “Addiction by Prescription: One woman’s triumph and fight for change.” 2003. WWW.Alive.com. Kayne, Lee. “Top 5 Reasons We Visit...The Pharmacist.” 2011. Health and Homeopathy. Mysels, David J. “The Use of Antidepressants in the Substance-Abusing Population.” 2011. Psychiatric Times. Pollan, Michael. “Why Bother?” Between Worlds. New York: Prentice Hall, 2008. Print. Reichenberg-Ullman, Judyth & Ullman, Robert. “Healing with Homeopathy: Treatment of Anxiety.” 2011. Townsend Letter. Read More