Clinical Cases Materia Medica

Platinum: A Polychrest in Need of Recognition

platinum
Written by Martin Keane

Homeopath Martin Keane gives a portrait of Platina found in less extreme states. He provides three case summaries to illustrate.

platinumIt’s easy to spot the typical presentation of a Platinum person –narcissism and vanity are hard to miss. In the middle spectrum, the healthiest aspect of the remedy profile, symptoms do not stray so far in extreme. This more nuanced representation of Platinum is quite prevalent in American culture, although we can easily miss it by focusing on stereotypes.

A noble metal, platinum is prized in fine jewelry for its resistance to tarnish and its strength – strong is better for holding precious gems. Platinum is also extremely important as a catalyst. Worldwide, over half of the platinum sold annually is used for vehicle emission control devices. Most cars on the road have platinum in their catalytic converters because platinum is the most efficient catalyst to start the process that makes exhaust impurities burn off before leaving the vehicle. Platinum speeds up the reaction without being consumed. It persists and remains functional, unseen, working hard to help clean up the mess. Not glamorous, but important.

Platinum is also extremely rare. Limited production and wide-ranging demand, from automotive, jewelry and electronics to sensors, electrodes, and even chemotherapy drugs, keeps the price high. Exposure to platinum salts can cause eye, nose and throat irritation or with longer exposure, respiratory and skin allergies. In chemotherapy drugs, platinum complexes help reduce or eliminate certain tumors but with severe and irreversible side-effects.

Many people who need Platinum are not narcissists, although some have strong personalities. People in the middle spectrum, which represents relative normalcy, often lack obvious markers. Toned-down Platinum’s are creative personalities with many interests. An artistic quality is always there in one form or another, from singing in a choir to scrap-booking to home improvement.

As with many of the precious metals, Platinum people have a sense of destiny. They believe in finding creative fulfillment and they have a gift that needs expression. There is a higher purpose calling them. Idealism and desire for service are some of their positive qualities, which can manifest in careers in education or politics. They are Type A personalities, busy and driven.

Platinum people love beautiful things and make beautiful things. They dress with style. They can be very charming. They have perseverance and the tenacity to finish projects. They are almost always loquacious once they feel comfortable.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) tendencies run deep with this personality. Compulsive thinking can be a huge issue as they drive themselves crazy with persistent thoughts. Even the healthiest have an innate weakness for over-worry, a trait that also makes Platinum people susceptible to chronic insomnia.

Middle spectrum Platinum can be very effective leaders, but there will likely be a hidden life of worry shared only with intimate people. The hardness of platinum is a metaphor for their tortured thinking. They might express their anxiety through relentless complaining and worry or it can manifest with physical symptoms. Any OCD tendencies multiply the intensity. A hysterical brilliance can shine in this hypochondriac territory as a minor body sensation becomes an indication of cancer or some deadly virus within moments.

There are more fulfilled middle spectrum people than there are those out actively seeking fame or money. Middle spectrum Platinum finds joy in hobbies and the people in their lives, with creativity a defining characteristic. Strong religious, mystical and/or psychic interests are common. With a great desire to have fun, Platinum folks are drawn to athletics, dancing and singing.  They like people and they like to socialize.

FIRST CASE

One case that fits the middle spectrum is a mid-thirties professional woman with multiple chemical allergies that are making life difficult. Her sense of smell is uncanny and usually does reveal some toxic culprit. Her breathing is affected and severe fatigue with muscle pains occurs with exposure.  She continues to work despite extreme fatigue. Exhausted, she pushes through with tenacity, dragging her body with her mind if necessary. Projects get done no matter what the cost. A gifted perfectionist, she channels her creativity as a commercial artist and her work is highly respected within her specialization. She has a busy social life, including playing music with a group. Her other passion is pursuing psychic skills like aura reading and astral travel, a study she’s been engaged in all her life.She has a lot of presence and is straightforward in her dealings. She is direct about her issues of anxiety.  In fact, she is quite direct in most of her dealings with people.

A few months of taking Platinum 12c once a day led to a dramatic reduction in her over-all symptom picture. Her allergies diminished and her sense of vitality returned. Her changes continued over the year with a strong reduction in many areas. She now functions very well and is no longer affected by the hazards of daily living in a chemically-enriched environment.

In this case, I put the weight of the pathology on the physical symptoms and not her mental health. The positive features of her character were the individuating qualities that guided my choice of Platinum. Artistic, as a category, is a major rubric for Platinum. Religious is the other positive quality. Religious may manifest in many different ways, but they have a strong spiritual connection and focus. Sensitive, or oversensitive to all impressions, is a large category but Platinum is highlighted with three stars. Platinum people are sensitive to both physical and mental stimuli.

SECOND CASE

This 45-year old female has asthma and multiple food allergies that produce arthritis-like symptoms. Her life has always been filled with emotional strife, life always a battle. Many family members are challenging and she avoids confrontations. Her parents were both difficult and dominant personalities. She has become frustrated with her job teaching high school students, finding too much stress there. She has enough problems dealing with her relatives. But then she takes on more responsibilities for the family and the stress continues to wear her down.

She is vivacious and talkative with many interests. A primary one is yoga, which she teaches part time. She also pursues many religious and metaphysical interests.Insomnia can be a big problem but it is not consistent. She is a solar plexus dominant personality and stress or allergens antagonize her digestion.

For someone whose life has been filled with suppression, she has worked hard to transform herself. She pursues multiple therapies and continues her yogic practices. Platinum has been very helpful in the mix. Asthma has dramatically reduced through its action. Sleep has improved and her ability to cope with stress has improved. Her food tolerance is a little better. Some of her impulsive eating of wrong foods has cut way down. She is coping better with her family. Her quality of life is better even though nothing external has changed. She is very practical about her long term plans for freedom.  Her overall vitality has improved and there has been a significant reduction in anxiety.

THIRD CASE

A retired man came to see me for chronic insomnia. He is very charming with strong vitality. Insomnia has been chronic for thirty years. He is active and has a good quality of life. He loves to cook for his friends and family, a creative passion that brings him joy and through which his creativity has flowered. He has a jovial manner and appears very sympathetic. Anything personal, however, is off limits. He has little tolerance for self-inquiry. He is very passionate in his conservative views. This over-charming man has many strong boundaries about what we are allowed to discuss. Politics is the trigger that reveals a quick temper. His control is smooth but the emotional intensity unusually strong. He is dictatorial with his belief system. His ethics are healthy and his love of family and friends very genuine. Although opinionated, he was not particularly pessimistic. He is a caring person who is set in a pattern that will not change easily.

Being a regular guy who hangs mainly with established friends who share similar viewpoints is neither unusual nor negative; but it can be considered an insular attitude and suggest a character weakness or a strong limitation. Overall, he seemed too charming, a characteristic that strikes me as a symptom of narcissism or an addictive personality.

I had tried Sulfur for a few months which seemed to have done little. Taking Platinum 12c over a period of two months resolved his sleep, much to his amazement. He was satisfied with the results and saw no reason to continue working with the remedy. Longer term use might bring deeper changes, but resolving his sleep was good enough.

I have come to appreciate Platinum as a major polychrest and it has become an important remedy in my practice. One of the common denominators is creativity. Anxiety disorders are typical with some compulsive features. But prescribing for the middle spectrum is more subtle than depending on remedy descriptions which often focus on extreme pathological traits. Identifying positive features can be more useful than negative symptoms. What gives people joy offers a reliable character handle. Platinum folks will usually display creativity in art, music or dance. They can have strong interests in clairvoyance, mysticism and religion.  Service to humanity can be another guiding principle for the Platinum personality.

And if you get them talking, they’ll tell you all about it.

 

About the author

Martin Keane

Since 1990, Martin Keane has been earning his reputation as one of the leading practitioners of alternative medicine in the Tampa Bay region (U.S.). With advanced training in Classical Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, and Medical Qigong, he specializes in mental health disorders and auto-immune diseases. He is board certified in classical homeopathy, the designation Certified in Classical Homeopathy (CCH) awarded by the Council for Homeopathic Certification, and is completing the doctoral program for Medical Qigong offered by the International College of Medical Qigong (California). For more information, please visit: http://www.classicalmedicine.net

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