Dopamine

 Homeopathic remedy: Dopamine

Organ or organ system: Nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system.

Theme: Daredevil.

Dopamine is an opiate that is made by the body and is closely connected to adrenaline and noradrenaline. It regulates the experience of pleasure, motivation, reward, attention, happiness and well being. It is produced by the body in a fraction of a second in times of pain and fear. Dopamine is more powerful than serotonin in terms of emotional regulation.

When using opiates the receptors in the brain are distorted, with too many receptors being created in response to the drugs. As a result there is extreme hypersensitivity, unless the drugs are continually taken. The patient eventually cannot keep up, and natural dopamine production goes down.

Case Example:

A baby was breastfed for 3 years. At a certain point the baby’s body stops making sufficient dopamine unless they are being nursed and carried. The mother is in effect not allowing the child the chance to deal with stress on its own. I always advise parents to not co-sleep longer than three months, leaving at least 3 hours between feeds during the day, and then allowing 8 hours uninterrupted sleep without feeding during the night.

In children with ADD, the dopamine metabolism is disrupted. They are always in search of happiness. These children need to learn to deal with stress during childhood. The self-defence mechanism (dopamine) against pain, stress and happiness is no longer functioning correctly. In such a case Dopamine can be given daily in a dilution in 12K or 30K. After a couple of weeks, the potency can be increased. It can also be given as a 4 x 4 course, in combination with a constitutional remedy. A course is also useful where drugs have been prescribed for ADHD. These drugs (e.g. Ritalin) mimic dopamine, activating and depleting dopamine levels that must then be raised again. This creates a rebound effect, worsening the overall situation once drugs are stopped.

Picture

• Daredevils, who are always challenging the boundaries between life and death;
• People who are always afraid that something bad is going to happen; the polarity lies in life and death;
• Addicted to thrill, excitement;
• Addictions in general (drugs, alcohol);
• Restlessness, desire for rest, cannot sit still, cannot concentrate;

Application

• In case of history of amniocentesis with the feeling they are not good enough, have no right to exist;
• Addictions;
• Parkinson’s disease;
• Schizophrenia;
• Libido problems;
• Exam stress or after a prolonged period of intensive studying;
• Useful during exam study to allow information to be more easily remembered (imbalance in dopamine causes memory problems);
• Schizophrenia or manic depression caused by abuse of drugs (the dopamine level is disrupted). A detox course of Dopamine can be given during drug rehabilitation;
• Blackout during an exam, fear of speaking in a group;

Case Example:

A woman of 73 presents with Parkinson’s. She has an intermittent tremor, especially of the right arm and leg. She has been happily married for 50 years and says that she has everything her heart desires. Her husband does everything for her. She is afraid of illness, death and flying.

She says that she can be bitchy and that she used to have a temper. As a child she had itchy eczema and had to sleep with sleeves around her arms so she would not itch. She must still always work with gloves otherwise the eczema flares up. She has used antihypertensive medications, statins, antacids, anxiolytics, antidepressants and painkillers. She was not vaccinated, receiving only a flu shot.

The eczema in her youth caused great stress and discomfort, which caused a continuous overproduction of dopamine. This can lead to dopamine resistance, which in time can progress into Parkinson’s. Remedies such as Thallium, Cuprum, Cocaine and Avena Sativa helped, but did not last. Only when the patient took a detox course of Dopamine and Cinemet (Levo-dopa) to restore the dopamine balance, could the remedies work to their full extent.

She also took a detox treatment of statins after which walking greatly improved. Now she is an 81-year old patient with only a slight tremor in the right arm. At the start of the treatment eight years ago her whole body was shaking. The neurologist is amazed.

DD: Acon, Aethusa, Alcoholum, Arn, Bell, Helium, Opium, Lac-m, Lith-lac, Oxytocin, Nitricums, Ranunculacea (support, needs attention), Rosacea (always in love, fear of losing love, do everything to hold on to love), Solanacea. Also think of opiates/narcotics such as: Cann-i, Cann-s, Opium, Cocaine, Morph, GHB, Ecstasy.

DD body own and other substances: Levodopa, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Tryptophan.

Excerpted from: Fighting Fire With Fire by Ton Jansen