Young teenage boy who has been bullied for at least 6 months on a daily basis. Name calling, casting aspersions on his sexuality which has now gone into frequent physical contacts. Grades have gone down and total lack of interest in school. Wants to leave, but also wants revenge on perpetrators and has described how he wants to do this in great detail. Suggests that if he had the means, would pay for someone to beat the other kids up. School administration is aware of the problem, but appear not to be stopping the perpetrators, who in true bullying fashion are very clever and manipulative.
I am trying to work with this boy and really need some help.
Physicals - lack of appetite , rarely eats breakfast, lunch is sent to school daily, but not eaten and light evening meal eaten.
Dislikes vegetables, but will eat if they are "hidden" in soups or other meals. Dislikes milk,but likes icecream, gags on cheese, won't eat meat unless it doesn't look like flesh. Has been eating green apples lately(won't eat red ones)
Tired+++ but can't sleep, appears hyperactive at times and was suggested to go on medication at age 5, which mother refused.
Bruises easily, legs from playing sport and skateboards and arms from school incidents. Has vertigo in the morning and also a cough which is productive (in term time only) with lumpy yellow brown sputum. He doesn't smoke.
Mentals - disinterest in school work, diagnosed at age 10 as having "oppositional disorder" (during therapy for abuse by a carer at age 3- possibly suicidal/depressed at age 7). Very intelligent and can complete work easily (has been tested & is in top 10%), but doesn't want to try or to seem to be a "nerd". Also very sensitive but doesn't want to show any emotion. Will make a blank face when confronted by an adult. Can seem quite aggressive and angry, but has a strong sense of justice and is very upset by adults who don't follow through with what they say they will do. Reluctant to show any emotion to adults. When relaxed and not under pressure, can be charming and literally "lights up" with a smile. Can be incredibly caring, yet can tease unmercifully.Can be both good yet cruel to animals(Tub M has been used successfully for this)
Wants to be older/bigger/stronger. Says he wanted to take something (booze, dope, anything) after the last couple of incidents, but knows that won't solve it.
Previous homeopath has given Hyos,Tarantula, Chamomilla, Lueticum, Medorrhinum & Lachesis with little result. (not necessarily in that order) I have given Tub M and have found it helps "even" him out a bit, and some Holly in Bach flowers last week to lessen the revengeful feelings. I am thinking of Larch to increase his self confidence/image, but really want to get to a remedy that will enable him to get away from being a victim, as this seems to be a pattern and to also get him out of the present mood of not being good at anything at all.
He has had very little allopathic medication, he will take homeopathics for injuries which he seems to get frequently.(Arnica, ledum & cantharis for a bad burn 2 years ago)
Thanks

Have you considered Anacardium? He seems to have a real conflict between cruelty and sensivity, desire for revenge/ wanting to leave, sentive but tries to appear emotionless.
Just a suggestion !
Therese

My vote is for anac as well. Apart from the rest of the history, the boy also has an interesting similarity to another person I know who did well on anac. (This person was quite religious, had grown up in the inner city and had been beaten up daily. As a youth he had tortured squirrels.) Just as the boy is upset by adults who don't follow through, this person talked at length and was quite angry about religious leaders in the church not being leaders--not doing what their role 'required' of them. After the remedy, this complaint greatly quieted down. I don't know how this would be repertorized, but it's just an interesting correspondence.

I was thinking about Anac. too. I think this a first for this bulletin board--
we all agree!!! (So, it's probably not Anac.)

Snoopy

Thanks all,
Gave Kali Phos in tissue salt, taken morning and evening which has had a calmative effect.It's also the weekend and no school! I have considered Anac previously, but also Staph.(for the abuse bit). What potency? 200 and wait?

Ozzie, if kali p. worked, then it worked!

Keep going!

Good for you.

Snoopy

Anac and staph look very similar, but his teasing and treatment of animals give him an edge which is more anac.

The kali-p may help with his frayed nerves, but he'll be back in school on Monday. I would try anac 200C sgl dose, as you suggested--if not now, then when he finds himself back in the same old rut--which I suspect won't take long.

Anacardium is a very good choice. I think it might be an appropriate first remedy.

__________________
David Kempson.<br />Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine.<br />Lecturer Australian College of Natural Therapies (Brisbane Campus)<br />Member AHA, AROH, HMA<br />Member Australian Homoeopathic Association. Member#0442.

"...Can seem quite aggressive and angry but has a strong sense of justice and is very upset by adults who don't follow through with what they say they will do."
Isn't this a common cry from children in emotional trouble? Why is it that as parents or responsible adults we urge children to do the things that we can't manage ourselves? We say be assertive, be confident, be honest, be consistent to our youth and then we let them down.
A friend of mine whose teenage son was being bullied at school asked permission from the headmaster if she could speak to the offender herself.
The headmaster was fully co-operative.
He led her to bully's desk. She leaned down close to the boy's face and said "If you don't stop picking on my son, you'll be picking your teeth out of your own faeces."
The bullying stopped.
In a previous generation this boy would have been taken out to the back yard and shown how to box. Now we're more sophisticated and we have professionals to call on for almost every 'life event'. And a support group to follow.
Does this teenager have a friend in a parent or other responsible adult who can show him and his school how to deal with this bullying?

Dear Chris,

You raise an interesting point. What's worse for the child, if the parent jumps in and "courageously" stands up to someone half her size; or, if the parent hangs back and says, "If you don't learn to fight your own battles, you'll be a baby all your life."?

Snoopy