Arsenicum

4.15 Arsenicum, Case 1A 5 year old girl suffers from sleeplessness, especially between midnight and 2 o’clock. She comes to her parents’ room because she is afraid to be alone. She has bad dreams about a crocodile who bites off her finger. Also dreams that she falls in the water and her mother doesn’t hear her shouting for help. Or dreams about thieves. She is very afraid of the dark, thieves, robbers. Every night before she goes to bed she has to check whether there isn’t a nasty man under her bed. She is very precise, gets upset when she is colouring and she crosses the lines by mistake.
She has a problem with another little girl who tends to hurt and suppress her. She herself feels very responsible for other children. She likes to take the lead and is very bossy. She gets quite desperate when other children don’t listen to her. She is restless and runs around all over the place trying to find a space for herself.
She doesn’t like being touched and her mother is the only person who is allowed to cuddle her.
Other complaints include frequent colds with a watery, biting discharge, she is always rubbing her nose. She also gets ear infections from time to time.GeneralsWeather: < damp, < sun.
Time: < 0-2 am.
desires: milk (3), sweet, salt, fried egg (2).
Aversion: spices, vegetables.
Food: < chocolate: spots on face and buttocks.
Sleep: on stomach or left side.AnalysisShe is sleepless around 1 o’clock, is afraid of being alone and afraid of robbers. This is a typical Arsenicum picture. But there is really no reason to choose Arsenicum album. All the symptoms belong to Arsenicum metallicum, there are no additional Oxidatum symptoms.
Other Arsenicum symptoms: ailments from being hurt and suppressed, responsible, restless running around without finding a place for herself, dreams about a finger bitten off, dream about being alone, fear of dark, fastidious, watery, acrid discharge, itching and rubbing of nose.ReactionAfter Arsenicum metallicum she is not nearly so afraid, is quite happy to be on her own. She also feels stronger in the presence of other children.