This includes the family situation as well as social relationships. How a person relates to their mates, family, friends, and society in general, are very important source of general symptoms. To understand the full picture the homoeopath must speak to the family, friends and colleagues of the suffer. These are valuable general symptoms. Stages of life is a very important part of time and progression in homoeopathy.
Some remedies work particularly well on babies while other are more suited to the elderly.
Some work well at both extremes of life. Hering recorded this is the section of the Guiding Symptoms called States of Life and Constitution. Sex and sexuality. Some remedies are more characteristic of females while some are more reflective of males. Some cover problems unique to the female and vice versa.