This is my view of Asklepios' family with his wife Epione and their daughters—The Asklepiades—Hygeia, Panakeia, Akeso, Iaso, Aigle. Like many Theos he has other family compositions. Theoi Project is the basic source I used.
First bullet point is acute illness (orange), second bullet point is chronic physical illness (blue), third bullet point is for mental illness (green). Obviously these health problems and treatments can overlap. I simply wanted to list out my understanding of these Goddesses in a very straightforward way. I also tried to list them in a "healing timeline."
I attempted to do neuro-diversity that might not fall under any of these categories (such as my dyslexia imo) but I felt I didn't do an acceptable job since it doesn't really fit within the framework, so I left it out of the post.
Excerpts from Theoi Project:
HYGEIA was the goddess of good health. She was a daughter and attendant of the medicine-god. Hygeia's opposite number were the Nosoi (Spirits of Disease).
Although she is originally the goddess of physical health, she is sometimes conceived as the giver or protectress of mental health, that is, she appears as mens sana, or huliea phrenôn (Aeschyl. Eum. 522), and was thus identified with Athena, surnamed Hygieia. (Paus. i. 23. § 5; comp. Lucian, pro Laps. 5.)
🟠 No infection. Also, in my opinion, the things that prevent infection so the immune system, hand washing, vaccines etc
🔵 Chronic illnesses that are being taken seriously by yourself (and hopefully by others eventually), handled in a non-destructive way, and treated properly.
🟢 Mental illnesses that is being taken seriously by yourself (and hopefully others eventually) treated and coped with in healthy ways rather than maladaptive ways.
PANAKEIA (Panacea) was the goddess of cures and panaceas--in the form of medicines, salves and other curatives.
🟠 Gives the antibiotics, and other helpful things to get rid of the infection symptoms such as a humidifier for nasal passages, ibuprofen/tylenol, ice or heat on pain areas etc
🔵 Provides the things that reduce the symptoms: medicines, injections, pace maker, mobility aids etc
🟢 Provides various resources available. Various types of therapy, medicines, any healthy coping mechanisms, healthy strategies to decrease mental & somatic symptoms, hotlines etc
Akeso Processor of Healing
AKESO (Aceso) was the goddess of curing sickness and healing wounds. Unlike her sister Panakeia (Panacea) (Cure-All) she represented the process of a curing rather than the cure itself.
🟠 All the things at work to fight the infection: the antibiotic killing the bacteria, the immune system doing its job, the body trying to expel any mucus, a fever that may be attempting to kill the infection with heat
🔵 The technicality of how things work against the symptoms. The scientific way a medicine works to decrease chronic inflammation, the physical process of how a pace maker stabilizes a heart beat, the way in which a mobility aid helps the individual, science of how a surgery or procedure changes the body
🟢 The way in which plethora of different therapy methods work, how a coping mechanism reduces distress, how the medicine works etc
EPIONE was the goddess of the soothing of pain
🟠 The relief that is felt because of antibiotic & treatments work and you go from infected to uninfected
🔵 The relief that is felt when symptoms are under control through various methods.
🟢 The relief that is felt as the various strategies work to reduce mental distress
Excerpts from Theoi Project:
IASO was the goddess of cures, remedies and modes of healing.
[...] i. e. Recovery, a daughter of Asclepius or Amphiaraus, and sister of Hygieia, was worshipped as the goddess of recovery
🟠 The end result of the antibiotic & treatments killing the bacteria and taking care of any after effects
🔵 The continual result of symptom control, being able to eat again, better sleep, whatever things help you live life. Even just having a diagnosis to feel more comfortable understanding what you're going through.
🟢 The continual result of decreasing distress e.g mood stabilization in bipolar disorder, less flashbacks in PTSD, being able to shower again when depression decreases. Even just having a diagnosis to understand what you're going through.
Excerpts from Theoi Project:
AIGLE (Aegle) was the goddess of radiant good health
She is said to have derived her name Aegle, "Brightness," or "Splendour," either from the beauty of the human body when in good health, or from
🟠 The beauty of the human body after its recovered from the infection ... so like your nice clean nasal passages when the gross bacteria has been destroyed
🔵 When someone with chronic illness is living their best life in spite of these unique challenges
🟢 When someone with mental illness is living their best life in spite of these unique challenges
