Alternative Medicine & Mental Health Care

Mental health is not an exact science, and the different techniques and medications used are controversial at best. Most mental illnesses require the use of psychotropic medications, which bring with them an array of unsavory side effects that can, in some cases, restrict users' daily lives even more. It is not uncommon to see patients drooling, tremoring and appearing sedated. These are common side effects of the psychotropic drugs used to help alleviate psychosis, depression and anxiety. The need for alternative medication is imperative; and now, more than ever, alternative medicine is being used in mental health.

The Controversy

• Many alternative treatments offered focus on the connection of mind, body and spirit; some are based on ancient beliefs. This change in idealism is not accepted by medical doctors and is the root of the controversy. Medical doctors feel that psychotropic medications must be used in order to treat the disorders effectively (mentalhealth.samhsa.gov).

Understanding Alternative Medicine

• As the usage of psychotropic medications continues to be scrutinized, more and more people are considering alternative methods to avoid the side effects from them. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health was formed and created in 1992 (mentalhelp.net). This organization is an excellent tool for learning about alternative treatments and medications. Its website offers drug profiles, dosages and efficacy as well as step-by-step evaluations of the alternative treatments available.

Most Common Alternative Medicines Used

• As many people take echinacea or zinc for a cold, there are many who take St. John's Wart, an herbal supplement derived from a plant with the same name. It is taken for mild depression and is scientifically proven to help these individuals. Herbal medications are classified as alternative and require no prescription within the United States. Omega 3 is being used in conjunction with other medications in depressed and bipolar patients, and has been proven to be effective (Agency for Healthcare Research). More herbal elements are being tested in an effort to find other treatments with less severe side effects than psychotropics.

Most Common Alternative Treatments

• Occupational therapy is making a huge impact in the treatment of bipolar and depressed patients across the country. The occupational therapist spends time with the patient completing everyday living tasks and then evaluates him. The therapist then creates an action plan in an effort to "re-train" the individual's thought process so that he may live daily life symptom free. Medication may alleviate some symptoms but, ultimately, it does nothing to help the patient change his way of thinking. Occupational therapy's approach is now being tested on an array of mental health issues.

The Future of Alternative Medicine in Mental Health

• Mental health is difficult to treat, and no medical treatment used today is without its side effects. Alternative medicine offers a less toxic approach in an effort to alleviate the side effects created by psychotropic medications. The approach has made leaps and bounds as now even some physicians are prescribing alternative methods to their patients. In the near future, working alongside the medical community, alternative medicine will surely have a permanent place within mental health.