Medical science generally views mental health as a brain dysfunction that is treatable with pharmaceuticals and surgery. Alternative treatments in mental health, on the other hand, complement these treatments with attention to the whole person, including the body, mind, and spirit. Some alternative mental health treatments are well known in the medical community, while others are controversial. As with all alternative treatments, be sure to work only with credentialed medical practitioners.
Animal Assisted Therapy
Interacting with animals has become a successful alternative treatment for many mental health issues related to social anxieties, phobias, and depression. Working with animals such as horses, dogs, and dolphins improves social communication skills, relieves anxiety and isolation, and increases empathy for others. For example, in 2007, researchers from New Mexico State University reported that equine-assisted therapy is particularly affective for children suffering from mental health issues due to family violence.
Music therapy
Music therapy is a respected mental health treatment option that has grown exponentially in the last few decades. Music therapists regularly treat mental health disorders in hospitals, schools, and wellness clinics using passive music listening as well as active music making. The American Music Therapy Association suggests that clients can use music to explore their emotions, feel in control of their lives, build courage and responsibility, and resolve life conflicts.
Eastern Medicine
Eastern medicine comprises several medical traditions that have been practiced for thousands of years. Chinese herbal medicine has a well developed pharmacopoeia of herbs that assist in mental health disorders by balancing the body-mind. Indian Ayurvedic medicine, on the other hand, focuses on a dietary approach to mental wellness, prescribing intricate combinations of foods and spices in conjunction with body practices. Both of these systems have their own certification and education requirements for practice, so always work with a licensed practitioner or a holistic medical doctor. As reported in a 2002 article in the Western Journal of Medicine, one of the biggest issues with Eastern medicine, especially Chinese herbal medicine, is the possibility of unintended mal-effects due to herbs mixing with pharmaceuticals.
Pastoral Counseling
Churches, synagogues and religious council meetings have served people with mental illness for centuries before modern medicine. Ministers, priests, and religious counselors are trained in helping individuals reflect on their lives and make meaningful changes. Many are also trained as licensed psychotherapists, according to the National Mental Health Information Center. Drawing on spiritual faith for strength and peace, as well as participating in religious support groups, can also be easily integrated with traditional pharmaceutical treatment.
