Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine, but which lacks biological plausibility and is untested, untestable or proven ineffective. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrated medicine or integrative medicine (IM), and holistic medicine are among many rebrandings of the same phenomenon. Alternative therapies share in common that they reside outside medical science, and rely on pseudoscience. Traditional practices become "alternative" when used outside their original settings without proper scientific explanation and evidence. Frequently used derogatory terms for the alternative are new-age or pseudo, with little distinction from quackery.

1. .
PREPARED BY,
MRS. BHATT PRIYANKA
I/C PRINCIPAL
BHAGWAN MAHAVIR COLLEGE OF
NURSING,
SURAT.

2. ALTERNATIVE APPROCHES TO
MENTAL HEALTH CARE:
 An alternative approach to mental health care is one
that emphasizes the interrelationship between mind,
body & spirit .
 Alternatives medicine is viewed as holistic health care,
which deals not only with the physical perspective, but
also the emotional and spiritual components of the
individual.
o They are ways of treating illness that have developed
outside the mainstream of modern medicine. Many
are traditional remedies that have developed in
different cultures over the centuries

3. TYPES OF ALTERNETIVE
THERAPIES
 Herbal Medicine
 Unani
 Siddha
 Homeopathic
 Acupressure and Acupucture
 Diet and Nutrition
 Chiropractic Medicine
 Therapeutic Touch and Massage
 Yoga
 Pet Therapy

4. HERBAL MEDICINE
 Herbal remedies come from
plants. Supplements include
vitamins, minerals and animal
and plant products, such as
cod liver oil.
 One of the most widely
researched herbal products is
hypericum. It is currently
used throughout Europe & US
to treat mild to moderate
depression, anxiety, seasonal
affective disorder & sleep
disorders.
 Melatonin is other herbal
product which is used to
promote sleep in patient with
depressive disorder.

5. Cont….
 Omega-3 fatty acids, a supplement found mostly in
fish oils, may have some efficacy in patients with
affective disorders. Some evidence indicates that mood
disorders are associated with low omega-3 fatty acid
levels (Zanarini & Frankenburg, 2003).
 Kava-kava, a plant found in the South Pacific, is
proposed to have anxiolytic, sedative & muscle
relaxant properties (Volz & Kieser, 1997).
 Another herbal product, Valerian, has been used for
insomnia, common to many anxiety disorder.

6. Cont…
 Gingko biloba, an extract
obtained from the leaves of the
maidenhair tree in China, is
another herbal product that has
been studied in psychiatric
populations for its cognitive
enhancing effects, specifically in
those with Alzheimer’s disease.
It may act by dilating blood
vessels & increasing blood
supply, reducing blood viscosity,
decreasing free radicals, and
altering neurotransmitter levels
(McEnany,2000).

7. UNANI
 The theoretical framework of Unani
medicine is based on the work of
Hippocrates (460-377 BC).
 As per this traditional system, the
human body is composed of four basic
elements: earth, air, water and fire
having cold, hot, wet and dry
temperaments respectively. The body
fluids are composed of four humors:
blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black
bile.
 There are three modes of treatment in
Unani system:
 Regimental therapy (Ilajbil tadbeer) –
Use of exercise, climate change,
massage, venesection, leaching,
cupping, diet therapy etc.
 Pharmacotherapy (Ilajbil dava) – use
of drugs of plant, animal and mineral
origin, either alone or in combination.
 Surgery (Ilajbil Yad) – Surgical
intervention in treatment as last resort.

8. SIDDHA
 Tamil traditional medicinal
siddha medicine is one of the
oldest system of medicines.
Plants, animals, metals and
some chemicals are used to
prepare the siddha
medicines.
 Siddhars recommended
several medicines for mental
abnormalities. They
prescribed Aviztham
(Medicines) as well as
Manthiram (Psychotherapy).
 The siddhars totally denies
the demonology and accepts
the abnormal behaviors of
the human beings as the
modern psychologists

9. HOMEOPATHIC
 Homeopathy is a form of
medicine that treats the body
as a whole and helps it to heal
itself.
 It can be used for the short
term (acute) illnesses and long
term (chronic) illnesses.
 The objective is to prevent the
patient from getting the
illnesses again (prevention).
The name homeopathy comes
from the Greek word "homios"
which means "like" and the
word "pathos" meaning
"suffering". Thus homeopathy
simply means treating like
with like.

10. ACUPRESSURE
 It is a Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) technique based on the
technique of acupuncture.
 Acupressure is a primordial healing
method that involves using skillfully
pressing key points on the fingers
and other parts of body to stimulate
the natural healing ability of the
body. When these key points are
pressed, muscular tension is
released which leads to enhanced
blood circulation.
 Acupressure therapy provides a
number of advantages to the body
and helps to relieve pain, reduce
stress, increase blood circulation,
and provides a soothing effect to the
body.
 Acupressure is based on a theory,
that there is some sort of invisible
energy in all individuals which flows
in the body in a manner similar to
that of the flow of blood.

11. ACUPUNCTURE
 Acupuncture, one of the major
treatment modalities of Chinese
medicine, is the oldest and most
commonly used medical procedure
in the world.
 In acupuncture, hair-thin, sterile,
disposable, stainless-steel needle
are inserted into acupoints to
dissolve the obstructions along the
meridians. The needle may be left in
place for a specified length of time,
they may be rotated, or a mild
electric current may be applied. An
occasional tingling or numbness is
experienced, but little to no pain is
associated with the
treatment(NCCAM,2004).
 Acupuncture has been used alone or
integrated with Western medicine
to treat a variety of psychiatric
conditions, such as depression,
anxiety, insomnia, pain, and
addiction.

12. Cont…
 It is believed that acupuncture may stimulate the
synthesis and release of endorphins, serotonin,
and norepinephrine.
 It is effective in reducing depression as the
tricyclic antidepressant.
 Specifically, electroacupuncture produced
significantly better changes in anxiety,
somatization, cognitive processing, & reactive
depression.

13. DIET AND NUTRITION
 Diet and nutrition may help
some people with mental
illnesses manage their
symptoms and promote
recovery.
 For example, research suggests
that eliminating milk and wheat
products can reduce the severity
of symptoms for some people
who have schizophrenia and
some children with autism.
Similarly, some holistic/natural
physicians use herbal treatments
, B-complex vitamins ,
riboflavin, magnesium, and
thiamine to treat anxiety,
autism, depression, drug-
induced psychoses, and
hyperactivity.

14. CONT…
 To recover from a mental health condition, it is
important to supply our nervous system with
nutritional building blocks to help our nerve cells
and brain cells to detoxify and function optimally.
With or without medication, a good, healthful diet
can support the nervous system in functioning better
and can lead to better health.
 Decrease caffeine consumption. Caffeine is
generally overused in our society and is a stress to the
body to eliminate. Many studies have shown benefits
from eliminating caffeine for people with depression,
anxiety, and other mood disorders.
 Decrease refined sugar consumption. The effect
of sugar is worse when eaten with caffeine. While
sugar acts as a stimulant, the effects are short-lived
and do more damage than good in the long run for
people with depression, anxiety.

15. CHIROPRACTIC MEDICINE
 "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos,
meaning "effective treatment by hand."
 Chiropractic treatments usually involve adjusting the joints
and bones in a person's spine using twisting, pulling, or
pushing movements. Some chiropractors use heat,
electrical stimulation, or ultrasound to help relax the
person's muscles before doing a spinal adjustment.
 Accidents, falls, stress, tension, overexertion, and countless
other factors can result in a displacements or derangements
of the spinal column, causing irritation to spinal nerve
roots.

16. CONT…
 Behind chiropractice medicine was that energy
flows from the brain to all parts of the body
through the spinal cord and spinal nerve.
 The primary theory behind chiropractic therapy
is to help the body heal itself by correcting
subluxation of the joints, particularly the bones
of the spine (vertebrae).
 Research has shown chiropractic therapy to be
effective in treating low back pain and to be
helpful in treating neck pain and headaches.

17. THERAPEUTIC TOUCH AND
MASSAGE
 THERAPEUTIC TOUCH :-
 Therapeutic touch was developed in
the 1970s by Dolores Krieger, a nurse
associated with the New York
University School of Nursing.
 It is based on the philosophy that
the human body projects a field of
energy. When this field become
blocked, pain or illness occurs,
practitioners of therapeutic touch
use this method to correct the
blockage thereby relieve the
discomfort and improving health.
 The practitioner need not actually
touch the client’s skin. The
therapist’s hands are passed over the
client’s body, remaining 2-4 inches
from the skin.

18. Cont…
 The goal is to repattern the energy field by
performing slow, rhythmic, sweeping hand motions
over the entire body(Credit et al.,1998).
 Therapeutic touch is thought to reduce pain &
anxiety and promote relaxation and health
maintenance.
 MASSAGE:-
o Massage is one of the oldest forms of natural
treatment for ailments and disorders.
o Massage is the technique of manipulating the
muscles and soft tissues of the body.
o It is benefit for the anxiety, chronic back & neck pain,
headache, insomnia, stress related disorders.

19. Mental Benefits of Massage
Therapy :
 Fosters peace of mind
 Promotes a relaxed state of
mental alertness
 Helps relieve mental stress
 Improves ability to monitor
stress signals and respond
appropriately
 Enhances capacity for calm
thinking and creativity
 Emotional Benefits
 Satisfies needs for caring
nurturing touch
 Fosters a feeling of well-being
 Reduces levels of anxiety
 Creates body awareness

20. BENEFITS OF THERAPUTIC TOUCH:
 Renewed energy
 Improved self-confidence
 Stress relief
 Relief of chronic aches and pains
 Relief of migraines and headaches
 Reduced anxiety after a traumatic event
 Relief of muscle soreness
 Feelings of peace and inner wellness
 Relaxation
 Mental clarity
 Ease of movement
 Improved confidence
 Overall enjoyment of life

21. YOGA
 Yoga is thought to developed in India some
5000 years ago.
 Yoga is a discipline to improve or develop one’s
inherent powers in a balanced manner. It
offers the means to reach complete self-
realization. Yoga can be defined as a means for
uniting the individual spirit with the universal
spirit of God. According to Maharishi Patanjali
Yoga is the suppression of modifications of the
mind.
 Yoga is best known for its poses or Asanas.
These reach deep into the yogi’s body,
massaging important internal organs. Asanas
help cleanse and maintain the nervous and
circulatory systems, which automatically result
in a healthier body and mind. Breathing
Exercises or Pranayama can also help in
keeping a person healthy by supplying a fixed
amount of oxygen to the muscles and internal
organs.

22. Cont…
 Yoga will give us an increased awareness of our
own body.
 The objectives of yoga is to integrate the physical,
mental, and spiritual energies that enhance
health and well being.
 Proper breathing is a major component of yoga.
It is believed that yoga breathing – increases
oxygen to brain and body tissues, thereby easing
stress & fatigue, and boosting energy.
 Another component of yoga is meditation.
Individuals who practice the meditation & deep
breathing associated with yoga find that they are
able to achieve a profound feeling of relaxation.

23. MENTAL BENEFITS OF YOGA:
 Increases body awareness
 Relieves chronic stress
patterns in the body
 Refreshes the body by
relieving muscle strain
 Relaxes the mind and body
 Centers attention
 Sharpens concentration
and
 Frees the spirit
 Reduction of tension.

24. PET THERAPY
 "A dog is man's best friend
because he wags his tail and
not his tongue."
--- Dr.
Samuel Corson
 Evidence shown that animals
can directly influence a
person’s mental and physical
well – being.
 Some researchers believe that
animals actually may retard
the aging process those who
live alone. Loneliness often
results in premature death,
and having a pet mitigates
the effects of loneliness and
isolation.

25. BENEFITS OF PET THERAPY:
 Increase verbal
interactions among
group members.
 Increase attention skills
(i.e., paying attention,
staying on task).
 Develop
leisure/recreation skills.
 Increase self-esteem.
 Reduce anxiety.
 Reduce loneliness.