VISWASS SCHOOL AND COLLEGE OF NURSING

MSC 1ST YEAR

MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

UNIT-12

ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF MEDICINE IN MENTAL

HEALTH

LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Prepared by: Mr. Jogendro Singh ; Department of Nursing; VISWASS

1)DISCUSS THE ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF MEDICINE IN MENTAL

HEALTH CARE IN DETAIL. (15)

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE:

An alternative approach to mental health care is one that emphasizes the

interrelationship between mind, body, and spirit. Although some alternative
approaches have a long history, many remain controversial

HISTORY OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES:

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at

the National Institutes of Health was created in 1992 to help evaluate alternative
methods of treatment and to integrate those that are effective into mainstream
health care practice
DEFINITION:

The National Centre for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

defines, “complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a group of diverse
medical and health care system, practices and products that are not presently
considered to be a part of conventional medicine”. Complimentary therapies are
those used in conjunction with conventioal medical practice. Alternative therapies
are those that are used instead of conventional medicine.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE SEEK CAM THERAPIES:

 Wanting greater control over their lives.

 Having a sense of responsibility for their own health care.
 Wanting a more holistic orientation in health care.
 Concern over the side effects of conventional therapies.
 Finding the result of conventional treatments to be inadequate
 A desire for cultural and philosophical congruence with personal belief
about health and illness.
 Dissatisfaction with conventional health care.
 Unwilling to „grin and bear‟ the effects of diseases .
 The rapid pace and ease of information sharing .
 Media contributing in consumers awareness of alternative therapies.
 Growing evidence of effectiveness of alternative therapies.

Principle:

In 1999, Eliopoulos identified FIVE basic principles underlying CAM:

1. The body has the ability to heal itself.

2. Health and healing are related to a harmony of body and spirit.

3. Basic good health practices build the foundation for healing.

4. Healing practices are individualized.

5. The people are responsible for their own healing.

MAJOR DOMAIN OF CAM USED IN PSYCHITRY :

 Alternative medical system .

 Mind-Body interventions
 Biological-Based therapies.
 Manipulative and Body- Based methods
 Energy therapies

MAJOR DOMAIN OF CAM USED IN PSYCHITRY :

 Alternative Medical System:

 Acupuncture
 Ayurveda
 Homeopathy
 Naturopathy

Mind-Body interventions :

 Meditation.
 Relaxation.
 Hypnosis.
 Art, music and dance therapy.
 Prayer.
 Imagery.
 Bio-feedback
 Body-Mind spiritual interventions.

Biological-Based therapies:

 Herbal therapies.
 Aromatherapy.
 Mega doses of vitamin and minerals.
 Special diet therapy

Manipulative and Body- Based methods:

 Tai chi.
 Yoga.
 massage

Energy therapies:

 Therapeutic touch.
 Reflexology.
 Electro-magnetic therapy.
 Light therapy.

Acupunture:

 The Chinese practice of inserting needles into the body at specific points
manipulates the body's flow of energy to balance the endocrine system.
 This manipulation regulates functions such as heart rate, body temperature,
and respiration, as well as sleep patterns and emotional changes.

Benefits The benefit of acupuncture include:

1. Improvement the micro-circulation.

2. Relaxation of muscles.
3. Release of endorphins, enkephalins, serotonin and adrenocorticotropic
hormones.
4. Activation of B and T lymphocytes.
5. Improvement in the complete blood cell.

Ayurvedic Medicine:

AYURVEDIC MEDICINE : It is a natural antidote to diseases as well as

powerful healer for stress.

AIMS: To integrate and balance the body, mind, spirit.

USES: Ayurveda uses diet, herbs, massage, yoga, internal cleaning and life-styles
adjustment to harmonize body, mind and spirit.

Homeopathic medicine:

Homeopathic medicine: Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body ability to heal

itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger to
produce the illness or symptoms ( an approach called „like cures like‟)

Uses:

I. Homeopathy believes that their remedies mobilize the body vital force
to co-ordinated healing responses throughout of the body.
II. The body translates the information on the local physical changes that
leads to recovery from acute and chronic diseases.

Naturopathy:

NaturopathyIt focuses 0n the self healing and health care is tailored to the
individual needs. Roles:
 A teacher establishing and maintaining optimal health and balance,
treatment of the whole person.
 Prevention of disease through a healthy lifestyle and therapeutic use of
nutrition.

Spiritual healing and prayer:

Spiritual healing and prayer Spiritual intervention focuses on developing a sense of

meaning, purposes and hope for individuals in their current experiences. This may
be a religious or non-religious experience depending on the individual own
spirituality.

Herbal therapies:

Herbal medicine, the oldest known from of health care, uses plants to treat disease
and promote health. Herbal medicine are available as extract, tincture, infusions
decoction, pills, and powders, even a moistened cloth applied to the skin can as a
herbal remedy.

Uses:  It poses many challenges and underscores the need for nurses at every
level to knowledgeable of herbal medicine to ensure safe and effective practices.

Aromatherapy:

It is concerned with the psychological and pharmacological effects of the essential

oils introduced by means of inhalation, olfaction and dermal application.
Role of nurses:

 Nurse should caution people who are considering aromatherapy to be aware that
aromatic oils vary in quality, their production is not regulated and some may be
toxic when inhaled.

 Oils should not be used near the eyes and should always be diluted in a suitable
oil or water before application to skin.

Special diet therapies,:

mega doses of vitamins and minerals Good nutrition can help with adaptation to
the inevitable stresses of life promoting a healthy body and feeling of well-being.

 Nutritional deficiencies often first appear in the form of mental symptoms.

 Researchers believes that the imbalances in the system can be regulated by

nutritional supplement.

T`ai chi:

T`ai chi T`ai chi( tie chee), sometimes defined as “moving mediciation” is a
chinese blend of exercise and energy work consisting of a series of choreographed,
continuous slow movements performed with mental concentration and coordinated
breathing.

Purposes:

  Improve circulation, balance, flow of chi.

  Reduce the stress and anxiety.
  Restore the energy and health.
Qi Gong:

It is the therapeutic Chinese practices that includes gentle exercise for the breath,
body, mind, and voice.

Massage:

It is a systematic manipulation of the soft tissue of the body

Benefits:

  Alleged benefits include decreased stress and anxiety.

  Enhanced body-mind connection for greater mental clarity, energy and
performance.
  Promote the vitality, personal growth and emotional release.
  It also sedatives effect on the nervous system, promotes voluntary
muscles relaxation and improves self images through reorganised
posture.

Therapeutic Touch:

It is a process by which practitioners believe that they can transmit energy to a

person who is ill or injured to potentiate the healing process.

Principles: Laying on of hands ( the healer passing hands over the body without
actually touching it, to detect the energy imbalances and redirect the energy )

Reflexology:

It involves massaging specific part of the feet or hands to relives stress and pain in
the corresponding related area of the body.

Goals:  To provide relaxation by removing tension in a zone area.

Benefits:  Stimulate the relaxation

Bio-electromagnetic based therapies:

It involves the use of magnetic fields in the prevention and treatment of disease.
Magnetic field therapy uses two methods- static and pulsed.

 The static method involves placing magnet belts, shoes inserts and mattresses
for 2-24 hours.

 The pulse method involves using a machine to effect alternating electromagnetic

fields.

Major psychiatry disorder and related CAM therapies:

Alcohol abuse:

1. Acupuncture.

2. Herbal therapy.

3. Meditation.

4. Yoga.

Alzheimer dementia:

1. Herbal therapy.
2. Massage.
3. Medical meditation.

Anxiety:

1. Acupressure.
2. Biofeedback.
3. Breathing and relaxation techniques.
4. Guided imagery.
5. Healing touch / therapeutic touch.
6. Self-hypnosis
7. Massage
8. meditation

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:

1. Biofeedback.

Depression:

1. Acupuncture.
2. Healing touch.
3. Herbal therapy.
4. Meditation.
5. Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Insomnia:

1. Breathing and relaxation techniques.

2. Herbal therapy.

3. Meditation.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: 1. Acupuncture. 2. Medical meditation.

Stress: 1. Breathing and relaxation exercises. 2. Healing touch. 3. Massage. 4.

Meditation.
Psychiatric nurse and CAM The most frequently employed therapies used by the
nurse are massage, music exercise, diet, prayer and counselling.

The basic principles are:

1. The body has the ability to heal itself.

2. Nursing attends to the needs of the whole person.

3. Basic good health practices build the foundation for healing.

4. Healing practices are individualized.

5. Patient are responsible for their own healing.

2)COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES . (15)

Complementary and Alternative Medicines 1

Herbal remedies and supplements

This leaflet is for anyone who would like to try complementary medicines for a
mental health problem. It covers:

 Brain function and dementia

 Anxiety and sleep problems
 Depression and bipolar disorder
 Psychotic states
 Movement disorders
 Addictions
 Finding a practitioner
 Useful websites

What are complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs)?

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. They include:

 herbal medicines
 foods
 nutritional supplements, such as vitamins and minerals

All these treatments can be used on their own, or with conventional medicine.

CAMs and mental health problems

Many CAMs have been used for mental health problems, but there is little good
evidence to support their use. Some of these treatments may work, but most have
not been thoroughly tested. The studies have often been too small to give a clear
answer. We know most about the treatments for depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Despite the lack of evidence, people all over the world take CAMs, and many
report that they find them helpful. Ultimately, whether taking CAMs is a good idea
depends on individual circumstances. We recommend that you talk to your GP or
mental health team first.

If you are considering taking CAMs, you should seek specialist advice if:

 you are pregnant or breastfeeding

 you want to give CAMs to children
 you are competing in sports to make sure that the CAM you are considering
taking is not in breach of doping regulations.

How to use CAMs safely?

Do

 choose a qualified practitioner who is a member of a recognised society

 ask about their qualification and experience
 ask about side-effects
 if in doubt, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist
 tell the professionals involved in your care, including your CAM
practitioner, about all your treatments and medications
 tell them if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or breast-feed
 tell them about your physical health and allergies
 discuss your concerns about treatment
 seek medical advice if you experience unusual symptoms
 make special time for your treatment sessions
 find a reliable source for your information about therapies

Don‟t

 stop conventional medicines without telling your doctor

 believe claims for 'wonder cures'
 take high doses of supplements unless confirmed with an experienced health
professional
 combine many different remedies
 take complementary medicines without knowing what they are for
 take somebody else‟s complementary medicines
 give remedies to children without seeking specialist advice
 take remedies from an unreliable source - this includes the internet
 eat or drink raw plant material, such as flowers, fruits, leaves, seeds or the
root unless you are sure it is absolutely safe (many plants are poisonous and
need to be processed before they can be used safely)
 prepare your own teas and extracts unless you are sure it is safe
 smoke raw plant material
 pay large sums of money up front
 practice acupuncture or any other physical treatment on yourself unless you
have been trained
 blame yourself if a treatment does not work.

Herbal remedies and supplements

Herbal remedies come from plants. If possible, choose a remedy which has been
standardised, i.e. the contents are approximately the same in each bottle or tablet
you buy. Plant remedies are not always safer than ordinary medicines. All of them
can have side-effects and interact with other medicines.

Supplements include vitamins, minerals and animal and plant products, such as cod
liver oil. They can also have side-effects and interact with other medicines. Some
people take supplements, like vitamin C in high doses, but this can damage the
liver or kidneys. Many supplements have a recommended daily intake (RDI), or
allowance (RDA). Do not go beyond this dose without talking to an experienced
health professional.