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As a caregiver and someone who is watching a loved one
struggle with a mood disorder, figuring out if and how to
involve alternative therapies is one more challenge.
Alternative therapies techniques that usually fall
outside of the realm of conventional treatment -- is a hot
topic for many traditional therapists and psychiatrists.
It is certainly true that traditional therapy and
medication or a combination thereof have provided relief
for many suffering mental disease. Yet a great many other
affected people don't receive the relief they seek. And
the truth is we don't know how many people are actually
"cured" or "healed" from traditional therapies. Perhaps
this is why alternative therapies have assumed a place
alongside conventional healing modes. In fact, they are
also called "complimentary" therapies because they are
often utilized in concert with traditional approaches.
When people feel bad, they usually start with a trip to a
therapist who can conduct a screening, develop a diagnosis,
and then recommend where to go for help. Typically, the
standard treatment is talk therapy in conjunction with
medication. As a result of managed care, increasingly
people seek treatment first through their primary care
physician, which has its own pros and cons. Caution is
recommended, since mental illness is a specialty. You would
not go to your primary care physician for heart surgery, so
think twice about asking a primary care doctor to diagnose
and treat you or a loved one for a mood disorder, such as
depression or bi-polar disorder.
What role do alternative therapies play in treating mood
disorders?
For many suffering from mood disorders, alternative
therapies are used in conjunction with medication and/or
talk therapy. Some of the more serious alternative
treatments include: repeated transcranial magnetic
stimulation (TMS); the use of lightboxes for people with
seasonal affective disorder (SAD); eye movement
desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy; massage
treatments; hypnosis; sleep deprivation therapy; Chinese
herbal medicine; group therapies; support groups and
psychosurgery.
Many people report being helped or even healed by
alternative therapies. Exactly why or how the therapies
work is not a question to be answered here. In his book,
The Noonday Demon, Andrew Soloman eloquently states:
"Depression is a disease of thought processes and emotions,
and if something changes your thought processes and
emotions in the correct direction, that qualifies as a
recovery. Frankly, I think that the best treatment for
depression is belief, which is in itself far more essential
than what you believe in."
Simply put, a great variety of factors including
situation, openness, genetics, sociological and
physiological issues -- all play a role in the "healing"
factor. Very often there is no "cure" and the pain may or
may not subside over time with or without help from
medication therapy and other methods of alternative
healing. Still, who are we to instruct the person
struggling with mental disease to stop searching for ways
to assuage their pain?
If your loved one is struggling with depression, for
example, and wants to try alternative therapies how should
you respond? This may have more to do with your finances
than anything else. But based on Mr. Soloman's thorough
examination of depression, it is a good bet that supporting
your loved one's search is not meaningless if they hold a
belief in the cure.
Suggestions and ideas for offering support to someone with
a mood disorder who is interested in alternative therapies:
1.Assist them in getting educated. Read everything you can
about potential therapies. Keep an open mind and curiosity
about the various approaches that interest them.
2. Seek advice from on line support groups for people who
have gone through the types of therapies you are
investigating. Real stories from real people can provide
useful information.
3. Find the best in the field. If your loved one wants to
try hypnosis, EMDR, or other type of therapy, find the best
people available to provide it. Treat this as you might a
research project and get the best information and medical
help possible. Many traditional therapists increasingly are
adding techniques like EMDR to their repertoire. Getting a
referral from a professional is usually preferable to
finding someone in the yellow pages.
4. Don't give up your existing support system (e.g.,
individual or group therapy and/or medication).
5. Remember, these therapies cost money and most often are
not covered by insurance, so be mindful of prioritizing and
setting limits if finances are a factor. Occasionally,
alternative treatments are available at low or no cost
through community agencies or medical institutions, which
could offer the opportunity to try a particular therapy and
perhaps arrange for affordable, quality treatment. But
usually these therapies are an out-of-pocket expense. In
the end, alleviating personal pain is the ongoing,
consistent goal. For some, it is critical that they receive
professional help in conjunction with alternative
therapies. For others, the quest might involve healing of a
different sort. Keep an open mind and, as always, don't go
it alone: seek professional guidance in support of getting
well.
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Mary Logan is a professional life coach specializing in
support for the caregiver. Inspiring audios and her free:
"Are you an effective caregiver?" assessment can be found
at http://www.fromsurvivetothrive.com
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