Integrating Complementary and Alternative Medicine into Mainstream Mental Health Care

As the use of nonconventional treatments, also known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), continues to rise, there is a growing need for a concerted scientific effort to incorporate evidence-based CAM approaches into mainstream mental health care. This integration is crucial for providing patients with a more comprehensive range of effective treatment options.

A Groundbreaking Resource for Mental Health Care Professionals

The groundbreaking book, Complementary and Alternative Treatments in Mental Health Care, is a concise and practical reference that reviews the many CAM approaches used in North America and Europe to treat mental health problems. Written by a team of 24 contributors with both conventional and nonconventional expertise, this book provides current information on safe and effective mental health treatments that have not yet been fully examined or endorsed by conventional biomedicine.

Comprehensive Coverage of CAM Approaches

The book covers a wide range of CAM approaches, including:

• Herbals and other natural products
• Stress management
• Homeopathy
• Ayurveda
• Traditional Chinese medicine

Each chapter provides a thorough review of the historical uses of the specified modality, significant recent research findings, unresolved safety issues, and evidence supporting the use of the specified approach in common psychiatric disorders, including:

• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Dementia
• Sleep disorders
• Substance abuse disorders

Practical Clinical Applications and Resources

Throughout the book, practical clinical applications of complementary and alternative approaches are discussed. The book also includes three appendixes, featuring:

Appendix A: Evidence ranking for various treatment modalities by major psychiatric disorder, cross-referenced with the material in Part II.

Appendix B: Important web sites, textbooks, professional associations, and other resources.

Appendix C: A glossary of key terms used in complementary and alternative medicine.

This comprehensive resource is ideal for both conventionally and nonconventionally trained mental health care professionals who want to provide their patients with a more holistic range of treatment options.

Author: James H. Lake

Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing

Publication Date: April 2, 2007

Language: English

ISBN: 9781585622023, 9781585626397