Alternative Mental Illness Treatments

August 1, 2014 by Dan King

yoga We spend a lot of time with individuals on therapies for the mental illnesses they are coping with. We work hard at WestBridge to treat people with a variety of behavioral health issues that are coupled with a drug or alcohol addiction. We also acknowledge that every person seeking help is unique, and traditional treatments might not work for everyone.

While complementary and alternative medicine has long been associated with the treatment of physical diseases and conditions, it is becoming more common in the field of mental health. If medication is not offering positive results, or if harmful side effects are a concern, then it’s appropriate to look into other options. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation, and massage have been touted as remedies for everything from addiction and depression to anxiety and insomnia.

We’ve been talking about this topic for several years. A well-known advocate on the importance of being open to alternative treatment spoke to our Mary Woods on “One Hour at a Time.” Will Hall co-founded the Massachusetts support and activism community Freedom Center, which offers groups and holistic alternatives such as acupuncture and yoga.

Will was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was treated in the traditional mental health system. Anyone with mental illness and anyone who loves someone with mental illness are encouraged to hear Will’s perspective and stories.

At WestBridge, we’ve incorporated meditation, massage, mindfulness, yoga, and martial arts into our treatments; and biosound feedback is a relatively new alternative treatment that works for some of our participants.

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