About complementary and alternative therapies

Complementary and alternative therapies cover lots of different treatments. These include therapies like meditation, massage and herbal remedies, among others.

The NHS offers some of these. Others are based on different ideas of healing and wellbeing than those we normally hear about in the UK.

Exercise became a big part of my routine to keep anxiety at bay. Along with mindfulness techniques and medication.

What do we mean by complementary and alternative therapies?

Whether a therapy is 'complementary' or 'alternative' will depend on how you use it as part of your treatment.

In general:

• 'Complementary' describes treatments which you may use alongside other treatments.
• 'Alternative' describes approaches that replace the treatments offered by your doctor.

One person might use a certain therapy as complementary alongside things like medication. Another person might use the same therapy as an alternative to medication.

I take an SSRI antidepressant every day, in conjunction with supplementing iron and B vitamins. I have no alcohol before my menstrual cycle. And I avoid caffeine as much as possible. This was advised by my doctor.

Why might I try a complementary or alternative therapy?

There are many reasons you might decide to try complementary or alternative therapies. For example:

• You don't want the treatment your doctor has offered, such as psychiatric medication or talking therapies.
• You've already tried the treatments your doctor has offered and they haven't suited you. For example, you haven't found a psychiatric medication that works, or it's caused unwanted side effects.
• You're on a waiting list for treatment, but you need help to manage your symptoms right away.
• You want more options to try as well as the treatments your doctor has offered.
• You don't agree with your doctor's approach and you want to take another approach to looking after your mental health.
• Your culture or background uses complementary and alternative therapies more routinely as part of healthcare.

There are some misconceptions about complementary and alternative therapies.

Some people think they don't work properly, are a scam, or have no evidence behind them. This isn't always true. But the lack of information and clinical research on them can make it hard to know which ones might work for you.

Our page on types of complementary and alternative therapies​ has more information about some of the different types.

Can alternative therapies treat mental health problems?

Complementary and alternative therapies can be used as a treatment for both physical and mental health problems. Different therapies are used for different mental health problems.

In general, there's more research on these therapies for sleep problems, depression and anxiety. But there has been some research on how certain treatments might help other mental health problems.

Our page on types of complementary and alternative therapies has more information on what each treatment might help with.

For more information about mental health problems, you can search our A-Z of mental health.   

I noticed that a large part of my anxiety was down to the fact that I wasn’t breathing properly. Yoga helped with this immensely.

Do complementary and alternative therapies work?

As with all therapies, different things work for different people.

There's not much clinical evidence for these therapies, so your GP isn't likely to recommend them. But some of us can still find them helpful for managing our mental health and wellbeing. 

Some research into how certain complementary and alternative therapies work suggests this could be showing the placebo effect. This is when we feel better after a treatment because we expect it to make us feel better.

This effect can happen with sugar pills that have no active ingredients. But it can happen with all kinds of treatments, including prescription medicines.

Whether or not a treatment has a clinical effect doesn't always matter. The outcome of feeling better can be very real and meaningful in our lives.

For more on the effectiveness of different therapies see our pages on:

• Types of complementary and alternative therapies​
• Herbal remedies

Are complementary and alternative therapies safe?

Whether a complementary or alternative therapy is safe can depend on lots of different factors. These include where you buy it from, who's delivering it, whether a treatment is regulated, and your own health.

There are some situations when certain therapies could carry higher risks. For example, if:

• You're pregnant or breastfeeding
• You're receiving any other treatments that could interfere with the therapy
• You have a physical or mental health problem that could be made worse by the therapy
• You're about to have surgery or another medical procedure

Before you start any new treatment it's a good idea to discuss any safety concerns with a medical professional. For example, your GP or a pharmacist. This is especially important if you're already taking any kind of medication.

If you're considering taking a herbal remedy, our page on herbal remedies includes information on when herbal remedies might be unsuitable for you. 

How are complementary and alternative therapies regulated?

There's no compulsory regulation for most complementary healthcare practitioners in England and Wales. 

There are voluntary registers for many types of complementary and alternative therapies. These registers normally need practitioners to have certain qualifications or meet certain standards. But they're not always compulsory to join. 

The NHS advises looking for registers that are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA).

It's usually recommended that you choose a treatment provider registered with a trusted regulatory body or professional organisation.

Our page on herbal remedies has information about how herbal medicines are licensed. 

Things to consider before starting an alternative therapy

Only you can decide whether a type of treatment feels right for you. But it might help you to think about:

• What do I want to get out of it – is it realistic?
• What does it cost – can I afford it?
• How long will it take – have I got enough time? Is it open-ended or time-limited?
• Will I have to travel?
• Have I got any health problems that would affect me being able to do the therapy?
• Am I receiving any other treatments that would affect me being able to do the therapy?
• Could this therapy be adapted to meet my needs?
• Would someone I trust be able to come along with me if I didn't feel comfortable going on my own?

Finding the right therapist

As with any kind of therapy, it's really important to find someone you feel confident and safe with. Whatever the kind of therapy or medicine they practise, if you don't like or trust that person you're less likely to have a positive experience.

As a good starting point, your practitioner should be able to give you straightforward answers to your questions about:

• What qualifications they have
• What professional bodies they're registered with
• Their past experience of using the therapy for your specific problem
• What risks might be involved, and what you should do if you experience any negative effects
• What procedures they have in place for making a complaint
• Proof of insurance
• Any other concerns or questions you have about the therapy

If you don't feel able to ask these questions of them beforehand it might help to write them down in an email. Or you could ask someone you trust to come along to support you.

Where can I get complementary and alternative therapies?

To find a registered therapist you can:

• Use the find a practitioner search on the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council website (CNHC).
• Look for a list of practitioners through an organisation that specialises in the particular therapy. You can find links to some of these organisations on our page on types of complementary and alternative therapies.

You might be able to get more information from your GP, pharmacist or local Mind on trusted practitioners in your area.

Can I get them through the NHS?

There are some complementary and alternative therapies available through the NHS. But you can't always get them for mental health problems.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare. It doesn't usually recommend complementary and alternative therapies to the NHS unless there's strong evidence they work well. 

But NICE does recommend that healthcare professionals take your values, thoughts and preferences into consideration when they're planning your treatment.

This means that even if a treatment isn't available on the NHS, your doctor should still be able to talk to you about it. This includes discussing how it might interact with other treatments. You can then look for it outside the NHS if you want to.

To find out what your local NHS can offer you, speak to your GP or other healthcare professionals. 

What if alternative therapies don't work for me?

Some of us find complementary and alternative therapies don't work for us. Or something that was working might stop being right for us. 

If you've tried something and it hasn't helped, it's important not to blame yourself. Different things work for different people at different times.

See our pages on seeking help for a mental health problem for other options you could explore.