Unconventional Forms Of Therapy

The most commonly thought of type of psychological therapy is psychoanalysis in which the patient and doctor speak about the issues that are at the heart of the problem. This method has helped many people but there are also other ways of overcoming emotional disturbances. There have been more successful examples of therapeutic methods that at one point would have been considered ridiculous. Among these are Creative, Wilderness and Holistic methods.

Creative Therapy

This can be any mixture of dance, drama, music or art used specifically to treat a patient’s issues. The act of engaging in a creative process builds confidence and makes the person better able to view the problem in context. This helps in coming up with good solutions and emerging from depression or anxiety. Some people find themselves more drawn to one of the above while others switch from one to another as the feeling arises.

Wilderness exposure

Many people live in large cities. It is predicted that the majority of the world’s population will soon become city dwellers. This is unfortunate because cities are often lacking in plant life and this has been shown to have a negative impact on the mood. Even the color green is comforting and in the growing concrete jungles this becomes a very rare sight indeed. People who find themselves depressed can often experience an elevation in their mood just from being taken on nature trails or hikes. These need not be difficult to be effective although the combination of exercise and natural surroundings is highly effective with or without the use of psychoanalysis.

Holistic methods

These are difficult to pin down as a single method. There have been many reported successes from meditation alone. People have been able to calm their thoughts with striking efficiency in order to deal with their mood swings, depression and anxiety. There are also newer practices such as the use of isochronic tones and binaural beats to help beginners induce a similar state of calm within themselves. For those who prefer more movement based methods, both yoga and Tai chi have thousands of years worth of success behind them.

Dealing with a mental illness is difficult but not impossible, particularly with the wealth of resources currently available. For those who have tried the more conventional methods and met with limited success the efficacy of those mentioned above should provide some solace.