Alternative therapies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Alternative therapies - Coursework Example Johns wort and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for depressive tendencies, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids (Lam, Jones, & Hayward, 2010). Rhadiola rosea is a herb that has been used traditionally in the management of stress. However, it has some stimulating effects that can lift the moods of a depressed individual. S-adenosylmethionine is a nutritional supplement with antidepressant action and can at times trigger mania in bipolar patients. St. John’s wort is a native mood enhancer that alleviates depression. Omega-4 fatty acids from foods such as salmon and sardines tend to lower manic tendencies in patients with bipolar disorders. It is proposed that omega-3 fatty acids facilitate the movement of neurotransmitters in the brain hence assisting in the stabilization of moods. It is worth noting that these alternative therapies should not substitute the prescribed medication for the disorder. They should be considered as complementary treatments. Therefore, patients with bipolar disorders should take their antidepressants whenever they feel that they need them. In addition, most of the alternative therapies have not undergone rigorous evaluation and reviews compared to their pharmaceutical counterparts. Therefore, the nurse should advise family members to do additional research on the treatments to find out whether they have negative effects or adverse reactions with conventional medication that the patient may be taking. For example, it has been reported that S. John’s wort is not safe and that it tends to interact with other medications such as lithium (Deligiannidis & Freeman,