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(NaturalNews) Research shows that more people are using alternative forms of medicine including hypnosis, herbs, massage, self-help groups, acupuncture, and energy healing. Other forms of alternative medicine include mind-body medicine and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Both are based on hypnosis, meditation, and relaxation therapy and have been found to have numerous health benefits.

Two national surveys were conducted in 1990 and 1997 to understand use of alternative medicine in the United States. In 1990, results showed that 33.8% of Americans used at least 1 of 16 alternative therapies listed. In 1997, a separate study was conducted using comparable questions and found that 42.1% of Americans used alternative medicine.

Results of both surveys found that people were most likely to use alternative therapies for chronic conditions such as pain, anxiety, depression, and headaches. The study also found that there was a 47.3% increase in visits to alternative health practitioners between 1990 and 1997. It is estimated that in 1997, $27 billion was spent on alternative medicine. These studies show that between 1990 and 1997 an increased number of people were seeking out alternative forms of therapy (Eisenberg, Davis, Ettner, Appel, Wilkey, Van Rompay, & Kessler, 1998).

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a form of meditation and hypnosis that helps people ease suffering associated with physical and mental disorders. The process aims at increasing awareness and thus reducing the negative impact on the body and mind. Grossman, Niemann, Schmidt, and Walach researched 20 studies involving MBSR techniques. They found that MBSR was used and benefits were realized in people who suffered from pain, cancer, heart disease, anxiety and depression.
The meta-analysis showed that MBSR can help treat people with a wide range of problems.

Another form of alternative therapy includes mind-body medicine (MBM). MBM includes hypnosis, meditation, imagery, biofeedback, and relaxation therapy. Barrows and Jacobs (2002) reviewed current literature pertaining to MBM and found that people with chronic conditions could greatly benefit from MBM. The studies included people with chronic pain, insomnia, headaches, and anxiety. Also, the researchers point out that MBM could have benefits for people with coronary artery disease and cancer.

These studies show that there are alternative therapies that can help people with chronic illnesses. Both MBSR and MBM involve a mind and body connection. It shows that even when there is a physical problem, it also helps to focus on the mind and relaxation in order to improve the condition. People are looking into alternative therapies because they are natural and experience benefits from the alternative treatment.

Sources

Barrows, K.A. & Jacobs, B.P. (2002). Mind-body medicine: An introduction and review of the literature. Medical Clinics of North America, 86(1), 11-31.

Eisenberg, D.M., Davis, R.B., Ettner, S.L., Appel, S., Wilkey, S., Van Rompay, M., & Kessler, R.C. (1998). Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 280(18), 1569-1575.

Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(1), 35-43.

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