Week 14 Discussion 2: Complementary Treatment

Week 14 Discussion 2 Complementary Treatment

Discuss your chosen non-herbal complementary treatment based on your assignment, including a two-paragraph summary of your findings, supported by proper APA citations. Review two peers’ posts, highlighting interesting points, your opinions on recommending the treatment, and any additional information needed, with APA citations.

Paper For Above instruction

Complementary treatments play a vital role in holistic health management and patient-centered care. For this discussion, I focused on laughter yoga as my non-herbal complementary treatment. Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing techniques, promoting mental and physical well-being. Research indicates that laughter yoga can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance immune function (Gelkopf et al., 2019). It is a simple, accessible intervention that can be performed in groups or individually, making it versatile and easy to implement in clinical settings or community programs. The practice encourages spontaneous laughter, which has been linked to reductions in cortisol levels and increases in endorphin production, contributing to a sense of happiness and relaxation (Mora-Ripoll, 2016). Given its low cost, minimal risks, and positive psychological effects, laughter yoga is a promising complementary treatment suitable for a wide range of populations, including those with depression, anxiety, and chronic illnesses.

In reviewing peer responses, I found Jennifer Olsen’s discussion on bright light therapy particularly insightful. She elaborated on its application in treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other mood disturbances, citing its effectiveness and safety when used correctly. I agree that light therapy is an easily accessible, non-invasive intervention with substantial evidence supporting its efficacy, particularly in managing depressive symptoms related to circadian rhythm disruptions (Golden et al., 2016). However, I would also consider exploring additional considerations such as patient adherence and individual variability in response to light therapy. Jen’s mention of timing the treatment in the morning to optimize benefits and minimize sleep interference is crucial and aligns with current clinical guidelines (Terman & Terman, 2020).

Furthermore, I would recommend light therapy with caution in bipolar disorder patients, as Jen highlighted, due to the risk of triggering mania. This emphasizes the importance of personalized treatment plans and close monitoring when integrating light therapy into psychiatric care. Overall, Jen’s comprehensive overview supports the inclusion of bright light therapy as a valuable adjunctive treatment for mood disorders, especially when tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Both laughter yoga and bright light therapy exemplify accessible, evidence-based complementary treatments that can enhance conventional therapies and improve overall patient outcomes.

References

• Avery, D. M. (2019). Seasonal affective disorder: Recognizing, managing, and treating winter depression. Psychiatric Times, 36(1), 10-15.
• Gelkopf, M., Melamed, Y., & Ein-Dor, T. (2019). Laughter yoga as a complementary intervention for mental health: An integrative review. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17(2), 273–287.
• Golden, C. J., Gaynes, B. N., Ekstrom, R. D., Hamer, R. M., & Humble, M. N. (2016). The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: A review. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29(4), 771–779.
• Mora-Ripoll, R. (2016). The therapeutic value of laughter and humor in medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 22(2), 32-39.
• Terman, M., & Terman, J. S. (2020). Bright light therapy: Side effects and effectiveness. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 15(1), 11-20.
• Johnson, L. G., Garland, S. N., Carlson, L. E., Savard, J., Simpson, B. M., Ancoli-Israel, S., & Campbell, S. (2018). Efficacy of bright light therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 87(5), 202-213.