Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The purpose of the current study is to describe the patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use for the treatment of mental and emotional problems among individuals with PTSD. Data from 599 individuals with past-year PTSD were obtained from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys. Descriptive analyses described the extent to which each of 15 CAM treatments were used. Multivariate analyses identified correlates of CAM use, organized according to a sociobehavioral model of health care utilization. Results demonstrated that 39% of individuals with PTSD reported using a CAM treatment to address their self-reported emotional and mental problems in the past year. Only 13% of CAM users saw a CAM practitioner for their CAM treatment. The most common types of CAM used were mind body treatments, specifically relaxation or meditation techniques and exercise therapy. Correlates of CAM use in the past year included the predisposing factors of gender, race, and education, as well as the health need factor of comorbid psychiatric disorders. Individuals with PTSD were just as likely to use CAM as an alternative to conventional mental health care as they were to use CAM as a complement to conventional mental health care. Clinicians should discuss CAM use with their patients in order to avoid possible adverse interactions with conventional forms of care, to educate patients about the risks and benefits of CAM treatments, and to maximize the potential benefits of patients' various treatment approaches.