Nutraceuticals Supporting Recovery: The Emerging Science

Many individuals in the recovery process are using supplements and various other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches with or without their physician’s knowledge. In a fairly recent survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 62% of adults in this country used a nonconventional treatment for a variety of health issues including mental health challenges. While many conventional physicians continue to be unhappy about this trend away from “real medicine,” there are increasing numbers of professionals who are open to alternative modalities. It is important for all of us to be more aware of the safe and effective use of supplements… or as we call them in our CooperRiis Healing Community, nutraceuticals.

It is an exciting time for nutraceuticals with new and emerging research for stand alone therapies, as well as combining these natural substances with conventional medications allowing for a reduction in dosage and the side effects that often cause individuals to discontinue their medications. What if a natural sleep aid could also treat tardive dyskinesia? We will present a nutraceutical that may do just that. What if an herb with a history of safe use for almost 2000 years could provide focus, energy, and ease anxiety and depression? There are many nutraceuticals that can support recovery in individuals struggling with conventional medications that may not provide adequate symptom relief.

Having tools such as a nationally recognized database of CAM modalities is valuable because it empowers mental health professionals and consumers with real evidence-based data that can alleviate the fear and confusion that may otherwise arise when nutraceuticals are introduced into a recovery plan.

At CooperRiis, we have successfully integrated nutraceuticals and other whole person approaches to the more conventional medical and therapeutic mental health interventions.  Embracing these progressive and empirically supported approaches is one aspect of our recovery oriented approach which seeks to incorporate the latest research and knowledge available to us in order to help exceptional individuals heal, recover, grow, and thrive. It is also an important part of our mission to share our evolving knowledge with others.