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Alternative therapy may be beneficial to those with mental illnesses

By Staff Writer

In recent years, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has focused on promoting mind and body health practices for those who live with major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other diagnoses. The initiative is called Hearts and Minds and focuses on providing people with resources for alternative therapies.

Practices covered include basic meditation, guided imagery, yoga and Tai Chi, as well as creative outlets such as writing, art, music and dance.

Ed Knight of Colorado Springs says he uses meditation to help control hearing voices and panic attacks, "Without the combination of meditation and medication, I would be in and out of the hospital very frequently. I haven't had a panic attack in several years and I have ceased to hear voices."

A new Mindfulness section on NAMI's Hearts and Minds website includes a 10-minute video of guided mediation, along with information about other holistic methods to complement medication and therapy in order to help a person gain greater control over the recovery process.

"Medication and therapy are crucial to recovery, but everyone's experience is different," said Michael Fitzpatrick, executive director of NAMI. "Some practices will work for some people, but not for everyone. In the end it comes down to what works for you."

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