Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Project

Description: Psychiatry, a medical specialty focusing on mental and behavioural concerns, involves a range of disorders affecting mood, behavior, and thoughts, often leading to impaired daily functioning. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Disease (ICD-11) provide diagnostic criteria. Anxiety and depressive disorders have risen by 26% and 28%, respectively, since the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting one in eight individuals globally. Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) has gained traction, with 9.8% of those with mental health disorders utilizing it. CAIM, including S-adenosylmethionine, St. John’s wort, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and exercise, may offer potential benefits in tandem with conventional treatments. However, healthcare practitioners often lack training in CAIM, hindering informed recommendations. Clinical practice guidelines for CAIM treatments are variable and of suboptimal quality. This study aims to explore the perspectives of psychiatry researchers and clinicians towards CAIM. Insights into their views can lead to tailored educational resources, enhancing the integration of evidence-based CAIM practices in clinical settings, promoting better patient outcomes.