In 2019, the World Health Organisation reported that 170 countries used traditional or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). That is over 85% of all the countries in the world.

What is "alternative medicine"? Alternative medicine is a holisticIn medicine, it is a rounded approach to healing that considers mental, social, and physical factors as interconnected. approach to healing outside conventional, scientific medicine. This means it avoids man-made compounds found in modern medicine and can involve many different branches, such as acupuncture, hypnosis, or homeopathy.

Where did it come from? Everywhere. Influenced by indigenousEthnic groups who are the original or earliest-known inhabitants of an area or country: for example, Native Americans in the USA. traditional healing from all over the world, the term "alternative medicine" actually only applies to countries that favour science-based medicine. It is literally an alternative to this.

In some countries, traditional healing has survived as the popular approach. For instance, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is thriving, endorsed by President Xi Jinping himself in the coronavirus crisis. In fact, TCM is now a $60 billion (46.5 bn) industry. That is the gross national product of Costa Rica.

When did it become so popular? In Western culture, the popularity of alternative medicine increased with the hippie eraAlso known as the counterculture movement, it involved the rejection of established authority such as the government. of the 1960s and 70s. In keeping with their "stick it to The Man" mantra, alternative medicine went against the legitimate, scientific medicine endorsed by the government. Before this, it was often dismissed as quackeryThe promotion of fraudulent and fake medical treatments gets its name from an obsolete Dutch word, quacksalver, which meant a "hawker of salve." Medieval charlatans would "quack" (shout) about their miracle cures in the marketplace..

Can you use it with modern medicine? Most of the time, yes. Scientists in the medical community are becoming much more open to "complementary medicine", combining the scientific with the natural.

Although most treatments can be taken alongside conventional medicine, it can be dangerous. St John's WortA flowering plant used as an alternative treatment for depression. , for example, is used to combat depression. But it can also hinder the effect of some anticancer drugs.

Is it only plants that are used? No. In fact, sometimes it uses nothing at all. A modern practice called laugh therapy shows that laughter actually could be the best medicine.

On the other side, an animal rights debate is in play. Traditional medicine has often used animal parts for healing, such as the Japanese belief that the cartilage in shark fins can cure cancer. Or China's breeding of bears under the belief that their bile can sustain human organs. This is seen by many as unethical.

Does it even work? There is little evidence to suggest that it doesn't. But there is also little evidence to suggest that it does. Because of this, many sceptics view CAM practitioners as con artists. It has been proven to work on occasion, like Tu Youyou's groundbreaking discovery of the antimalarial drug, artemisinin. However, many still have their doubts.

How does it keep getting more popular? Wellness is trending. People are becoming much more aware of what they are putting in their bodies, this can be seen in the rise of veganism and yoga. Also, man-made medicine can be expensive. Especially in poorer countries with no public health system, it is cheaper to buy a natural remedy than to visit a doctor or buy medicine.

What does it do for mental health? With over 264 million people in the world affected by depression in 2017, scientists are determined to find a solution.

And there might just be one in hallucinogenic mushrooms. Studies suggest that by administering the active ingredient, psilocybin, and combining that with therapy, conditions such as anxiety, OCD, or depressionLow mood that affects someone's daily life, and can last for weeks or months. may be relieved. The Amazonian drug ayahuasca has been used by shamansPeople who are said to have special powers to interact with good and evil spirits. for centuries, and is now attracting attention in modern mental health practice.