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COMPARING AMERICAN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND INDIGENOUS

ANDEAN SHAMANISM IN THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

INTRODUCTION

Traditional medicine has been in existence for thousands of years. However, in today’s Western

societies it is considered alternative medicine. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in more natural

treatments for a large array of ailments. This includes mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. An

aversion to medications with long lists of serious side effects is understandable; but what other options are

there? Psychologists advocate for a healthy diet, moderate exercise, and a good sleep schedule. Beyond these

complementary treatments, many Americans are turning to the seemingly new fad of essential oils. America’s

recent rediscovery of alternative medicine does not mean that traditional medicine is gone throughout the

world. In Peru, indigenous individuals and other locals utilize traditional medicine to treat ailments of all

kinds. While there may be conditions with names different than anxiety and depression, mental health

disorders are still treated with traditional medicine in Peru. By looking at both cultures’ natural healing

methods, one can see the similarities and differences, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of both.

AMERICAN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The United States is one of the most developed countries in the world and relies heavily on modern

medicine and the private health system. Interestingly, the use of complementary and alternative medicine

(CAM) in the realm of mental health is more common on either end of the socioeconomic spectrum. In a 2013

study which specifically looked at American youth with mental health concerns, those who had problems

affording therapy and those whose parents had a higher income and level of education were both more likely

to utilize CAM (Kemper, Gardiner, & Birdee, p. 6). There is a wide range of CAM practices including

spiritual practices, yoga, mindfulness, and herbal supplements. An important and often forgotten aspect of

CAM is the individuals’ perceptions of the effectiveness of alternative treatments. A 2002 study of CAM

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