A Review of Traditional Healing Methods’ Efficacy in Treating Mental Disorders

Abstract

In India, traditional medicine has a long history and is still commonly practiced, including for mental health conditions. A significant portion of the global mental health workforce is made up of traditional healers. For the majority of indigenous populations, traditional healers are the first line of defense and initial point of contact. Faith healing is a common practice among patients in mental health facilities. Aim to assess the traditional healers and faith healing in management of mental disorder. The study reviewed literatures on the traditional healing and faith healing Practices in managing of mental illnesses. Literature has been searched the both electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and manual searches for this. Traditional treatments serve a significant part in satisfying the need for mental health therapy. Since most of the faith healer visits were by uneducated people of a rural background, it is recommended to make the public aware of various psychiatric problems, their presentations and their causes. Villages should adopt community-based strategies to address mental health issues and dispel stigmas and myths surrounding mental health. Prioritizing mental health is important, and local religion healers shouldn’t be trusted with it.