First, there has been a greater awareness and desire for holistic medicine. Patients increasingly do not want to be treated simply as a body with a kidney, blood pressure, or sugar problem. They want the social and psychological aspects of their ailments addressed as well. Under such conditions, it is logical for patients to search for something that works. So they seek out alternatives without necessarily abandoning conventional care.
Many conventional therapies can cause debilitating side effects.
Although disconcerting to some doctors, the growing trend toward CAM is not going away, especially with patient access to the Internet. Between Web surfing and exposure to TV newscasts reporting almost daily on the latest health findings, patients often become aware of the latest developments even before their doctors do. CAM is popular in part because its practitioners tend to address patients' psychological needs. Addressing the patient's psychological needs requires a special kind of interaction between patient and doctor. It may even require training on the part of the practitioner.