Sounds like you need a new doctor dude, as your experience is very different than mine.
Several points:
1) The article you linked me to does not, at all, discuss whether or not naturopathy is effective. It states what it is used for. You should be clear in that it is not an endorsement for naturopathic "medicine".
2) Interestingly enough, this is what I was
able to find in eight seconds (emphasis mine):
3) If you're not feeling WP or want to take issue with the Prof's bias (and who can blame you in today's media environment), let's look at what some evidence says:
"The results showed that the duration of hospitalization was significantly greater than that of the comparison group of patients (cases from 263 German hospitals) receiving purely internal medical treatment in hospitals at national level."
Granted, even WebMD says not to go there (naturopathy) for serious shit. But the problem is that evidence demonstrating many naturopathic approaches is... seriously lacking. Read the WebMD page you sent me thinking it was going to validate your stance. Nowhere does it say that natropathy works, is effective, or ideal for certain conditions. The closest it gets is
"It's a good option for people who might not find relief for their chronic illness through traditional medicine."
Interestingly, I was able to find journals in support, but they were also the same journal: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
4) I don't really disagree with you re: the role that non-"medical/prescriptive" treatment plays. I meet with a physiotherapist twice per week and have a massage therapy/refloxology session every two weeks. It's not like you need to take a pill to find relief. The thing is that treatments should be evidence-based, no?
5) Advice to seek a naturopath for mental health with a dash of substance use is inappropriate. We aren't talking knee pain. We're talking a mix of substances, personalities, anxieties, and other circumstances.
6) Clearly you won't be convinced, but hopefully, the OP has the perspective needed to make the right choices for them. There are people that swear by chiros, and others that think their quacks that sell MLM crap from their offices. Different strokes and all that.
7) Lastly, and most importantly, OP: you are going to find that your path to contentment is varied and many who walk it will have contrasting experiences. See my above convergument with
@
vengie
lol. If you think naturopathy has a place in your threatment, then bring it in to complement treatment that your doctor/specialists/family are working with you on.
The reality is that this is a team effort. Your wife/kids included. Communication, honesty, and persistence will be how you find the right answers.