The general aim of this article was to examine individual experiences
of choosing and using CAM. Moreover, it was also to answer questions
about why people choose treatments outside conventional medicine and
or/public health care, how choices are carried out in practice, how use of
CAM is experienced compared to conventional treatments, and how use
develop over time. In analysing experiences of choosing and using CAM
four main themes were identified: frustration and critique, values and
ideology, individual responsibility, and combining treatments. In general,
the participants were highly reflexive on issues concerning their
health. They highlighted their own role and responsibility and were willing
to take some risks. They combined a variety of treatments, both conventional
and CAM, even if they had relatively different approaches to if
and when to choose CAM and/or conventional treatments. It was also
possible to detect changes over time. Even if initial choices were closely
related to disappointment, failure, and critique of conventional health
care (for example, by perceiving conventional health care as narrow and
limited, not being accurately diagnosed, or being critical to conventional
drugs and routine prescriptions), long-term use was motivated by ideological
characteristics of CAM treatments (such as holistic and individualized
treatments, and extensive interaction with practitioners).