Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely accepted in the general population, e.g., for treatment of allergies or cancers. In people with mental illness the use of CAM is not very well understood. Data are available especially from the United States, but not from Europe. Thus, this symposium aims to, firstly, clarify the general public's treatment expectations with respect to mental disorders and CAM. Illness models and their implications for treatment will be illustrated based on data from a representative public survey in Switzerland. Secondly, data from the Zurich- study, a prospective population-based assessment of medical conditions in the general population, will display the public's use of CAM. Moreover, the relationship of psychiatric and somatic symptoms concerning the use of CAM will be shown. Thirdly, we will discuss how alternative and evidence-based medicine complement each other in severely mentally ill migrants. The special cultural background of this group influences the use of CAM, but also ideas about mental illness and their respective treatment. And finally, we will have a closer look at the difference between professionals and patients in their treatment concepts exemplified by the concept of compliance.