Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first developed in 1938. It has a history of abuse, exploited as a means of punishing or controlling people in mental hospitals, consequently ECT had poor reputation with negative depictions, but since then it has drastically improved with confirmed effectiveness. Despite the improvement in techniques, the use of ECT continues to decline since the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE,2003) states that it should only be administered to severely depressed patients for whom psychotherapy and medication have proved ineffective or when the condition is considered potentially life threatening. For example, when there is a risk of suicide or risk to others because ECT has much quicker results than …show more content…
Yet, the biggest risk of ECT is that is causes memory impairments for events surrounding or preceding the ECT. Both types of memories are affected including past (retrograde amnesia), and the ability to remember new information (anterograde amnesia).Similarly, the Department of Health (2007) found that among those receiving ECT within the last two years, 30% reported that it had resulted in permanent fear and anxiety. Furthermore, it can be argued that applying an electrical current to the brain is a frightening and forceful form of intervention hence ethical issues related to ECT are questionable.
On the other hand, majority of the side effects linked to ECT are usually minor and can be managed by careful screening of patients, close monitoring during ECT and regular administration of medications. ECT is beneficial as it quickly relieves symptoms of major depression such as depressed mood, lack of interest, appetite and weight, sleep disturbances, feelings of hopelessness, loss of self-esteem, and thoughts of suicide. Similarly, the remission of ECT is reported to range from 20-80 per cent. Extensive research has also suggested that ECT does not cause permanent brain damage as once thought and the risk of mortality is 1 in 10,000. Additionally, ECT is only administered after
Electroshock therapy is the process of electroshocking the brain of a human, this a process that takes multiple sessions (CBS News). ECT caused critical seizures. Doctors used this method to cure of reduce schizophrenia. Electroshock therapy was performed daily, it was known referred to as “The shock of the day” (D’Antonio). Doctors saw ECT as a easy and fast way to cure a patient.
Still today it is not known why ECT works but it seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. It is also said that the shock literally shocks the person out of their illness as it is regarded as a punishment for the inappropriate behaviour. Another explanation is that the associated memory loss following shock allows the person to start afresh. They literally ‘forget’ they were suffering from a mental illness. Created in +1934 by Hungarian neuropsychiatrist Ladislas Meduna, [11]. However, ECT was not introduced in England until 1939 when Lothar Kalinowsky, observed the treatment administered in Italy and decided to use it in England due to its promising results. During this time high doses of electricity were administered without anaesthesia and muscle relaxations. This lead to memory loss, fractured bones and other serious side effects, which lead to, much of the stigma attached to ECT, because of these early treatments [12]. ECT is a treatment that is still used today, however much less brutally than in the 1930s.
However, there still remains controversy. There remains controversy because some experience more negative effects than they do positive effects. Negative results include side effects, relapse, and possible death. On the other hand, the positive result is an immediate anti-depressant effect despite the possible side effects and relapse. Some argue however, "There is no controversy about the indications for ECT and its efficacy in alleviating severe mood disorders, not about the safety of the procedure when properly done" (2). There are those who argue that ECT is brain-damaging or brain-disabling, but research has not been able to find tangible evidence on long-term brain changes when properly administered.
Electroshock therapy is most effective for severe depression. People who need ECT the most are the ones who do not respond well to other treatments or have suicidal thoughts. There are other treatments for depression besides electroshock therapy such as medication; however, there are people who medication does not help. There is a kind of checklist that the doctor goes by that shows him that the shock therapy is needed. The first thing the doctor assesses is if the patient is unable to tolerate the side effects of the medication. In addition, he looks at if they responded well to a previous round of ECT rather than medication. There also may be reasons that
In essence, what happens is that the individual is dazed, confused, and disoriented, and therefore cannot remember or appreciate current problems. The shocks are then continued for a few weeks (sometimes several times a day) to make the procedure 'take,' that is, to damage the brain sufficiently so that the individual will not remember, at least for several months, the problems that led to his being shocked in the first place. The greater the brain damage, the more likely that certain memories and abilities will never return. Thus memory loss and confusion secondary to brain injury are not side effects of electroshock; they are the means by which families (perhaps unwittingly) and psychiatrists sometimes choose to deal with troubled and troublesome persons”
According to the Mental Health America website (2012), ECT is making a comeback. They assert with “the increase in the elderly population and Medicare, and the push by insurance companies to provide fast, “medical” treatment rather than talk therapy” (para. 6) has created yet another potentially dangerous field to navigate. Is it appropriate to treat these elderly patients with ECT when they have pre-existing medical conditions, specifically cardiac conditions where an electric shock could be fatal? Who is the advocate for the elderly widow without family to speak for her should she become so incapacitated by mental illness this becomes a viable option? This patient is vulnerable
ECT has become much safer than the dangerous past shown in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Electroconvulsive therapy has little resemblance to that depiction. ECT brings about fast results compared to some other medications and treatments. After the shock, there is immediate relief to the symptoms of many mental illnesses. The electric current only lasts for a few seconds and the seizure lasts for about a minute. Many medications take weeks to become effective and ECT is an ideal option for those people that need the relief right away. ECT has often worked when many other treatments have
(Nordenberg, 4-6). People with milder forms of depression may respond favorably to psychotherapy; however, it is common for people with moderate to sever depression to benefit from both the use of anti-depressants and psychotherapy. Lastly, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used by people who suffer from severe depression or by people whose depression is life threatening or for those who cannot take anti-depressant medications. ECT is most effective where anti-depressants can't provide sufficient relief of symptoms. In order for ECT to be effective, several sessions are necessary, usually three sessions per week. (5). ("Depression: An Overview" 5-7).
I learned that often times, ECT is used along with a general anesthesia and a brief electrical current initiated to trigger a brief seizure. Likewise, I realized that ECT is the preferred treatment when other options are not as well tolerated. After becoming more familiar with the procedure, it seems as though ECT may be a more desirable option than pharmacological interventions as drug interventions may require more time to become effective. Sometimes when a patient's signs and symptoms are overwhelming, interfering with their daily life, time is of the essence and ECT provides a quicker relief for individuals with immediate risk. After several years and improvement technology, ECT has become much safer in the past, presenting minimal possible risks - memory loss, confusion, headache or muscle ache - to the
ECT is done in cases where it is necessary or when it is the best option available. It provides quick and notable alleviations of harmful symptoms of various mental disorders. It is often used in cases of the elderly who cannot deal with the symptoms associated with anti-depressants, people who would rather undergo ECT than medication, and those who have successfully had ECT in the past. It is also
After researching electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), I have decided that if a close family member or even myself were severely depressed I would not support the use of ECT. Electroconvulsive therapy consists of an electrical shock, which is used to produce a seizure. Many people experience seizures due to some other type of illness or illnesses, and in these cases there is medicine taken in order to prevent these occurrences. In deciding my opinion on the topic of ECT I asked myself would I want to put myself or a loved one through what others are trying to avoid; a seizure. Although ECT has proven to be effective in some cases of depression, it has many risk factors involved and it does not ensure a lifetime with out the reoccurrence of
The first argument for the use of ECT is the fact that majority of studies and modern literature show that this treatment is very successful in treating many psychological disorders. Evidence seems strongest for the efficacy in severely depressed patients, as well as manic patients (Reisner, 2003). When looking at those with major depression, the likelihood of substantial improvement ranges from 80-90% (Weiner & Krystal, 1994). In manic patients, Gabbard concludes that 80% of patients show “marked improvement” (2001, p.1272).
Some of those 50,000 to 100,000 Americans may be receiving their ECT treatment at Mount Sinai Health System. The mission of their program is to provide compassionate patient care with seamless coordination and to advance medicine through unrivaled education, research, and outreach in the many diverse communities that they serve (The Mount Sinai Hospital, 2015). To do so they are reimagining what is possible and redefining the practice of modern medicine, both in their local community and across the world, in order to produce the only result that really matters: radically better outcomes for their patients (The Mount Sinai Hospital, 2015).
seizure through controlled electric shock, under anesthesia. The process itself is under scrutiny because it is not entirely understood, which is main a reason why it is only considered in the direst of cases. ECT tends to have severe physical health risks and with the introduction of newer and less harmful antidepressant drugs, it is being used far less often (Comer, 2005). This new class of drugs includes three main types; monoamine oxidase (MAOI) inhibitors, tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
The rationale for ECT is to provide relief from the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses such as severe depression,