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  • Today Electroconvulsive Therapy is considered a generally safe and effective way to treat certain kinds of psychiatric disorders
  • According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 100,000 people receive electroconvulsive therapy every year in this country.
  • The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control reports that some 17% of the suicides committed in 2001 were people aged 65+.

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Electroconvulsive Therapy


at 11:55AM, 1:55PM, and 3:55PM

A Shocking Treatment
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), also known as Shock Therapy, has been a controversial medical treatment in the United States for almost 70 years. While many view it as a barbaric practice, reserved only for horror films and science fiction novels, more than 100,000 people undergo the procedure every year to treat severe depression and other mental disorders. To better understand the risks and benefits of electroconvulsive therapy, Suzanne sits down with Dr. David Weiss, a Geriatric Psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania.

What is Electroconvulsive Therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which a brief application of electric stimuli, or currents, pass through the brain in order to cause a seizure. Although doctors don’t fully understand the result of electroconvulsive therapy, they think that by triggering seizures they can produce changes in an individual’s brain chemistry. ECT is generally given over a course of weeks and has been shown to work well in patients suffering from severe depression with psychosis, suicidal thoughts, or refusal to eat, those experiencing bouts of mania who don’t respond to medication, and schizophrenics.

How ECT Is Administered
The procedure is relatively short—taking only 10 to 15 minutes. Before electroconvulsive therapy, you are put under general anesthesia and given muscle relaxers. Your vitals are monitored and electrodes are placed on the temples of your forehead. When you’ve reached a sleeplike state and your muscles are fully relaxed, the doctor will administer an electric shock or current. The electric current is sent through your brain via the electrode pads and it eventually triggers a seizure. You feel nothing, given the anesthetic and muscle relaxers, despite experiencing a full-blown seizure similar to that brought on by epilepsy.

Potential Risks and Benefits of Electroconvulsive Therapy

    RISKS
  • Confusion/Cognitive Impairment
  • Memory Loss
  • Stroke
    BENEFITS
  • Quick relief of symptoms
  • No side effects from meds
  • No oral medicine

Is ECT Right For Me?
Ultimately, many in the medical community still consider electroconvulsive therapy controversial. If you believe you might be experiencing depression or psychiatric illness, consult a medical professional as soon as possible. If you’re considering ECT, discuss it with your doctor. Make sure to consider all the facts and have a complete understanding of its risks and benefits before proceeding.

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