By Michelle Sicignano, LMSW
SJS Staff Writer
Through the years, this topic has received much bad press. Research seems mixed. From a conglomerate of what I have read, I might be inclined to go with this type of intervention under certain conditions. Supposedly, with well-defined parameters< in severe cases of depression it is a akin to rebooting your computer, the “gold standard” in fact. I’d love to hear your ideas on this long controversial intervention.
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I would like to see follow up studies on people who have undergone ECT and the long term effects, if any. The procedure has always frightened me. Have long term studies been done? Is there information on relapse?
I would like to find out about the effects on memory –long term.
It is effective for medication and therapy resistant depression. The stigma of treatment remains in spite of improved process.
Not so sure I would go there……it is an ‘old school’ form of treatment. Medications, ‘talk’ therapy, group support, art therapy, music therapy, exercise are all better option to me. I get the analogy of ‘rebooting’ your brain in a sense, but I would also want to see the research on the effects of electroshock treatment.
Electroshock has its place in treatement of severe depressions that won’t respond to medication. More study is needed- but it has been proven to help people.
Of couse- II also think lobotimies unappreciated as well– seriously, the pre-frontal lobes of many folks are quite underrated. 🙂
I cannot respond to particular comments at this time….there is a lot of research, much of it mixed. The effects on memory loss are reported to be minimal and short term when used at the proper frequency for limited duration. It actually isn’t old school. It is only old school in it’s rather barbaric presentation and methodology, much like dentistry of old. If not delivered properly, there can be long term adverse side effects. I agree with K.A. Thompson regarding the stigma associated with this particular treatment. Stigma with mental health issues abound, but this treatment readily brings to mind the worst images of the asylums of old.
When I used the term ‘old school’ I should have described better in that it makes me think ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ with Jack Nicholson, which I watched in graduate school over 17 years ago……
Yes, it makes me think of old style institutionalization and asylums….. Yes, stigma still abounds re: Mental Health, but in reality Mental Health issues are no different than physical issues as in diabetes, cardiac conditions, high cholesterol, cancer, ALS-it just effects the brain and how we feel.
The stigma is slowly changing much like the stigma of having cancer, AIDS or other physical conditions are changing and becoming more accepted?
I would want to see more research proving the benefits to it and that all other avenues have been pursued first.