Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a method in which electrical currents are passed through the brain to trigger a seizure. The positioning of electroconvulsive therapy relies on treating severe depression and mental illness. ECT is still being used the medical practice, at least in psychiatric units in general hospitals and mental clinics and institutions. Today the use of ECT is much safer than the past. Today ECT still has its own risks. However comparing the procedure with the early practice it has a huge positive gap. ECT was first introduced in 1934, was based on experiments suggesting that schizophrenia could be treated by inducing a seizure. Initial treatments involved drugs that induced seizures, but they were replaced by electrical current. In the past ECT was causing too much pain and was considered as a dangerous technique. Although early techniques were refined to prevent muscle contractions, ECT appeared to work well and is still used today for patients with serious or refractory schizophrenia and other mental disorders, including depression. In fact, studies have shown that up to 70% of patients who fail to respond to antidepressant medications may respond positively to ECT. Although the therapeutic mechanism underlying ECT is not well understood, the electric current is thought to affect neurotransmission at the level of neurotransmitter receptors and second-messenger systems. ECT is shown to be an effective method. Within couple of weeks electro convulsive therapy may help to relieve the symptoms of specific cases of mental illness.

ECT is frequently advised to people with:

• Patients who are suffering from schizophrenia where the drugs are not responding
• People who have severe depression where that have an intention of suicide
• Mania, where patients are not responding to their medications.

The standard procedure takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes plus the time for getting ready and recovery. ECT may be employed for both outpatients and inpatients. Anesthesia is being applied in each case.

The risks of Electro Convulsive Therapy include:

• Memory loss
• Cognitive impairment
• Physical issues
• Medical copmplications
• Deciding to employ whether ECT is a good option for patients may not be so easy. However below check list may help:
• You don’t get any response from other treatments
• You need a quick recovery of the symptoms
• Because of the extreme sensitivity to side effects, you can’t take antidepressants
• Your response to other treatments are not at the desired level
• You are getting good results with ECT