Electric Shock Therapy and Depression Treatment Benton Harbor MI

Six days after receiving electric shock therapy for depression, renowned writer Ernest Hemingway killed himself. He'd suffered severe memory loss after the treatment. Although mental health professionals are well aware of the severe side effects associated with this electric shock therapy, some regard it as one of the best treatments for severe depression, especially when antidepressants and counseling are not effective.

The change of heart may be due to progress in how electric shock therapy is administered. Mental Health America (MHA, formerly the National Mental Health Association) explains that while images of draconian shock treatment (think One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) linger, advances have occurred that make electroconvulsive therapy--the more PC term these days--safer and less likely to cause serious cognitive damage. Their stance is that many of the severe side effects occur when a practitioner does not administer the treatment according to clinical guidelines.

What Is Electric Shock Therapy?

The MHA describes electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as a type of electrical stimulation of the brain, usually overseen by a psychiatrist, anesthesiologist and other medical staff. The two main types of stimulation currently used are bilateral pulse stimulation and unilateral pulse stimulation (which causes fewer side effects).

Before the treatment you'll be given an anaesthetic, or muscle relaxant, or both. Afterwards, a practitioner applies electrodes just above your temples or in the middle of the forehead, and an electrical current passes through your brain. The practitioner can individualized your treatment to your specific needs by adjusting the charge dose, pulse length, and duration...

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