Electroconvulsive therapy has long been a source of fascination and controversy. Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, is a treatment that is often misunderstood. In reality, it is a critically important treatment for people with severe mental issues. In this blog post, we will explore electroshock therapy in greater detail. We will examine its uses, benefits, possible complications, electric shock therapy cost, and everything in between. We will also examine popular questions related to its efficacy and its continued usage.
Electro shock therapy is a modern, highly effective treatment for severe mental health conditions. This article explores its benefits, potential side effects, costs, and why it remains a vital therapy today.
What is electroshock therapy?
Electro shock therapy is a medical procedure that is utilized in order to treat a number of mental conditions, especially depression. During this procedure, a small current is passed through a patient’s brain in order to induce a convulsion that has a positive effect of relieving a mentally ill individual of his or her illness. Contrary to popular myth, electro shock therapy in its current form is actually a lot more precise than the version often provided in films.
In current medical practice, electroconvulsive therapy is applied in the treatment of conditions such as major depression that is severe, bipolar disorders, and in the case of specially defined types of schizophrenia when a particular form of therapy, either pharmacological or talking therapy, has failed.
Does electro shock therapy remain in use?
One of the common questions asked is, “Is electro shock therapy still practiced?” Yes, it is. In fact, electro shock therapy is a widely practiced form of therapy in present times, especially for those with severe problems in their mental well being. Electro shock therapy is highly effective for people suffering from treatment resistant depression. This means that those affected have not experienced adequate relief through medications or therapy sessions.
Historically, electro shock therapy was looked upon rather negatively, and as such, it was usually administered as a means of correcting that misconception. In fact, earlier techniques were quite brutal because the necessity of fully sedating a patient was overlooked. Nonetheless, the procedure has evolved significantly over the decades and is now a well regulated procedure.
Why is electroconvulsive therapy in use today?
Electroconvulsive therapy is also an important treatment option because it is often effective when all else fails. In the case of those with severe depression in which other treatment alternatives such as antidepressants or therapy have failed, electroconvulsive therapy is often just what is needed to make all the difference in the world. Moreover, electroconvulsive therapy is often effective within a short period of a few weeks, making it a highly sought after type of depression treatment.
Moreover, it has been discovered that it has fewer shock therapy side effects compared to certain drugs, which take several weeks before they start working and have long term shock therapy side effects. For those whose bodies do not respond well to drugs, ECT is an alternative therapy.
Electroconvulsive therapy works in several ways
This process entails transmitting a controlled electric current to the patient’s brain while he or she is anesthetized. This electric shock leads to a transient seizure in the brain, thereby helping to normalize its chemical balance. It is also believed that ECT therapy is effective in that it stimulates particular areas of a patient’s brain that produce higher quantities of neurochemicals in charge of regulating a patient’s moods.
Another reason why ECT is so effective in tackling problems such as depression is that it boosts the concentration of neurotransmitters in a person’s brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which regulate a person’s moods. This procedure is done in a healthcare setting and will take anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes.
Advantages of ECT
Despite its slightly negative image, ECT has been found to be of immense use for people suffering from mental illnesses. The foremost benefit of ECT is its ability to offer prompt relief in conditions that have failed to respond to previous treatments. Some of the key benefits of electroconvulsive therapy include:
1. Treating Severe Cases of Depression
Electroconvulsive therapy is a common present day treatment for those with severe depression. Treatment resistant depression sufferers often experience marked relief of their conditions after undergoing ECT when all else fails. In fact, a depression sufferer considering or making an attempt at suicide often needs ECT as a possible lifesaver.
2. Fast results
Unlike antidepressants, which take several weeks or even months to work, electroconvulsive therapy tends to have immediate results. In fact, in some cases, a patient may start showing improvement within just one or two treatments. This is crucial for patients in acute crises.
3. Security and efficacy
Although previous versions of electroconvulsive therapy could not be so well controlled, current methods have proved remarkably safe. In fact, electro shock therapy is now accomplished under general anesthesia with precise electrical current adjustment for safety. Most of those undergoing
What are the side effects of electro shock therapy?
Like all types of medical treatments, electro shock therapy also carries possible shock therapy side effects. Nevertheless, it is worth stating that those from ECT are actually rare and are only temporary in nature.
In this manner, listed below are possible side effects of electro shock therapy:
1. Memory loss
Memory loss is considered to be one of the most frequently occurring side effects of electroconvulsive therapy. This type of memory loss is often a short term one and relates to events surrounding the procedure. Some people taking this treatment may have problems recalling new material or new experiences related to their personal history.
2. Confusion & disorientation
After the procedure, a patient may experience confusion or disorientation for a short while. This is a normal effect that results from either anesthesia or an electrical current that is applied to a brain. This effect is, in fact, temporary and may disappear after a few hours.
3. Headaches and muscle aches
In rare cases, a few patients may experience muscle aches or headaches as a side effect of electroconvulsive therapy. This is a common phenomenon because of the seizures that take place in a person’s body as a result of electroconvulsive therapy. This is because a convulsion is a natural phenomenon of a person’s body.
4. Risk of seizures
This is because it is a procedure that entails a seizure in the body’s control center – that is, in the brain. This is bound to entail a small chance of complications such as seizures that go for too long.
5. Physical side effects
In some cases, a patient may feel a nauseating sensation or experience dizziness shortly after the treatment.
Is electric shock therapy still used?
Among the most common types of questions is, ” Is electric shock therapy still used?” Yes, electroshock therapy is widely practiced and is also an effective form of treatment for mental disorders such as major depression. It is imperative to state that the process has also evolved and is now more precise than in the previous years. In current practice, electro shock therapy is safer and more precise than before.
It may not be considered a major or front line form of therapy, but it is a good alternative for those who have failed to respond to previous treatments, such as antidepressants or therapy. Electric shock therapy is also still widely practiced in hospitals and mental institutions across the globe.
How much does electro shock therapy cost?
In your decision to go for electro shock therapy, you may want to take into consideration the costs involved. The price of electro shock therapy does vary depending upon several considerations such as how many sessions you will need and where you are located.
On average, a single electro shock therapy costs anywhere from 300 to 500 dollars. In fact, multiple sessions may be needed depending on the individual’s needs. Therefore, it is possible that a treatment cycle may range anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 dollars or more. Moreover, several insurance programs do include electro shock therapy within their benefits.
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, is a highly effective and often lifesaving therapy for people with severe mental illness, such as those with severe depression. Although it has been a controversial form of therapy in the past, current methods have greatly reduced its invasiveness while increasing its efficacy. At MindVita, we are dedicated to ensuring that those with mental issues get the best treatment available. If you or a family member is thinking of undergoing an ECT procedure, seek our assistance today.
Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Electro shock Therapy
1. Is Electro shock Therapy Safe?
Yes, electroshock therapy is a completely safe procedure when carried out by qualified medical practitioners. This is because new methods have been introduced, which have minimized risks involved in electroshock therapy.
2. How long does it take for electroshock therapy to work?
Under normal circumstances, the results of electroconvulsive therapy may start to manifest after a period of one to two weeks after undergoing the procedure. In fact, in most people, quite immediate results are seen, or at least after a few sessions.
3. Will I need more than one session?
Yes,Most of the patients will need multiple treatments of electroconvulsive therapy.
Generally, a patient will need 6 to 12 sessions of therapy, with appointments a few sessions a week.
4. How does electroconvulsive therapy work?
Electroconvulsive therapy involves the use of electric current through a patient’s brain while under general anesthesia, as a result of which seizures occur that are thought to normalize a patient’s chemical balance thereby ensuring their mental health.
5. Does electroconvulsive therapy have efficacy in depression?
Yes, electroconvulsive therapy is a highly effective form of treatment in regards to severe depression, and it is especially helpful in those that have been unresponsive to previous methods of treatment.
