Did you know they are using Shock Therapy to treat depression?

I've read about it in my psychology text book.. they never said anything about that they've stopped although, it is used a lot less. You reminded me of the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind." I've anxiety and have had bouts of depression so i can't really answer for chronic depression suffers but I can't deny that there has been things I've learned from my mental condition so, as of now, I wouldnt' trade it in. it would be the very last action I'd consider.

I don't have any personal experience with shock therapy, but I know someone who has tried it. She has mixed feelings about the experience. On one hand it helped her and on the other hand she has serious memory problems after her shock therapy. Personally I don't want to try it. I know that it might help like it did in my friend's case, but I am not willing to accept that kind of treatment. The thought of losing my memory scares me and it doesn't sound like something that I would be willing to try.

I knew they were still doing it, but I didn't realize there were such dangers to it. I guess I thought they were "better" or "safer" somehow than a few decades ago. It's scary, especially since they don't know how it helps. It helps 80%, but what happens to the 20%? Are they damaged? It doesn't say, that I could tell. It seems barbaric.

Oh heck no I wouldnt get that shock treatment I saw to many true story movies where it did more damage than good and I have been shocked on an electric fence when our goats trying to run from me got the chain wraped around my ankle and hitt hat darn fence sure didnt feel good at all lololololool And no I didnt know they still used it. BUt does sound like they have learned something about it so it will stop breaking bones and things but to use the same voltage just dont sound right! Oh well to each is own

I have heard Carrie Fisher (from Star Wars) talk about having had it. She has used it more than once, and fairly recently. She said while she had side effects that were serious, it treated her depression well. I would only use it as a very last resort. Which I'm sure is what most people think they are doing. A last resort.

Hi Jen, Yes I knew that this therapy was still in use... I don't know how correct this is, but many years ago, I was told that it was discovered by accident when an electric probe (that they used to use to control farm animals) what administered into (I think) a pig's brain and stunned him. He went from an animal who was very aggressive into one that was very passive and easily manageable - and so it was tried on humans. With some it seemed to work, and others not. Personally, short of being sectioned under the mental health act, I would never have this treatment as I feel it is quite barbaric - that is my personal point of view. Professionally, I have had several clients who have had ECT coming to see me because of it. They displayed some quite alarming side-effects including obsessions. Interacting with them was almost impossible as it seemed that the symptoms they had seemed to be "locked in place" because an impaired memory wouldn't allow them to get to the source of their anxiety. Minor improvement were possible with those who were willing to take up the daily practice of meditation, but the majority of them wouldn't commit to it. But of course these are the only people I have seen exhibiting negative results. It is claimed that there are some good results, but how would one measure a good result? Would it be because the patient would conform to the wiles of society's norms by shutting up about their misery? Yes, I would agree that there can be chemical dissorders in the brain, but doesn't thinking alter brain chemistry anyway? Hasn't it been discovered that thinking effects emotions, that effect the nervous system that in turn effects the immune system? And who knows what other symptoms? Don't people die of broken hearts? As a Zen practitioner, I aspire to realize (not theorize) the mind and body being as one, and ultimately at one with all there is. ECT treats the physical brain and to me, this treats fragments of a person whilst ignoring the whole. And fragmentation is reinforced. Just my opinion. I feel that we all have our own karma and must go with what we feel it right for us. _Derek

The shock treatment to treat mentally ill patients and those suffering from depression is being used since many years. I rememeber some 30 years ago a distant relative of mine was suffering from depression and she was made to undergo shock treament. This shock treatment only made her condition worse and now in her old age she is in a mental asylum with total loss of memory.

Hi JenInTn well I really would be hesitant to do that if I was in a bad way with depression. I remember too much of the old shock therapy and frankly I would be really scared silly to allow someone to screw around with my brain like that, sure it erased memories but what other side effects might still come?So they want to erase all their memories and be like the zommbie type people that used to come'out from this shock treatment? The wife seemed almost too la de dah about it like the treatment was just a simple little procedure that was zapping ones very brain. I could be wrong of' course as I am going by how I would feel. It frankly would not be for me at all.I did not know they were still doing this. I would not consider it. but again I h ave no depression myself and thus am not apt to be in that situation.

I have heard that. but i thought it was done with some kind of medication, so its not like the old way where they strap you down and eletrify you maybe ive been told wrong. yes, i know what it does. my aunt forgot a lot of things when she had it done in her youth and shes been fine without any depression any more.

Hi Jen~ I am sorry to say that I do know that this practice is still used. My best gf had shock therapy sbout 10 years ago. She got very sick from the Anesthesia and now is deathly afraid to have any other procedure that she might need that uses it. She had already had a series of nervous breakdowns, tried various anti-depressants and the doctors made the decision to give her a few rounds of shock treatments. I wasn't aware of this at the time she had them done. She has been in and out of my life for 49 years~we met when we were 10 at daycamp. We have now been in touch for quite a few years, steadlily since her last "episode" and she is doing great. She is still on anti-depressants, (as am I) but, she has gotten her life together. She had gone through a terrible divorce, lost custody of her son which led to the hospitalization and shock therapy. I think it is barbaric that is still being used, but the doctors believe that it does more good than harm. My gf needs to have a Colonoscopy and won't go because of the Anesthesia issue. Is that going to help her if she has Colon Cancer? I just had 2 polyops removed from my Colon that my Doctor had no idea I had since I had a Colonoscopy 5 years ago and he felt it was too soon to check again. What if I hadn't gone? I might have had Colon Cancer if I waited 2 more years to check. My OBGYN found blood in my stool test. My gf has serious signs that need to be checked and won't go because of those damn shock treatments! I'm really against what the doctors are doing!

When someone got shock treatment that used to be talked about in whispers. Not knowing what it was all about the fact that it was talked in whispers I always thought that there was something drastic about it. Just a few years ago I had someone staying with me who had undergone this treatment and she was sent to me so that she could get a break from the environment that caused her condition. When she stayed with me I could not say that she was back to normal. I therefore felt that she needed a different kind of approach in the form of half way homes. I sent her therefore with permission from her parents. Today this person is back home and is working.

Oh dear, I thought things had changed since the broadcast of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

I read some of the last two headlines and their content under: there was a patient who suffers a long term cognitive damage and the ECT treatment didn't help her at all. Now that's really sad because she also suffers memory some loss. I guess I would never go for such a treatment just to delete my sad memories. I hope they will really understand how the ECT treatment works so they make it more accurate and with less damage. I saw a movie about two brothers that had problems in their life so they asked their uncle to give them money. He asked them to kill someone and they did. One of the brothers couldn't handle what they did and had a serius depression and he wanted to go to jail. Is there any way how to avoid getting into such a depression ? I mean , that can be the best treatment of prevention , isn't it ? Well , I hope we all have nice life and the society will be more based on loving each other. Have a good time myloting.

yes they do. They treat depression by shock therapy. I've seen some people who had that therapy. I was an intern before, we visited a mental institution, and we were able to see people getting shocked. We even held them and strain them, because i think that hurt, and they'll go on convulsion, so we have to protect them. Small volt are passed through their brain, as a result, they get a convulsion and sometimes vomits. It's not good to see them like that, They were so ill. They got depress for so many reasons, like, broken hearted, no family, got fired or everything else you can think off. They have can't cope up from their problems. It's sad to see them suffering.

I just saw something about that on tv....and it's supposedly very effective!!! I can't imagine. I remember hearing horror stories about it in the past...wow~!

Hi JenInTN, I too was surprised to learn, about a year ago, that it was still in use. I would not consent to trying it myself and think that there has to be something better out there today. I too remember stories from the fifties and sixties. Blessings.

I have actually given this treatment serious thought. I am so tired of being depressed. i went through a periooud of time where the doctor was trying every anti-depressant on the market at that time. Nothing worked. i did think about getting shock treatment. But with my record it probably would work either and I would have memory loss or something else. Ugh!

Yes, I just found out while watching Dr. Oz this week. I was really surprised by this revelation. Thankfully I don't suffer from depression but if I did I still don't think I would allow this type of treatment. Even though the treatment has been updated I would still be afraid of the outcome.

Although I think that's pretty extreme way to treat a patient, I believe that would actually work for me! Sometimes when I'm feeling the dumps, it's hard for me to get out of it. I would need something really drastic to get me out of it. And shock therapy sounds really drastic.

I've always known that it was an alternative. I knew someone who receives treatment once a month for ECT (electro-convulsive therapy). She would go to her treatment, be brought home and go to sleep for the afternoon. She didn't have the trauma's associated with many years ago, thankfully. Have you seen Girl Interrupted or The Ward? Those are movies that are circa 1960's when ECT was used as a primary to anti depressants.