Electroconvulsive Therapy helpful or not?

Electroshock Therapy is a sensitive procedure done on patients under general anesthesia, which means that the whole body is asleep when receiving electrical currents through the brain. This method is often used when other treatments for a mental illnesses such as depression, are unsuccessful. Early treatments of ECT were not administered in the same way, many patients suffered side affects such as fractured bones and memory loss due to anesthesia not being used in the very first attempts of electroshock therapy.

 Around seventy years have passed since the very first ect method was done, and it seems that fear of similar side affects occurring are preventing many psychiatrists from ever using this technique. The problem is no longer having to do with the lack of anesthesia, rather the minimal knowledge on how etc works so quickly but has different results per patient. 

Many studies have been done since the beginning of ECT and to this day there still seems to be some side affects linked to electroshock therapy. A common side affect that is experienced is immediate memory loss after your first treatment; this temporary side affect is highly feared of by many patients due to the variation it has on everyone; some patients regain there memory in as little as twelve treatments while others wait twenty or more treatments to recover their memory. Many success stories can be accompanied after an ECT treatment but it is generally suggested to have an ECT treatment done if all other treatments are ineffective.

Because electroshock therapy is quick to work on most patients, it is also accompanied by a high relapse rate on patients with depression;due to the relapse some doctors may suggest psychotherapy or medications after the final ECT session. For those who are against electroshock therapy it's because, they do not believe in the quick fix that ECT promises but for patients who have attempted all medications recommended and have had no success, ECT may be the only chance of recovery from a grave mental illness.

Source Citation

Dahl, Melissa. "Electroconvulsive Therapy Can Be Helpful." Mental Illness. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Shock Therapy Makes a Quiet Comeback." MSNBC.com. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

"Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)." - Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Staff, 19 Sept. 2015. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.