Electroconvulsive therapy is supposed to be used only in extreme circumstances, such as when a patient is suicidal or when other treatments have failed.
Articles on Electroconvulsive therapy
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Electroconvulsive therapy often evokes inaccurate images of seizing bodies and smoking ears. Better understanding of how it reduces depression symptoms can illuminate new ways to treat mental illness.
Humans have attempted to understand and treat mental illness for centuries – from ancient Greek medicine, Middle Ages exorcisms and the rise of asylums, to modern medical breakthroughs.
Previous research on this therapy has been poorly conducted and biased.
ECT is a highly effective treatment for severe depression and psychosis, so why does it still have a bad rap?
Critics have portrayed ECT as a form of medical abuse. Yet many psychiatrists, and more importantly, patients, consider it to be safe and effective. Few medical treatments have such disparate images.
Melancholia has a strong genetic contribution, so it’s largely biologically underpinned rather than caused by social factors (stressors) or psychological factors, such as personality style.
Top contributors
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Clinical Professor, Cardiff University
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Scientia Professor of Psychiatry, UNSW
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Theodore J. Castele Professor of Medical History, Case Western Reserve University
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Ph.D. Candidate in Computational Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego
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Emeritus Professor in Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Hertfordshire
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Professor of Psychology, The University of Melbourne
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Clinical Associate Professor, Imperial College London
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Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of East London