“Shocking Psychiatrics” Examining Electroconvulsive Therapy By Evangeline Airth

What Is Electroconvulsive Therapy? Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) consists of a series of grand mal epileptic seizures induced by passing 120 volts, the amount in ordinary house current, to the brain for about a half-second. A course of treatment usually lasts two to three weeks, with shocks given perhaps ten to fifteen times. The belief is that the frontal lobe of the brain is the part most affected in depression and that, by damaging it temporarily; the depression may be eased and, with repeated treatments, cured.

The History of Electroshock Therapy In 1938 the Italian neurologist Ugo Cerletti and his assistant Lucio Bini developed an alternative method of inducing seizure by using electric shocks. In the 1940s and 1950s the extensive use of ECT became a sort of behavior control of patients in mental institutions. During these first years using this treatment, nearly 40% of patients suffered from various complications and the overall mortality rate was 1 in 1,000

What ECT Treats Although researchers don't fully understand just how ECT works, it's thought that the seizure causes changes in the brain chemistry. ECT is thought to help alleviate the symptoms of certain mental illnesses, and is generally used in cases such as: Severe depression, with psychosis, suicidal intent or refusal to eat Mania, in cases where there hasn't been a good response to medications Schizophrenia, when symptoms are severe or medications aren't sufficient

But Does It Actually Work? For over 50 years, psychiatrists used ECT to treat schizophrenia, even though there was no evidence that ECT altered the schizophrenic process. In the 1950s, ECT was reported to be no better than hospitalization or anesthesia alone for schizophrenics In the 1960s, advocates of ECT were convinced that electricity and seizures are therapeutic in mental illness and vigorously defended its use for depression. However a recent US study showed that ECT was universally effective in depression, regardless of type: 70% to 80% of depressed patients improved. The study also showed, however, a 69% improvement rate after 8 weeks of placebo alone.

Controversial Facts From the American Psychiatric Association: “ECT is no more dangerous than minor surgery under general anesthesia, and for some patients may be less dangerous than treatment with medications.” From Federal Food and Drug Administration The FDA classifies ECT machines as a Type III device. This means that ECT is an experimental procedure, classified in the highest risk category by the FDA. Class III means that the machine has not gone through the rigorous FDA testing required of medical devices, including safety testing and efficacy assessments.

Adverse Effects of ECT Risks- Brain Damage Memory Loss Chance of Death Seizures and Epilepsy Cardiovascular Complications The positive effects of the treatment also wear off quickly, often resulting in a relapse of the patients symptoms, and the need for repeated treatments. Many patients have received several courses of treatment, and some patients are even "maintained" on shock treatments indefinitely.

"As a neurologist and electroencephalographer, I have seen many patients after ECT, and I have no doubt that ECT produces effects identical to those of a head injury. After multiple sessions of ECT, a patient has symptoms identical to those of a retired, punch-drunk boxer...After a few sessions of ECT the symptoms are those of moderate cerebral contusion, and further enthusiastic use of ECT may result in the patient functioning at a subhuman level. Electroconvulsive therapy in effect may be defined as a controlled type of brain damage produced by electrical means." Sydney Samant, M.D. Clinical Psychiatry News

Why It’s Pseudoscience . Because the brain damage associated with ECT destroys memory traces in the brain... a patient "responding" to ECT and even becoming asymptomatic is not necessarily healthy or cured but may be functioning at a low mental level. The true causes of the patient's depression are untouched by ECT however the patient's concern over these problems is temporarily absent from their memories. By avoiding the true problem, most patients will relapse and require more electroconvulsive therapy as soon as the brain recovers enough for the person to remember the original trauma.