Electo Shock for Depression?

[M.D. Holloway]

Had a friend go through this. Seems listless and subdued. What do you all know about it besides the fact that it scambles the cells a bit...

[billybek]

I had a friend just go through this as well. He described it as a system reset button.
His depression wasn't responding to meds so this was a long way down on the options list.

He is better but a little jittery. That could be the new meds though.

[M.D. Holloway]

ya, didn't work so well for Hemingway

[Wilhelm]

I didnt know shock treatments were still being used. I thought that sort of thing went out of favor quite some time ago. All the best to your friend. I hope things turn out well !

[mfiazzo]

one flew over the coo coo nest?

[slodave]

Next door neighbor of my parents went through it big time. He was in really bad shape before. I thinks it's been a couple years now and he's just like he used to be - before his depression.

[Mark Henry]

Wife works in mental health, they still do it and it works.

[Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Wife works in mental health, they still do it and it works.

Shows what I know. Maybe it is Lobotomies I was thinking of that arent done anymore ??

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

Had a friend go through this. Seems listless and subdued. What do you all know about it besides the fact that it scambles the cells a bit...

It's a last resort treatment and about 50% effective for people with severe depression. Short term memory loss, possible brain damage.

Keep in mind that ECT was also used to "cure" gay people.

[M.D. Holloway]

Ya, he ain't right ... but maybe he will be. I hope.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

Ya, he ain't right ... but maybe he will be. I hope.

So Do I. . . I mean it. Good wishes for his recovery.

[Steve Carlton]

My grandfather got it (probably 50 years ago) and it helped him. Took some psychology classes at UCLA in the late '70s and they said it worked and really didn't know why. The theory was it makes you forget what's bugging you.

[livi]

Still in use here in Sweden too. Like any other treatment it works better for some than for others. It looks primitive but its regarded pretty much as harmless.

[Bill Douglas]

Umm, sounds fun. Can anyone try it.

[slodave]

Sure! Stick a fork in the closest outlet near you!

[zaunce]

My brother had this treatment nearly 40 years ago, and it seemed to help him temporarily. Later he was diagnosed with schizophrenia; I don't think they would have given him the electroshock if they already had that diagnosis. But in those days they didn't know what else to do. He's now in his early 60s and is a typical paranoid schizophrenic.

[NY65912]

A buddy of mine had EST back in the late '70's. He was so depressed he would not come out of his room. After the treatment it took him about 6 months to rejoin society, job etc.

But, he always had a little bit of the 1000 yd stare and was never "right".

Hopefully this will turn out better for your friend.

[KFC911]

From my personal observations of someone who's had a series of ECT treatments on a couple of different occasions, it's most definitely a "last resort", and I'm not sure of the effectiveness in that particular case either. On the first attempt, (IMO) the highly regarded, nationally known medical center, simply used up the patient's private insurance (until it reached a lifetime cap) as fast as they could, and the patient was a WHOLE lot worse upon discharge. Classic paranoid schizophrenic symptoms coupled with severe depression too boot...not a pretty thing to observe. Good luck to all who've reach those depths of despair.

[Crowbob]

Closest and simplest analogy I've heard is that it's like kicking the TV when it goes haywire. Works sometimes, sometimes not.

[pavulon]