Depression Treatment: ECT Therapies

by on August 28th, 2008

Today we know more about depression than ever before. WE have more treatment methods and medications to help people get through this illness and function as normally as possible. Depression is a horrible illness and unfortunately it can take a long time before any improvement is seen. Most therapies and medications take a significant amount of time to work effectively. With all of the therapies that are available there are still a small percentage of people that seem beyond the reach of conventional therapy. For those that nothing else seems to work there is ECT therapy.

Giving ECT therapy isn?t a decision to take lightly. It is usually only given when all other avenues have failed. It is also only used for people who are suffering from the most severe forms of depression. Those that are suicidal and those that completely incapacitated by their depression are those that are considered for ECT therapy.

When a patient received ECT treatment, electrical impulses are sent into the brain. This then causes a small seizure to take place. The patient is under heavy sedation while this happens and awakens with no memory of what has happened. Sometimes they awake confused and feeling ill. However, the memory loss is usually temporary.

ECT is repeated 6-12 times at intervals separated by a few weeks. Many patients do feel an improvement after just a few sessions. It is believed that the electrical impulses change the pattern in the brain. ECT has worked on several people and most of the time the effects are temporary.

ECT therapy is given only when absolutely necessary. When it is though that the depression symptoms need to be taken away immediately, then ECT is a possibility.

Depression is an illness that can destroy people, families and relationships. The illness leaves people feeling hopeless and in some cases renders them completely useless. Today, we have many ways to treat depression. Talk therapies, natural therapies and medications are some of the most common. However, when all of these avenues fail, then ECT is considered. ECT is quite controversial. It carries with it an element of danger but has worked for several people who had been suffering from severe depression. ECT can have side effects but can also help those that no other therapy seems to help.