ECT is safe and Nothing to fear

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http://neurosciencenews.com/ect-psychology-6561/

There is a lot of controversy on whether people should have electroconvulsive therapy for major depression and other mental illnesses. The research found on ECT has been proven to improve patient’s mood, by sending the patient into a mild seizure. However, patients do fear the treatment, for it may cause pain or even death. Researchers in Denmark looked more closely at the fear behind ECT and found there seems to be a lot of negativity portrayed in the media. One movie that the article discusses is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” based off the novel from the 1960’s, leaving a negative influence. In developed countries, anesthesia is used along with muscle relaxants, reducing muscle movement and anxiety before / during the procedure. However, in some countries anesthesia is not used, but the current of electricity is low enough that it does not cause any pain. After looking at ECT treatments carried out since 1976 to 2014, 16 out of 766,180 treatments had caused death. A 2.1 per 100,000 treatments is the mortality rate for ECT. Researchers in Denmark compared ECT to surgery related deaths and found the mortality in surgery is higher at 3.4 per 100,000 surgeries. Using this data can persuade patients that the fear and likelihood of death / pain is lower than a medical surgery. The use of ECT could prevent many suicides, yet people refuse to receive the treatment because of false beliefs.

In this class, we have learned that seizures can impair a person’s daily life, and scientists have been conducting experiments over time to reduce seizures. However, in ECT the treatment is inducing a seizure to improve mood and function in patients. I have always been interested in ECT. I know people who have received ECT and shown significant changes. I have also witnessed someone receive ECT treatment, the seizure is very mild and does not last more than 45 seconds. One quote in the article stood out to me a lot “The risk is very small and even many elderly patients with comorbid medical illnesses can be safely treated with ECT, (Søren D. Østergaard, 2017).” I am currently working with a patient who is 82 years old and receives ECT three times a week. She has gone from not being able to talk, eat, walk and severely depressed. After the third treatment she was walking, eating and has told me she feels 100 percent new. I see ECT as a very useful tool in treatment for mental illnesses, I don’t see how people may think it can be harmful when little research shows negative effects.

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