Electro_Convulsive_Therapy

Electro Convulsive Therapy Electro-Convulsive Therapy ECT (Electro-convulsive Therapy) is a procedure in which a brief application of electricity is used to produce a generalized seizure. Once a commonly used - and controversial - treatment for a variety of mental problems, ECT still bears a stigma despite advances which have made it far safer and more effective. It is not known how or why ECT works or what the electrically stimulated seizure does to the brain. In the U.S. during the 1940's and 50's, the treatment was administered mostly to people with severe mental illnesses. During the last few decades, researchers have been attempting to identify the effectiveness of ECT, to learn how and why it works, to understand its risks and adverse side effects, and to determine the best treatment technique. Today, ECT is administered to an estimated 100,000 people a year, primarily in general hospital psychiatric units and in psychiatric hospitals. It is generally used in treating patients with severe depression who cannot wait for antidepressant medication to take effect. It is also used for acute mania, and certain schizophrenic syndromes. Used to treat depression Modern ECT is used primarily in the treatment of severe depression, and psychiatrists say it has proved treatment, patient, patients, side, say, memory, effects, effective, cases, after, severe, seizure, researchers, psychiatric, people, one, mental, medication, loss, few, depression, administered, about, works, unclear, treatments, therapy, take, surrounding, relapse, psychiatrists, procedure, primarily, placing, permanent