What should you consider about electroconvulsive therapy?
You can find more information about:
- Depression by clicking here.
- Bipolar disorder by clicking here.
- Schizophrenia by clicking here.
What are the pros and cons of ECT therapy?
- Headache and muscle stiffness
- Confusion upon awakening (usually decreasing after 20 to 60 minutes).
- Memory loss both long and short term. ...
- Relapse may occur within 6 months and maintenance treatment my be required.
- There has also been controversy has to whether ECT causes brain damage to temporal lobes.
What are the most common electroconvulsive therapy side effects?
What are the side effects of ECT?
- Memory loss. Many people experience memory loss after having ECT. Some people find this only lasts for a short time and their memories gradually return as they recover from ECT.
- Immediate side effects. You may experience other side effects immediately after treatment. ...
- Longer-term side effects. Was this page useful? ...
What electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) feels like?
On the days of an ECT treatment, some people experience nausea, headache, jaw pain or muscle ache. These generally can be treated with medications. Medical complications. As with any type of medical procedure, especially one that involves anesthesia, there are risks of medical complications.
Which of the following defines electroconvulsive therapy?
A treatment for severe depression and certain mental disorders. A brief seizure is induced by giving electrical stimulation to the brain through electrodes placed on the scalp.
Which treatment technique would be used by a counselor following the psychodynamic treatment approach?
Free Association. Free association may be the single most important and most used tool for psychodynamic therapists. This technique is simple and often effective.
Which of the following approaches to treating psychological disorders includes free association?
Psychoanalytic treatment focuses on uncovering unconscious motives, conflicts, and defenses. Three techniques used in psychoanalysis are free association, dream analysis, and interpretation. The concepts of transference and resistance are important features of psychoanalysis and current psychodynamic therapies.
What are the indication of electroconvulsive therapy?
ECT is used mainly to treat severe depression, but is also indicated for patients with other conditions, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, catatonia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
What are the humanistic approaches to treatment?
Humanistic therapy adopts a holistic approach that focuses on free will, human potential, and self-discovery. It aims to help you develop a strong and healthy sense of self, explore your feelings, find meaning, and focus on your strengths.
What are the psychodynamic approaches?
The psychodynamic approach includes all the theories in psychology that see human functioning based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious, and between the different structures of the personality.
What are the different approaches to psychotherapy?
Approaches to psychotherapy fall into five broad categories:Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies. ... Behavior therapy. ... Cognitive therapy. ... Humanistic therapy. ... Integrative or holistic therapy.
Is exposure therapy operant or classical conditioning?
A common type of behavioral therapy is called exposure and response prevention therapy. It was developed as a direct result of the classical and operant conditioning research. For some disorders, the two components (exposure and response prevention) are most effective when used together.
What type of therapy focuses on using classical and operant conditioning techniques?
Behavior therapy employs both classical and operant conditioning techniques to change behavior.
What is the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy?
The main mechanism of action in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the induction of a generalized clonic seizure. This seizure is triggered by the delivery of an electric current to the patient's brain using electrodes placed on the patient's head.
For which disorder was electroconvulsive therapy ECT originally developed as a treatment?
Electroconvulsive therapy was born. In 1938, Cerletti and his psychiatrist colleague Lucio Bini developed the first ECT device and treated their first human patient, a diagnosed schizophrenic with delusions, hallucinations, and confusion.
What is electroconvulsive therapy ECT )? Give the pre intra and post nursing care of this procedure?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which electric currents are passed through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure. Electroconvulsive therapy seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can immediately reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.
What is ECT therapy?
What Is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)? Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a form of psychiatric treatment that involves inducing seizures with the use of electrical stimulation while an individual is under general anesthesia. An estimated one million people worldwide have ECT each year. 1.
How effective is ECT?
Effectiveness: ECT has shown a high level of efficacy in the treatment of some conditions.
How often is ECT given?
ECT is typically given two to three times a week initially for an average of six to 12 sessions and is often tapered over time. A newer ECT technique, right unilateral ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy, may allow for fewer memory issues with the treatment.
How many ECT patients are women?
Approximately 70% of ECT patients are women. More than a third of ECT patients are age 65 and older. 3 Use in children and teens remains relatively rare. Some states, including Colorado and Texas, prohibit the use of ECT in children and adolescents under the age of 16.
What is ECT used for?
ECT is most often used for cases of treatment-resistant depression and some other psychiatric conditions including bipolar disorder and psychosis, although its use still remains somewhat controversial in the general public.
Why does ECT work?
Researchers don't yet know the precise reason why ECT works, but one theory is that it helps to correct imbalances in the brain’s chemical messenger system. Others say that the seizure "resets" the brain. Several treatments may be needed to see a lasting effect. 9.
When was ECT first used?
ECT was first introduced in 1938 and by 1941 was used by nearly half of the mental health institutions in the United States. 2 Stigma as well as the emergence of effective psychiatric medications led to a decline in its use, although its prevalence has increased in recent decades. 2. Approximately 70% of ECT patients are women.
Where is the Electroconvulsive Therapy Machine?
Electroconvulsive therapy machine on display at Glenside Museum in Bristol, England. ECT device produced by Siemens and used for example at the Asyl psychiatric hospital in Kristiansand, Norway from the 1960s to the 1980s.
When was the ECT procedure first used?
The ECT procedure was first conducted in 1938 by Italian psychiatrist Ugo Cerletti and rapidly replaced less safe and effective forms of biological treatments in use at the time. ECT is often used with informed consent as a safe and effective intervention for major depressive disorder, mania, and catatonia.
How many ECT machines are there in China?
As of 2012, there are approximately 400 ECT machines in China, and 150,000 ECT treatments are performed each year. Chinese national practice guidelines recommend ECT for the treatment of schizophrenia, depressive disorders, and bipolar disorder and in the Chinese literature, ECT is an effective treatment for schizophrenia and mood disorders. Although the Chinese government stopped classifying homosexuality as an illness in 2001, electroconvulsive therapy is still used by some establishments as a form of " conversion therapy ".
How long does it take for a person to relapse from ECT?
There is little agreement on the most appropriate follow-up to ECT for people with major depressive disorder. When ECT is followed by treatment with antidepressants, about 50% of people relapsed by 12 months following successful initial treatment with ECT, with about 37% relapsing within the first 6 months.
What is ECT used for?
ECT is used to treat people who have severe or prolonged mania; NICE recommends it only in life-threatening situations or when other treatments have failed and as a second-line treatment for bipolar mania.
When did ECT become popular?
ECT became popular in the US in the 1940s. At the time, psychiatric hospitals were overrun with patients whom doctors were desperate to treat and cure. Whereas lobotomies would reduce a patient to a more manageable submissive state, ECT helped to improve mood in those with severe depression. A survey of psychiatric practice in the late 1980s found that an estimated 100,000 people received ECT annually, with wide variation between metropolitan statistical areas. Accurate statistics about the frequency, context and circumstances of ECT in the US are difficult to obtain because only a few states have reporting laws that require the treating facility to supply state authorities with this information. In 13 of the 50 states, the practice of ECT is regulated by law. In the mid-1990s in Texas, ECT was used in about one third of psychiatric facilities and given to about 1,650 people annually. Usage of ECT has since declined slightly; in 2000–01 ECT was given to about 1500 people aged from 16 to 97 (in Texas it is illegal to give ECT to anyone under sixteen). ECT is more commonly used in private psychiatric hospitals than in public hospitals, and minority patients are underrepresented in the ECT statistics. In the United States, ECT is usually given three times a week; in the United Kingdom, it is usually given twice a week. Occasionally it is given on a daily basis. A course usually consists of 6–12 treatments, but may be more or fewer. Following a course of ECT some patients may be given continuation or maintenance ECT with further treatments at weekly, fortnightly or monthly intervals. A few psychiatrists in the US use multiple-monitored ECT (MMECT), where patients receive more than one treatment per anesthetic. Electroconvulsive therapy is not a required subject in US medical schools and not a required skill in psychiatric residency training. Privileging for ECT practice at institutions is a local option: no national certification standards are established, and no ECT-specific continuing training experiences are required of ECT practitioners.
Is electroconvulsive therapy required in medical school?
A few psychiatrists in the US use multiple-monitored ECT (MMECT), where patients receive more than one treatment per anesthetic. Electroconvulsive therapy is not a required subject in US medical schools and not a required skill in psychiatric residency training.
What is the treatment for ECT?
This typically means psychotherapy and/or medication or, in some circumstances, ongoing ECT treatments.
What is ECT therapy?
What is Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment most commonly used in patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder that has not responded to other treatments. ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia.
How often is TMS given?
TMS is usually administered four or five times a week for four-to-six weeks. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) was developed as a treatment for seizure disorders but can also be used to treat depression that has not responded to other therapies.
What are the side effects of ECT?
The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours.
How long does a seizure last after a brain surgery?
The patient's brain is stimulated with a brief controlled series of electrical pulses. This causes a seizure within the brain that lasts for approximately a minute. The patient is asleep for the procedure and awakens after 5-10 minutes, much as from minor surgery.
Does TMS cause seizure?
It involves the use of rapidly alternating magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain. Unlike ECT, TMS does not cause a seizure and the patient remains awake through the noninvasive process. TMS typically only has mild side effects including headaches, muscle twitches and pain at the stimulation site.
Is ECT effective for mental health?
ECT’s effectiveness in treating severe mental illnesses is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, and similar organizations in Canada, Great Britain and many other countries. Although ECT can be very effective for many individuals with serious mental illness, ...
What is ECT therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can help patients suffering severe depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health illnesses when medications and other therapies are not working. ECT treatment can provide rapid improvement for patients whose mental illness and related symptoms are severe and difficult to manage.
What are the risks of ECT?
ECT can also be an option for more vulnerable patients, including: 1 Pregnant women 2 Older adults 3 Those unable to tolerate medication side effects 4 Those at-risk of drug interactions
What is electroconvulsive therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy is the induction of a grand mal seizure through the application of electrical current to the brain for the purpose of decreasing depression. A chronically depressed and suicidal client is admitted to a psychiatric unit. The client is scheduled for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
What is ECT treatment?
D. Encourage high-caloric diet throughout the ECT course of treatment. ANS: A. ECT is an intervention for major depression that often includes suicidal ideations as a symptom. Continued suicide assessment is needed because mood improvement due to ECT may cause the client to act on suicidal ideations.
What is a client experiencing manic episodes of bipolar disorder?
ANS: A. A client who is experiencing suicidal ideations is in need of an immediate intervention to prevent self-harm and must be prioritized when the nurse schedules ECT. A client with cognitive deficits is extremely suicidal.
How often should a nurse monitor pulse and blood pressure after electroconvulsive therapy?
ANS: A. Immediately after electroconvulsive therapy a nurse should monitor pulse, respirations, and blood pressure every 15 minutes for the first hour, during which time the client should remain in bed.
How long does it take for an electroconvulsive patient to sleep?
After the treatment, most clients will awaken within 10 to 15 minutes and will be confused and disoriented. Some clients will sleep for 1 to 2 hours.
Can vagal stimulation cause bradycardia?
Vagal stimulation induced by ECT may cause a client to experience bradycardia. Adequate tissue perfusion would be a realistic expectation when normal cardiac output is restored. A nursing student is observing an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment. The student notices a blood pressure cuff on the client's lower leg.
Why It's Done
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid, significant improvements in severe symptoms of several mental health conditions. ECT is used to treat: 1. Severe depression,particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to e…
Risks
- Although ECT is generally safe, risks and side effects may include: 1. Confusion.Immediately after treatment, you may experience confusion, which can last from a few minutes to several hours. You may not know where you are or why you're there. Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults. 2. Memory loss.Some people hav…
How You Prepare
- Before having your first ECT treatment, you'll need a full evaluation, which usually includes: 1. Medical history 2. Complete physical exam 3. Psychiatric assessment 4. Basic blood tests 5. Electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart health 6. Discussion of the risks of anesthesia These exams help make sure that ECT is safe for you.
What You Can Expect
- The ECT procedure takes about five to 10 minutes, with added time for preparation and recovery. ECT can be done while you're hospitalized or as an outpatient procedure.
Results
- Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after about six treatments with electroconvulsive therapy. Full improvement may take longer, though ECT may not work for everyone. Response to antidepressant medications, in comparison, can take several weeks or more. No one knows for certain how ECT helps treat severe depression and other mental illness…
Overview
Medical use
Effects
Procedure
Mechanism of action
Use
History
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment where a generalized seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders. Typically, 70 to 120 volts are applied externally to the patient's head, resulting in approximately 800 milliamperes of direct current passing between the electrodes, for a duration of 100 milliseconds to 6 second…
Society and culture
ECT is used, where possible, with informed consent in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant catatonia, prolonged or severe mania, and in conditions where "there is a need for rapid, definitive response because of the severity of a psychiatric or medical condition (e.g., when illness is characterized by stupor, marked psychomotor retardation, depressive delusions or hallucinations, or life-threatening physical exhaustion associated with m…
Does Ect Work?
Aside from effects in the brain, the general physical risks of ECT are similar to those of brief general anesthesia; the US Surgeon General's report says that there are "no absolute health contraindications" to its use. Immediately following treatment, the most common adverse effects are confusion and memory loss. Some patients experience muscle soreness after ECT. A meta-analysis from 2017 found that the death rate of ECT is around 2.1 per 100,000 procedures. Ther…
What Are The Steps Involved When Getting ect?
The placement of electrodes, as well as the dose and duration of the stimulation is determined on a per-patient basis.
In unilateral ECT, both electrodes are placed on the same side of the patient's head. Unilateral ECT may be used first to minimize side effects such as memory loss.
What Are The Risks and Benefits?
Despite decades of research, the exact mechanism of action of ECT remains elusive. Neuroimaging studies in people who have had ECT, investigating differences between responders and nonresponders, and people who relapse, find that responders have anticonvulsant effects mostly in the frontal lobes, which corresponds to immediate responses, and neurotrophic effects primarily in the medial temporal lobe. The anticonvulsant effects are decreased blood flow and d…
Other Brain Stimulation Treatments
As of 2001, it was estimated that about one million people received ECT annually.
There is wide variation in ECT use between different countries, different hospitals, and different psychiatrists. International practice varies considerably from widespread use of the therapy in many Western countries to a small minority of countries that do not use ECT at all, such as Slovenia.
Resources
As early as the 16th century, agents to induce seizures were used to treat psychiatric conditions. In 1785, the therapeutic use of seizure induction was documented in the London Medical and Surgical Journal. As to its earliest antecedents one doctor claims 1744 as the dawn of electricity's therapeutic use, as documented in the first issue of Electricity and Medicine. Treatment and cu…