what is ect depression treatment

How much ECT is used to treat depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes used for severely manic or depressed patients and for those who don't For those people who usually become depressed in winter, sitting for 20 minutes to 30 minutes a day in front of a special light box with a full-spectrum light can help treat depression.

What is ECT and how does it treat depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). While you're asleep, a carefully measured dose of electricity is passed through your brain, intentionally triggering a small, brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can relatively quickly reverse symptoms of major depression.

How does ECT relieve depression?

Today's ECT is much more refined and gentle — and traditionally is one of the most powerful weapons against particularly deep, persistent and debilitating depressions. However, it is expensive, must be performed in a hospital and requires anesthesia, which turns away some of the people who might benefit from it, Olivas says.

What are the long term effects of ECT?

What are the long term side effects of ECT? Side effects of ECT can include slight memory loss, adverse reactions to anesthesia, hyper- and hypotension, and ongoing heart issues throughout life. Though these side effects are rare and can often be prevented through proper pre-diagnosis, they do add to the controversy of ECT therapy.

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How does ECT work in depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure used to treat certain psychiatric conditions. It involves passing a carefully controlled electric current through the brain, which affects the brain's activity and aims to relieve severe depressive and psychotic symptoms.

What is ECT therapy used to treat?

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.

What is the success rate of ECT for depression?

These sessions improve depression in 70 to 90 percent of patients, a response rate much higher than that of antidepressant drugs. Although ECT is effective, its benefits are short-lived.

Who is a good candidate for ECT?

People who have had ECT before and responded well are good candidates for ECT. Other first-line indications for the procedure include people who are catatonic or suffering from a form of depression known as psychotic depression (depression associated with delusions and hallucinations).

Can ECT change your personality?

ECT does not change a person's personality, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.

Is ECT worth the risk?

Risk Assessment of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Clinical Routine: A 3-Year Analysis of Life-Threatening Events in More Than 3,000 Treatment Sessions. Background: Extensive research has reported that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be highly effective in approximately 80% of patients suffering from depression.

Does ECT damage the brain?

The review of literature and present evidence suggests that ECT has a demonstrable impact on the structure and function of the brain. However, there is a lack of evidence at present to suggest that ECT causes brain damage.

Does ECT hurt?

No, the ECT procedure isn't painful. ECT involves general anesthesia, which means you're asleep while the procedure is happening. After the procedure, you may have some side effects, such as headache, nausea or sore muscles, but these are all normal.

When is ECT used?

ECT is generally used when severe depression is unresponsive to other forms of therapy. Or it might be used when patients pose a severe threat to themselves or others and it is too dangerous to wait until medications take effect. Although ECT has been used since the 1940s and 1950s, it remains misunderstood by the general public.

How does ECT work?

With ECT, an electric current is briefly applied through the scalp to the brain, inducing a seizure. In addition, alternative therapies such as yoga and hypnosis sometimes work for mild depression.

How often is ECT given?

The confusion typically lasts for only a short period of time. ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks.

What is brain stimulation?

Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for example, can be used to treat major depression that hasn't responded to standard treatments. The least invasive of these techniques is called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which a magnetic field is created by a device held above the head, ...

What is electroconvulsive therapy?

When medication fails to ease the symptoms of clinical depression, there are other options to try. Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for example, can be used to treat major depression that hasn't responded to standard treatments.

What is experimental therapy?

Experimental therapies are treatments that are not regularly used by doctors. Their safety and effectiveness are still being studied. Some experimental therapies currently being investigated for treatment of depression include: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women: Depression is more common in women than in men.

What are some examples of alternative therapies?

Examples of alternative therapies include acupuncture, guided imagery, chiropractic treatments, yoga, hypnosis, biofeedback, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, and massage. In general, alternative therapies by themselves are reasonable to use for mild but not more severe forms of clinical depression.

How many ECT sessions are needed?

The number of required sessions varies. Many people have six to 12 sessions administered 2-3 times per week over a period of several weeks. After initial treatment, you might require further ECT treatments in addition to depression medicine and therapy to prevent your depression from returning.

What are the risks of ECT?

Risks and Side Effects of ECT. The most common side effect of ECT is short-term memory loss. However, some people report that they have long-term memory loss, as well. ECT also causes a brief rise in heart rate and blood pressure during the procedure, so it may not be recommended in people with unstable heart problems.

How does electroconvulsive therapy work?

How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works. With ECT, an electrical stimulation is delivered to the brain and causes a seizure. For reasons that doctors don't completely understand, this seizure helps relieve the symptoms of depression. ECT does not cause any structural damage to the brain.

What is the best treatment for depression?

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for Depression. For some people with severe or hard-to-treat depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the best treatment. This treatment, sometimes referred to as "electroshock therapy," is often misunderstood and incorrectly portrayed by popular media as a harsh, cruel treatment.

Does ECT work for depression?

Studies have shown that ECT works for many people who have treatment-resistant depression. One study of 39 people with treatment-resistant depression compared the effects of an antidepressant with ECT. After two to three weeks, 71% of people who received ECT had a positive response to treatment.

Does ECT cause brain damage?

ECT does not cause any structural damage to the brain. The procedure itself typically requires a stay in the hospital, although more and more it is being performed on an outpatient basis. During the procedure, you will be put to sleep under general anesthesia. You won't feel anything.

Is electroshock therapy a painless procedure?

In reality, it is a painless medical procedure performed under general anesthesia that is considered one of the most effective treatments for severe depression. It can be lifesaving.

What is ECT treatment?

The patient is anesthetized with an intravenous injection and then injected with a drug that causes paralysis, to prevent the jerking motions of a seizure. The heart rate and other vital signs are monitored throughout the ECT treatment. (details on how shock treatment for depression works)

Why is ECT used in psychiatry?

Many years ago when psychiatry was less advanced, ECT was used for a much wider range of mental illnesses and sometimes, unfortunately, it was used to control troublesome patients. Patients who went through ECT might also have suffered broken bones before the advent of modern anesthesia and muscle paralytics.

How long does an ECT last?

Clinically effective ECT seizures generally last from about 30 seconds to just over a minute. The patient's body does not convulse and the patient feels no pain. During the ECT therapy seizure, there are a series of changes in brain waves on an electroencephalogram (EEG) and when the EEG levels off, this is an indication that the seizure is over. As the patient wakes, they may experience electroconvulsive therapy side effects including: 1 Headache 2 Nausea 3 Temporary confusion 4 Muscle stiffness and pain

What happens when you wake up from an ECT?

As the patient wakes, they may experience electroconvulsive therapy side effects including: Headache. Nausea.

How often is electroconvulsive therapy performed?

Electroconvulsive therapy is often performed on an inpatient basis , although maintenance ECT may be performed once a week or so as an outpatient. You can watch these ECT videos for a better perspective on modern-day ECT.

What is ECT in medical terms?

ECT is the procedure of stimulating the brain through the use of an electrical current applied directly to the skull.

Does ECT affect memory?

Memory impact is one of the possible side effects of ECT, but opinions vary as to its severity. Many patients report loss of memory for events that occurred in the days, weeks or months surrounding the ECT. Many of these memories return, although not always. Some patients have also reported their short-term memory continues to be affected by ECT for months, although some say this may be the type of amnesia that is sometimes associated with severe depression. (read: ECT for Depression: Is ECT Treatment Safe)

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.

What is the treatment for ECT?

This typically means psychotherapy and/or medication or, in some circumstances, ongoing ECT treatments.

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.

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, ...

Is ECT good for depression?

Extensive research has found ECT to be highly effective for the relief of major depression. Clinical evidence indicates that for individuals with uncomplicated, but severe major depression, ECT will produce substantial improvement in approximately 80 percent of patients. It is also used for other severe mental illnesses, ...

What Is ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy is an approved and regulated mental health treatment for people with psychological issues that are not well-managed with other interventions. ECT uses electrical current to “rewire” the brain in a safe and comfortable way (actually, the anesthesia and muscle relaxants don’t rewire the brain.

What Can Electroconvulsive Therapy Help With?

With the ability of ECT to reset or rewire the brain’s activity, the treatment can help with a range of symptoms and conditions. Whether a person has been struggling with a mental health condition for decades or they are experiencing a new or worsening symptom, electroconvulsive therapy could offer relief that is quick and effective.

How Does ECT Work?

Even though ECT is completed to help with mental health concerns, the process may feel more like a medical procedure. In many cases, providers perform the treatment in an acute care hospital under the supervision of medical and mental health professionals.

Is ECT Effective?

ECT is very effective, but the treatment may not be equally effective for all symptoms and situations. Overall, for a certain subset of people who cannot use psychiatric medications or have mental health conditions, like chronic depression, intense bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, ECT is a valid treatment option worthy of consideration.

Cost of Electroconvulsive Therapy

Because ECT is a medical procedure that requires the time, space, and resources of several medical professionals, the treatment is expensive, especially when compared to medication or therapy services. One ECT treatment can cost as much as $1,000, while a year of antidepressant medication costs just a few hundred dollars. 7

History of ECT

The principles of ECT date back to the 1930s when neuropsychiatrists and neurologists explored the relationships between seizure activity and mental health issues. In 1938, Ugo Cerletti first used electricity as a way to trigger a seizure. 6

How to Find an Electroconvulsive Therapy Provider

Because ECT is not as widely available as therapy or medication services, a person may have to look deeper to find an ECT provider. There may not be a national directory of ECT providers, but someone interested in ECT can refer to an online directory or complete an online search for local ECT providers.

How effective is ECT?

What is clear is that for severe illness, such as psychotic depression or catatonia, where patients can lose 40-50 pounds and can be at some risk of death, ECT has been shown to be 80-95% effective.

What is true about every patient who seeks treatment with ECT?

Ultimately, Seiner said, two things are true generally about every patient who seeks treatment with ECT. “One is that they’re really struggling, and two, they’re terrified about what we do. It’s important to get them better, but our job is to walk them through it, to be there with them. This is what we’re committed to.

How long after ECT do you get better?

The research indicates that if you wait two months after ECT, or six months, after the ‘dust’ of the ECT has settled, most people do much better on neuropsychological testing than they did before ECT. That’s because when people aren’t depressed, they think better and test better.”.

How many people are affected by depression?

355 million people are affected by depression, making it one of the most common disorders in the world. “There can be a biological predisposition, but there is often a trigger, and we just don’t always know what that trigger is,” explained Seiner.

Can seizures reset the brain?

Scientists know seizures can reset brain function. And because brain activity involves electrical signals passing through neurons, ECT “is like when you reboot your computer when something has gone awry,” said Paula Bolton, MS, APRN-BC, program director of McLean’s Psychiatric Neurotherapeutics Program.

Can depression make you think straight?

In the most severe cases, depression can make it impossible for a person to function. “It affects you so that sometimes you can’t think straight,” said Seiner.

Is ECT good for depression?

Using ECT to Treat Depression. Effective treatments for depression include counseling, psychotherapy, and prescription medications. However, for an estimated 100,000 people a year in the United States, like Neville, these options fall short. And for them, ECT is safe, reliable, and effective. The treatment has evolved since ...

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• 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…

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