Electroconvulsive therapy and its validity

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:44 am

I'm curious as to whether anyone here knows much about ECT and concerns someone might want to think about when considering it as an option.

CatharzGodfoot · Post by **CatharzGodfoot** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:49 am

It works.

It has robust long-term positive effects on depression even after treatment ceases. It also causes partial amnesia (but usually not severe), both for the time surrounding sessions and random past memories. It also takes a lot more time and trouble than pill popping.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:14 am

It works, but you should probably save it for extreme cases of depression.

Crissa · Post by **Crissa** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:38 am

I don't think the criteria by which it is rated is objective.

-Crissa

Count Arioch the 28th · Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:10 am

I don't consider Psychiatry to be objective at all. I'm not saying it has no merit, I am saying that we don't know what the hell we're doing in most cases.

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:44 am

Well the relevant question for any treatment should be:

Have multiple clinical studies using a control group which received a double-blind placebo shown a statistically significant increase in recovery or quality of life?

RiotGearEpsilon · Post by **RiotGearEpsilon** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:37 pm

What the hell does a placebo version of ECT look like?

RobbyPants · Post by **RobbyPants** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:47 pm

RiotGearEpsilon wrote:What the hell does a placebo version of ECT look like?

Mildly annoying shocks?

CatharzGodfoot · Post by **CatharzGodfoot** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:52 pm

RiotGearEpsilon wrote:What the hell does a placebo version of ECT look like?

Actually, that would be very straightforward. You just sedate the person, put them in a hospital bed, and then let them go after they wake up.

That said, any unnecessary treatment with strong sedatives is unethical, and therefore that placebo therapy would unethical. A safer comparison is outcomes vs. pills, 'talk therapy', acupuncture, combination therapies, & untreated patients. While the second option isn't as scientific, it's what should really matter to a person considering the therapy.