What are the consequences of shock therapy?

ECT treatment has been associated with temporary memory loss and temporary difficulty learning. Some people have trouble remembering events that occurred in the weeks before the treatment or earlier. In most cases, memory problems improve within a couple of months.

What are the dangers of shock treatment?

What are the long term effects of shock treatment?

Some people describe experiencing long-lasting or permanent memory loss. For example, losing personal memories or forgetting information. This can be a very distressing experience. Some people also experience a loss of interest in things or have difficulty concentrating.

What are the pros and cons of ECT?

The Pros & Cons Of ECT

First and foremost, the treatment requires sedation, making recovery complex and much longer. Second, ECT has a higher chance to cause serious side effects for some individuals, including memory loss, which can deter potential patients. Pros of ECT: Safer today than previous ECT treatments.

How does shock treatment affect the brain?

HOW DOES ECT WORK? ECT causes chemical and cellular changes in the brain that relieve severe depression. While scientists do not yet fully understand exactly how ECT does this, they know it causes helpful changes to the molecules and cells of the brains of people with depression.

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What is the most serious side effect of ECT?

Most people who undergo ECT have temporary memory loss and confusion. Most people's confusion clears up quickly, and memory loss usually goes away entirely within a few months. However, some people do have permanent memory problems.

Why does ECT have a bad reputation?

The main source of continuing controversy concerns a possible adverse effect: memory loss. There is no question that ECT causes some memory loss, particularly of events near the time of the treatment. These memories often return, however.

Can ECT cause long term damage?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been controversially associated with long-lasting memory problems. Verbal learning and memory deficits are commonly reported in studies of people with bipolar disorder (BD).

Is ECT damaging?

In short, although ECT is completely safe, it is even safer when applied to the non-verbal hemisphere. Of course, equal damage is done to the non-verbal hemisphere, but it tells no tales.

Who is not a good candidate for ECT?

People with heart conditions and people who cannot handle short-acting sedatives or muscle relaxers should not undergo ECT treatments.

Can you live a normal life after ECT?

In summary, ECT is associated with improvement in quality of life, function, mood, anterograde memory and global cognitive status at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after this therapy. Most patients experienced improvement in quality of life and function.

Can ECT permanently harm the brain?

For the typical individual receiving ECT, no detectable correlates of irreversible brain damage appear to occur.

Can ECT cause personality changes?

ECT has the potential to change personality. Does ECT affect cognition? Yes. Cognitive damage and emotional duress are occasionally reported by those undergoing electroconvulsive therapy.

What are the major complications of shock?

Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss or an allergic reaction. It also may result from severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. When a person is in shock, their organs don't get enough blood or oxygen. If shock is not treated, it can lead to permanent organ damage or even death.

What is the most difficult shock to treat?

Neurogenic shock is the most difficult to treat. Damage to the spinal cord is often irreversible and causes problems with the natural regulatory functions of the body.

What are complications of shock?

Circulatory shock leads to cellular and tissue hypoxia resulting in cellular death and dysfunction of vital organs. Effects of shock are reversible in the early stages, and a delay in diagnosis and/or timely initiation of treatment can lead to irreversible changes, including multiorgan failure (MOF) and death.

What is the downside to ECT?

ECT treatment has been associated with temporary memory loss and temporary difficulty learning. Some people have trouble remembering events that occurred in the weeks before the treatment or earlier.

Does ECT reduce life expectancy?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used to treat severe psychiatric disorders and is associated with reduced risk of suicide and all-cause mortality in patients with severe depression.

Does ECT cause dementia in later life?

ECT Does Not Appear to Increase Risk of Dementia.

What is the primary pitfall of ECT?

ECT may cause loss of memory for things that patients have learnt or experienced. Some patients find this distressing but some do not. This memory loss is normally worse for the time immediately before ECT (3 months) – but sometimes extends back for up to 1 year and may occasionally extend beyond this.

What countries have banned ECT?

ECT has been banned altogether in some countries, including Slovenia and Luxembourg. But in most countries where it is still used (the vast majority), its use on children is not prohibited.

What is the most common complaint a patient will have after ECT?

You might experience memory problems after ECT. For most people the problems end within 2 months and they are not too distressing. ECT may cause short or long-term memory problems for current and past events.

Why is ECT unethical?

Reasons for Controversy

Three reasons are given for the aversion: 1) ECT is considered old-fashioned and politically incorrect; 2) it is forced on the patient; and 3) the memory disturbances are so severe and persistent that no rational human being would undergo this procedure, no matter how well-intended.

What happens if you fail ECT?

An ECT has only one chance to complete statutory induction. An ECT who has completed induction and is judged to have failed to meet the Teachers' Standards at the end of their induction period, is not permitted to repeat induction (although they may appeal against the decision: see paras 4.9–4.10).

What are 4 complications of ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for severe mood disorders. Rarely there can be serious complications, such as postictal agitation, cardiovascular compromise, prolonged seizures, and status epilepticus, all of which are important for the clinician to recognize and treat.