What are the advantages and disadvantages of ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) ?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used for the treatment of patients with mental disorders such as severe depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. who have not responded to medications and behavioral treatments. ECT procedure involves the electrical stimulation of the brain while the individual is under anesthesia.
ECT is a safe medical procedure that is generally used as a last resort for the treatment of patients with severe psychiatric conditions. ECT procedure involves inducing a small seizure in the brain to reverse the symptoms of severe mental health conditions by causing changes in brain chemistry. It has several advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of ECT: ECT is a rapid treatment procedure having 6- 12 treatments. It reacts more quickly than other treatments. It is used for bipolar disorder, severe major depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, etc. It can be especially useful if the patient refuses to eat food, is suicidal, and not responding to other medical treatments.
Disadvantages of ECT: ECT has side effects such as headache, nausea, muscle sourness, and problems related to the rhythm of the heart. Individuals may face difficulty in learning new things and short-term memory loss. In most cases, the side effects of ECT disappear within a couple of months. In some cases, the patient might face permanent gaps in memory and long-lasting problems in memoray.
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