Electroconvulsive therapy for mental illness

We can see mentally ill patients in many films. Sometimes, for the sake of the plot, the mentally ill patients will have attacks. In order to control the patients, medical staff will use electric current tools to hit the patients' heads to calm them down. This method of using electric current to concentrate the attention of mental patients is called electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of mental illness. This method does not cause much harm to the patient. So how is electroconvulsive therapy used to treat mental illness?

This practice is quite common. Electroconvulsive therapy is a method of passing an appropriate amount of electric current through the patient's brain for a short period of time, causing the patient to temporarily lose consciousness and have whole-body convulsions, thereby achieving the purpose of treatment.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as electroconvulsive therapy, refers to passing a certain amount of electric current through the patient's head, causing whole-body convulsions to achieve the purpose of treating the disease. It is a very effective therapy. There is also modified electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (non-convulsive electroconvulsive therapy).

ECT is surrounded by many myths and misunderstandings, fueled at least in part by sensationalist articles and widespread misinformation in lay publications. This is unfortunate because, for a select group of seriously ill patients, ECT is very safe and effective.

Before conducting electroconvulsive therapy, a thorough physical and nervous system examination should be performed, such as chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, etc., to rule out brain diseases, understand the indications and contraindications, and master the correct operating procedures. Electroconvulsive therapy has far fewer side effects than antipsychotic drugs and is more effective. Don't develop a fear mentality. The legend that mental hospitals use electric chairs for patients or that psychiatrists carry electric batons is pure nonsense.

Electroconvulsive therapy is an effective treatment for mental illness. But people often think that it has serious side effects and worry about causing damage to the brain, but this is not the case.

During electroconvulsive therapy, the voltage is 80 to 120V. At this voltage, the current passes directly through the human brain, causing whole-body convulsions. The patient loses consciousness but does not feel any pain. After the treatment, a small number of patients will experience headaches, nausea and vomiting. Mild cases do not require treatment, while severe cases can be relieved by symptomatic treatment. A small number of patients may experience confusion and slow reaction, which depends on the number of treatments and the length of the intervals, and usually disappears gradually within 7 to 10 days. According to data, electroconvulsive therapy can cause EEG changes and lead to memory loss, but this condition only lasts for a short time. It is generally believed that people can return to normal within one month after electroconvulsive therapy. For patients with severe suicidal behavior, it takes 2 to 3 weeks of drug treatment to achieve the best results.