ECT treats only symptoms and does not alter disease course and it comes at the cost of memory loss. Think about it like this, if you had pneumonia and you took aspirin for the fever, that might be worth it if the fever was bad, but aspirin does nothing to alter the underlying disease it simply provides relief from one of its symptoms. Imagine if a potential side effect of asprin was antegrade amnesia, would you still take it for pneumonia? There are almost no long term followup studies on memory loss in ECT. Patients who receive ECT are not routinely tested for memory loss. Experts deny ECT causes antegrade amnesia and yet since they don't routinely test for it, how can they be so sure? Lithium has the best scientific evidence base for treating bipolar and is the only drug proven to lower rates of completed suicide. Changes in genes that control circadian rhythm as well as differences in glutamate regulation have the strongest evidence base as the pathogenesis of bipolar. ECT has not been proven to effect either of these things. Lithium has been proven to regulate both circadian rhythms and glutamate regulation. ECT has it's place, but it is evidence base is not what it's proponents make out.
Does it make you apathetic after you go through the treatment? I'm asking just because I'm considering ECT and my 50yr old father-in-law, who's a psychologist, told me it makes you kind of a zombie after you do it...
I assisted my brother with ECT. You get anesthesia and the treatment definitely makes a patient kind of fuzzy for maybe 30-45 minutes afterwards. There is some slight memory loss. However, it made such a huge improvement in my brother’s life, after all meds were tried, that the positive benefits far outweighed the side effects. Almost miraculous improvements. Profound depression is a terrible place.
It is a very sad comment that Idaho does so little for mental health. Yes some Idaho cities do offer ect now but most still do not. This treatment does not work for all and is not recommended for all but offers hope to those who suffer from mental illness.
You guys are so awesome! ♥️🥰♥️
ECT treats only symptoms and does not alter disease course and it comes at the cost of memory loss. Think about it like this, if you had pneumonia and you took aspirin for the fever, that might be worth it if the fever was bad, but aspirin does nothing to alter the underlying disease it simply provides relief from one of its symptoms. Imagine if a potential side effect of asprin was antegrade amnesia, would you still take it for pneumonia?
There are almost no long term followup studies on memory loss in ECT. Patients who receive ECT are not routinely tested for memory loss. Experts deny ECT causes antegrade amnesia and yet since they don't routinely test for it, how can they be so sure?
Lithium has the best scientific evidence base for treating bipolar and is the only drug proven to lower rates of completed suicide.
Changes in genes that control circadian rhythm as well as differences in glutamate regulation have the strongest evidence base as the pathogenesis of bipolar. ECT has not been proven to effect either of these things. Lithium has been proven to regulate both circadian rhythms and glutamate regulation.
ECT has it's place, but it is evidence base is not what it's proponents make out.
Bipolar 1. Been taking lithium for 18 years. Lithium has done nothing for my horrible depression. It doesn't cure everything!!!!!!!!
Does it make you apathetic after you go through the treatment? I'm asking just because I'm considering ECT and my 50yr old father-in-law, who's a psychologist, told me it makes you kind of a zombie after you do it...
I assisted my brother with ECT. You get anesthesia and the treatment definitely makes a patient kind of fuzzy for maybe 30-45 minutes afterwards. There is some slight memory loss. However, it made such a huge improvement in my brother’s life, after all meds were tried, that the positive benefits far outweighed the side effects. Almost miraculous improvements. Profound depression is a terrible place.
It is a very sad comment that Idaho does so little for mental health. Yes some Idaho cities do offer ect now but most still do not. This treatment does not work for all and is not recommended for all but offers hope to those who suffer from mental illness.