The Pros and Cons of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Essay example --

Electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT, is a medical procedure that is used in the treatment of mental illness. In ECT, a small electrical impulse is sent through the brain, resulting in an ephemeral seizure. Though the process is generally effective, modern science is unaware of the explanation behind ECT's success. Its history is filled with a large amount of stigma and the use of ECT as a therapy is still debated today. ECT has evolved to a point where its beneficial effects can be maximized and its adverse effects can be minimized through proper administration. The ancient Romans were the first to use electricity to treat disease several thousand years ago; however, â€Å"electrical medicine† has improved and has been utilized in the forms predating ECT in a relatively short amount of time. In the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, doctors began to notice that giving people camphor could â€Å"cure lunacy† (Abrams, 2002). The doctors noticed that when administering camphor orally, it caused seizures, and upon waking up, were â€Å"in a rational state† (Abrams, 2002). In fact, in 1798, a German scientist reported that 80% of manic patients that were treated with camphor and had seizures, were cured (Abrams, 2002). As medical and technological advances occurred, so did the use of inducing a seizure to cure mental illness. In 1934, a scientist was able to bring a schizophrenic patient, who had been on a hunger strike and had not moved in four years, to recovery through a seizure that had been brought on by camphor (Abrams, 2 002). And, â€Å"thus, convulsive therapy was born† (Abrams, 2002). By the end of the year, this scientist published results of the same action given to twenty-six schizophrenics, ten patients were cured, thirteen had no re... ...ll be given. Even as ECT's use fades out, the impacts of the research will lead to necessary, and important, scientific findings. Works Cited Abrams, Richard. Electroconvulsive Therapy. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002. Print. Dahl, Melissa. "Shock Therapy Makes a Quiet Comeback." Msnbc.com. 6 Aug. 2008. Web. "Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Benefits & Side Effects." WebMD. 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. Fitzgerald, Paul. "It's Time to Move on from ECT's Shocking past." The Conversation: In-depth Analysis, Research, News and Ideas from Leading Academics and Researchers. 29 Sept. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2014. Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)." Mayo Clinic. 9 July 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. "Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy During Pregnancy -- Miller 45 (5): 444 -- Hosp Community Psychiatry." Psychiatric Services. May 1991. Web. 8 Nov. 2014.