Electroconvulsive Therapy
By Erica Offner
Medical anthropology is a subfield of
anthropology that focuses on social, cultural, and
biological factors of health and well being.
Anthropologists have overseen different therapies
and looked into the different dimensions of risk
and vulnerability for treatment. One controversial
treatment is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also
known as electroshock therapy, is one of the
safest forms of depression treatment, contrary to
popular belief (Caine). It is also used to treat
mania, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses.
In simple terms, electroconvulsive therapy sends
electric currents through the patient’s brain
causing brief seizures. This changes the chemistry
in the brain and reverses symptoms of certain
mental illnesses. ECT is only used when other
forms of medication have proven unsuccessful.
Through time, scientific efforts, and many patients
electroconvulsive therapy has proven to be one of
the best treatments of depression.
In the past, electroconvulsive therapy has
had many complications due to malpractice. There
is a large stigma to ECT because in early treatment
high doses of electricity were given without
enough anesthesia. This was a major cause of
memory loss and fractured bones. ECT is much
safer now and is administered while the patient is
under anesthesia. ECT still has side effects but it is
given in a better controlled setting to give the
most benefits with the lowest risk. (Mayoclinic).
ECT has been around since the 16th century, and
then it was used as a therapeutic use of seizure
induction. In 1934, Meduna, a Hungarian
neuropathologist began using intramuscular
injections to treat schizophrenia. In 1938, Bini, an
Italian neurologist performed the first electrical
induction of a series of seizures and was the first
to be successful. The following year, ECT was
brought to the United States. Due to the lack of
anesthesia and muscle relaxers there were
complications and patients were getting injured.
Since then there have been many scientists that
have improved the treatment making it extremely
safe for the patient (Kalapatapu).
Right before ECT begins, the patient first
takes a muscle relaxant to prevent movement
during the procedure and is sedated with
anesthesia. Electrodes are then placed on the
patient’s head in specific places. Through these