Shock therapy for depression may sound like a painful, anxiety inducing form of remedial action for depression but sometimes it may just be the best option.
The popularity of electroshock therapy for depression has waned over the years due to the aggressive, intrusive nature of the therapy as well as the side effects that tend to follow. Today electro shock therapy for depression is only used when the disorder is very severe and is not responding to the numerous other forms of treatment available.
Electric shock therapy for depression works by jolting the brain with electricity to stimulate production of serotonin. Shock therapy depression treatment is initiated to induce a seizure in the patient. As you can see, it is very intrusive and thus makes severe side effects possible. Despite the apparently violent form of treatment, it has been used successfully to alleviate the symptoms associated with the disorder. With shock therapy for depression, certain side effects are almost guaranteed for any patient undergoing the treatment. Confusion for example is usually experienced by individuals undergoing the therapy. Memory loss is also common momentarily but may sometimes last for longer periods before ordinary memory capabilities are restored.
The treatment usually lasts a few minutes but may have to be a recurring procedure. This will depend on what your doctor sees fit based on your mental state. Shock therapy for depression will only be appropriate in certain situations. If the disorder was induced following trauma such as physical injury or loss of a loved one, using more passive methods such as talk therapy may be a better option. Additionally, any form of the condition that was triggered by an external event may not be suited for this form of treatment. Types of depression that are present due to physiological issues such as deficiencies in the body may be receptive to electric therapy.
The treatment of the disorder using electric therapy solely relies on serotonin levels. The shock is induced for the purpose of stimulating serotonin production. The effectiveness is questionable and the procedure does not guarantee that it will in fact boost serotonin levels. If a doctor suggests this method of treatment, it should only be after trying several other methods and reserving electric therapy as a last resort. Another similar form of treatment is magnetic therapy. It is less aggressive but based on the same idea.