Electric shock treatment for depression is one of the primary established remedies for the disorder. Due to the invasive nature of depression shock treatment, there is a debate as to whether it should in fact be used. It is usually only used when the condition becomes severe and uncontrollable resulting in suicidal tendencies and when other methods seem to be ineffective. Let’s look at how shock treatments for depression work.
The idea behind shock treatment for depression is to send the body through shock to stimulate the brain centers to react positively and in turn alleviate the symptoms associated with depression. General anesthesia is used as well as a muscle relaxing agent is required. The relaxer prevents the muscles from tensing up during the procedure. The idea is to artificially bring on a seizure. The treatment only lasts a few minutes.
Considering the invasive nature of the treatment, there are bound to be side effects. The purpose of the treatment is to bring on a seizure. This can act negatively and result in seizures later on during normal activity once the treatment is over. Recurring treatment using electric shock wave therapy can result in other severe effects such as loss of memory as well as issues with movement such as muscle spasms.
Besides shock treatment for depression, there are other procedures that are sometimes used depending on the condition. Another treatment is the use of magnetic fields in order to stimulate the brain and reduce the effects of depression. Here a magnetic field is setup that passes through the skull and the brain. the process is still being tested but results have been quite positive so far.
Another natural method which is not intrusive is the consumption of herbal medicine. Similar to other methods such as acupuncture, herbal medication is an old form of treatment that has been around for centuries and known to have dramatic effects. Herbs that alter your state of mind and leave you thinking positively are commonly used with herbal treatment. Bear in mind that these are not drugs in the derogatory sense which causes addiction or has any harmful effects.
Other methods include acupuncture as well as conventional treatments. Shock wave therapy while effective is now slowly being replaced by other methods due to the side effects experienced. Currently, the most intrusive procedure that seems to be getting popular is acupuncture. Despite lack of a scientific explanation behind the treatment, it has proven to be quite effective.