1. < Depression & Anxiety

Depression, ECT and recovery

Posted by edeleo @edeleo, Feb 12, 2012

For anyone suffering from depression or considering ECT, watch this story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ystUgL8vQo&context=C3cd36f5ADOEgsToPDskKZIOJVmRUKoxwYI-M62VYW

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

Roxie43 | @roxie43 | Feb 12, 2012

Thanking for sharing your story. More stories are needed so people can stop thinking it's barbaric ....
Rox

REPLY
Roxie43 | @roxie43 | Mar 8, 2012

How are you? I have not heard from you. I am trying to return to the normal routine but have had some road blocks. I still feel good but I do get a little down with some issues. I still don't regret the ECT and firmly believe my life was saved because of it.
Hope all is well,
🙂

REPLY
Leanne | @leanne | May 25, 2012

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

REPLY
13 replies
Roxie43 | @roxie43 | May 25, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

It's nothing like the 60's. Yale has an excellent ECT clinic where I received my treatment.
It's important to note that some individuals do not get relief from psychotropics and being catatonic or being afraid to leave one's own home at least deserves alternatives.
It's insulting that you would say that the treatment that saved my life is a copout.
Just because it didn't help loved one's does not mean it's ineffective.
Thanks,
Rox

REPLY
piglit | @piglit | May 25, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

I find this quite an unbelivable comment to make. You know in the case of major depression the results with ECT have been incredible in so many cases and saved so many lives including one of my very dear friends Roxie. You know in life people like me and many others find ways to survive and we do and it is certainly in no way a copout to try procedures or medications to help us have some form of quality in our lives. I have suffered anxiety and depression all my life from a young age and i am fully aware of the foot cause as you say of my problems. They can't be fixed but you learn coping mechanisms to deal with them. I have a great positive attitude and it would help if others like yourself may get one too at times. Piglit

REPLY
Roxie43 | @roxie43 | May 26, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

Thanks Piglit,
I know the person who posted this discussion because she was one of the first individuals that I met here at Mayo. ECT also saved her life and her story is amazing. I recommend listening to her story...
Hugs,
Rox

REPLY
Leanne | @leanne | May 26, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

It is not a copout for you to find treatment that serves you best. It is a copout for the medical profession to continue to settle into a treatment that is not 100% efective ECT does not work for many people. The medical community could not save or help my mother, who I watched suffer all my life. My comment was not made for you the individual it was more about my impatients with the medical profession for not understanding more and doing more about mental illness. I am skeptical that newer better things can't be done. I'm not talking about the personal cause of your own issues I am talking about doing more to understand the science of the brain.

REPLY
Roxie43 | @roxie43 | May 26, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

Leanne,
There is no magic treatment for what we suffer from. Medication's work for some and not other's, cognitive behavioral therapies work for some, ECT helps some and now people are paying over $10,000 for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation because insurance does not cover it and all they want is relief from the debilitating impact of chronic depression.
We didn't cause our illnesses but we have to give ourselves the opportunity to get some relief.
I agree, to a certain extent, that the medical profession can improve but ECT saved my life and the life of the young lady Edeleo who posted this discussion and audio taped her struggle with mental illness from a very early age.
We all have the right to share what helped or what failed but a copout is unfair.
Best,
Rox

REPLY
Roxie43 | @roxie43 | May 26, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

I wish there was something better as well. I'm sorry your mom suffered. A lot of us have suffered and continue suffering. There is ongoing research on the causation of mental illnesses and also on treatments. Just a couple of weeks back, I was prescribed a new medication called Viibryd. It's too early for significant improvement but I should be able to tell soon, I hope, that it's helping.
Take care..
If you have time listen to the young ladies story. She's thriving in college today but her life was consumed by total darkness for many year's. Any success story should be valued...

REPLY
piglit | @piglit | May 26, 2012
In reply to @leanne "I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of..." + (show)
@leanne

I am skeptical, it makes no sense to me that random burning and killing off of brain cells will fix the physiological structures in the brain that were malfunctioning to cause the depression in the first place. The brain is complicated, we need more research to get to the root of the cause of chronic depression. Resorting to failed 1960's treatments seems like a copout to me. ECT didn't work for my mother during the dark ages of the mental health industry, why go backwards. There has to be something better.

Jump to this post

hi leanne Thank you for responding and explaining your response, I fully understand know.I'm sorry that your mum couldn't be helped, and you had to watch your mum go through so much . I hope that things do change so that people suffering do not have to continue to do so. Take care Piglit

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.