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Treating Elderly Depression with Electroconvulsive Therapy

One of the most feared terms in connection with the treatment of elderly depression is electroconvulsive therapy (often abbreviated as ECT). Much of the bad reputation this treatment form has received rests of course on movie depictions and on the actual misuse of the procedure at the hands of untrained individuals.

To be honest, ECT is a drastic treatment and it is used sparingly and only for cases that are considered extreme in their symptoms for elderly depression. Treating elderly depression with electroconvulsive therapy is indeed a rare occurrence because of the side effects the treatment has, and because the advanced age of the geriatric patient does not make them a good candidate for this form of attention.

Yet at the same time, in patients that evidence no only severe depression but possibly may have been classified as suicidal and may present with more than just one diagnosed mental illness and also when other attempts at treatment have proven to be futile, ECT is sometimes the only methodology open to the psychiatrist who is seeking to improve the affected senior's life and mental health. The application of the process is usually done during general anesthesia.

The patient will have electrodes hooked up to certain locations on the scalp where the hair will have been removed. A meticulously calibrated electrical current is then sent through the electrodes, mimicking a brain seizure. The most commonly noted side effect associated with this treatment is a temporary memory loss and a sense of confusion surrounding not only the patient's current whereabouts but also the treatment itself.

ECT treatments are not one time only events but instead are administered up to three times per week for two weeks at a time; sometimes the quantity of treatments may have to be increased so as to span four weeks. Truthfully, the results of ECT are astounding and many have actually chosen to undergo the treatment because it offers radical, almost instantaneous betterment of symptoms.

At the same time, psychiatrists are warning those suffering from elderly depression to remember that ECT is not a silver bullet in the fight against the illness, but instead it is a treatment option which, when combined with psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs yields a good opportunity for improvement.

Like any other treatment, it is wise to seek a second opinion if you are not entirely certain that you are a good candidate for this treatment option or if you do not feel comfortable signing on the dotted line giving your consent to the treatment. Even if all those involved agree that this is the most promising avenue open for your feeling better for a prolonged period of time, remember that you still have the legal right to refuse this kind of treatment if you have decided in your heart to do so. It might be an unwise move on your part, but an important aspect of seeking mental health help rests on the fact that you are the ultimate decision maker and thus empowered to give or withhold your consent at will.