Electroconvulsive Therapy and Depression
If your depression is severe, and if drug treatment and psychotherapy don't seem to be working, your doctor may suggest electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The treatment, which involves delivering a brief electrical current to the brain, is seen as a life-saving therapy for those whose depressions are so severe that they stop eating or contemplate suicide. Unfortunately, many people are intimidated by the idea of ECT, once popularly known as "shock therapy." This is partly due to the gruesome images portrayed in movies, and partly because in the past, ECT was sometimes used inappropriately for example, on people with personality disorders rather than depression.
If you have to undergo ECT, you should know exactly what will happen. The procedure is done in hospital or at a special clinic, sometimes on an out-patient basis, and usually involves a total of six to twelve sessions, two or three times per week. You will be given a muscle relaxant and a short-acting anesthetic prior to treatment. While you're unconscious, a quick, painless burst of electricity is delivered via electrodes attached to your head. You may feel some what groggy afterward, so you should always have someone accompany you. You may experience a brief period of mental confusion or memory loss after several treatments, but this is usually temporary. Some people who have undergone ECT have reported more profound and long-lasting memory loss. However, doctors say it's not clear whether this is related to the treatment or the underlying depression it self.
Dysthymia
A diagnosis of dysthymia may be made if you experience a chronically depressed or low mood most of the time for at least two years, and if you also suffer from two or more of the following symptoms.
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Poor appetite or overeating.
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Inability to sleep or oversleeping;
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Low energy or fatigue.
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Low self-esteem.
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Poor concentration or trouble making decisions.
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Feelings of hopelessness.
This mood disorder tends to show up early in life, but it's not uncommon for it to begin in the later years. Many older people who experience major depression may also suffer from underlying dysthymia.
People with dysthymia often appear resigned to their situation, saying "That's just how I am" or 'Tve always been this way." Older adults who suffer from this disorder may not mention the problem to their doctors unless asked. Like other types of depressive illness, dysthymia seems to run in families, and it's also more common in people with a family history of major depression. Dysthymia may respond to treatment with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.
If you have to undergo ECT, you should know exactly what will happen. The procedure is done in hospital or at a special clinic, sometimes on an out-patient basis, and usually involves a total of six to twelve sessions, two or three times per week. You will be given a muscle relaxant and a short-acting anesthetic prior to treatment. While you're unconscious, a quick, painless burst of electricity is delivered via electrodes attached to your head. You may feel some what groggy afterward, so you should always have someone accompany you. You may experience a brief period of mental confusion or memory loss after several treatments, but this is usually temporary. Some people who have undergone ECT have reported more profound and long-lasting memory loss. However, doctors say it's not clear whether this is related to the treatment or the underlying depression it self.
Dysthymia
A diagnosis of dysthymia may be made if you experience a chronically depressed or low mood most of the time for at least two years, and if you also suffer from two or more of the following symptoms.
*
Poor appetite or overeating.
*
Inability to sleep or oversleeping;
*
Low energy or fatigue.
*
Low self-esteem.
*
Poor concentration or trouble making decisions.
*
Feelings of hopelessness.
This mood disorder tends to show up early in life, but it's not uncommon for it to begin in the later years. Many older people who experience major depression may also suffer from underlying dysthymia.
People with dysthymia often appear resigned to their situation, saying "That's just how I am" or 'Tve always been this way." Older adults who suffer from this disorder may not mention the problem to their doctors unless asked. Like other types of depressive illness, dysthymia seems to run in families, and it's also more common in people with a family history of major depression. Dysthymia may respond to treatment with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.
