Psych Symposium Reveals Shocking Truth
Jacob Aguiar
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: News
Electroconvulsive Therapy cured Kitty Dukakis's depression. For years she struggled with mental illness, and the only treatments her psychologist thought to offer her were medication and Freudian therapy, but nothing helped.
"No one considered Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) because of the stigma it carries," Dukakis said.
People's misconceptions about certain treatments like electric shock therapy have hampered the development of these treatment options, which are effective for some patients.
At a recent symposium on mental health in the Healy Library, Keynote Speaker Mrs. Kitty Dukakis related her struggle with severe depression and subsequent alcohol abuse. She stated that she had tried for many years to combat her depression through "conventional means" such as medication and therapy but nothing helped. Electroconvulsive Therapy or ECT was never considered by her psychologist because of the stigma it carries.
Dukakis stated that films like "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" propagate this popular perception of ECT. This kind of movie vilifies psychiatrists. While patient endure painful electric shocks to the brain, screaming and writhing in pain, doctors muse on the effects like mad scientists.
"Because of this popular image of ECT, it is widely considered to be a cruel and inhuman procedure by psychologist and laymen," said Dukakis.
According to Mrs. Dukakis not only is this perception wrong but also harmful, because Electroconvulsive Therapy is actually proven to be a very effective treatment for very severe depression. In cases (like her own) when medication and therapy have no effect ECT has had an almost miraculous healing ability.
Mrs. Dukakis reported that after five or six treatments she felt like herself again for the first time in years. She now has monthly ECT treatments and meets with a support group to keep her depression under control.
Besides her own experience Mrs. Dukakis told several anecdotes about others who where inspired by her to have the treatment and meet with similar results.
"No one considered Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) because of the stigma it carries," Dukakis said.
People's misconceptions about certain treatments like electric shock therapy have hampered the development of these treatment options, which are effective for some patients.
At a recent symposium on mental health in the Healy Library, Keynote Speaker Mrs. Kitty Dukakis related her struggle with severe depression and subsequent alcohol abuse. She stated that she had tried for many years to combat her depression through "conventional means" such as medication and therapy but nothing helped. Electroconvulsive Therapy or ECT was never considered by her psychologist because of the stigma it carries.
Dukakis stated that films like "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" propagate this popular perception of ECT. This kind of movie vilifies psychiatrists. While patient endure painful electric shocks to the brain, screaming and writhing in pain, doctors muse on the effects like mad scientists.
"Because of this popular image of ECT, it is widely considered to be a cruel and inhuman procedure by psychologist and laymen," said Dukakis.
According to Mrs. Dukakis not only is this perception wrong but also harmful, because Electroconvulsive Therapy is actually proven to be a very effective treatment for very severe depression. In cases (like her own) when medication and therapy have no effect ECT has had an almost miraculous healing ability.
Mrs. Dukakis reported that after five or six treatments she felt like herself again for the first time in years. She now has monthly ECT treatments and meets with a support group to keep her depression under control.
Besides her own experience Mrs. Dukakis told several anecdotes about others who where inspired by her to have the treatment and meet with similar results.
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