considering electroshock therapy

[Argamemnon]

:sl: I'm considering electro shock therapy (ECT), my severe depression doesn't end.. They say it doesn't hurt, but I'm scared. But what choice do I have when I wake up every day wishing I was dead.. I haven't yet told my psychiatrist.

[جوري]

ECT is actually a good treatment for refractory depression but ONLY when medical therapy has failed.. have you tried conventional meds first?

You can't simply decide on this treatment modality, it has to be a professional judgment of your physician..

it is nothing like 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' it is actually quite painless.. but does have side effects mainly 'memory loss'
are you willing to lose some of your memory?
and know that you have to commit to this for at least 14 sessions?

[Snowflake]

^:(

Brother have you tried medication for depression? Please, recite Surah al-Fatiha over yourself. Read it 3x, 7 x or 11 times or however you can. Blow on your hands and wipe over yourself. Please avoid the shock therapy bro. Just thinking about it makes me :(

[Argamemnon]

ECT is actually a good treatment for refractory depression but ONLY when medical therapy has failed.. have you tried conventional meds first?

You can't simply decide on this treatment modality, it has to be a professional judgment of your physician..

it is nothing like 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' it is actually quite painless.. but does have side effects mainly 'memory loss'
are you willing to lose some of your memory?
and know that you have to commit to this for at least 14 sessions?

Yes, I have tried everything else. If it doesn't hurt and memory loss is temporary, I may try it. Thanks.

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[Argamemnon]

^:(

Brother have you tried medication for depression? Please, recite Surah al-Fatiha over yourself. Read it 3x, 7 x or 11 times or however you can. Blow on your hands and wipe over yourself. Please avoid the shock therapy bro. Just thinking about it makes me :(

Yes sis, I'm on medication now, and I had meds in the past.. I will definitely recite Al Fatiha often, thank you..

[جوري]

Yes, I have tried everything else. If it doesn't hurt and memory loss is temporary, I may try it. Thanks.

The memory loss starts off temporary then becomes worst with successive treatments..
but if in fact you've tried everything else, it is perhaps best and safest..

ECT represents a valuable alternative and is safe enough to use in the pregnant patient..

so actually I really think it is excellent you are taking the initiative to want to get better..

let us know how you fare insha'Allah

:w:

[Argamemnon]

The memory loss starts off temporary then becomes worst with successive treatments..

Will I gain my memory totally back after the treatments have ended? Thanks...

:w:

[جوري]

Will I gain my memory totally back after the treatments have ended? Thanks...

:w:

:sl:
it depends.. most people have 'recent' memory loss-- i.e the day of, the week of-- so your childhood memories etc are intact.. however with folks who have very serious disease and you can understand that this treatment modality is used for a host of things from schizophrenia to bipolar disorder and have to go many treatments before any positive results can be seen and consequently more memories are lost with a more permenant type setting..

you'll have to discuss this with your physician.. if s/he is even familiar with this, many folks don't despite the benfits use this treatment modality confers don't subscribe to this therapy and believe it or not there are a couple of states trying to ban it 'Texas' the would you like a gun with that state for instance is one of them.. so I think your physician is best suited to answer your questions or direct you to someone who uses this treatment modality on his/her pts frequently.

I am not a psychiatrist obviousely a professional psychiatrist is best suited to let you know the ins and outs of this..

just know that it isnt painful, that it is safe to use in pregnancy and cardiac pts so long as the benefits outweight the risks, and that folks generally see good results with it... I'd personally exhaust pharmoacological therapy first.. and I can understand your disenchantment with pharmaoctherapy.. I myself have been on an anti-depressant that I believe I'd have been better off braving my symptoms than taking..

this is something that any one can fall victim to even physicians themselves and I have posted an article to that regard on the health and science section...

I'd go through all classes of pharmacotherapy though and stay on them for the allotted period of time before giving up and going for ECT...

I can't however tell you what is best for you.. you need to decide on that with your doc..

all the best insha'Allah

:w:

[Argamemnon]

^^ :sl: thank you :)

[Woodrow]

EST or ECT as it is called in some areas. is painless. But as Sister Skye already said it should be considered only as a last resort. The pros and cons of it need to be discussed fully with your psychiatrist. It is a last resort treatment, mainly because of the memory loss. However, most of the loss will be interms of recent memory. You probably will permentaly loose all memory of the events of the day before and up to the time of the treatment at each treatment and it does require at least 14 treatment usually a week apart.

The worse complaint I have heard is of headaches for a day or two after each treatment. They do not seem to be severe and clear up after a day.

[Argamemnon]

Thank you Woodrow. I'm desperate enough to take risks. I had suffered from depression before, but it was never like this. I can't cope with this emptiness. I feel dead inside, I don't feel human anymore imsad

[piXie]

:salamext:

Brother, I hope you haven't started your electroshock therapy yet, as I would like you to read something first. I apologize for not replying to you sooner, but please read these posts on depression:

http://www.islamicboard.com/advice-s...ml#post1068493

http://www.islamicboard.com/advice-s...tml#post782569

http://www.islamicboard.com/health-s...ml#post1043303

I'm not sure if you knew this already, if u did, I apologize for wasting your time. But if you didn't know this (Internal and external factors of depression and certain nutrients requirement) then please consider it. Countless people have cured their depression by taking care of their spiritual and physical (soul and body) alhamdulillaah.

Depression is not only because of a lack of Eemaan, as most of us believe. Yes, it's true that if one has a very strong soul and Eemaan, its impossible for them to be depressed.They are free frm it because they have a lot of trust in Allaah. And the effects of this happy and content soul on the body, are very good. Makes the body strong too. Because the soul and body are inter-linked.

However, our minds still require specific nutrients, our bodies still require good and wholesome food, and if it doesn't get these foods and nutrients, they can become deficient, which can lead us to becoming depressed (the biological aspect)

Then there is also the fact that we are complicated beings with many needs. That is the way Allaah has created us. We need to be fulfilled socially, emotionally, psychologically, physically etc. These are all the small compartments in our brain which if not fulfilled and satisfied (due to life sometimes being cruel to us and people mistreating us) can cause us to become depressed also. And many people nowadays suffer frm depression, due to this reason. And they don't know how to handle it, they don't know who to turn to (i.e. Allaah), they've never been told. The Qur'aan and Hadith and biography of the Prophet :arabic5: teaches us all how to handle it. And the supplications we read protect us and help to change our situation for the better. And the nutrients we take, all help to strengthen us.

This is a brief and general post about depression, but please seriously consider what I've told u brother, and it will help your depression 100% insha'Allaah. It has helped many people before u also, and it is the best and most natural way of curing something. And insha'Allaah, there will be no need for electroshock therapy.

If u have any comments or Q's feel free to ask. May Allaah :arabic2: help you, and us all. Aameen.