Abnormal Psychology: The History of Mental Illness

IB Psychology: Abnormal Psychology


Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT): also known as the electroshock is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Nowadays it is not used, but sometimes use it for a treatment for severe depression that has not responded to other treatment. It was first introduced first by an Italian neuropsychiatrist  Ugo Cerletti  and Lucio Bini. With ECT 70 percent of the patients are womens, and mostly there is a significant risk of memory loss. ECT is safe and among the most effective treatments available for depression. With ECT, electrodes are put on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied. The current causes a brief seizure in the brain. ECT is one of the fastest ways to relieve symptoms in severely depressed or suicidal patients. It's also very effective for patients who suffer from mania or other mental illnesses. ECT is generally used when severe depression is unresponsive to other forms of therapy. Or it might be used when patients pose a severe threat to themselves or others and it is dangerous to wait until medications take effect. ECT has the process of doing it. First of all the patient is given a muscle relaxant and is put to sleep with a general anesthesia. Electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied. This current causes a brief seizure in the brain. Because the muscles are relaxed, the visible effects of the seizure will usually be limited to slight movement of the hands and feet. Patients are carefully monitored during the treatment. The patient awakens minutes later, does not remember the treatment or events surrounding it, and is often confused. The confusion typically lasts for only a short period of time.When used, ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, ECT can be beneficial in the following situations:

• when a need exists for rapid treatment response, such as in pregnancy
• when a patient refuses food and that leads to nutritional compromise
• when a patient's depression is resistant to antidepressant therapy
• when other medical ailments prevent the use of antidepressant medication
• when the patient is in a catatonic stupor
• when the depression is accompanied by psychotic features
• when treating bipolar disorder
• when treating mania
• when treating patients who have a severe risk of suicide
• when treating patients who have had a previous response to ECT
• when treating patients with atypical psychosis
• when treating patients with major depression
• when treating schizophrenia

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It is an empirically supported treatment that focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive and the beliefs that underlie such thinking. For Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it has demonstrated its usefulness for a wide variety of   problems, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and psychotic disorders. The underlying concept behind  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that our thoughts and feelings play a fundamental role in our behavior. For example, a person who spends a lot of time thinking about plane crashes, runaway accidents and other air disasters may fund themselves voiding air travel. The goal of cognitive behavior therapy is to teach patients that while the cannot control every aspect of the world around them, they can take control of how they interpret and deal with things in their environment. Cognitive behavior therapy has become increasingly popular in recent years with both mental health consumers and treatment professionals. Because CBT is usually a short-term treatment option, it is often more affordable than some other types of therapy. CBT is also empirically supported and has been shown to effectively help patients overcome a wide variety of maladjusted behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapy has been used to treat people suffering from a wide range of disorders, including anxiety, phobias, depression and addiction. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  is one of the most researched types of therapy, in part because treatment is focused on a highly specific goal and results can be measured relatively easily. Cognitive behavior therapy is often best suited for clients who are comfortable with introspection. In order for  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  to be effective, the individual must be ready and willing to spend time and effort analyzing his or her thoughts and feelings. Such self-analysis can be difficult, but it is a great way to learn more about how internal states impact outward behavior. Cognitive behavior therapy is also well-suited for people looking for a short-term treatment options that does not necessarily involve pharmacological medication. One of the greatest benefits of cognitive-behavior therapy is that it helps clients develop coping skills that can be useful both now and in the future.




Serotonin-Norepinephrine Re-uptake Inhibitors:  Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors s are a class of medications that are effective at easing depression symptoms. Serotonin-Nor-epinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors are also sometimes used to treat other mental health conditions such as anxiety. Serotonin and Norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors ease depression by affecting chemical messengers used to communicate between brain cells. Most antidepressants work by changing the levels of one or more of these naturally occurring brain chemicals. Serotonin-Nor-epinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors block the absorption of the neurotransmitters. Changing the balance of these chemicals seems to help brain cells send and receive messages, which in turn boosts mood. Medications in this group of antidepressants are sometimes called dual re-uptake inhibitors.