Thursday 30 April 2015

ZAPPED

Last day of the challenge and phew! It has been wonderful and stressful at the same time. I have discovered some new blogs, made some friends (I hope) and learnt many new things. Also, something else that was awesome was that my pageviews went up a bit more than the usual (quite exciting). I just had ice-cream to celebrate the end of the challenge, not very healthy, I know, but it had lots of fruits and nuts it in (that’s got to count for something right?) Plus I didn’t finish the whole bowl.

For today’s post, I’d go back to my psychiatric posting. I already told how my undergraduate psychiatric exposure was next to nothing here, however, it wasn’t until I heard the word “ECT – electroconvulsive therapy” that I realized how little I really knew in psychiatry. Electroconvulsive therapy is a form of psychiatric treatment in which seizures (convulsions) are induced in patients to provide relief from psychiatric illnesses like major depression, mania, schizophrenia e.t.c. It is usually used as a last line of intervention. 

After hearing about ECT for a week, I decided it was time to witness one. Basically, electrodes (almost similar to those used during an ECG) are applied to the temples of the head and the patient is zapped. They begin to convulse (lasts a few minutes) then they fall asleep. This procedure is repeated about 5-6x or stopped when the patient is responding. 

Photo credit: wikipedia
Typically, I’ve been taught my whole life that seizures are bad for the brain, so I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around the fact that doctors would intentionally induce one on people and it would be beneficial for that matter. Well, I saw for myself that these patients did improve with ECT before the end of my posting. 

ECTs have some side effects though and they are confusion and memory loss. Anyway, now I’ve seen that something good could come out from something bad like been zapped.

Cheers all, see you again next year.

23 comments:

  1. That's an intriguing procedure. Another procedure that equally fascinates me is a lobotomy. Congrats on making it to the end of the Challenge, Keren. :)

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    1. Lobotomy is quite fascinating. Thanks, glad I made it and same to you.

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    2. Hello, Keren. I just wanted to let you know that I gave you an honorable mention in my A to Z Challenge reflections post:

      http://www.michaelabayomi.com/2015/05/reflections-on-2015-z-challenge.html

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    3. Lobotomies are heinous and disgusting. Interesting, sure, but if a person is beyond help from other means, taking away their ability to even have a brain is the same as murdering them.

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    4. I didnt describe or talk about lobotomy, I talked about electroconvulsive therapy. Right?

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  2. A to Z, you made it. Congratulations on completing your challenge. I hope the ice cream didn't give you a brain freeze.

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    1. Yes! I made it. Lol, nope the ice cream was cool. Thanks for been with me all the way.

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  3. I find it fascinating how for years it was seen as something so awful, from the bad old days, but now it's making a comeback.

    Liz A. from Laws of Gravity

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    1. It is indeed fascinating and believe me, many are still against it.

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  4. You ended it well Karen ..see you again next again next year are you closing down....omg telle its not true u can't close down

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    1. Thanks Chigozie, I didn't knew that I'd stop blogging. However, I'm thinking of getting off the blogging train for a bit. Have some other issues that need my immediate attention. Nice meeting you

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  5. Congratulations on making it through the challenge! It is crazy how many blogs there are in this challenge! I think I only visited around half and must have missed yours! Very interesting blog!

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    1. Thanks, the number of blogs are more than a thousand! Couldn't believe it. Nice to meet you.

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  6. Hello there.
    Very interesting. I don't suffer from seizures, but every now and then I have vertigo attacks. My therapy was similar but with no electrics...they brought on my vertigo with fast-moving spirally graphics and strange sounds. It was scary and apparently, they can't figure out what causes my vertigo. I've had my brain scanned - nothing wrong there. Guess I'll just have to make do in this stream of time.
    Well done for finishing the challenge...like you, I'm all worn out!
    Thanks for sharing and revisiting my blog. ;-)

    Entrepreneurial Goddess

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    1. You are quite welcome. About the vertigo, most of the time it is caused by problems in the inner ear since the cochlea is responsible for balance. So maybe you should check your ears too. Anyway, I hope the cause is found and you get well soon. Cheers..

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  7. CONGRATULATIONS! I celebrated with a tray of danish ;)

    I'm not a big fan of "zapping." Scrambling the brain only seems like a temporary fix.

    You can find me here:
    ClarabelleRant

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  8. I imagine it could be quite distressing, watching someone having ECT. I'm not sure I would be brave enough to have that kind of treatment or let one of my family members go through it. Though if it would help, you'd want to exhaust all the avenues to make someone better.

    It could be a very tough call.

    Cait @ Click's Clan

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    1. It's not an easy thing to watch, but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do. And like you said if it would help, why not?

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  9. Congrats on making it til the end! It's quite an adventure, huh? Good job on delivering relevant posts all through out. :)

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  10. Congratulations on making it successfully through the A to Z Challenge. Glad you were able to join us and hope you'll be back in 2016.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Road trippin' with A to Z
    Tossing It Out

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