Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a severe mental disorder that causes extreme shifts in mood. It can severely impact the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. People with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression). Mania is characterized by extreme changes in energy, a decreased need for sleep and extreme excitability. Mania is usually followed by extreme depression. There is no cure for bipolar disorder, but medications and therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can help manage the condition.
Process
During ECT, electrical currents are passed through an anesthetized individual's brain. These currents trigger a seizure. The exact reason behind ECT's effectiveness is not known, but provoking a seizure is thought to cause an alteration in the neurotransmitters of the brain which relieves depression and mania symptoms. ECT also alters the stress hormones of the brain. ECT works faster than medications and is an effective option when an individual is at risk for suicide, cannot take antidepressants or is psychotic. ECT is usually administered six to 12 times over two to three weeks. After the initial ECT treatments, some individuals require maintenance ECT treatments, usually given one to four times a month.
Common Side Effects
A common side effect of ECT is memory loss, and a period of confusion is normal after an ECT treatment. This usually subsides in a few hours. The Mayo Clinic states the period of confusion following ECT treatments may increase as more ECT treatments are given. After receiving ECT treatments, an individual may not remember the weeks leading up to the treatments or may have trouble recalling weeks after the treatments. Memory problems usually improve two to three months after ECT treatments end. Permanent memory loss is rare.
ECT treatments can cause muscle aches, headaches, nausea and vomiting. These side effects can be treated with medications and usually subside in a day or two.
Statistics
The American Psychiatric Association reports that ECT has a success rate of 80 percent. University of Michigan Psychiatry states that the risk of respiratory issues and cardiac death during ECT is one in 10 thousand, similar to any outpatient surgery that involves anesthesia.
