Shock therapy: A look into some myths and facts

Shock therapy: A look into some myths and facts

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Shock therapy, scientifically known as Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is a form of brain stimulation psychiatric treatment which stimulates the brain by applying brief electrical pulses of varying intensity in order to treat serious mental disorders. During ECT therapy, a brief application of electric stimulus is used to induce seizures in order to provide relief from psychiatric illnesses. This type of therapy is typically contemplated for treating severe, treatment-resistant depression, or if the patient’s illness is not showing signs of improvement with other treatments such as antidepressant medication or psychotherapy. The treatment is also used to cure other mental disorders such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Read more

Risk of mental illness excessively high among the HIV-positive

Risk of mental illness excessively high among the HIV-positive

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A lot of progress has been witnessed in the HIV/AIDS treatment domain in recent years. With the availability of lifesaving drugs, the disease has become comparatively less miserable. However, there is enough risk of developing associated illnesses, including mental health disorders, after being infected with the HIV virus. Read more

An overview of major mental health events to be held in 2017

An overview of major mental health events to be held in 2017

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Mental health includes an individual’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. Since it affects how a person thinks, feels, acts, handles stress, relates to others and makes choices, it is a prerequisite for the overall well-being of an individual at every stage of life. The fact that mentally healthy individuals are often able to form positive relationships, use their abilities to stretch their potential and deal with life’s difficulties, also proves the importance of staying mentally healthy. Read more

Conditions wrongly categorized as mental illnesses-4: Alzheimer’s and dementia

Conditions wrongly categorized as mental illnesses-4: Alzheimer’s and dementia

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Old age is inevitable and so are many conditions associated with it. People become concerned about growing old, primarily because older age often brings dependency on others and a struggle with numerous health issues. A healthy lifestyle can prevent illness, exercise and a good diet prevents many diseases. While people can use cosmetics or even cosmetic surgery in some cases to appear younger, they cannot govern the inner aging of tissues, cells, muscles and most importantly the brain. According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Ageing causes changes to the brain size, vasculature, and cognition. The brain shrinks with increasing age and there are changes at all levels from molecules to morphology. Memory decline also occurs with ageing and brain activation becomes more bilateral for memory tasks.” Read more

Identifying warning signs of suicide

Identifying warning signs of suicide

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According to a 2014 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), every 40 seconds, a person attempts to take his life, or commits suicide, in some part of the world. Suicide is the second leading cause of death, globally, occurring among the age group of 15-29 years, according to the WHO. On an average, about 112 people in America die from suicide each day. Thus, there has been an unprecedented increase in the suicide rate over the past several years. Read more