Electroconvulsive therapy mostly used on women and older people, says study

Findings are a cause for concern and symptom of the ‘over-medicalising of human distress’, says co-author of report using NHS data

The use of electroconvulsive therapy to treat serious mental health problems is more prevalent in women and older individuals, researchers have found.

The study, which looked at data from a group of NHS trusts in England between 2011 and 2015, found that, on average, two thirds of recipients of ECT were women, and 56% were people aged over 60.

Antidepressants are associated with side-effects in the elderly, whereas ECT is very safe

Related: Drugs didn’t work for my brother. Electroconvulsive therapy did | Andrew Mayers

Related: What is ECT and how does it work?

Continue reading... October 20, 2017 at 08:09PM