Electroshock: Healing Mental Illness

by Max Fink

Book Overview

Electroshock therapy has long suffered from a controversial and bizarre public image, effectively removing it as a treatment option for many patients. In Electroshock, Max Fink, M.D., draws on 45 years of clinical and research experience to argue that ECT is now a safe, painless, and sometimes life-saving treatment for emotional and mental disorders.

Dr. Fink traces the development of ECT from its discovery in 1934 followed by widespread use...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195158040
• ISBN13: 9780195158045
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

An important book to read for anyone interested in ECT

Max Fink's book discusses ECT in detail, but also in terms that the majority of patients can understand. It is clearly written, without hype, and describes ECT from the perspective of an experienced and caring clinician. I frequently recommend it for patients who are considering ECT. As for vagus nerve stimulation, studies indicate that while it may be helpful for chronic depression, it probably takes too long (3-12 months) to work for it to be useful in an episode of acute, severe depression.

A must-read book for families of new patients

This book fulfills a very important function: written by a foremost medical expert on ECT, it provides the lay reader with a brief, clear, up-to-date summary of this much maligned yet highly effective treatment. To this reader, the most valuable (and original) contribution of this book is its emphasis on continuation ECT. Fink gives repeated examples of individuals given ECT who responded, as the families put it "miraculously." But then, when the symptoms returned months or even years later, ECT was not used again. It was assumed to have "failed" because its effects were not permanent. But no one assumes that drugs have failed if they are taken and symptoms return when the patient stops taking them. Patients who have responded well to ECT have an excellent chance of responding again: many patients will do best if they are given ECT on a continuation basis but spaced far more broadly than at the initial crisis. There are two other particularly important contributions of this book. One is the discussion of the large variety of mental illnesses (not just depression) that respond well to ECT. The other is the encouragement it gives families to use ECT early in schizophrenia (where it is not rarely used at all, early or late). ECT used early in acute onset schizophrenia can not infrequently cut off the disease at the start, saving patients and their families a lifetime of torment.

A very useful publication for patients and families

Max Fink's "Electroshock: Restoring the Mind", despite its provocative title, is a very useful, easily absorbed, informative,and lucidly written book presenting a master clinician's perspective on this controversial -yet indispensable- treatment for severe mental illness. Professor Fink explains the changes that have made this once feared treatment safe and painless with only minor and reversible side effects and guides the reader with admirable clarity through technical explanations, indications and side effects, easily understood descriptions of the mental conditions this treatment is particularly helpful in,intriguing insights about the way ECT works, and interesting speculations about the future. These are all very helpful to demystify the treatment, particularly for patients who are offered the treatment and their relatives,present an introductory text for psychology and psychiatry students, and alleviate fears associated with rumors and prejudice for the general public. This is an important and timely contribution in an era when the use of ECT is actually on the rise and its application is finally based on solid scientific research. The book is also significant for two additional reasons. One is the history of ECT it provides which gives a perspective in time and helps understand the social and scientific contexts in which this treatment was born, used, abused, and denigrated. The second is the wealth of invaluable stories of the many patients that Dr Fink has cared for over the decades, who have had their illness restored by ECT when nothing else was working, and who in turn, through the exposition of their experience, are the the ones who truly restore its reputation

An excellent professional guide for the layman.

Dr. Fink has been treating the more severe mentally ill for many decades, and this book is meant to explain the treatment to patients and their families. Our son has ben ill for 13 years, had undergone more than 22 hospitalizations, when we were referred to Dr. Fink. He received electroshock, and despite the length and severity of his illness, he very much improved. His story is one of many descriptions of patients that have benefitted form electroshock that Dr. Fink describes in this readable, clear, and detailed book. Familiy members and patients will find the case examples useful. The description of what the patient experiences is accurate and reassuring. I can personally attest to that, having had ECT myself from another specialist. I can highly recommend this book to patients, their families, and their psychiatrists

A must-read for anyone dealing with depression

Finally, a comprehensive book that is informative, easy to read and understand for the non-medical person on ECT. Not only does Dr. Fink supply the reader with a wealth of information on ECT, but also explains many forms of mental illness and disorders. He gives thorough explanations of illnesses and disorders, what the symptoms are, how to treat the illnesses, how patients respond and length of treatments. This book is now a vital part of my personal library on the subject of severe depression and its treatment. Having been hospitalized for severe depression, not able to respond to meds, I underwent a series of nine shock treatments in 1988. I am sure I would not have survived if my psychiatrist had not prescribed ECT. I now have a book that clearly explains the reasoning behind ECT and how it works. Everyone needs to understand that having had ECT does not make me a "freak", but a living, productive example of the benefits of this treatment of severe depression. We as a society do not judge extreme treatments of cancer or other illnesses, it's about time we accepted and understood this very beneficial treatment of some mental illnesses. I thank you, Dr. Fink for sharing this information in a way that we can all understand and grow with the knowledge you provide.