Monday, November 26, 2007

It's All In The Definition.

Now if the use of tazers was seen as an intervention of almost last resort, a means of 'treating' poor impulse control, modifying irrational thinking, then perhaps, just perhaps the UN would have modified it's recommendation.
The Ministry of Health said 70 to 80 per cent of patients who received ECT responded to it well ... Oh yes ... but not from my reading on the topic.
Disproportionately more women than men received ECT
The elderly were the main group to receive ECT.
In fact more effective with older aged, female, foreign born and less educated. Why more women? Perhaps simply more male psychiatrists.
Side effects include headaches, muscle aches or soreness, nausea, confusion and memory loss.
Now, I recall a study indicating permanent brain damage resulting from equivalent voltage/amperage per body weight to mice following a single convulsion ... perhaps this New-generation scanner will show this treatment to be a permanent and debilitating form of torture, the ultimate in sanctioned oppression.

3 comments:

Lindsay Mitchell said...

I think John Banks has a passionate and vocal grudge against ECT treatment. Seem to recall him describing how his elderly alcoholic mother was given it and how he rescued her after seeing the effects. I might have the wrong person but I'm sure I heard him emoting about it on his radio show last year and got the impression there are other anti-ECT activists.

mojo said...

Lindsay I have always seen this as one of the ultimate means of effecting social control, safely executed under the auspice of a, unethical to not be implemented, treatment of choice for endogenous depression or other not spontaneously psychotropically remitting psychiatric disorder.Secondary of course to more intrusive interventions such as leuchotomy or lobotomy or compulsory treatment order.

ZenTiger said...

On the other hand, Tasers are obviously therapeutic...

Police Officer McCain administered a Taser followed by a manicure and massage. The client was then photographed and a follow up visit was booked for the following week.

The client was subsequently offered time in a brand new State facility with underfloor heating, shrub gardens surrounding the accommodation and three square meals a day.

Note that there is no charge for this service, as it is met by willing donations from members of the working public.

Applicants should apply by breaking a window with an axe or smacking a nearby child. More serious actions may be met with the home stay option.