tellme_areyoufree

http://www.reddit.com/user/tellme_areyoufree

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tellme_areyoufree256 karma

I do not believe that top surgery is purely cosmetic. It is life changing (if not life saving)

Psychiatrist chiming in to amplify your statement here. Life saving - suicide rates plummet with gender affirming care, including top surgery for those who need it.

Thank you for doing life-saving work.

tellme_areyoufree191 karma

The literature supports the use of ECT as the gold standard for treatment resistant depression. It is often (~70+% of the time if I recall correctly, but please feel free to check my numbers) effective where medications and psychotherapy have failed. I've seen many patients go from suicidal and severely depressed to happy and smiling. For some patients it's like a switch, like magic. It's honestly incredible.

It's also a last resort specifically for the reason that it is literally electrocuting someone. Modern ECT is extremely safe, and far safer than untreated or under-treated depression.

tellme_areyoufree37 karma

Also, in my experience the memory impairment tends to occur in relation to the ECT. For example, you get ECT Monday morning, you can't remember what you had for breakfast after ECT that day. You don't forget who your daughter is. Tuesday's fine or fuzzy at worst. Wednesday, ECT again, can't recall whether your son or daughter drove you in, you don't forget where you live. I feel like that's an important distinction.

There are cases where memory impairment is worse. They are very uncommon, and may be related to underlying cognitive impairment (eg those caused by long term depression, "pseudodementia" or "the dementia of depression.")

I'm not trying to be overly optimistic, but I have seen lives change with this treatment. I've seen families get their loved one back, I've seen people return to feeling human and alive.

tellme_areyoufree27 karma

Good finds! Being on one's phone isn't especially conducive to a thorough search of the literature.

I would ask a few questions that I don't see clearly answered - short or long term changes? Changes or damage? (These are different). Are there changes associated with ECT or anesthesia? (Did they scan people getting anesthesia for some other reason, as controls?)