Why does ECT not treat generalized anxiety if it’s caused by shortage of the same brain chemical as depression?

Posted by admin on February 6th, 2010 and filed under treating anxiety |

. . . (serotonin in-between the cell receptors), and many depression treatments (Zoloft, for example) treat both depression and anxiety, just at different dose levels (2X - 3X higher for treating anxieties)?

In other words, why doesn’t this seemingly simple analogy hold?

A different type of receptors for anxiety vs. those for depression?

Saying a particular receptor causes depression or anxiety is quite a crude generalisation.

They only help in one way. Like if you are cold and you put on a hat, the hat HELPS, but it isn’t going to take the place of the coat, gloves a scarf now is it? Also, just because affecting certain receptors helps doesn’t mean that those receptors are even the cause of the disease itself.

In my opinion, ECT is a very crude and barbaric treatment that is only allowed because as a society we think less of mental patients.

2 Responses

  1. fmylife Says:

    Saying a particular receptor causes depression or anxiety is quite a crude generalisation.

    They only help in one way. Like if you are cold and you put on a hat, the hat HELPS, but it isn’t going to take the place of the coat, gloves a scarf now is it? Also, just because affecting certain receptors helps doesn’t mean that those receptors are even the cause of the disease itself.

    In my opinion, ECT is a very crude and barbaric treatment that is only allowed because as a society we think less of mental patients.
    References :

  2. Lila Says:

    Anxiety co-exists with Bi-Polar depression, Uni-polar the depressions that are caused by the disease of depression. ECT is for depression that medications aren’t working for. It isn’t for anxiety as there are excellent anti-anxieties that work and therapies that work for anxiety. The disease of depression can be very hard to treat and for some anti-depressants don’t work>
    References :

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