Sherwin Nuland: How electroshock therapy changed me

Summary

In this lighthearted and insightful talk, the speaker humorously explores the history of electroshock therapy, from ancient practices to modern medical advancements. He shares a deeply personal story about his battle with severe depression, describing how electroshock therapy ultimately saved his life after years of struggle. The speaker reflects on the challenges of mental illness, resilience, and recovery, offering hope and encouragement to anyone facing adversity. His story emphasizes that redemption and recovery are possible, even in the darkest of times.

Takeaways

• 😂 The speaker humorously starts by discussing mental illness, specifically electroshock therapy, in a lighthearted manner.
• 👻 Historically, mental illness was believed to be caused by evil spirits, leading to treatments like exorcisms and convulsion-inducing herbs.
• ⚡️ The discovery of using electricity for treatment began with observations of epileptic fits lifting depression, leading to the development of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
• 🐷 Early experiments with electroshock therapy were done on pigs before moving to human patients, starting with a 39-year-old schizophrenic man in Rome.
• 😲 Electroshock therapy proved effective in treating depression, though less so for schizophrenia, and became popular before the development of antidepressants.
• 💀 In the 1960s, the speaker experienced a deep depression due to personal and professional challenges, leading to hospitalization and consideration of a prefrontal lobotomy.
• ⚖️ A resident psychiatrist advocated for ECT instead of lobotomy, leading to the speaker undergoing 20 treatments that ultimately saved his life and allowed him to recover.
• 💪 The speaker credits the ECT for helping him regain mental clarity and control, particularly with his obsessive thoughts, through a personal mantra: 'Ah, fuck it.'
• 🎉 After recovering, the speaker rebuilt his personal and professional life, resuming his career as a surgeon and writer, and found long-term happiness.
• 🔥 The speaker emphasizes the universal themes of recovery, redemption, and resurrection, encouraging the audience to believe in the possibility of overcoming adversity, no matter how bleak.

Q & A

What was the theme of the speaker's previous talk?

The speaker's previous talk was about death and dying.

Why does the speaker choose to talk about electroshock therapy in this talk?

The speaker chose to talk about electroshock therapy because it aligns with the technological theme required for the talk, and it ties into the broader topic of mental illness.

What was the early belief about mental illness according to the speaker?

In early times, people believed that mental illness was caused by evil spirits entering the body, and treatments focused on exorcising these spirits.

How did early medical practitioners attempt to treat mental illness?

Early medical practitioners, starting with Hippocrates, used herbs that could cause convulsions, believing that shaking the body would expel the evil spirits causing mental illness.

What role did Benjamin Franklin play in the development of electroshock therapy?

Benjamin Franklin’s experiments with electricity, such as using a kite to harness lightning, inspired the idea of using electricity to induce convulsions in patients with mental illness.

How did electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) first become a treatment for depression?

In the 1930s, Italian psychiatrists observed that epileptic patients who experienced a series of seizures often saw their depression lift. This led to the development of electroconvulsive therapy as a treatment for depression.

Why did the popularity of electroshock therapy decline in the 1960s?

The popularity of electroshock therapy declined in the 1960s because new antidepressant drugs became available, and patient rights groups raised concerns about the treatment methods, such as the lack of muscle relaxants during convulsions, which caused physical harm.

How did the introduction of muscle relaxants improve electroshock therapy?

Muscle relaxants allowed doctors to induce convulsions without causing physical harm, making the treatment safer by preventing bone fractures and other injuries during the seizures.

Why did the speaker personally undergo electroshock therapy, and what was the outcome?

The speaker underwent electroshock therapy because he was severely depressed and not responding to other treatments. After a long course of therapy, he experienced significant improvements, which allowed him to overcome his depression and regain his life.

What message does the speaker convey to the audience, particularly to younger people, by sharing his story?

The speaker conveys the message that adversity can happen to anyone, but recovery and redemption are possible, even from the most dire circumstances. He shares his story to inspire hope and resilience in others, particularly those who may face similar challenges.