[Lynda]

ECT is a very inflamatory subject and has been for many years. I trained in psychiatry in the UK in 1972. I have seen and participated as a student in this treatment and found it very unsettling. The discussion on its merits and detirments could go on for ever. Its use in the hospitals I worked in was radically reduced in the last 15 yrs.I for one would not recomend it for anyone.. In my experience it has a limited success rate but that is only my experience.
What I feel I have to comment on is the statement "The report quoted the head of the ECT centre in Bakirkoy as saying that “patients with major depression feel that they need to be punished. If we use anaesthesia the ECT won’t be as effective because they won’t feel punished.” The official was not further identified." I have never seen such bull*** written about a mental illness hopefully this man was misquoted or wrongly translated. No one suffering with depression should feel like they are being punished, irrespective of what they are feeling. Mental health care is about supportive care giving... not punishment. I have to stop or I am in the danger of getting on my soap box and boring everyone suffice to sday I just cannot believe what has been quoted, perhaps (hopefully) the offical involved is the floor cleaner with no impact on the care given to a psychiatrically ill person!!!
I know the practice of psychiatry has some way to go here in Turkey before we could actually call it mental health treatment. Mental Iillness is often misunderstood in European countries never mind here.. but I do know thru contacts here and back in Uk Turkey's nursing and medical proefession are undergoing continuous education and improvement. Nurses in Izmit and Ankara are ivolved in european associations for improvemnt in teaching and care giving.
Bad medical preactices can be found the world over... look at Greece only 15 yrs ago. Changes can and will happen, hopefully before any more poor unfortunates have to suffer the practice of ECT