Biological therapies Evaluation

Chemotherapy Appropriateness Anti-depressant drugs allow people with depression to carry on with their normal lives, however as there is little effort needed from the user, this could lead to a lack of personal responsibility. Also, regular use of these drugs could result in dependency; drugs, such as these, may also have side-effects which could affect an individuals day-to-day life so it could be questioned whether it is worth taking the drugs. In addition to this, anti-depressant drugs do not work all the time, so they are not worth taking in some cases. As anti-depressant drugs only treat the symptoms of depression and not the cause, it could be argued if it is the most appropriate treatment for depression; however, it is the most instant form of treatment which allows depressed individuals rapid relief from their symptoms, unlike other forms of treatment which take time that may not be available in the patients schedule. Chemotherapy Effectiveness Chemotherapy has been found to be effective in treating and reducing the symptoms of depression; Gitlin (2002) supported this claim when he found that 65-70% of symptoms of depression were reduced by taking anti-depressant drugs, compared to only 33% of symptoms when taking placebos. However, Kirsch et al. (2002) found that placebos were just as effective as anti-depressant drugs in treating depression. WHO (2001) found that the relapse rate for anti-depressant drugs was lower than that of placebos, supporting the claim that chemotherapy is effective in treating depression. Schulberg et al. (1996) also supported this claim when he found that Tricyclics (a form of anti-depressant drugs) were more effective in treating depression than psychotherapy, supporting the claim that depression has a biological cause and therefore a biological treatment. However, Steiner (1991) found that although anti-depressant drugs have shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression, they can have serious side effects; for example, Prozac (a form of SSRI), has been linked to agitation, violence and suicidal thoughts. Tricyclics (TCAs) have also been found to have side-effects, the most severe being cardiac problems. Martin et al. (2001) found that chemotherapy is not the only form of therapy to change the levels of biochemical, psychotherapy has been found to change levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain, showing that other forms of therapy can be just as effective in treating depression as chemotherapy. Research has found that although anti-depressant drugs are effective in treating the symptoms of depression, they do not treat the cause; in many cases, symptoms reoccur once the drugs are no longer taken. Electro-convulsive Therapy (ECT) Appropriateness ECT has been found to be quicker and easier in treating depression compared to chemotherapy and psychosurgery; however, there are many side-effects which may result and psychologists do not know how it works, so it could be questioned whether it is worth taking the risk. Abrams (1997) argued that ECT is the same as thumping a TV. Also as there are now other forms of treatment for depression which are less invasive than ECT, Youssef and Youssef (1999) argue that ECT is no longer seen as the best form of treatment and no longer seen as acceptable. However, ECT may offer a permanent cure for depression, unlike chemotherapy. However there are certain side-effects which have been recorded; memory loss (Rose et al., 2003), cardiovascular changes and headaches (Datto, 2000), generalised slowing (Weiner, 1980) and fear and 1

anxiety (Department of Health, 1999). ECT has also been seen as unethical is some cases as much as 59% of patients do not give consent to having ECT (Department of Health, 1999). Electro-convulsive Therapy (ECT) Effectiveness Comer (2000) found, in regards to ECT that 60-70% of patients improve after treatment supporting the claim that ECT is effective. However, Sackheim et al. (2001) found that 84% of patients relapsed within 6 months of treatment. Gregory et al. (1985) found that real ECT was more effective in treating patients with depression than sham ECT (this is where patients are anesthetised but do not receive treatment). However, Lowinger and Dobie (1969) found evidence contradictory to Gregory et al.s findings; they found that placebo treatment worked just as well as ECT in 80% of patients with depression, leaving psychologists to question whether ECT is effective in treating depression. However, Scott (2004) found that ECT was more effective in treating short-term depression, compared to drug therapy. Psychosurgery Appropriateness Research into psychosurgery has suggested that psychological disorder have a biological cause and therefore need a biological treatment so it would make sense to operate on the brain. However, there is still appears to be a lack of knowledge regarding how the procedure actually works. Psychosurgery is seen as invasive as damage to the brain may be caused, this is the main side effect which could occur and it is irreversible, unlike the sideeffects of other biological treatments of depression, so it is questioned whether psychosurgery is worth considering. There are many ethical issues regarding psychosurgery, many patients who receive psychosurgery receive it without giving informed consent due to the severity of their psychological disorder; instead it is up to their family to decide whether or not they are given treatment. However, many families are not fully aware of the procedure and its consequences and so it can be seen as deceiving them. Psychosurgery Effectiveness Cowley (1990) found that psychosurgery can be beneficial is some cases of severe depression; however as only a few procedures take place within a year (around 25) there is not much research which could be used to support research by psychologists, such as Cowleys findings and therefore, their research can be seen to lack validity. Psychoanalysis Appropriateness Psychoanalysis helped to introduce the world to psychological methods of dealing with psychological disorders; however psychoanalysis has been based on non-representative groups, i.e. middle-class, neurotic women.