Health & Society
The electric chair, psychiatric Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and death penalty
The first electric chair was used in the United States on 6 August 1890. William Kemmler was the first person to be executed. In 1899, Martha M. Place was the first woman to be executed in Sing Sing Prison.
George Stinney, a 14-year old boy, was not executed until 1944, 45 years after the fact. A young black man, found guilty of killing two girls, was sentenced by an all-white jury to die in the electric chair. This brutal assault on human rights ended in 2014, when an appeals court, aided by a black rights organization, reviewed the evidence and declared him innocent.
I was working as a documentarian in the late 1980s when I was given the opportunity to take part in a documentary about forms of death. One of the most shocking things that I saw was the process of tying limbs to a chair. Then, a splint in his mouth was used to prevent him from swallowing his tongue and choking during the convulsions. His eyes were then closed with cotton wool or gauze, and the adhesive tape was used to keep them closed.
On top of his skull, a helmet was connected to an electric net by wires and the horrible torture of frying him began. After a series vomiting, convulsions and having to relieve themselves, his body temperature would reach over 60 degrees. This was a more humane way to die, as it was used in place of hanging at the end 19th century.
Today, the practice is no more, but some states in America, such as South Carolina, still offer it to prisoners. No evidence exists that it is still used today, but similar methods are still used by terrorist groups and central intelligence around the world. The most common method of torture is to use alternating or direct-current.
Other than that, the use or abuse of electricity to obtain information, whether as a form death or torture, is already classified as an offense against human rights in all countries, including those most radical on the planet, who often sign the charters of the United Nations condemning such practices.
Why then, do an army of psychiatrists around the world continue to practice a practice that is condemned by many of them, and in violation of the guidelines and recommendation of the World Health Organisation and the United Nations, and even of the various organisations associated with the European Union on this subject? What are they trying prove?
In 1975, the interiors for one of the most iconic movies in history, Someone Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, were shot in the Oregon State Hospital, a psychiatric facility that still exists. It is a cult movie that ranks 33rd among the 100 best movies of the 20th Century. This is not the place for plot development, but it takes you into the life of an electroconvulsive hospital in the 1960s.
The story is set in 1965, and shows the treatment of patients at the centre. Nurses who are violent and obsessed with controlling patients. Doctors who use the patients for experiments and to suppress their aggression. In this film, the psychiatric classes of that time and many years later used electroconvulsion, and its cousin lobotomy.
The scene is repeated in many places around the world. The patient is treated as a prisoner and is denied any chance to have a say in the treatment he receives. A judge, playing Pilate washes his hand of a simple piece of paper that states that this subject is mentally ill, and that he requires this therapy according to psychiatrist on duty.
The electrodes are placed on the skin of the head without the patient knowing what will happen. They are even given a piece to place in their mouths, which prevents them from swallowing their own tongues.
Yes, some studies have shown that patients with severe clinical depressive disorders can improve, and in some cases, the improvement is as high as 64 percent. In states of violent schizophrenia, the personality of patients seems to improve and they become less aggressive. So, it is possible to live alongside them. Patients who are condemned to aggressive electroconvulsive treatment for life, and most of them without a say in their treatment. What do patients want?
These studies, which are mostly conducted in psychiatric settings and funded by pharmaceutical companies eager to sell psychotropic medications, ignore the failures of hundreds of thousands of patients who have been treated with this therapy over the past few years without any results. These figures are never released. Why?
The gaps in the brain, the loss in memory, the loss in speech, motor problems, in some cases and, above all, the enslavement of antipsychotic drugs, are a real scourge that, despite the efforts made by organisations to denounce such practices, is to no avail.
Anaesthesia is commonly used in the United States or the European Union when this type aggressive and deplored therapy, medical tortures are applied. This is known as therapy with modifications. In other countries, such as Russia, only 20% undergo this practice, which includes a relaxing treatment. In countries like Japan, China, India Thailand, Turkey and others, where there are no statistics on the topic, the practice is still done the old way.
Electroconvulsion, in particular, is a technique which violates the rights of individuals. This includes those who may at any given time appear to be in need of it. In addition, I do not believe that there has been a study of this kind, which would be very fascinating, but I believe it is increasingly used in psychiatric hospital around the world to annul people in order to conduct studies on patients who cause a nuisance. People who are not important to society and can be discarded.
Has psychiatric practice always been used to benefit society or a few large corporations?
The questions are endless and psychiatrists have no answers. After a trial-and-error, they can only get a small improvement in their patients. They do not know why. It is not known if it will be beneficial or harmful. All that can be said about the practice is that patients are being used as guinea-pigs. No psychiatrist will guarantee that a similar practice can reverse the alleged disorders it is used for. No psychiatrist anywhere in the world. If not, I encourage you to ask them in writing what the real benefits are of taking pills or implementing some type of aggressive therapy they may recommend.
To conclude, many people who are diagnosed as being of interest for receiving electric shocks to their brains have been treated with antipsychotics or antidepressants, even crammed full of anxiolytics. Their brains have been flooded with medications, whose contraindications are often worse than the problem they were trying to solve.
It is obvious that societies that continually produce diseases also require medication to treat them. It’s a perfect circle. Society, and the people that make it up, are turned into mentally ill patients, making us all chronic patients, so we can go to the nearest drug store for the pill that will save us.
I’d like to ask at this point the question that many medical professionals, some of whom are honest psychiatrists, ask themselves: Are we mentally ill as a whole? Are we creating fictitious mental illnesses?
The answer to both questions is YES.
Source:
Electroshock – a necessary treatment or psychiatric torture? BBC News World
And others.
Author
The European Commission is getting ready to review citizens’ proposals and one controversial idea on the table is the ‘PsychedeliCare’ initiative that supports the exploration and implementation of psychedelic treatments for mental wellbeing issues. Advocates of this initiative highlight the advantages of using psychedelics in addressing mental health concerns; however it’s crucial to carefully assess the consequences of making these substances mainstream for therapeutic use, it already happened with way too many “pharma products” and end up being dangerous street drugs, as this is what they actually were from the beginning.
The Illusory Promise of Psychedelics
Supporters of this “therapies” frequently promote these substances as amazing remedies for profound mental health challenges like depression and anxiety disorders such as PTSD are regularly highlighted by them in support of their claims. However, these early research findings are willfully misinterpreted and exaggerated. The “positive outcomes” observed in limited research studies do not automatically translate to safety and effectiveness across wider and more varied demographic groups, often the contrary. Throughout history the fascination with a quick fix for mental health issues has often resulted in disappointment and harm, if not death.
A Lack of Comprehensive Understanding
The insufficient scientific knowledge about psychedelics raises concerns within the community as the intricate workings of the human brain remain a mystery when influenced by these substances. There are risks such as psychological distress and worsening of preexisting mental health conditions that make it unthinkable to integrate psychedelics into mainstream therapy practices at all. It is crucial to acknowledge the variations in individual experiences and biological compositions to prevent unintended harm rather than aiding in treatment efforts.
Regulatory and Ethical Concerns
The push for government endorsement of psychedelic therapies raises numerous ethical questions. Should substances with known psychoactive properties be part of mainstream health care? The regulatory environment surrounding these compounds is fraught with challenges, including ensuring quality control, standardizing dosages, and preventing misuse. With the legalization movements in various regions, the potential for recreational abuse expands, risking public health and safety.
Historical Context and Social Implications
Looking back, the late 1960s and early 1970s were marked by a psychedelic counterculture that resulted in societal turmoil and increased drug abuse. The legacy of this era still looms large; many young individuals romanticize psychedelic use without regarding the severe consequences that accompanied its earlier popularity, including addiction, mental health crises, and a societal disregard for safety protocols.
A Dangerous Precedent
By calling for a more prominent role for psychedelics in treatment protocols, the advocates of the ‘PsychedeliCare’ initiative may unintentionally set a dangerous precedent. Replacing established, evidence-based treatments with unproven psychedelic therapies could detract from the very real progress made in mental health care. It could shift focus away from holistic approaches that consider lifestyle, therapeutic counseling, and medication tailored to individual needs.
Conclusion
The debate surrounding the ‘PsychedeliCare’ initiative should prompt a vigilant and cautious examination of the implications of endorsing psychedelics as treatment options. While there is a critical need for innovative approaches in mental health care, rushing to embrace unproven therapies poses significant risks. It is paramount that we prioritize rigorous scientific scrutiny, ethical considerations, and the well-being of individuals over the allure of quick solutions. The only clear path forward is one grounded in proven therapies, comprehensive research, and unwavering commitment to public health.
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Chocolate is a favorite delicacy for people, but for cats and dogs it is a real poison, writes the magazine ” Sciences et Avenir” and explains why pets should not be “pampered” with chocolate under any circumstances.
For them, chocolate is toxic, because it is not properly absorbed by their body. This is due to the alkaloid theobromine, which is contained in cocoa and therefore in chocolate.
The substance becomes dangerous to health when large amounts of it are stored in the liver. About 12 grams of theobromine are contained in dark chocolate, twice as much in milk chocolate, and very small amounts in white chocolate.
Theobromine does not harm humans, as the human body manages to break it down quickly.
However, it takes 20 hours for dogs to get rid of this molecule. It can build up in their liver and cause poisoning if large amounts of chocolate are ingested at once.
Among the symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, rapid pulse, convulsions.
The same is true for cats. However, they are less attracted to chocolate than dogs because they cannot taste sweets with their tongues, although there are exceptions.
In addition, pet obesity is the subject of a number of educational campaigns aimed at owners.
A court in North West England has banned a British man from keeping pets for the next 10 years because his Dalmatian became too fat. wrote the English tabloid “Sun” in November 2009.
40-year-old man John Green, a resident of Macclesfield in Cheshire, showed extreme irresponsibility towards his dog Barney and fed him chips and chocolate.
Thus, in just three months, it became several times fatter than normal for its breed and reached 70 kg.
Green was tipped off by alarmed, vigilant fellow citizens.
Animal control officials warned Green that his dog’s health was in danger and recommended that he be put on a diet.
However, he did not follow the recommendations and the dog continued to gain weight.
The Dalmatian was eventually removed from his owner’s home in June and put on a diet in a private kennel, where staff made sure he got enough exercise.
As a result, Barney, who is eight years old, lost 40 kg.
Green pleaded guilty to causing his dog unnecessary suffering, but the court found some mitigating circumstances because the man treated Barney more like a friend than a dog and did not realize he was harming him.
That’s why Green was only sentenced to 200 hours of community service and to pay £780 in costs.
Illustrative Photo by Glenn: https://www.pexels.com/photo/high-angle-photo-of-a-corgi-looking-upwards-2664417/
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Health & Society
Russian Orthodox Church calls on mass culture to abandon ‘images promoting alcoholism’
On the occasion of the Day of Sobriety celebrated in the country today, the Russian Orthodox Church called on mass culture not to promote alcoholism, TASS reported.
The agency recalls that the All-Russian Day of Sobriety is celebrated on the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church on September 11 to remind people of the harm caused by alcohol. On this day, in some parts of Russia, the sale of alcohol is limited or completely prohibited.
“The culture of attitude towards this is very important. There are many “nice jokes” about alcoholism in our everyday culture. There is nothing good about that. We know what the state of intoxication leads to. Those who deal with mass culture should make an effort that the image of the “dear drunkard” should still leave our mass culture,” said the head of the synodal department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church Interaction on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Forum of United Cultures with society and media Vladimir Legoida.
Asked whether it would be appropriate to ban or restrict the sale of alcohol across the country, he said “that would be wonderful”. “But it is important that people do this consciously, independently, not because someone is forcing them, and also that there is, as it is customary to say, a public consensus,” he stated.
Legoida noted that the category of “sobriety” is important for the church in general, which refers not only to abstinence from alcohol.
Meanwhile, during a press conference dedicated to the All-Russian Day of Sobriety, Russia’s Deputy Health Minister Oleg Salagai said that alcohol abuse can reduce a man’s life expectancy by six years and a woman by five years.
“The systemic measures that were adopted allowed us to really reduce alcohol consumption. Today, it can be confidently said that Russia is not one of the most drinking countries in the world,” said the deputy minister, who pointed out that in 2023 alcohol consumption in the country was about 8.4 liters per person, while at the beginning of the century the indicator was in double digits.
Illustrative Photo by EVG Kowalievska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-assorted-brand-liquor-bottles-1128259/
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