Anger Management
It is very important to recognize the root cause of the anger. It is also important to rule out any underlying psychiatric illness that may cause the anger. However, in case there is no underlying pathology behind the frequent anger, we can manage it by involving following strategies to control and express our anger in healthy ways.
Key techniques include:
1. Recognize Triggers: Identify situations that provoke anger.
2. Deep Breathing: Use slow, deep breaths to calm down.
3. Time-Out: Step away from the situation to cool off.
4. Cognitive Restructuring: Change negative thought patterns that fuel anger.
5. Problem-Solving: Focus on solutions rather than the problem itself.
6. Effective Communication: Express feelings calmly and assertively without being confrontational.
7. Physical Activity: Exercise to release pent-up energy and reduce tension.
8. Seek Help: Therapy or anger management classes can offer additional tools and support.
ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY
It is one of the most misunderstood and yet one of the best and safest types of treatments found in the world of psychiatry.
Hungarian neuropsychiatrist Ladislas von Meduna observed that epilepsy patients have higher than normal number of glial cells in brain tissue while patients with schizophrenia have lower number of glial cells and thus he hypothesized that there might be a biological antagonism between epilepsy and schizophrenia.
From as early as 16th century, camphor was used to induce seizure or seizure like condition to treat psychiatric illnesses like mania and schizophrenia.
In 1938, electrical induction was used for the first time by Lucio Cerletti and Ugo Bini to induce seizures in a catatonic patient and produce a successful treatment response.
Subsequent studies led to believe that seizure itself was not mandatory to produce a response. And it was thus found that under general anesthesia, when a controlled amount of electrical stimulus is given to the brain, it painlessly brings homeostasis to the hyperactive or underactive brain parts that are responsible for the psychiatric illness.
Contrary to what is shown in Bollywood movies, it is a safe and absolutely painless procedure that doesn’t have any major side effects other than muscle soreness, headaches, temporary confusion(10%), and memory impairment during the course of treatment (however, almost all patients are back to their normal cognition spontaneously within 6 months).
Dose: 2-3 times a week. 6-12 sessions (although mania and schizophrenia may take 8-20 and more than 15 sessions respectively).
Psychiatric illnesses in which ECT can be used as a treatment:
• Major Depressive disorder
• Psychotic depression
• Bipolar mania
• Bipolar mood disorder
• Catatonia
• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Neuroleptic malignant disorder
• Resistant OCD
• Any psychiatric illnesses not responding to medicines