Insulin Coma Therapy is a medical treatment used in the 1930s and 1940s for treating schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. The spelling of this word, insulin, is pronounced [ˈɪnsjʊlɪn] in IPA phonetic transcription. This hormone is produced by the pancreas and regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. Coma is spelled [ˈkəʊmə] and refers to a state of unconsciousness. Together, Insulin Coma Therapy involves inducing a diabetic coma with insulin to treat mental illnesses. Despite its controversial history, it paved the way for modern psychiatric treatments.
Insulin Coma Therapy is a psychiatric treatment method that was used in the past to treat severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. This therapeutic technique involves inducing a controlled coma in the patient by administering a large dose of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, usually through intravenous injection. The purpose of the induced coma is to alter the patient's brain chemistry and provide relief from their psychiatric symptoms.
During the coma, the patient's blood sugar levels are closely monitored to prevent any life-threatening complications. After a brief period of unconsciousness, the patient is awakened with a glucose solution or food to rapidly reverse the effects of the insulin, thus ending the coma. This method aimed to reorganize the patient's disturbed thoughts, emotions, and behavior while the brain was in a state of decreased activity.
Although this therapy gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, it is now considered an outdated and controversial treatment due to the risks involved. Insulin Coma Therapy has been largely replaced with more modern and evidence-based approaches such as medication, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The side effects of insulin coma therapy, including potential brain damage, memory loss, and even death, are significant concerns that led to its decline in usage.
Overall, Insulin Coma Therapy refers to a psychiatric treatment method that utilizes insulin-induced comas to treat severe mental disorders, despite its lack of current usage and its known risks.