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The Forum > Article Comments > Finding the meaning of a man's life: Tanveer Ahmed's memoir > Comments

Finding the meaning of a man's life: Tanveer Ahmed's memoir : Comments

By Peter West, published 10/10/2011

Interesting vignettes, but not enough answers to the 'So what?' question.

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Having not read the book, I can't comment on its overall quality. I can however comment on this little gem: "How does a kind, thoughtful doctor bring himself to conduct electro-shock therapy?"

Once again, it seems necessary to point out that modern ECT (there is no such thing as "electro-shock therapy" is a safe and effective treatment, reserved for those with dire psychiatric illness, for whom other treatments have been ineffective and/or who are in imminent danger of significant complications of their condition.
It is not done lightly, there is a consent process, the side effects are known and disclosed, if patients are unable to consent then their family are involved and if necessary a Mental Health Review Tribunal order is sought (in NSW).

Describing it in the manner above (how could a kind thoughtful doctor do such a thing?) does nothing to inform readers and helps to perpetuate a Hollywood myth version of ECT that bears no relation the reality of modern practice.
Posted by stickman, Monday, 10 October 2011 9:46:44 AM
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Tanveer wrote:

There is no act in psychiatry more controversial or stigmatised than putting an electric current through the body of another human being. I knew that
electroconvulsive therapy- otherwise known as shock therapy- sometimes
helped people when all else failed,especially those suffering from a serious mental illness, but I hadn't expected to be doing it myself, nor so soon. I'd never seen it done before, and hadn't had any prior training (p.155).

Read the description over the next few pages and reflect on what we do to people once we find them disturbed. Tanveer certainly invites us to think about it.
Posted by Bronte, Monday, 10 October 2011 11:03:07 AM
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I'm not sure you meant this, Dr West.

"There are fulsome tributes on the cover from various people..."

fulsome adj.
1. Offensively flattering or insincere. Unctuous.
2. Offensive to the taste or sensibilities

Or then again, given your opinion of the book, you may have.

Sadly, when you use the language this carelessly, it is difficult to know whether you are being acutely percipient of the motives behind the tributes, or simply ignorant of its meaning.

"But I'm afraid Tanveer needed a tough editor with a frown, a mean eye and a sharp pen."

And you need a reliable dictionary. 'Nuff said.
Posted by Pericles, Monday, 10 October 2011 11:38:03 AM
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...“Criticism is something you can easily avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” ~Aristotle

...Is Aristotles an indictment on expression of thought, or a cynical play on sentiment concerning thought: As Gore Vidal said some time ago "Our only political party has two right wings"... Now that could be misconstrued as unbalanced comment. (But yours was not)!
Posted by diver dan, Monday, 10 October 2011 6:25:09 PM
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