Psychotic depression is a distinct and acute clinical condition along the spectrum of depressive disorders. It can manifest itself in many ways and often induces very violent and suicidal behavior. This book aims to help clinical practitioners and trainees describe their observations of psychotic depression, formulate treatment, and express expectations of recovery from illness. It focuses on all facets of the disorder, from clinical history to coverage of diagnostic and treatment protocols. Medical readers of this book will come away able to diagnose and readily treat psychotic depression and thus will be able to serve their patients better. Non-physician readers will come away with the message that this is a terrible illness, but there is hope.

Psychotic depression is a distinct and acute clinical condition along the spectrum of depressive disorders. It can manifest itself in many ways and often induces very violent and suicidal behavior. This book aims to help clinical practitioners and trainees describe their observations of psychotic depression, formulate treatment, and express expectations of recovery from illness. It focuses on all facets of the disorder, from clinical history to coverage of diagnostic and treatment protocols. Medical readers of this book will come away able to diagnose and readily treat psychotic depression and thus will be able to serve their patients better. Non-physician readers will come away with the message that this is a terrible illness, but there is hope.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment involving the induction of a seizure through the transmission of electricity in the brain. Because of exploitation movies and greatly heightened drug company promotional activities ECT was used less frequently in the 1980s and 1990s. Eventually these movies were understood as unrealistic. Now these drugs are increasingly recognized as dangers to body health. Because of recent refinements and a far better scientific understanding of the clinical procedures and mechanisms underpinning ECT, this treatment modality has seen a resurgence in use and widespread appreciation of its safety. This book is the new definitive reference on electroconvulsive and neuromodulation therapies. It comprehensively covers the scientific basis and clinical practice of ECT as well as comparisons between ECT and medication therapies including the new generation of antipsychotic drugs. It also provides readers with administrative perspectives and specific details for the management of this modality in clinical practice. The new forms of nonconvulsive electrical and magnetic brain stimulation therapy are also covered in detail, in a separate section. The chapter authors are leading scholars and clinicians.