My Lobotomy: A 23-Minute NPR Radio Piece on Howard Dully

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In summary: If the patient became a vegetable, then it wasn't a great success, but at least it was free.Freeman was pretty enthusiastic about ice pick lobotomies and seemed shocked that he got such a hostile reaction from the other psychiatrists present. He was lucky they didn't have fruit to throw at him (this being before someone invented throwing shoes).In summary, this radio piece covers the history of the "ice pick" lobotomy and how it was controversial at the time. It also talks about how the procedure has since been improved and is now considered a successful treatment for some mental illnesses.
  • #36
Proton Soup said:
i can't help but wonder if any doctors had this treatment thrust on them. perhaps by some dissatisfied customer.

Better question: if these doctors find THEMSELVES depressed or whatever, would they willingly ask for the same treatments they are giving their patients?

While we are at it, I know there was one case when Freeman gave someone lobotomy for headache. I am sure he, himself, had headache at some point in his life (everyone does). So why didn't he lobotomize himself?
 
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  • #37
revnaknuma said:
lobotomy was a successfull treatment before the invention of antipsychotics.
I have anger disorder. without antipsychotics I would be in prison.
If I lived in 1940s, I would prefer lobotomy instead of prison.
I am on Paxil, Risperdal and Haldol for anger management. full success without any adverse effect. Paxil is an SSRI, Risperdal and Haldol are antipsychotics.
my brain works very properly with them. without these meds, my brain needs a lobotomy.

May be the problem is the society that would place you in prison, not you.

You see, if you have anger issue then AT LEAST IN PRINCIPLE something can be done (lots of self control and/or convince society not to put you in prison). But if you take antidepressants that block your nerve endigns or worse, loboomize youself, you cna't undo it. So you will not be as good in your career as you could have been and NOTHING can be done about it.

I think society should be more tolerant so ppl like you don't need to get antidepressants.
 
  • #38
causalset said:
Better question: if these doctors find THEMSELVES depressed or whatever, would they willingly ask for the same treatments they are giving their patients?

Probably not. Did you see the bit about "Freeman like to show off, sometimes doing a double handed icepick procedure" ?

Honestly, it's horrible.
 

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