Neurosurgery for Mental Illness.
Surgery for mental illness is not something which is a possibility in many parts of Australia, except in the most extreme circumstances. However this is rather dependent on state laws.
Neurosurgery for mental illness is NOT something which is carried out to alter someones behaviour or change who they are. It can be a treatment for incapacitating mental health issues and is used in many countries throughout the world to lessen the burden and symptoms of some mental illnesses on people who have been treatment resistant. Primarily the psychosurgery’s performed are VNS (vagus nerve stimulation) or DBS (deep brain stimulation).
The reasons that neurosurgery for severe mental illness is so heavily regulated is due to a few things:
Past history of surgical treatments on people with a mental illness saw procedures being done without consideration or consent of the person, the likelihood of success was not evaluated or done without evidence behind treatment - just as a way to put a stop to behaviour which wasn’t socially accepted.
There is hesitation around a persons capacity to consent to having a life altering brain surgery, to the surgery itself, the implications for the future and to ensure they are not coerced into something like this.
At times if people are particularly unwell - their ability to consent can be impacted - hence the reason in places where neurosurgery for mental illness is a thing, a mental health tribunal can be a requirement.
This is also a relatively new area and many people - clients and people in the community require a greater understanding of these areas to be able to accept it as an option in the future. It is not simply the unethical treatments of the past. These are something that have the potential to make a real difference in peoples lives.
Additionally, change hasn’t made it through the government systems in some states yet. For instance, DBS is an approved treatment for Parkinson’s in NSW but isn’t a possibility for OCD but can be done in other states for OCD. This is a real limitation on many people, especially for those who going interstate isn’t an option.
Much reform and education needs to happen around the use of neurosurgery for mental illness. It is something which needs to be considered for some people as medical science evolves. It can provide so much help and be life changing. Understandably, many areas of medicine are approached more carefully these days - as they should be - but progress can be made with care, that will change some peoples lives for the better.
For more information….
VIC GOV - Neurosurgery for Mental Illness