“The New Psychosurgery” and OCD
by William Van Ornum, Ph.D. on
We are all aware of the psychosurgeries near the turn of the 20th century and how many of these had drastic side effects.
There is a new version of psychosurgery, reserved for patients who have profound OCD, whose illness causes incredible suffering and loss of personal freedom. They are patients that have tried all of the available treatments, and not found relief. Here is a captivating story about this technique and the people who turn to it:
New York Times article on “Brain Power: New Techniques and New Risks”, November 30, 2009
The dilemma is this: on the one hand, there is a struggle with the Hippocratic Oath, “Do No Harm.” On the other, there is the tremendous desire for psychological freedom in people whose illness is as confining as any prison devised on Earth. There is much to ponder here.
The OCD Foundation continues to go about its excellent work:
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