insulin shock therapy

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Definition

Noun: * A historical medical treatment: "insulin shock therapy" refers to a psychiatric treatment, now obsolete, that involved deliberately inducing a state of coma and convulsions in a patient through the administration of large doses of insulin.

Usage

This term is used exclusively in historical or medical contexts to describe a specific, discontinued therapeutic procedure. * Insulin shock therapy was once a common treatment for severe mental disorders like schizophrenia. * The use of insulin shock therapy declined with the introduction of antipsychotic medications.

Advanced Usage
  • Historical Context: The phrase is often used when discussing the history of psychiatry and the evolution of treatments for mental illness. It is typically presented as a precursor to more modern therapies.
    • The documentary examined the controversial history of insulin shock therapy.
Variants and Related Words
  • Insulin shock treatment: A synonymous phrase.
  • Insulin coma therapy: Another name for the same procedure.
  • Shock therapy: A broader category of treatments that induce seizures or comas, which includes insulin shock therapy and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Synonyms
  • Insulin coma therapy
  • Insulin shock treatment
Notes on Meaning

This term has only one specific meaning related to a historical medical practice. It is not used in general or figurative language. Due to its association with a risky and obsolete procedure, the term carries a strong historical and often negative connotation.

Noun
  1. the administration of sufficient insulin to induce convulsions and coma