Insulin coma and group psychotherapy.

Abstract

THE MATERIAL reported on in this paper was derived from a private mental hospital in which the emphasis on psychiatric treatment centers about the patient's total hospital experience. Such hospital-treatment experience includes the carefully coordinated services of the psychiatric medical staff, social service case work, nursing care, and various forms of group, physical, occupational, horticultural, and recreational therapies. Electroshock and insulin coma treatments are important forms of adjunctive therapy which are used as indicated. We have realized for some time that both electroshock and insulin coma therapy can be most effective only when they are used as parts of the total psychotherapeutic approach to the patient and his illness. Accordingly, the following treatment program is based on two premises. The first is that in the treatment of schizophrenia, insulin coma is the treatment of choice; the second, that treatment is in no way complete unless it includes the psychotherapeutic program.