Lobotomy is no longer used in the United States to treat mental health conditions.
YakobchukOlena / Getty Images
What Is a Lobotomy Exactly?
A lobotomy is a high-risk surgical procedure that can be life-threatening.
YakobchukOlena / Getty Images
But side effects included significant personality changes and diminished ability to control their behavior and actions.
Are Lobotomies Still Performed Today?
According to historians, lobotomy was pioneered in 1936 by Portuguese neurologist AntonioEgas Moniz.
As effective antipsychotic medications emerged and the dangers of lobotomy raised ethical concerns, the procedure became less common.
Lobotomy, as it existed, is not accepted as a treatment in the United States today.
For example, resection oftumorsand cancer from the brain is a lifesaving surgery.
Why Were Lobotomies Performed?
Medical records also indicate that these procedures were dangerous and that many people did not survive.
What Lobotomies Do to People?
Lobotomy changes the way people function, often leading to diminished awareness and interactions.
Today, lobotomy is not considered an ethical intervention.
However, decades ago, it was seen as a potential solution for people with severe mental illness.
Can a Person Survive After Lobotomy?
The answer to whether a person can survive a lobotomy is maybe.
In the past, some people survived after lobotomy, but many died due to complications.
Advances in psychiatric treatments have yielded many treatment alternatives that are far safer and more effective than lobotomy.
Psychosurgeries are rarely used today.
It is dangerous and can cause substantial impairment of an individuals personality and ability to take care of themselves.
Other medical treatments can help reduce the symptoms of psychiatric disorders.
These include medication,cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, and surgically implanted devices to control symptoms.
Psychiatric care nowadays relies on diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols.
2022;270(1):1-31. doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.12.003
National Institute of Mental Health.Mental health medications.
2023;13(6):943. doi:10.3390/brainsci13060943
