There have been all sorts of horrendous treatments for psychiatric patients in the past, but this one is particularly cruel and unusual. Insulin Shock Treatment was developed as a specific treatment of schizophrenia. The procedure involved lowering the patient's blood sugar levels with an injection of insulin, to the point at which they slipped into a coma. The diabetics amongst you will know how deeply unpleasant the feeling of hypoglycemia is, and the treatment could result in hypotension and seizures. The patient would then be shocked awake again with a dose of glucose. It was believed by many to be an extremely effective treatment, and it was thought that the "shock" element of the procedure was crucial. However, further studies found that just knocking someone out with barbiturates produced a similar effect, turns out that it was the period of unconsciousness that was key, without all of that dangerous mucking around with blood sugar. Many of the effects of the insulin therapy were a sort of placebo effect, brought about by the high drama of the whole affair. People felt that the action-packed procedure was really doing something, despite the dangers.
