shock therapy
noun
(not in technical use) any of various therapies, as insulin shock therapy or electroconvulsive therapy, that induce convulsions or unconsciousness, used for symptomatic relief in certain mental disorders.
Nearby words
shock absorber, shock front, shock jock, shock lung, shock radio, shock therapy, shock treatment, shock troops, shock tube, shock wave, shock-horror
Origin of shock therapy
First recorded in 1935–40
Also called shock treatment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for shock therapy
shock therapy
shock treatment
noun
the treatment of certain psychotic conditions by injecting drugs or by passing an electric current through the brain (electroconvulsive therapy) to produce convulsions or coma
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medicine definitions for shock therapy
shock therapy
n.
Any of various treatments for mental disorders, such as major depression or schizophrenia, in which a convulsion or brief coma is induced by administering a drug or passing an electric current through the brain.shock treatment
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Culture definitions for shock therapy
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.