At Ascension St. Vincent’s East in Birmingham, Alabama, we provide 24/7 behavioral and mental health care for adults. Caring for your mental and emotional health can help you more easily handle the stressors that can impact your overall health. If you are feeling sad, overwhelmed or anxious, or struggle with substance use or addiction, start a conversation with your primary care doctor.
If you have a non-emergency mental health concern for yourself or a loved one, call the Ascension St. Vincent’s East 24-hour intake line, 205-838-6799.
Know what to do in a mental health emergency
Quickly recognizing the signs that you or a loved one is experiencing moderate to severe mental or emotional distress is the first step in getting necessary care. For emergencies, including severe mental health distress and suspected substance overdose, the ER at our hospital is open 24/7.
Find an ER location near you.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or dial 911.
Dedicated behavioral health care for adults and seniors
Our care team at the behavioral health unit in the hospital provides inpatient care, activity rooms, dining, and several types of medical and psychiatric procedures, including electroconvulsive therapy. Experienced psychiatrists, nurses, mental health technicians, social workers and recreational therapists are here to help. Our goal is to provide a comfortable, therapeutic environment that supports your care and recovery. We also provide dedicated treatments for older adults who may be experiencing:
- Depression and anxiety
- Grief
- Isolation and withdrawal
- Neglect of personal or domestic hygiene
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment for depression
Behavioral and mental health care teams at Ascension St. Vincent’s East in Birmingham, Alabama, provide electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as an alternative to treat depression. Your doctor and care team have the expertise using the latest noninvasive ECT technology to deliver small electric currents into the scalp to stimulate brain cells to help improve symptoms of severe depression. ECT often works when other treatments are unsuccessful, but it may not work for everyone. Electroconvulsive therapy is much safer today due to the changes in technology and how it is administered.
Your doctor may recommend ECT as part of your personalized care plan. ECT is recommended when:
- You need rapid relief from symptoms.
- Antidepressant medications and conventional therapies do not work.
- You are not a good candidate for antidepressants or cannot tolerate their side effects.
At Ascension St. Vincent’s, ECT is part of our inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental health services. Individual treatments are spaced out over several weeks. Many people begin to experience improvement in symptoms after six to 12 ECT treatments. This therapeutic option is most effective in patients who receive a full course of multiple treatments.
At Ascension St. Vincent’s ECT is part of our inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental health treatment programs. Appointments are scheduled Monday to Friday. Most insurance plans are accepted. To verify whether you're eligible for treatment, call your health plan’s insurance company and ask if you have access to our services.
Potential benefits and side effects of ECT
ECT can be used safely with or without antidepressant medications. Electroconvulsive therapy may provide full or partial relief of symptoms from depression or other mental illnesses.
Side effects of ECT may last for about one hour and can include nausea, disorientation and mild to moderate pain at the treatment site.
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