Which of the following therapy is given only when drugs are not effec…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Electro convulsive Therapy

Option (1) Gestalt Therapy — Incorrect. Gestalt therapy, given by Fritz and Laura Perls, is a psychotherapy that aims to increase a person’s self-awareness and self-acceptance; the client acts out fantasies about feelings and conflicts. It is a talking therapy, not a step taken when drugs fail.

Option (2) Vipasna Meditation — Incorrect. In Vipasana, or mindfulness-based meditation, there is no fixed object or thought to hold the attention; the person passively observes the bodily sensations and thoughts passing through her/his awareness. It is an alternative therapy, not a last resort after medicines.

Option (3) Electro convulsive Therapy — Correct. ECT is a form of biomedical therapy in which a mild electric shock is given through electrodes to the brain of the patient to induce convulsions. It is not a routine treatment: the psychiatrist gives it only when necessary, when drugs are not effective in controlling the symptoms of the patient.

Option (4) Occupational therapy — Incorrect. Occupational therapy is part of rehabilitation: patients are taught skills such as candle making, paper bag making and weaving to form a work discipline. It follows treatment; it does not replace drugs that have failed.

Note: Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) was there in the chapter ‘Therapeutic Approaches’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, and is not there in the NCERT book (2025-26). Hence this question has been picked from the pre-rationalised NCERT.