George Michael ‘checked into £70,000-a-week Swiss ELECTRIC SHOCK therapy clinic’ months before his death
GEORGE Michael secretly checked himself into a £70,000-a-week electric shock therapy clinic in Switzerland just one year before his tragic death, reports suggest.
The claims the tragic singer battled a raft of addictions to hard drugs and anti-depressants at the plush Küsnacht Practice near Lake Zurich.
Pals urged the Freedom artist to seek help at the 'world's most expensive rehab centre' after suicide attempts fuelled by substance abuse and family tragedy.
His management team hid his disappearance by claiming he was on an "extensive break".
The therapy specialises in "addiction, gay and lesbian and any childhood trauma leading to anxiety and depression.”
It offers various therapies including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) - a magnetic device which fights depression by stimulating nerve cells in the brain.
The singer is believed to have stayed in one of the six luxury villas by the lake and had round the clock therapy sessions.
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WHAT IS TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to treat people with depression.
Typically, it is a last resort therapy, used when other treatments for the mental health condition have failed.
The pain-free treatment uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.
HOW IT WORKS?
During a TMS session, an electromagetic coil is placed against the patient's scalp, near their forehead.
It then delivers a magnetic pulse that stimulates nerve cells in the region of the brain that is responsible for mood control and depression.
And, the therapy can also stimulate areas of the brain that show lower activity in people with depression.
The treatment is completely painless, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It is generally considered safe, and well tolerated, though it can cause some side-effects.
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
Side effects of TMS are typically mild to moderate and often improve quickly after the treatment.
They include:
- headache
- scalp discomfort where the coil is placed against the head
- tingling, spasms or twitching of facial muscles
- lightheadedness
UNCOMMON SIDE EFFECTS
Serious side effects are rare. They include:
- seizures
- mania, particularly in people with bipolar disorder
- hearing loss, where a patient has been given inadequate ear protection during treatment
More research is needed to determine the long-term side effects of the treatment, if any.
Source: Mayo Clinic
The clinic also offers some of the "most comprehensive checks in the world"
Board member Eduardo Greghi told the Mirror: "A lot of our clients come to stop prescription drug addiction.
“It is the most comprehensive check up you can do in the world."
Mystery still surrounds George's death after he was found dead at home on Christmas Day after post-mortem proved inconclusive.
A major crime squad has now taken over the investigation with detectives fearing the star died from a drugs overdose.
Cops continue to quiz his ex-lover Fadi Fawaz who was spotted in Switzerland during George's alleged. stay at the clinic.
A leading picture agency has been ordered to hand over all shots taken near the singer’s home before Christmas to help identify who came and went before his death.
The Küsnacht Practice refused to confirm George had been treated at the centre.
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