What type of surgeries raised ethical concerns due to their invasive nature in the treatment of mental illness?

Psychosurgeries raised significant ethical concerns primarily because they involve invasive surgical procedures aimed at altering brain function to treat mental illnesses. Historically, procedures such as lobotomies were performed with the intent to address severe psychiatric conditions, but these surgeries often led to substantial side effects, personality changes, and impairments in cognitive function. The ethical questions arise from the risks associated with such invasive interventions, including the potential for irreversible damage and the lack of informed consent in some cases.

In contrast, psychoanalysis is a form of therapy that is non-invasive and centers on talk therapy, focusing on unconscious processes. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), while it involves some level of physical intervention, is a non-invasive technique that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, generally eliciting far fewer ethical issues than psychosurgery. Medication prescriptions, similarly, do not involve invasive procedures and follow established guidelines for patient safety and consent, making them less controversial in an ethical context.