ECT Electroconvulsive Therapy

[Kiasofia]

I had ECT and am trying to forgive myself (and the hospital) for having it. It deleted parts of my memory and sense of self. It gave short term euphoria and long term memory problems. It’s electro shock induced brain damage and shows how crazy a field psychiatry is. In my opinion it should be illegal, since people saying yes to it are too desperate to be able to make a rational choice. I’m so sorry you are suffering! But I urge you to try less permanently harmful ways of coping. 

[lithiumnomore]

I had ECT and the memory effects are real. You will have big gaps in memory of the time a couple years around the treatment. Like most psychiatric treatments there is some evidence (not a lot) that it helps (not much)in the short term. For myself it marked a turning point in my struggles, for the better, but looking back, the improvement was probably due to ending up on the least meds I had been on in a long time, which happened to coincide with ECT. The improvement came months after ECT; there was no immediate effect.

 

The decision to do it was made out of desperation. It was offered as a lifeline and was the only one being offered to me. If I could go back then, knowing what I know now, I would have focused on diet, exercise, mindfulness and therapy. And then tapered. That's what's working for me now. I encourage you to look at some of other non-drug techniques to help. 

[Camille]

@Kinga Did you eventually decide to do the ECT ? 

[ChessieCat]

merged similar topics and renamed topic

[Blossom71]

My Dad was put in a mental institute at age 5 in the late 1940’s. 
The issues that caused him to be admitted have long since passed (which was actually a side effects of the strep infection, but that’s another story!) but at 79 still suffers PTSD from the 13 sessions of ECT. He still remembers every single one.

Cruel and barbaric, and it baffles my mind that Psychiatrists are still willing to do this on people when they are at their most vulnerable.

It breaks my heart that you’ve all suffered this way x

 

[unblocktheplanet]

My maternal grandmother, one of the first women of her generation to get a degree, had several episodic periods of depression. Likely due to suicidal ideation, she committed herself to the county hospital several times, from the age of 66 into her 80s.

 

She could recite most of Virgil’s Aeneid, Tennyson, Longfellow, Browning from memory. In those days, the only drug was Librium. She had ECT & became an empty slate & waited for death.

 

I’m telling you this because I recently begged my shrink for ECT. I was preoccupied with death. We finally agreed to Ketamine infusions which, for me, did not work.

 

The only thing I really value about myself is my intellect. 12% reduction in IQ on average. You don’t get to determine which memories are crucial to your self.

 

It’s not always cuckoo’s nest. But it is sometimes for some people.

 

And ECT can fail you, 20% failure rate by stats. Still leaving you with a scrambled brain. The quote is, “ECT is better than taking your own life.” That may be subjective.

 

Even when it works, ECT’s effects require repitition for maintenance.

 

It’s luck of the draw how good or bad you’ll come out the other side. I’d investigate Ketamine infusions first, rTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Trancranial Direct Current Stimulation before the electric chair.

 

Of course, nobody knows how any of these, of psych meds, really work!

 

That is to say, I’d have to be is completely desperate shape to choose ECT, were I still capable of such choice.

 

 

CJ

Bangkok

[Roserdl]

On 1/17/2022 at 3:29 PM, Blossom71 said:

My Dad was put in a mental institute at age 5 in the late 1940’s. 
The issues that caused him to be admitted have long since passed (which was actually a side effects of the strep infection, but that’s another story!) but at 79 still suffers PTSD from the 13 sessions of ECT. He still remembers every single one.

Cruel and barbaric, and it baffles my mind that Psychiatrists are still willing to do this on people when they are at their most vulnerable.

It breaks my heart that you’ve all suffered this way x

 

My grandfather had ect in the 40s.  It turned him around surprisingly though he hated getting it. I know people on both sides of the spectrum.  A couple who got their life back and a couple who had the opposite experience.  

 

It's heartbreaking any person should face such a choice