Shock treatment? ..
hi my name is leah and im from australia. i have depression, anxiety, BPD and an eating disorder. my doctors have told me that medication, hospital stays and counselling aren't working.. i've been told if i don't agree to ECT i will be placed on an ITO an have it without my consent needed..
1. Shouldnt something this serious have to have a consent and not be forced on someone?
2.is there a way of saying no without being placed on an ITO?
3. if you have had shock treatment...did it work for you?
any help experiences or advice would be great..ty..
Hello Leah,
I'm not in Australia, but I can give you some general information.
1. Yes, something as serious as ECT should normally require consent. But if your illness is very serious then doctors might consider that your illness prevents you from making a wise decision. In that case they can use an inpatient treatment order (ITO).
2. Yes, there is probably a way of saying no and avoiding an ITO by going to a tribunal or a court of law. The details might depend on which Australian state you are in. You can certainly get an information leaflet that tells you your legal rights, and you can probably get help from an advocate who knows all about this kind of thing.
3. I have not had ECT myself, but I know several people who have, and they all say it worked. There are comments at the Australian depression and anxiety website beyondblue that say the same. The only complaints I've heard are that the benefits don't always last very long, and that there can be some difficulty with memory for a while afterwards.
Personally, I think the best way to use ECT is as a way to give you temporary respite from your troubles so that in that time you can really get into psychotherapy, and then as the psychotherapy starts to work, hopefully you'll not need further ECT.
@Seawatweseas
thank you for replying @RodWhiteley
that's pretty much what they told me too.. i'm glad to hear it worked for your friends! 
i read earlier that some people will continue to struggle with their long term memory but nothing to be worried about. thank you for the link too, the information and reading other people's stories is definitely reassuring 
