ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy): Information & Discussion

ECT is known as Electroconvulsive Therapy. It involves the use of electric currents given in a controlled setting, provided with the patient under anesthesia. While there may be a few side effects, it is safer than when it first became popular. The small electric currents pass through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure to cause some changes in brain chemistry to quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions.

ECT can be used to treat:

Severe Depression, particularly when followed with detachment from reality (Psychosis), a desire to commit suicide, or refusal to eat
Treatment-resistant depression, being a depression not affected by medications or other treatments
Severe Mania, a state of intense euphoria, agitation, or hyperactivity that happens due to bipolar disorder.
Catatonia, characterized by lack of movement, fast or strange movements, lack of speech, and other symptoms. Associated with Schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. or caused by medical illness
Agitation and aggression in people with dementia

ECT may be a good treatment option for when meds are not tolerated or therapy hasn't worked. In some situations, ECT may be used during pregnancy (where meds can't be taken to avoid harming fetus), older adults (who can not tolerate drug side effects), some people prefer ECT over taking medications, and when it has been successful in the past.

RISKS
Like any treatment, ECT is not without risks.

Immediately after treatment, the patient may experience confusion, and this can last from a few minutes to several hours, Rarely will it last several days or longer. This is more noticeable in older adults.
Some people may experience retrograde amnesia (mostly struggling to recall what happened right before treatment or in the weeks/months before treatment but rarely previous years). For most these memories improve after a couple of months after the end of treatment.
Nausea, headaches, jaw pain, or muscle aches. May be treated with medications.
Any medical procedure, especially one involving anesthesia, brings risks of medical complications. Heart rate and blood pressure increase during ECT, and in rare cases, it may lead to serious heart issues. If you have heart conditions, ECT may be a risk for you.

You can read the mayo clinic article to see how to prepare for this, if ECT is something you are considering as part of your treatment. Here

Discussion

I have seen people who have had ECT done to them as part of their treatment. I work in a hospital as someone who takes care of people who need assistance and I had an experience with a patient with catatonia. They went from not moving or reacting to feeding themselves and climbing ten feet to escape! Ha! My point is that I have seen that it is safe and it can work. But that it also depends on what the person has. It can definitely be a last resort as shocking your brain can be seen as scary.

Before you read this post, what were your first thoughts when you saw the word Electroconvulsive Therapy?

After reading the post, what are your thoughts on Electroconvulsive Therapy?

Have you ever had a procedure like ECT done? If so, do you recommend it?