ECT. Is it effective?

A woman at the hospital i was at was there to receive ECT. She was not doing well at all. Has anyone else had these treatments? It was kind of scary to see her downward spiral.

I’ll say this first, so you can skip my post if you want, I don’t know if ECT is effective.

But, I’ve seen a few people get ECT. Both looked horrible after and were obviously not all there. Memory loss, short term, is common. It’s sad to witness. One guy who got them was in the hospital a few times a year regardless. So maybe it will work, but I would never in a million years of suffering go anywhere near it. just my personal opinion, no disrespect to those that have had it done.

I’m sure it can be effective but that scared me . I don’t think I could agree to it.

I had 12 ECT sessions and it didn’t do much for the long term

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Extra is some scary stuff. They fry your brain.

When a person with major depressive disorder does not have an improvement in mood, despite trying conventional antidepressants under a psychiatrist’s supervision, electroconvulsant shock therapy may be beneficial. Before trying it, ask your doctor to explain all of the potential short and long term effects.

ECT “works” in the right patients, it’s not for everyone. If you’re manic, catatonic, have psychotic depression, melancholia or depressive stupor ECT might be a good choice. It does have a greater effect size than other treatments, the response rate is higher, the response time is faster in the right patients. That said, the effects are fairly temporary if you look at the best RCTs and at follow up really there’s no difference between people who have ECT for depression or not.

Because it involves anesthesia and other risks, it is reserved for severe conditions that do not respond to less intensive treatments.

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I’ve seen ECT do a lot of good before. I was at Timberlawn Hospital in Dallas, TX, and there was this guy who had tried to commit suicide. They kept him strapped to a bed in restraints for several months. Then they gave him ECT, and he was much better. He pulled right out of it.

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