Has anyone ever had an ECT to help with voices and did it help you. I had it and it just impaired my memory.
I haven’t had ECT, but I am interested in it as a way of treating my symptoms. I think you recover much of your memory loss. I’ve seen ECT do a lot of good in treating depression.
I almost had ECT. The doc brought up the idea and I got to the part where they show you a video about it. I saw that video and chickened out.
It did quiet the voices somewhat and I haven’t been manic since ( but it may have to do with my medicine).I just don’t like the memory loss. I remember major things but detailed small things I don’t remember. It gets kind of frustrating.
It would be a tough decision for me. Sometimes I think that whatever ability I have to write comes from my illness. I might lose it if I was healed.
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My creativity was lost with the ECT. I used to be a great writer.
i had e.c.t to break a depression and it never destroyed my creativity at all. i can’t remember whether it helped with the depression. i guess it must have done as i had my last acuphase injection before it and was as happy as larry afterwards…still completely nuts but happy anyway. don’t know if it helps with voices as i wasn’t hearing voices yet when i had it…hmmm something to ponder. according to surprisedj it got rid of his completely. but i’ll try the meds forst i think as i don’t think it’s available in my area without being an inpatient and i don’t have time for that as i have kids to look after. maybe once they move out i’ll consider it…if i live that long.
I had E.C.T. and it affected my memory temporarily. No obvious signs of improvement. I had it several sessions exactly 10 years ago.
I remember reading this a while back i hope it helps!
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/treatmentswellbeing/ect.aspx
I thought it wasn’t used to treat schizophrenia any more, where do you come from?
Thanks I’m in South Carolina
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I had ECT back when I was in hospital during my 17th to 18th year. I used to say it didn’t work… but I’m beginning to think it worked too well… too quickly.
First… after years of having voices and hallucinations and finding ways to cope…
I got ECT and it was all gone… suddenly. I didn’t react well to that. I was so sure that they took my brain. My head was too quiet. I wasn’t told what to expect. It really disoriented me and threw me into more panic. I shut down after that.
I fell apart worse. I remember accusing the nurses of taking my brain and feeling like my memory was wiped out. I went from a very noisy head to complete silence.
Some people react very well to ECT and it works great for them.
Maybe if life takes a turn for the worse and I relapse… I might look into it again. But back when I was 17 to 18 it was not a good option at the time.
i had bilateral ECT for “command hallucinations”. it did take away certain voices, but not all. but the compulsion to follow orders went away, i’d say. they’re not as strong.
it definitely messed up my memory in patches and then making new memories was odd for awhile. i had it for six straight weeks and it took at least twice that long to recover from it. my memory is not intact from that time at all. i don’t remember any of it or at least a month prior to it. that’s probably for the best, i suppose as it wasn’t undertaken under awesome circumstances. but it is still disconcerting to know that a chunk is gone that’s never returned. my ability to make new memories has, however, and i’m not on constant repeater.
frankly, it’s hard to say what’s affected my memory more, the ECT or the schizophrenia. i’d definitely be inclined to say the former, but i really don’t know. i’m better off for having done it, certainly. i’m way more stable now by all accounts.
I had a course of ECT to help with my depression following the fall out of the onset of my schizophrenia. I liked the mania and magic of the psychosis and ECT seemed to push that even further away than the AP drugs did. So at the time it didn’t make me feel any better because I wanted that magic back but a few weeks after finishing my course they dismissed me from hospital so I guess it made some difference that they could see. Nowadays I recognise the magic to be the hocus pocus I stay away from now.
I had it in 1975/6 and 1978. I don’t think it helped much. Especially with the first set memories got blurred.
I had a few series of ect about 10 yrs ago, and it really seemed to help with depression but as far as the voices went , they stayed as strong as ever. My short term memory is so bad even after all this time, and I do not think I would it again.
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