Discussion I received electro shock therapy. Ask your questions

[theboy]

This happened a few years ago. I have not seen people on this forum who received therapy. I hope my experience will be of some help to those who have doubts.

PD: It is now called electronvulsive therapy

 

[ImpairedLowlife]

This happened a few years ago. I have not seen people on this forum who received therapy. I hope my experience will be of some help to those who have doubts.

Did it have any short/long term side effects on you? Did it actually help you to get better? Was it done from your agreement or were you forced to it?

 

[TheManIllNeverBe]

I've actually had more than one psychiatrist suggest that I'm a good candidate for ECT due to my treatment-resistant depression. I've always balked at the idea due to how foggy my head already is and the cognitive difficulties I already have, and hearing that ECT can make things like that much worse. What were your experiences around ECT and brain function, fog, etc?

 

[Forever Sleep]

It's always sounded horrific to me but I guess I've seen too many films depicting it being pretty much forced on people who weren't really aware of what was happening. 'Requiem for a Dream' in particular. An amazing film really but very disturbing. I found the mother's fate the worst somehow.

Are you given anaesthetic? Are you aware of what's going on around you while it's happening and do you feel any pain? It must have been a frightening experience? Did it bring you any relief? Do you think it changed how your brain works?

Please forgive my ignorance and tons of questions- I've always assumed it was a treatment that literally shocks you into thinking in different ways- like- does it actually 'kill' off parts of the brain? (Sorry- that's probably a stupid assumption.)

Honestly, it really frightens me. The brutality of it I guess- a step down from lobotomy certainly but still. I guess I still find it frightening how mental health is treated. Even with drugs- when you hear the proffessionals say they don't quite know how something works. All sounds a bit too experimental for me and what frightens and saddens me is that the people afflicted are the most vulnerable and willing to try things that may or may not help and worse- may end up making things worse for them. I guess a lot of medicine/therapy is experimental to begin with. You just would have thought we'd know more about the brain by now!

I'm sorry you went through that experience and even more sorry that you needed to. Our brains and bodies can be prisons. Thank you for sharing your experience though. I'm sure a lot of us are curious.

 

[theboy]

I was in a "neutral" state for weeks. Also, along with the medications, I felt absolutely nothing. I had memory loss for about 2 weeks and slowly started to get it back. Still, in the long run, I feel that I have less memory than before.
It only helped me improve for 2 or 3 years. Then, the emotional discomforts returned.
It was a contract signed by my parents but I'm sure they didn't know what it was about. I was only receiving therapies and pills like candy, so I didn't know what I was facing.

Did it have any short/long term side effects on you? Did it actually help you to get better? Was it done from your agreement or were you forced to it?

 

[Jimblue]

May I ask if ECT works for depression and PTSD? And if it's painful?

 

[theboy]

I had short term memory loss for about 3 months. Then, my memory was recovering to retain more information.
After those 3 months, I felt energized, encouraged and eager to move forward. I really wanted a change in my life.
Two to three years went by and I felt bad again. Everything fell apart in my life.

It should be noted that the doctors never followed up with me after I had ECT.

I've actually had more than one psychiatrist suggest that I'm a good candidate for ECT due to my treatment-resistant depression. I've always balked at the idea due to how foggy my head already is and the cognitive difficulties I already have, and hearing that ECT can make things like that much worse. What were your experiences around ECT and brain function, fog, etc?

May I ask if ECT works for depression and PTSD? And if it's painful?

Yes, it works
It does not produce any pain
The procedure consists of putting electrodes on your forehead. Then, you are anesthetized as if you were undergoing surgery. As soon as you are asleep, the doctor will put electric currents on your forehead.

 

[Jimblue]

I had short term memory loss for about 3 months. Then, my memory was recovering to retain more information.
After those 3 months, I felt energized, encouraged and eager to move forward. I really wanted a change in my life.
Two to three years went by and I felt bad again. Everything fell apart in my life.

It should be noted that the doctors never followed up with me after I had ECT.

I am very sorry that you have to been through this. Does ECT able to take the bad memories away? I thought it's a regular treatment, seems not? It's not something that you have to receive for entire life?

 

[theboy]

It's always sounded horrific to me but I guess I've seen too many films depicting it being pretty much forced on people who weren't really aware of what was happening. 'Requiem for a Dream' in particular. An amazing film really but very disturbing. I found the mother's fate the worst somehow.

Are you given anaesthetic? Are you aware of what's going on around you while it's happening and do you feel any pain? It must have been a frightening experience? Did it bring you any relief? Do you think it changed how your brain works?

Please forgive my ignorance and tons of questions- I've always assumed it was a treatment that literally shocks you into thinking in different ways- like- does it actually 'kill' off parts of the brain? (Sorry- that's probably a stupid assumption.)

Honestly, it really frightens me. The brutality of it I guess- a step down from lobotomy certainly but still. I guess I still find it frightening how mental health is treated. Even with drugs- when you hear the proffessionals say they don't quite know how something works. All sounds a bit too experimental for me and what frightens and saddens me is that the people afflicted are the most vulnerable and willing to try things that may or may not help and worse- may end up making things worse for them. I guess a lot of medicine/therapy is experimental to begin with. You just would have thought we'd know more about the brain by now!

I'm sorry you went through that experience and even more sorry that you needed to. Our brains and bodies can be prisons. Thank you for sharing your experience though. I'm sure a lot of us are curious.

I was put under general anesthesia. I did not go at any time and it was painless. The only scary thing was that after getting up from the table in the first session, I was very dizzy and vomited in the bathroom. The nurses helped me through it all.
In the 2nd and 3rd sessions I didn't feel dizzy but I was incredibly tired. I slept all night like a board.
The emotional relief was for a while but after a few years, I went back to intense depression.
Yes, my memory got worse and my emotions were too neutral.

Don't worry. I have time to answer you. In the old days, this method was very crude because it was without anesthesia and produced serious brain damage. Now, it is more controlled and supervised but it is still experimental.

Thanks for your good vibes

I am very sorry that you have to been through this. Does ECT able to take the bad memories away? I thought it's a regular treatment, seems not? It's not something that you have to receive for entire life?

Takes away good and bad memories
It is an outpatient treatment so it should not be lifelong. I am not a doctor, but I guess if you do ECT too many times, it will damage your brain.

 

[juraviel]

I've actually had more than one psychiatrist suggest that I'm a good candidate for ECT due to my treatment-resistant depression. I've always balked at the idea due to how foggy my head already is and the cognitive difficulties I already have, and hearing that ECT can make things like that much worse. What were your experiences around ECT and brain function, fog, etc?

it's the depression that is making you foggy, so it would help with that. it can also make things worse - obviously. for me there wasn't much of an effect either way but i've seen people do much better after their treatments. it's really all about the stage that you're at when it comes to how many things you tried thus far

Are you given anaesthetic? Are you aware of what's going on around you while it's happening and do you feel any pain? It must have been a frightening experience? Did it bring you any relief? Do you think it changed how your brain works?

you're put under, you're not aware. for the staff it's completely ordinary, daily thing, boring almost. first time is scary sure but the experience itself is maybe akin to a dentist visit

Please forgive my ignorance and tons of questions- I've always assumed it was a treatment that literally shocks you into thinking in different ways- like- does it actually 'kill' off parts of the brain? (Sorry- that's probably a stupid assumption.)

this is why he created the thread, so that people can ask him question right.. maybe it was used that in that way with very little success. i don't think that's being practiced this way anywhere any longer. no nothing's being killed off

Honestly, it really frightens me. The brutality of it I guess- a step down from lobotomy certainly but still. I guess I still find it frightening how mental health is treated. Even with drugs- when you hear the proffessionals say they don't quite know how something works. All sounds a bit too experimental for me and what frightens and saddens me is that the people afflicted are the most vulnerable and willing to try things that may or may not help and worse- may end up making things worse for them. I guess a lot of medicine/therapy is experimental to begin with. You just would have thought we'd know more about the brain by now!

that's just the image from the movies you have like i explained. yeah well very little is still being understood about the brain and how it works that's for sure

The emotional relief was for a while but after a few years, I went back to intense depression.

if it worked then there's a good chance it will work again. i assume you received follow up procedures after your initial round of treatments.

 

[Jimblue]

I was put under general anesthesia. I did not go at any time and it was painless. The only scary thing was that after getting up from the table in the first session, I was very dizzy and vomited in the bathroom. The nurses helped me through it all.
In the 2nd and 3rd sessions I didn't feel dizzy but I was incredibly tired. I slept all night like a board.
The emotional relief was for a while but after a few years, I went back to intense depression.
Yes, my memory got worse and my emotions were too neutral.

Don't worry. I have time to answer you. In the old days, this method was very crude because it was without anesthesia and produced serious brain damage. Now, it is more controlled and supervised but it is still experimental.

Thanks for your good vibes


I was put under general anesthesia. I did not go at any time and it was painless. The only scary thing was that after getting up from the table in the first session, I was very dizzy and vomited in the bathroom. The nurses helped me through it all.
In the 2nd and 3rd sessions I didn't feel dizzy but I was incredibly tired. I slept all night like a board.
The emotional relief was for a while but after a few years, I went back to intense depression.
Yes, my memory got worse and my emotions were too neutral.

Don't worry. I have time to answer you. In the old days, this method was very crude because it was without anesthesia and produced serious brain damage. Now, it is more controlled and supervised but it is still experimental.

Thanks for your good vibes

Takes away good and bad memories
It is an outpatient treatment so it should not be lifelong. I am not a doctor, but I guess if you do ECT too many times, it will damage your brain.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Does ECT make you forget people too? Like does not recognise family something like that?

 

[theboy]

if it worked then there's a good chance it will work again. i assume you received follow up procedures after your initial round of treatments.

No, my friend. After the procedures I was not evaluated. They didn't even do it with my medications.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Does ECT make you forget people too? Like does not recognise family something like that?

At that time I was in a clinic. I spent a good few months there. I counted more than 40 people. I remembered their names and faces. After the treatment, I went back to do a recount, but I realized that I forgot some people. From 40 people, it was down to about 20, or even less.

Family is not forgotten

 

[juraviel]

No, my friend. After the procedures I was not evaluated. They didn't even do it with my medications.

i mean you have your normal round of treatments (12 in my case) then so called reminder sessions, right. if you didn't that may be the reason why the changes didn't stick.

for treatment resistant depression the medication most proven to work is called parnate. it is rarely used and you should look it up if you haven't tried it yet.

 

[theboy]

Oh, I don't think I did what you said.

So you had that therapy too?

i mean you have your normal round of treatments (12 in my case) then so called reminder sessions, right. if you didn't that may be the reason why the changes didn't stick.

for treatment resistant depression the medication most proven to work is called parnate. it is rarely used and you should look it up if you haven't tried it yet.

 

[Thefuture]

Will this get rid of bad memories? I would feel a lot better if i had little no memory. I'd welcome that.

 

[theboy]

Will this get rid of bad memories? I would feel a lot better if i had little no memory. I'd welcome that.

Removes good and bad memories

 

[Lullaby]

Thanks for sharing. Someone else on here mentioned they also tried it and it helped, but it seems the consensus is that it's something that has to be re-done at some point.

I would really like to try this, but I already have such bad short term memory, I'm afraid of making it worse. I forget the smallest things.

I was also told I need to stay consistent with my medication to be considered, which ironically is hard already because of my memory problems.

 

[theboy]

Of course, the patient's progress defines whether or not it is necessary to restart ECT.
Long-term memory recovers after about 2 weeks.
Medication goes hand in hand with this treatment. I recommend you to write a list with all the doubts you have for when you visit your doctor.

Thanks for sharing. Someone else on here mentioned they also tried it and it helped, but it seems the consensus is that it's something that has to be re-done at some point.

I would really like to try this, but I already have such bad short term memory, I'm afraid of making it worse. I forget the smallest things.

I was also told I need to stay consistent with my medication to be considered, which ironically is hard already because of my memory problems.

 

[letsmakeitagoodworl]

Hiya

I am confused because in my country my psychiatrist said she thought it was a good option for me (treatment resistant, tried so much & have many comorbid mh issues). But when the ect Dr came to see me he said ect has a base 50% rate of being effective for anyone, then he said because im treatment resistant and have comorbid issues it takes thw chances down to a negligible amount. He also said it would only last a year (which I see above seems to be the case), but im confused who ect is for if it's not for chronic people lol, because I was told in the past I wasn't chronic enough:/

 

[theboy]

Hiya

I am confused because in my country my psychiatrist said she thought it was a good option for me (treatment resistant, tried so much & have many comorbid mh issues). But when the ect Dr came to see me he said ect has a base 50% rate of being effective for anyone, then he said because im treatment resistant and have comorbid issues it takes thw chances down to a negligible amount. He also said it would only last a year (which I see above seems to be the case), but im confused who ect is for if it's not for chronic people lol, because I was told in the past I wasn't chronic enough:/

you could ask the opinion of another doctor