Written by
Jerry, 9/17/08
I share your ambivalence. Seeing the tremendous change afterward can be very persuasive. Unfortunately the effects are short-term, requiring 'booster treatments'. Also, you forgot to mention autopsy reports of small burn holes in the brain tissue for frequently treated patients. How can one not have memory loss. Therefore I can only conclude that this must be a 'last ditch treatment' in the advent that no other treatment is successful. rar1951
For what it's worth, I've kept a detailed account of going through ECT through a blog. it's at http://alittlespark.wordpress.com It's not pro- or anti-ECT by any means. It's just my personal account plus listings of interesting ECT and mental health articles I've found along the way.
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I have been through a number of ECT treatments and each time my condition was improved dramatically. Eventhough I have experienced some significant memory loss (both long-term and short-term), I can honestly say that it was a good experience. The procedure was simple and professionally conducted, and there was no pain. Although I would recommend not taking the decision lightly, it is nothing to fear. I am an advocate.