by Xiaomeng Han
figures by Abigail Burrus
What comes to mind when you hear the term electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? A cruel torture method for disobedient psychiatric patients portrayed in films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Or a last-resort for treatment-resistant depression with less discomfort and fewer side-effects? New developments in using ECT to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder might soon give us a new way to think about ECT: a tool to erase one’s painful memories, like the memory modification method in the film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Dealing with Painful Memories:The focus of PTSD treatment
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects individuals who have gone through extremely frightening, painful, or stressful events in their life. A variety of situations can trigger PTSD symptoms: a war veteran can have flashbacks of fierce combat scenes, a terror attack victim can re-experience the horror of an explosion triggered by the sounds of firecrackers, and a victim of childhood abuse can have vivid nightmares well into adulthood. People who suffer from PTSD are haunted by their painful memories in a way that disturbs their daily functioning. The central focus of PTSD treatment has always been dealing with patients’ painful memories. Given its utility in many areas of psychiatry, ECT has been studied for its potential effects in modifying painful memories.
ECT is a medical procedure in which a brief, monitored seizure is generated in the patient’s brain by passing small electrical current through the brain while the patient is under general anesthesia. This treatment restores the chemical balance of the brain and is effective at alleviating the symptoms of a variety of mental illnesses, including severe depression, mania, and psychosis. Due to the fact that this treatment was given to patients without general anesthesia in its early days, ECT treatment has been stigmatized, particularly in the past several decades. However, nowadays, ECT actually is a safe, quick and effective procedure with few side effects and is used to achieve faster recovery in some patients with depression.
An Almost Forgotten ECT Study in Rats
When people first administered ECT to patients in the 1930s to 1950s, they found that it caused memory impairments. In retrospect, that might have been an early sign of the possible utility of ECT for treating PTSD.
Another early indicator of ECT as a potential treatment for PTSD came from a study of rats in the 1960s. A group of researchers at Rutgers University led by Dr. Donald J Lewis showed that ECT might be able to specifically erase fear memories. The researchers first made rats associate a tone with a fearful memory by playing this tone as they electrically shocked the rats’ feet. Then, when the researchers played the tone again, the rats froze in fear and licked their water bottle less due to their memory of being shocked upon hearing the tone.
Dr. Lewis and his team then tried using ECT to erase the rats’ memories of being shocked. To do this, they first reactivated the fearful memories in rats by playing the tone that the rats found frightening and then gave the rats ECT immediately afterwards. Surprisingly, they found that rats that were given ECT treatment licked their water bottle more when they heard the tone compared to control rats that were not given the treatment. This suggests that ECT impaired the fearful memory of being shocked.
Interestingly, the researchers found that in order for the ECT treatment to successfully impair the fearful memory, it had to be administered immediately after the researchers reactivated the memory by playing the tone that the rats found frightening. If Dr. Lewis’s team did not play the tone immediately before the ECT, the treatment had no effect on the rats. This suggests that ECT works by interfering with a memory as the rat is actively remembering it.
Rediscovering the Effect of ECT on Bad Memories
In 2014, nearly 50 years after the initial rat study, another group of researchers from Europe tested if ECT could help erase traumatic memories in patients with depression who were already undergoing ECT treatment. In their study, patients heard two traumatic stories involving violence or emotional pain through slide shows and narrative storytelling. One week later, only one story was “reactivated,” meaning the patients heard the traumatic story again. Immediately after the story was reactivated, patients received ECT treatment. The researchers then tested the patients’ memories of these two stories through multiple choices tests. As with the rats, the patients’ memories of the story that was “reactivated” immediately before ECT treatment were impaired. Impressively, they remembered the other story well, suggesting that ECT can be used to erase specific traumatic memories.
Possible Treatment Regimen for Erasing Painful Memories
Another 2014 study by group of psychiatrists from Germany showed that an ECT treatment regimen could be effective in ameliorating a PTSD patient’s symptoms. In this study, a single patient suffering from PTSD from a serious car accident and several episodes of sexual abuse underwent eight sessions of ECT. Before each ECT treatment, he was asked to describe one of his traumatic memories (the car accident), which is equivalent to “reactivating” that specific memory like playing the tone for those rats or re-hearing one of the traumatic stories by those depression patients. Right after his description, he was anesthetized and administered an ECT treatment. As the treatment progressed, the patient began to have fewer flashbacks and reduced anxiety and depression, indicating that his PTSD was improving. Incredibly, by the end of the treatment course, the patient could barely remember the car accident.
Moving into Clinical Trials? Explore Underlying Mechanisms? Or Be Cautious of Ethical Problems?
Based on these past studies, the use of ECT treatment to free PTSD patients from their devastating and painful memories seems promising. With inventions such as ultrabrief pulse width (a new method with minimal discomfort and side-effects), nowadays, ECT treatment is no longer as frightening as it used to be. Considering that knowledge and acceptance of ECT are growing in the general population, we can imagine that in the near future, there will be an increasing number of clinical trials with attempts to use ECT to treat people with PTSD. ECT is still not perfect. Scientists are still trying to improve and perfect memory reactivation techniques, treatment frequency, and length. However, as it stands, ECT is an incredibly promising choice for psychological treatment.
Moreover, these ECT studies may help neuroscientists understand how memories are formed in the brain. Based on several significant research papers also published around 2014, scientists now know that memories can be stored in certain neural cells or their connections. However, what happens to these cells and their connections during memory reactivation and ECT is still mysterious. One can only imagine how our memories are created, retrieved, and recreated in our mysterious brain.
Xiaomeng Han is a second year graduate student in the Harvard PhD Program in Neuroscience. She uses electron microscopy to study neuronal connectivity.
For more information:
- To grasp the basics of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), check out this Scientific American article.
- For a more in-depth history of ECT, read this Scientific American article.
- The 1960s research on rats in the Science magazine can be found here. (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/160/3827/554.long)
- This National Institute of Mental Health page explores the definition, causes, symptoms and treatments of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- For more on using ECT to erase painful memories in humans, check out this TIME article.
This is some major Ugly and clueless propaganda. ECT has been destroying brain cells, causing amnesia and personality erasure for Decades.
ECT destroys lives , that’s why it’s stigmatized. Its been deliberately used to destroy lives with or without General Anesthesia, since the beginning.
This article is filled with half truths , distortions, and general misinformation.
It is not a “small amount of electricity” . It was Never “forgotten” that it causes amnesia and memory loss. Electric Shock “Therapists” simply lied about it so they could get paid for it.
You can look up the horror show of evil experiments done deliberately to erase peoples minds and personalities with it “Ewen Cameron” . This isn’t some fringe Doctor. Thus was head of the World Federation of Mental Health. Some of the victims of this evil “therapy” are still alive.
In order for ECT to be safe , Getting Electroshocked in high voltages to the brain would have to be harmless.
AND Having Grand Mal Seizures would also have to be harmless. Neither one is, and both cause memory loss and brain damage. That’s why we treat Epilepsy!!
This is easily the most biased article ever to be published for SITN .
SITN receives Public Health money to inform the public about cutting edge science and medicine. Not To propagandize the general public into giving themselves brain damage with obsolete and deadly quack treatments. WTF!
Please use public funds more wisely and consider the health needs of the audience.
Go reach out and talk to the Victims, the survivors, and their families before dredging up dangerous disproven treatments.
Look at the Suicide Rates and early deaths of the “treated”
There are plenty of other sources (such as those cited here) and the APA: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ect that describe ECT as a valid treatment in modern times. Please provide sources to support your assertions.
It comes to this. Providers have taken it upon themselves to use an untested device and procedure by the FDA in decades. They do not test because all well aware this is TBI at minimum based on electrical trauma. Electrical trauma impacts all bodily systems. Damages from this type of trauma can evolve and extend years out. This can include cardiac and respiratory issues, and some are developing CTE and ALS as a direct result. Review low voltage electrical trauma. Just because done by arrogant physicians involving a societal discounted population does not change these known and anticipated damages to all with every single procedure. They just have not been exposed prior to this and now are scrabbling along with their risk management depts. to dress this up as useful. Patients are demonstrating damages on MRI, SPECT, VNG, EEG, and neuro/cognitive testing. If this patient came through the ER with this mechanism TBI would be anticipated as baseline. Culpable providers do not change the facts of these damages. Product device suit now national and I would encourage those impacted to contact the DK law group in CA who now own the ectjustice.com website. There are medical malpractice firms interviewing, and suits pending against the FDA. Many would like to see criminal charges levied. This is not mental health treatment. It garners 5 billion annually in US alone. They cannot just simply stop doing this now, because all would have to admit damages if they do so . Patients currently can find little help though brain injuries have been identified to result. Doctors usually will not refer to specialist or order appropriated tests, as damages they know will prove out will then have to be addressed to causation. This will implicate their peers and fellow facilities. Many have a piece of the financial pie in either research, products, jobs ets. We as patients are sometimes committing suicide as we are ignored, minimized, and damages attributed to psychiatric cause vs. the truth of major brain trauma. Shame on all those who cover, promote, and participate in this practice. JUSTICE is coming and those responsible will be held accountable! They are not above ALL laws.
Hi Deborah , my name is Autumn Raid , way back in the late 1950s my mother had a series of ECT treatments . Horrible , unfortunately many years later she suffered Alzheimer’s . I had always wondered if those radical ECT treatments were the cause . Now that I have read your views I’m quite sure this is what caused her memory issues . It seemed strange not all of the Alzheimer’s patients reacted the same as my.mother , just seemed to me something wasn’t adding up . Thank you
I have done a series of videos on YouTube under heading of ds electroshock (two words). May be helpful for friends and family too. Contact the Baum Hedlund law firm in CA if you have had ECT as they are doing national device suit around ECT devices
Here’s a resource-me. ECT has GIVEN me PTSD. Not only have I lost long term and short term memory, I have lost 2015-2017 in it’s entirety. Me, who had the best memory of anyone I’ve ever known (and they would concur-it was practically my ‘super power’) can no longer remember my street address without looking it up.Previously I could remember every address, every phone number I have ever had-and in my life time I have moved 14 times.
My IQ, which was tested as a child and as an adult measuring at/above “genius level” and yes, I know full well the limitation of IQ tests and what they actually measure, but I can no longer (it’s happening right now) come up with the “word”for what I am trying to convey. It’s worse than “on the tip of my tongue”. It becomes a game of charades. I describe the word and it’s meaning until my family or friend can guess what I am trying to say.
I used to be an executive making a very comfortable living. Not anymore.
I have nightmares about ECT. Of which I had bilateral over 50 times to treat medication resistant depression. Yes. Depression. I later found out the doctor was writing a journal article about the positive effects of ECT. (I graduated with a psych degree and am very disappointed in myself for not sticking up for myself.). Every time I went back in to the hospital the doctor asked if I had shown my psychiatrist “what a great job” he had done with me. (I was unable to go to my regular psychiatrist and ect at the same time because of my insurance.
I have regular nightmares from reliving “going down the k-hole” because they were using ketamine as an anesthetic at least 15 before I asked if what I was experiencing was normal(it wasn’t-no one had ever asked and I didn’t know to ask) I LITERALLY felt like I was dying, paralyzed and going to hell.
This was my worst nightmare and it’s use should be in the very very very most extreme cases and maybe not even then.
So, go ahead and ask me for resources. There has been nothing crueler in my life.
My research has indicated treatment resistant depression is due to lack of tryptophan. Google ‘amino acids and neurochemicals’. Amino acids are the fuel our body needs that we get in our diet to make neurochemicals like tryptophan and serotonin.
You also need multiple vitamins and minerals to convert it. B6+folate+B12+selenium etc.
My body can’t process vitamins due to a gene defect so I take a whey protein shake and methylated multi-vitamin.
It either severely reduces or cures those suffering from mental illness from what I’ve seen.
ECT for treatment resistant depression is bullshit.
Your body can’t make serotonin out of thin air. It needs tryptophan as the first step and this is often lacking in modern diets sadly.
So…eat more turkey?
Rebecca after reading your comment first I wanna say I’m sorry about your experience with ect treatment,I too went thru ect treatment prolly around my early 20s I’m now 47 yrs old,still struggle with major depression and currently CPTSD due to severe physiological abuse..I wanna talk more to u about your treatments and tell you more about mine..my email bridgetrussell513@gmail.com..
In your community there are people who have had the procedure called ECT or electroshock. In the last decade, use has greatly increased, and is used for many reasons now, and offered readily. Used at leading facilities. I am submitting from Oregon, but speak on behalf of my peers, as many cannot. We are showing damages on MRI, EEG, neuro/cognitive testing and SPECT. This is a public health issue that needs to come to light.
As a result of receiving this untested FDA procedure, patients are now living with traumatic brain injury outcomes, at minimum. Electrical trauma impacts all bodily systems, so there are other issues in addition to the baseline of TBI. This has now been proven in the California courts in a now national device suit, yet facilities are still doing this. ECT also impacts our children, veterans and women in pregnancy. Suits filed against the FDA, and firms interviewing for medical malpractice.
My opinion is that providers, who are well aware of these poor outcomes, have a duty to warn, protect and not cause harm. There is an oppressive silence around this, as when it comes to light there will be much to account for. Those standing by silently in complicity and collusion are just as responsible. We need these providers that include nurses, to step in to advocate and intercede for these vulnerable patients.
We are told in consent to expect temporary memory loss to resolve in six weeks and typical anesthesia risks. Their own research reports structural brain changes that result from this. They dare to take this upon themselves, and withhold these known damages? They cannot just suddenly stop doing this now without admitting harm.
Electrical trauma can extend years out to include ALS and CTE. There is a great betrayal of patient trust. We are betrayed with the initial procedure, and again when we can find little assistance to address our outcomes following. Many would like to see criminal charges levied.
Very sadly we can find little help in addressing our outcomes of repeated brain injuries that all other TBI patients have at their disposal. Doctors will not address in referrals and testing, as it will implicate peers and facilities, and risk their standings whatever that may be. My peers sometimes commit suicide as a direct result of damages, and they are isolated. We are greatly suffering and need extensive rehabilitation. Our complaints are written off as psychiatric to protect those responsible. Billions involved annually in the U.S. alone from this in cover ups of decades.
This is trauma pure and simple, not help. Creating temporary euphoria and memory loss for difficulties that led to admission result from brain injury, and is not mental health. There is a two time increase in suicide following ECT secondary to brain injury and isolation in outcomes. Please let others know what is taking place. Others, which may include someone you care about, are at great risk if they are offered this. See ectjustice.com, Thank you.
All trauma medicine aware of damages immediate and long term from electrical trauma. Psychiatry dresses up this procedure for billions annually in US alone despite battery of patients. Long term outcomes even according to Dr. Bennett Omalu of the NFL injuries, identifies risk of CTE tied to ECT. This procedure needs to be abolished and providers and facilities made monetarily responsible to damages in patients. Activists working globally to expose this human rights issue. NO ONE has the right to play with people’s life experiences whether they think they are God’s or not.
There is no FDA testing of device or procedure ever done for safety or effectiveness. Based on trauma medicine and mechanism of electrical trauma every procedure at baseline is a TBI. All bodily systems impacted by this. Electrical trauma can evolve over decades to include CTE and ALS. Dr. Bennet Omalu famous for findings of CTE in the NFL is now on record stating the same outcomes anticipated in ECT patients. A class action suit is taking place in both the US and England now. Patients are showing damages on testing. Patients now beginning to enter into TBI programs for assist. See ECT.org, endofshock.com, ectjustice.com. If you have had ECT in the US please reach out to the DK law group. We are working to bring medical malpractice around fallible consent despite practice standard met. 5 billion annually garnered from this in US alone at great expense to patients.
Adam, have you personally had ECT therapy?
Where can you get this shock therapy
Same here if you find out let me know !
I’ve had ect’s. It didn’t work for me. And now I don’t remember my three children growing up and nor do I remember my wedding.
how many sessions?
Hey can you contact me I have some questions about etc
DM me on insta @ishikapatwari
Maybe because you remembered and was about them while you were going to get your ECT
Like what they said Those experiences of mouse I hope you’ve got them back again
See site ectjustice and site Life After ECT.
See ectjustice, site called Life After ECT, book by Linda Andre called Doctors of Deception, sites ECT.org, amd site endofshock.com
Hi,
Looking at most of the comments has me leaning more towards ECT. I do understand it can cause memory loss, but that is what I’m aiming for.
If I can have 4-5 years of memory loss I would be very happy. Much happier than I am right now. I get that it may not happen but still I feel the risk is worth it.
I am currently 23
Totally agree with you Adam. My mother had ECT as a last resort treatment for bipolar disorder and while she has been on an even keel since, her personality is gone. She is child/zombie like now.
I’m so sorry that happened to your mom. My mom had the same procedure done and it actually helped her a lot. I guess it all depends on the patient. I checked this out because I have PTSD, all my relationships have been extremely abusive, and I’ve been raped by 8 different men starting at the age of 15, my most recent attack was in February. For 16 months I’ve also been infatuated with a man I never met, but he lifted me up when I was struggling just so he could kick me down. I got addicted to opiates and the past year has been hell. I’ve been clean for 73 days but I really want to forget this piece of shit who I can’t stop thinking about, I’m putting myself down, crying all the time, I need this shit to stop but I already have amnesia from the opiate abuse and looking at these comments this is probably not a good method of treatment for me. Guess that means ima need more pills smh.
Try emdr at a counselling agency it is harmless and helped me after being sexually abused by 3 different males
Have her contact DK law group in CA to see if she qualifies to join national product liability suit tied to ECT devices. This is if she may be interested. Have her attend brain injury support groups as she has had repeated brain injuries. See ectjustice and site Life After ECT. We are working to bring med mal suits now as well.
I have just for some reason learned about Word Press. I post to whatever relates to ECT where attorneys may reference so please bare with me if it does not relate to your post directly. This is how I find attorneys that may be interested in bringing medical malpractice and it keeps me off social. I wanted to leave activism around this and am happy off social, but I want my peers to have medical malpractice suits and cannot drop it. First I want to say:
There have been Editors of smaller papers nationally posting letters I have sent in with regards to ECT recently. Smaller communities may not have the ties and more caring. Major media will not touch for most part, but smaller papers are willing. You have to give your name and they will call you before printing. May limit you to 250 words, but some are emails so can say more. Go on Google and there is a link to all the small papers in your state and just copy and paste to all. If ambitious go outside to other states asking them to warn the public. Share how you were lied to and harmed. This will also bring in attorneys and make providers fearful to perform I am hoping. So below is for attorneys.
We have approximately 6 firms hearing from patients for possible medical malpractice claims around this procedure. Brain injuries resulting have been proven in the CA courts in what is now a national product liability suit. Your one constant with all patients is brain injuries. Your material risk of brain injuries is missing from all consents. Physicians are culpable based on their training and this is battery at best. All trauma is based on mechanism. You have a mechanism such as electrical you have an anticipated and known outcome in ALL patients. Your one constant in ALL patients is TBI, though many have ongoing cardiac etc. issues as well. Your experts for primary should be double boarded in psychiatry/neurology, but use mostly trauma experts who cannot refute this. I am interested in helping additional firms with bringing medical malpractice claims around these damages. There are arguments for retroactive possibilities perhaps? The research is available to firms that was used in the product liability suit at your request. We need many firms to help us please as we are greatly suffering and need justice and rehabilitation. My email if you would like to hear from patients around this or see research is ectsurvivor1@gmail.com. We would greatly appreciate your help. Please also see resources on ectjustice.com, now owned by the DK law group. Thank you.
Then what too doo , u are saying that don’t too doo this ,this bad.. very very bad , than why not you tell me more safe and good way too remove thise memories…. If you know tell me .
My brother and Aunty have had it and it changed their lives for the better.
Why not allow those suffering with at least a chance to live a normal life free from severe depression & anxiety- often debilitating & the cause of suicide.
The Big Pharma would love to end ECT of course but I hope it only increases & helps to set more people free.
Heyy can you contact me on insta I wanted to know about etc
DM ME ON INSTAGRAM@ISHIKAPATWATI
I suffered from a mysterious B.O.B for sometime and I became stigmatised for it. The people in my neighbourhood and township stigmatised and discriminated against me. Smartphones and the net made it worse, as people snapped my pic and posted it online. With time I became famous. I became paranoid anytime I went out, even if meeting people for the first time. I’ve tried to kill myself several times. I was even hospitalised for severe depression and have been taking anti depressant. I’ve Bipolar disorder, anxiety and personality disorder. Now, I can say that I’ve cured myself of this B.OB. But the painful trauma, stigma and depression is still there and I wish I can forget about it all. I know I can move to a different city or country to overcome the stigma, but the PSTDS is still there. I want to have ECT done so badly. But it seems there aren’t much information on it in my country. I’m now 34years and I feel life is been slowly taking away from me.
ECT saved my mother’s life. And that was over 20 years ago, when it wasn’t as refined as it is today. The stigma of ECT dates back to One Who Flew Over a Cuckoos Nest…it’s just not like that. It took my mother from psychotic suicidal depression unable to participate in treatment, to calm and a clean slate that could be built back into the person she was before her illness began. The memory loss was a blessing for her, wish my family all lost our memories from that timeframe too.
Can I have your mail id? Please?
Where u got that treatment for ur mom… Can I get that address and how much it costs…?
See ectjustice and site Life After ECT. Law suits taking place.
Will you please share where you got the treatment from and the cost associated?
The year of 2016 I had 13 etc treatments for ptsd and severe depression. The year of 2017 I had 14 more etc treatments all were done at the veterans hospital at Fayetteville Arkansas. I do not think I would be living today if not for those treatments. I can’t say that it was a easy thing to do but if you have a good doctor and he recommends them you should do them. My short term memory, day to day things is really bad. My thoughts of harming other people is less frequent. I can’t say that I look forward to tomorrow but today is better than before. I still go to bed and wake up in Vietnam every day, but etc saved my life and still get to see my girls. I hope this helps someone.
Larry, thank you for sharing. I am considering ECT through the Fayetteville, AR VA too.
Your mom has suffered from repeated acquired traumatic brain injuries under the guise of help.
I am interested in helping you pursue a potential med mal as you are a Veteran if you may be interested and time frames work out? See YouTube videos under dsbelevtroshock. My email contact is jfds1774@gmail.com.
Hello Debbie, my name is David Long , I’ve been reading your messsages & did your test on ectjustice , I was completely shocked when I heard your story & it was exactly like what I went and going through this !!!!! I get lost on the bus I’ve lived here since 1995 !!! I started doing treatments in 2008 & I’ve done over a 100 !!! My doctor told me that I can only get well if I follow the treatment plan!!! When u said the benzodiazepines, u had issues with I take all the stuff you did & they never said anything about benzodiazepines before my treatments & sedation until 2019 when the doc says he on bezoar , so they give me a shot !!!! I related to that cuz I would be so sore it felt like I ran a 20 mile marathon, u no what , I ask doc why I was so sore !!! He said it took ,3 times , I’m not exaggerating, also @ a point my doc had me coming every 2 weeks & I would complain about the severe headaches!!!! He just wrote me prescription for Percocet !!! I’m not very good on email , or texts ,but I no u don’t no me but I sure could talk to someone who knows how bad this was
Sorry Debbie, their so much to say but I did want to tell u my last treatment was 11/27/2020-& the 30th & 12/2/2020
See ectjustice and site Life After ECT. Every procedure us a traumatic brain injury. Law suits taking place.
Great…. Is it possible to give us some suggestions
Great….. yes loosing memory is better than severe depression
Hello,
I am a 45-yr old diplomat recently diagnosed with a so-called medication resistant depression.
In 13 months of a too long dark period in an almost catatonic state, I was prescribed several antidepressant and medications combinations, visited five psychiatrists. Happy that after 13 months (and what it felt to be an endless painful period), I was recommended ECT.
It brought me to life, gave me my life back and quality of life. I was supported by my family, who took literally took care of me during the entire depression phase and supported me during the ECT sessions – 12 to be precise. Drove me twice at week to the hospital at 7 am, waited for me until it was over and drove me back home. I am and will be eternally grateful to them, as well to the doctor who recommended ECT.
Short memories loss? Yes. Only of the events that took place shorty before — the day / days before — the ECT session. It is one of the side effects. I haven’t experienced any other. If there are additional side effects, I cannot tell.
What I can tell is that as a 45-yrs old my ‘life of memories’ remains intact.
What I experience is stigma and a sense of discomfort faced by others when I openly talk about the subject. I am shocked with several of the comments posted in this website.
I imagine how inconvenient can ECT be to the multi million pharmaceutical companies.. Just saying.
Best wishes,
A patient who underwent ECT
See videos on YouTube under
ds electroshock. Sites ectjustice and Life After ECT.
Yes but now you will have systemic damages to evolve over time to include CTE and ALS potential. You will find little help without fighting for it. Some now entering traumatuc brain injury programs. Additional lawsuits being worked in at present time.
Fantastic news. My brother also is a new person because of it.
People are so ignorant and still stuck in the One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest lies and exaggerations.
Fact is this: ECT SAVES LIVES.,
And enhances lives giving people hope.
Big Pharma can’t stand it though:.., take 1 guess why.
Please where do I sign up? I suffer from PTSD after surviving domestic violence as an adult and sexual assault as a child and suffer from depression. I’m willing to try it!
Don’t knock it till you have tried it!!!!!!
Many cannot comprehend the damages given their repeated brain injuries. 10 years out some having symptoms of dementia and ALS from electrical trauma
Hi, for the last two years i had in my life, had changed me so much, these memories are so painful and am traped in it that i cant escape because of my honesty and sincerity towards my unwanted Unfaithful commitments. I would be inspered if any treatment can erase my last two years memories. Pls reply if its possiable.
Did you try ECT ?
Give me more information on this treatment
And is it fully affective in wiping a memory this has been going on for 3 years now and i dont think it will ever leave my mind its constantly there. Please any info on this and where it can be done would be appreciated money is no object here for what this can do for me in my life.
ECT does NOT wipe out long term memory. It resets the brain in a way the often helps it to overcome major depression and cope with other mental illnesses.
I have had 12 rounds of ECT 8 years ago for severe depression/anxiety & heavy narcotics addiction. It was the best thing I’d done for myself aside from getting rid of all the meds. I am a big advocate for ECT & often refer to it as a “reboot” when you decide to change. It doesn’t erase anything completely but seemed to restart my brain back to before things got too out of hand. I do have short term memory loss still but a very small price to pay compared to taking my life whether accidental or purposely. I have been on & off 1 or 2 antidepressants in 8 years, mostly off, but I wouldn’t hesitate to get a “tune up” if I needed another treatment or 2. ECT is (or was as of 2010,big facility, it should still be open) offered in New Jersey at Carrier Clinic. Good luck to all.
See videos on YouTube under ds electroshock. Lawsuits taking place. Risks for CTE and ALS.
Someone help ne i am suffering from depression from last 6 years negative thoughts destroy my life related with sexual thoughts i hate everyone just bcoz of my sexual thoughts whether its child ,adult ,my friends even my parents both male and female plxxx help me somebody plxxx help me
Suriya-
You are experienced PURE O- or intrusive-thoughts.
First- remember- and know- You are not your thoughts. You may have these thoughts- but you do not act on them.
The thoughts are simply your mind coming up with creative scenarios- For example, a person can stand at a train station- and the thought “What if I jump in front of that train ?” – this is not suicidal ideation- it is simply the function of the cognitive brain creating scenarios.
Thoughts are NOT who you are- realise this deeply. Tell a professional- so you better understand what is occurring.
Everything is OK- it is intrusive, compulsive thought- they are usually themed around ideas that are the complete opposite of our values-
I hope this helps. Seeking professional help- as you have no need to be panicking. They will be able to explain this better than I can.
Remember- Do not believe everything you “THINK”- you are not your THOUGHTS- they are just passing clouds.
See site ectjustice and YouTube videos under ds electroshock.
I was disabled with PTSD in 2012. After years of trying therapy and a host of pills (Gabapentin, Effexor, etc) I lobbied for ECT treatment. I underwent 90+ rounds of ECT from late 2016, through 2017 and into July of 2018 after reading relationship studies touting its aid with PTSD. I find now my brain does not have as quick a pathway to the trauma memories, making my daily life easier. But I also have extensive short-term memory problems, including forgetting what I am talking about, etc., as well as stroke-type symptoms of not recalling where things are in the house. I’m 56. I couldn’t wait or hope another drug would help. I’m still disabled, still have chronic PTSD, but at least I don’t think about killing myself every day.
You may want to contact the Baum Hedlund law group in CA doing a national suit around ect devices. Additional suits being worked on. Anyone that has had ECT in Indiana in last 18 monthe interested in pursuing a potential medical malpractice claim please contact me at jfds1774@gmail.com. Must have had ECT in that state.
“This treatment restores the chemical balance of the brain…” What evidence is there for that?
I know from personal experience that ECT is neither safe nor effective. It’s had devastating effects on my memory and cognitive function – one of the reasons psychiatry has no credibility.
See site ectjustice and videos on YouTube under ds electroshock.
Hi I’ve experienced depression/ocd for more than 10 years now I want to get ect done in hope it can erase a specific memory. I want to know more about the effects it has after treatment if anyone that has had it done can tell me how it has effected them it will be greatly appreciated. As I don’t know what to do as I’ve exhausted all medication CBT options.
Did you have ECT treatments & did they help?
Darren
See ectjustice and videos in YouTube under
ds electroshock. Lawsuits around ECT.
My name is stacie holland I need to earse some of my memory to keep my maggier I’m live in fort smith ar.
See ectjustice site and Life After ECT.
wow so many people like myself if i could erase maybe the last four years or so that would be a blessing….and some othr memories as well
I’m also wowed that there similar people like me here. How I wish I could erase all those years of painful memories from my mind. They’ve made me paranoid. I would give up everything just to have this. I want to be happy for once. I want to have stability. I will up all my riches just to be able to experience this. Don’t mind being poor if it means my mind can be at rest and have this freedom and stability.
See site ectjustice and site Life After ECT.
Anyone considering this treatment like I am, (until reading stories of long standing short term memory loss) try psychedelics first. They don’t harm your brain or destroy your memories. They give you a reset and let you process the memories instead.
What’s psychedelic? Please need more info on it if it can stop me from ECT. Please email me.
Agree! See site ectjustice and Life After ECT.
I want to warn everyone that ECT DESTROYED MY LIFE AND IT CAN DESTROY YOURS AS WELL….People do not be fooled by these idiots claiming ECT saved their life because I’ll tell you right now, that is NOT the case with everyone. I know this first hand as I received 20 ECT treatments from 2018 into 2019. After just the 2nd treatment I was absolutely shocked because I realized a horrible reality…I could not remember anything of my past. I had just turned 32 at the time so 31 years of memories gone in an instant. Just so you can understand how profound this was. I went to college 6 years (I switched my major a few times). I could not remember going to college at all. I was absolutely terrified but I was coaxed into 18 more treatments. Every single day I was extremely disoriented. Sometimes I woke up in the morning and did not even recognize my own bedroom! I even lost my job because of the cognitive side effects this horrible treatment has and have not been able to work since because the side effects still linger!!! I discussed my memory loss with the doctor who administered my treatments soon after I stopped. She brushed me off saying “that does not happen. You only lose memories of events leading up to the treatment-like a few weeks prior.” She basically told me I was lying it hurt me to the core. I live every single day of my life now with regret. I lost almost all of my friends because of my memory loss. I remember no birthdays, no vacations, no schooling, no anything. The biggest question you’re probably asking yourself…well did it help ease my depression??!! My answer is a resounding NO. It intensified my depression 10 fold because my sense of identity was wiped out in an instant. Life as I knew it would never be the same again and now it has been well over a year since my last treatment and that still remains true. People do not opt for this treatment. Electrocuting your brain is not worth it no matter what. Get therapy. You have a much better chance of saving your life that way then but ECT. This treatment need to be banned. It is a barbaric treatment no human needs to suffer. If you can relate to me, fight for justice. I will continue to fight and never give up!
Not all people lose all their memories just some that means there’s a reason when that happens maybe because of how your doctor used it on you or because of your brain didn’t take it and im sorry for your loss
I’ve not yet undergone the treatment but I intend to. Before I go any further, I want to say sorry for your loss and pain. Well, I think the reason why the treatment didn’t work on you and even your depression became worse is that, you kept worrying about your memory loss and cognitive ability and this led to your new depression. Well, I guess there’s a price to pay for any big solution. The prices are huge, but if you focus on what it was intended for, you would be grateful and okay.
You may want to contact the Baum Hedlund law firm in CA doing a national suit around ect devices. See YouTube videos under ds electroshock.
Healing from PTSD is a long process that cannot be achieved through medications alone. There are several things that veterans and other patients of PTSD can and should do to heal themselves, and creative writing is one of the most effective of them.
You shouldn’t be calling people idiots…as you said..your experience was different. So was theirs. Im sorry all of that has happened to you, it sounds worse than a nightmare.
For some people it worked. They aren’t idiots.
In the article, you state:
“This treatment restores the chemical balance of the brain.”
What scientific evidence is there for this statement? Did researchers find people with a measurable “chemical imbalance” in their brains, then measure improved “chemical balance” after ECT treatment? It sound like you are relying on circular reasoning that anyone with depressive symptoms must have a chemical imbalance, and if their symptoms have improved then the imbalance must have been corrected.
As a chemist, the fact that a 1990s marketing campaign for SSRI medications now seems to be accepted by some many doctors as the primary underlying cause of all depression is disturbing to me. Just because changing the levels of available neurotransmitters in the synaptic gap can have an effect on depressive symptoms it does not even REMOTELY follow that the neurotransmitter levels must be the cause of the symptoms.
Have neurologists developed tools for measuring those levels in the brain of a living human? How do you define balanced levels vs imbalanced levels?
Hey pls help me out. I got a worse haircut 2 months ago and due to this i started to stare other’s hair sides to compare and continuosly try to look people’s hair. While i have full hair, no hairline problem and i have complete good and full of density hair. But i look to others why. Bcoz of it i decided to commit suicide many times, if i do not get solution then i will no longer be alive
This sounds like ocd. Please find an ocd specialist. They’ll talk with you about your compulsions and help you through erp (exposure and response prevention). If you need to do this remotely you can check out https://www.treatmyocd.com/. They do meetings through video chat.
Deborah Schwarpkoff and all,
My name is Judy and I spoke with Deborah years ago about my own ECT experience forced. I would like to make comment that a Rosary can be helpful as too, a faithful church community of believers. Mine happens to be Roman Catholic and I have found comfort
in their supportive kindness. I would like to also that praying the Rosary even a decade
a day with a Blessed Rosary – (yes, it has to be Blessed by an ordained Priest) makes so
much difference. I take walks and the whole pain will never go away, but feels like Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary are walking kind of with you. Also, does anyone find ongoing cursing and swearing a real ongoing thing at all? Boy I sure do and it’s awful!
Judy , I agree completely , Sometimes I like to imagine its mother Mary as the receptionist and that Jesus himself administered my ECT therapy,I find that most comforting. If you squint you’ll be amazed how many things can form of biblical significance, it has improved my driving quite profoundly.
Beep! Beep! Out of my way!
I had many ect’s in early years of 2000. As of 6 years ago, and not with the help of ect’s, I am now depression and drug free. I lost my son a year ago. Ect’s wiped out every memory I had before these last six years except occasional snapshots of events, but nothing of my childhood or that of my kids. I have no memories of my son to look back on. It’s so hard to even bring up a feeling about his loss because I have no memories to connect him with. And I feel absolutely no connection to those who are still with me. Ect’s took my life and my feelings and thrust them into a place I can’t retrieve them from. My family often talks about things in the past and I am just an outsider, starting my life as if I have just began to live it. The only benefit… When difficult things happen to me now I don’t have to worry about my past memories affecting how I will respond because there aren’t any.
So you mean a clean slate?
Does ECT make you loss the latest year of your life i really need to erase everything about this year if anybody tried that let me know.
I’ve shown you your writing skills and your blog looks great. Is this a paid theme or did you edit it yourself? Ayyyy keep going with good quality. Reading a good book.
Everyone’s comments seem to revolve around losing memories, losing your livelihood, or a chance that it may help.
I have been seen by many doctors and specialists. I have yet to try ect because I prefer a more conservative route before choosing something I cannot undo.
That is the beauty of being able to make up our own minds and take our own risks. I simply write this because I, too, have taken all the drugs and the tms . I’ve done ketamine infusions.
I want to emphasize this point, a lot of the terrifying symptoms listed here are actually things I am experiencing every other week or month. I don’t know who I am anymore or what my purpose is. The depression is deep and they say I have a type of amnesia that should be localized but is instead stealing days and weeks and long term memories too.. nothing has made me feel better for longer than a few weeks.
I relate to having a nice job and losing it. I was premed with honors majoring in biochemistry. I wanted to learn the deeper hidden intricacies behind mental illness. Alas, it’s been years since I lost my autonomy and my cognition is rapidly dissipating.
Everyone’s symptoms will be different and it is ultimately your decision to pursue whichever treatment you feel may help you most. If, however, you fear losing memories or your autonomy or your life or schooling, I can tell you from personal experience that these symptoms can arise from other things like tbi, mdd, and much more Im sure.
I wish everyone luck on their person journey of this long winding seemingly never ending road to good mental health and happiness.
Mental illness is worse than death. I suffered years of stigma and discrimination and it really left left me paranoid, anxious and depressed. I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and the stigma and discrimination is making it worse. Now, I’ve no happiness and confidence. Drugs are not helping and counselling too is not effective. I’m thinking about opting in for ECT. If ECT can help me forget those painful years, I don’t mind losing my memory. Afterall, I want to start afresh and in a new environment.
I totally agree. ECT helped me. I have been to 35 sessions so far and wish it were quicker.
I’m not a doctor or a scientist, so I’m speaking from my personal history only.
Some have had horrible and traumatic experiences with ECT, and I’m so sorry that any of you have had to go through that. However, experiences are a spectrum. Your own negative ECT story doesn’t mean that ECT at its core is negative.
ECT saved my life. I was suicidal and an abuse survivor with PTSD. I had tried various medications and therapies, but nothing was working. I wanted to die, but I didn’t want to want that. I checked myself into a psychiatric hospital. I asked to try ECT.
I do suffer slight memory loss, but I balance it with keeping reminders/notes on my phone, using an online calendar, journaling, and trying to focus on the positives. When people say, “I wish I could watch that movie again, like for the first time,” I am actually able to do that. I occasionally forget the plots of movies or books I’ve read, so I get to re-experience it. I also don’t remember all the details of my abuse, and that alone is worth so much.
ECT is not what it once was, and I know that a lot of my benefits are from having had it in the 2010s, not the 1950s, also unilateral ECT instead of bilateral. Yes, memory loss is occasionally frustrating, but the alternative was me committing suicide, so I took a chance, and I couldn’t be more thankful.
I’m not trying to invalidate anyone else’s negative experience with ECT, but I wanted to voice my story to provide a different perspective. It may not have worked for some of you, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work at all.
See site ectjustice and Life After ECT. Inflicting repeated brain injuries and systemic injuries both short and long term is not acceptable. Damages being identified. Tied in notes to ECT.
ECT saved my father‘s life and my parents‘ marriage. My father had suffered from a deep, intractable depression that wasn‘t responding to medication. His lack of insight meant that he had been making no progress in therapy. ECT gave him his life back. There were no complications. I’d actually suggested it myself as a treatment for him after researching it.
ECT gave my friend back her life, allowing her to leave hospital, get a job, and return to her family.
I‘m considering ECT myself.
ECT isn‘t a cure for PTSD. The article doesn‘t claim that it is – only that it may have some impact on PTSD. ECT is typically used to alleviate the symptoms of major depressions.
very clear and good article easy to understand. Thank you
Could you please email me
I am 62 years old. And been married for 43 years
Problem is that back in 82 she up and left. We were living with my father and she wanted it out of thrrr. Her and my dad were fighting
I was trying to find a job but with no car it was kind of hard. Anyway she told me she was taking the kids 2 boys 2-3 moving to Titusville fl, we were in Pa
2weeks after she moved down here, nothing about divorce or I kept asking yo come down
She started dating a guy that was 35 years older than here. Sleeping with him and she even told me about him how she met this guy and was I love blah blah blah
She told our son when I cam and picked them up to go back to Pa not to say anything
A month later she was with a 50 year old guy and her mom loved him. Mother had money problems and she had just fixed her daughter up with a that had a sail boat and a plane. Perfect for helping her mom get a candy business started. I called down there on sat and they were out in the boat and her mother said he had invited the family for the next weekend to go sailing
That lasted 45 days but I heard about him all the time
She had been with 6 guys in 10 months, I even called her a slut, here dad is even a pastor and she was living under her roof and when I asked him later why he didn’t counsel his daughter he said he didn’t know what was happening but he like the boat ride
But the last guy she was with was a cripple and bed ridden, not sure of what the attraction was
But anyway after a month she called me and said that she wanted him to adopt our boys and wouldn’t give my consent
I blew my top, the gull for even asking that
Then she called me and cussed me out for 2 days on how I ruined her life because, we had her tubes tied in 1980 because her dr said that C section shouldn’t have more than 2 at the max
We were done do we had her tubes tied
Now the guy is beating my wife, in front of my kids because I wouldn’t give up custody and she could have kids
Any way towards the end if 82 she called and ask if we could get back together
Everything has been fine but now this black cloud comes over my brain and I start vomiting at the mouth
Even about the old boy friend that lived in Ohio and caught her having phone sex with him
But I want these memories gone
She tired of hearing about them for the last 5 weeks and I am dragging her through the mood
Could this help
Thanks for your time
TJ
Hi, is there a way to proof that your brain has been altered by electricity? What are some common test that can be done to
show that electricity has affected your brain?
far as I know there are no clear indications that prove you underwent or have been altered by ECT just like you can’t scientifically prove EMF RF mhz can be used for mind control especially with items such as social media that can trigger certain things it is uncharted territory and I would assume at that point would fall under classified information by the government due to being able to track events such as Havana Syndrome at that point.
As far as I know there are no clear indications that prove you underwent or have been altered by ECT just like you can’t scientifically prove EMF RF mhz can be used for mind control especially with items such as social media that can trigger certain things it is uncharted territory and I would assume at that point would fall under classified information by the government due to being able to track events such as Havana Syndrome.