Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, “works” by creating an intense seizure or convulsion in the patient. This assault on the brain causes a temporary coma and flat-lining of brain waves, which is a sign of impending brain death.
After several (or only one) of these treatments, the patient experiences headaches, nausea, loss of memory, disorientation and emotional instability, and other symptoms. These are typical signs of the severe head trauma and injury that electroconvulsive therapy causes.
Lasting Brain Damage
Psychiatrist Peter Breggin states in no uncertain terms that, “The purpose of ECT is to cause an intense seizure or convulsion. The process always damages the brain and causes mental dysfunction.”
The “proof” (according to psychiatry) that ECT works is the discovery of new cell growth in the brain after ECT treatment. According to Dr. Breggin, this does nothing but confirm that brain injury has occurred. This cell growth is known as neurogenesis and is something also seen in Traumatic Brain Injury.
There have even been animal experiments proving that ECT causes cell death and hemorrhages throughout the brain.
But even without experiments and clinical trials, common sense and concern for one’s fellow man (and woman) should be enough to end this psychiatric torture.
American Psychiatrists Sold on Brain Damage as Mental Therapy
ECT was first introduced to America in a 1941 paper by Dr. Walter Freeman entitled Brain-Damaging Therapeutics. In it he states “The greater the damage, the more likely the remission of psychotic symptoms . . . Maybe it will be shown that a mentally ill patient can think more clearly and more constructively with less brain in operation.”
One of his peers, United States psychiatrist Dr. J Stainbrook, concurs with Freeman’s nonsense, taking it a step further. In 1942 Stainbrook wrote: “[It] may be true that these people have . . . more intelligence than they can handle and that the reduction in intelligence is an important factor in the curative process . . . Some of the best cures one gets are in those individuals who one reduces almost to amentia.” (amentia definition: lack of intellectual development; imbecility; severe mental retardation)
Apparently a docile, manageable (if completely apathetic) patient is the desired result. In this case, one must concur that ECT is a roaring success.
Psychiatrists Mistake Brain Damage “Euphoria” for a Cure
A seizure can cause a surge of “well-being” neurotransmitters and hormones, writes Dr. Michael Corry, psychiatrist, in The Irish Times. It is this physical reaction that can temporarily mask mental disorders immediately after the administration of ECT.
This euphoria is seen after any head injury or physical trauma. It has even been observed after prolonged labor.
Psychiatrists, chronically unable to apply the Scientific Method, see this euphoria as a psychiatric “cure”. This skewed reasoning encourages them to administer ECT on a continuing basis, especially in elderly patients.
Medical doctors have long agreed that seizures are damaging to the brain, and every effort is directed towards preventing them. The only “doctor” who administers and deliberately causes seizures in patients is the psychiatrist.
Why Psychiatrists Continue to Administer ECT
Although psychiatric whistle blowers do exist, there are still close to 100,000 people a year who receive ECT treatment, mostly in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units.
Since so many have been damaged by ECT, the profession of psychiatry is loathe to admit their failure with this barbaric “treatment”. After all, admission of damage through ECT could leave them open to extensive litigation.
The Irish Times writer Dr. Corry states psychiatry’s dilemma clearly:
“The magnitude of their error is too great and the consequences so enormous and far-reaching that most find it impossible to admit they may be wrong.”
It is up to the citizens of our country and the world to bring psychiatrists to justice, and to prevent the continuing damage they inflict on men, women and even children.
Lasting Brain Damage
Psychiatrist Peter Breggin states in no uncertain terms that, “The purpose of ECT is to cause an intense seizure or convulsion. The process always damages the brain and causes mental dysfunction.”
The “proof” (according to psychiatry) that ECT works is the discovery of new cell growth in the brain after ECT treatment. According to Dr. Breggin, this does nothing but confirm that brain injury has occurred. This cell growth is known as neurogenesis and is something also seen in Traumatic Brain Injury.
There have even been animal experiments proving that ECT causes cell death and hemorrhages throughout the brain.
But even without experiments and clinical trials, common sense and concern for one’s fellow man (and woman) should be enough to end this psychiatric torture.
American Psychiatrists Sold on Brain Damage as Mental Therapy
ECT was first introduced to America in a 1941 paper by Dr. Walter Freeman entitled Brain-Damaging Therapeutics. In it he states “The greater the damage, the more likely the remission of psychotic symptoms . . . Maybe it will be shown that a mentally ill patient can think more clearly and more constructively with less brain in operation.”
One of his peers, United States psychiatrist Dr. J Stainbrook, concurs with Freeman’s nonsense, taking it a step further. In 1942 Stainbrook wrote: “[It] may be true that these people have . . . more intelligence than they can handle and that the reduction in intelligence is an important factor in the curative process . . . Some of the best cures one gets are in those individuals who one reduces almost to amentia.” (amentia definition: lack of intellectual development; imbecility; severe mental retardation)
Apparently a docile, manageable (if completely apathetic) patient is the desired result. In this case, one must concur that ECT is a roaring success.
Psychiatrists Mistake Brain Damage “Euphoria” for a Cure
A seizure can cause a surge of “well-being” neurotransmitters and hormones, writes Dr. Michael Corry, psychiatrist, in The Irish Times. It is this physical reaction that can temporarily mask mental disorders immediately after the administration of ECT.
This euphoria is seen after any head injury or physical trauma. It has even been observed after prolonged labor.
Psychiatrists, chronically unable to apply the Scientific Method, see this euphoria as a psychiatric “cure”. This skewed reasoning encourages them to administer ECT on a continuing basis, especially in elderly patients.
Medical doctors have long agreed that seizures are damaging to the brain, and every effort is directed towards preventing them. The only “doctor” who administers and deliberately causes seizures in patients is the psychiatrist.
Why Psychiatrists Continue to Administer ECT
Although psychiatric whistle blowers do exist, there are still close to 100,000 people a year who receive ECT treatment, mostly in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units.
Since so many have been damaged by ECT, the profession of psychiatry is loathe to admit their failure with this barbaric “treatment”. After all, admission of damage through ECT could leave them open to extensive litigation.
The Irish Times writer Dr. Corry states psychiatry’s dilemma clearly:
“The magnitude of their error is too great and the consequences so enormous and far-reaching that most find it impossible to admit they may be wrong.”
It is up to the citizens of our country and the world to bring psychiatrists to justice, and to prevent the continuing damage they inflict on men, women and even children.
I had PTSD and DID due to severe childhood abuse. I had 3 “rounds” of ECT in 1993. My psycho doctor wanted to do a 4th round and threatened to commit me if I didn’t consent. He sent me to a specialist at a university hospital who agreed with me, rather than the phycho psychiatrist. I fired the psychiatrist. I’ve been med free, and depression free since. I did have memory and concentration problems after the ECT for several years. I also had a stroke about 10 years after my last ECT. But after a while my brain healed. I dropped all pharmaceuticals and use herbs to support my health. The antioxidants in herbs are nourishing on a cellular level.
Can you please reply which what herbs you taking that are working for you?
Thank you.
I had a round of 14 treatments in November and December 2020. I got no relief from my severe major depression. I used to be a very intelligent man. After my treatments, I can’t remember what I even stood up for. My memory is horrible. Not only that, my cognitive abilities have significantly decreased.
I am very sorry to learn about your experience with ECT. Please consider filling out an abuse report form at https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/. Our organization investigates mental health abuse and files applicable complaints free of charge.
I am the same the effects are getting a lot worse as time goes by sometimes my husband and family feel like strangers the hospital will not offer help or acknowledge anything I don t no or how to get help /scan to request or what type of doctor I should see ?
I use to be intelligent, MRI shows six white spots in frontal cortex…. Last one I had BP was 60 / 30 . It’s been years, after having them for two years, I advise anyone with half a brain…DO NOT… When I was 15 yrs. Old, 45 yrs. Ago, it was horrible, Six people, had to hold me down, was misdiagnosed with a MI that I did not have….Revenue for the hospital, can’t believe, I had so many from 2004 to 2006…damn, all I needed was change of medicine, , ect was not the answer, I was not strong enough, was in a low, now I struggle with a brain that is totally different, like getting raped while being a patient from an employee, was not bad enough…
I had 17 ECT against my will in 1998. Life is an ongoing living HELL. Thanks for writing. Start praying a rosary. She will help you.
I had ECT years ago because I was suffering with severe treatment resistant major depression. At the time, I was told that either I had to get this done, there was no other option. I don’t know how many treatments I’ve had, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis, but I haven’t noticed any improvement in my depression but, I have noticed that there are some things I still can’t remember and I have a very difficult time learning things. Still dealing with severe major depression.
I am sorry to hear your story. If you wish to make a report on your memory loss please simply go to this link: https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I am wondering if ect and insulin shock therapy can later in life cause seizures and memoRyan problems
I’ve had 17 ECT treatments since the beginning of December. 12 inpatient. I had been on every drug under the sun since 1999 and still suffered from life-threatening depression. After the 13th treatment, it was like a switch flipped, and suddenly I felt a happiness I have never known. I also made some much-needed lifestyle modifications like eliminating alcohol. Today, I am high-functioning and able to do more than I ever have. I’m a 37, college educated, married woman with 2 toddlers. I had no short-term memory loss from the treatments. They were unilateral, right-sided only. I will say that over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that I’m sometimes having problems with retaining new information, even remembering what it is that I want to say or do unless I write it down. This issue just began, and I’m wonders if this will continue forever or just if I continue doing once-a-month maintenance treatments, as I have just started doing. Even if it’s permanent, I do think ECT was the right decision for me.
Truthfully Lexi? – I am 62 and had ECT done in Jan.-Feb. of 1998 against my will. 17 bilateral. If I were you and want to continue being a Mom, I would not do ‘maintenance’ ECT, but find a different way. Some choices right now at age 37, could simply be aging. If you don’t trust your judgement and safety with your children, then discuss this with your husband and doctor(s). ECT destroyed my personality, life, and all relationships, including with my daughter. IF you have a faith-life, then please consider going to a gifted priest with the gift of healing. Any Archdiocese could point you in the right direction to find one. These are incredible men and love praying with and over people in any kind of pain. For myself, this was and can’t be a ‘cure all’ but it was a comfort. Good luck. You are still young. My life was over at age 32. ‘Depression’ – can be combated in many ways. A good night’s sleep, regular exercise, and diet are of utmost imporatance. I was SO healthy at age 31, because of all of the above, plus weekly mass, daily prayer, and being the Mom of an 8 year old plus being a home owner.
My ‘symptoms” first started when the man I was going to marry and I broke up in August of 1989. This was a clear vocation call. If you don’t understand what this is, then look it up. In my Catholic faith, it was the ONLY direction in life that would ‘bear good fruit’ so to speak. Good luck – but ECT should be totally banned.
I endured a great deal of sexual and emotional abuse growing up, and lived in foster homes in high school. I got married out of high school to a nice young man who was not abusive, and had our son at age 21. One day at age 23 I found myself in a psych ward and couldn’t stop crying, for weeks. My husband consented to ECT. When I left the Psych ward, I got a divorce, we shared custody of our son, went to college and got my Bachelor’s degree. During this time I started drinking heavily and became an alcoholic. Not knowing that of course I was accepted to grad school. Between the drinking and all the other things wrong with me, I crashed and went into treatment. I have been sober for 33 years, got my Masters, remarried at 40 to a nice man who is not abusive, had two beautiful boys, and stuck it out at a job I loved for 28 years. This may sound like a success story but it is not. I am haunted every day about not knowing what I don’t know, and it seems like ECT got rid of most of my memory except for the abuse. At my job and even at home someone will mention something huge I am in charge of for example and I draw a blank until sometimes a word is said that all of a sudden it’s like a brain file was opened and all the information comes flying out. Daily I am trying hard to hide all these things about me. I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, General Anxiety Disorder, Major Depression Disorder, and ADHD I have panic attacks and I don’t know when they are coming. My biggest issue is this continuous, ominous feeling of impending doom, every day waiting for something horrible to happen. Drunk one night in grad school I called the phyciatrist who ordered the ECT for and asked him why he did that to me, and what are the long term effects. His answer was, because I would not stop crying; in hindsight I believe the crying was the release of my chlldhood pain and ECT was not going to help that; and he said they do not know the long term effects of ECT(!). I don’t know how much brain damage occurred, or who I was, or what could have been, or all the things I don’t know that I don’t know. For what it’s worth, this Psychiatrist commited suicide the following year. This got long, but for those of you who are still reading this thank you. I appreciate and thank everyone who shared their story. This is the very first time I have shared mine. Many of you have sufffered a great deal more than I am and my heart goes out to you. Lea, I’m glad your son is okay, but that doesn’t mean that all the stories on this page and all those untold are not true, nor that ECT certainly is not for everyone, and I would say not for anyone. Best wishes to everyone and thank you for this opportunity to share and I’m checking out those websites, and I am going to sign the petition.
Hi, you said that there’s no scientific proof that ECT works. How do you respond to this study and the others like it?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4193538/
Thanks
There is a vast difference between a clinical trial scientifically proving efficacy and a review of information made available to a study. The information in the Citizens Petition filed by attorney Jonathan Emord is quite lengthy but worth the read if you are interested. You can find it here: https://www.cchrint.org/pdfs/citizens-petition.pdf
ECT saved my sons life and the portrait you have attached to your publication is EXACTLY the reason ECT is STILL considered barbaric today!!! My son is a successful and normal 25 year old today thanks to ECT. I’m so glad we have scientific PROOF that it works so that others will also be able to heal from depression and suicidal ideations! ECT is a non-invasive, non-painful procedure and is in NO WAY shape or form carried out as shown in your illustration. We need to move past the “HOLLYWOOD” perception of ECT and instead TRUTHFULLY depict how ECT is performed today!
While I’m glad to hear that your son is doing well, there is zero, absolutely no, scientific proof that ECT works. In October 2018 one of the leading manufacturer of the ECT device, Somatics, LLC issued a warning of “permanent brain damage” in its new risk disclosures following a lawsuit settlement in favor of the ECT victims who had been harmed. ECT sends up to 460 volts of electricity[2] through the brain in order to induce a grand mal seizure, a type of seizure that involves a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions, masked by an anesthetic. The FDA has never required clinical studies that prove electroshock is either safe or effective, despite being used for more than 75 years. And while psychiatrists claim modern Electroshock (ECT) is less brutal than it used to be when patients used to break bones from the violent convulsions it produced, the voltage and amperage in today’s ECT is actually higher than it used to be. The muscle relaxants now administered make it appear less brutal, but it’s not. The only reason patients don’t regularly break bones with modern ECT is due to the administration of a muscle relaxant prior to the procedure. And the side effects of the most commonly used muscle relaxant used for ECT include cardiac arrest, prolonged respiratory muscle paralysis and potentially life-threatening and/or fatal allergic reactions.
I’m very happy your son had a successful outcome. Please do not dismiss the very horrible outcomes of others. Their pain and lasting brain damage is just as real as your sons success.
It seems like I was given ECT treatments at 18 months old in the 1960s when I was about 18 months old with a diagnosis of failure to thrive. I have lived my life (I am now 60) with the diagnosis of anxiety, depression and PTSD. Thoughts?
All I can say is wow! I just got home from Sharp Mesa Vista in San Diego, California after doing 5 ECT treatments inpatient. My appointed psychiatrist at the hospital pushed this treatment saying it is the only way to break through depression. The paperwork I received upon release states I have borderline personality disorder. My psychiatrist never mentioned this at all during my stay. I have done some research today and realize ECT doesn’t work very well for people with BPD. I’ve also had 3 brain injuries and Dr. Jafar knew this and still pressured me to do ECT. Unfortunately, I made a mistake when I checked myself to this facility. I was having severe hypertension due to a new medication called Pristiq. This could have been treated in an emergency room. I had to get an advocate from Jewish Family Services to fight for my right to humane treatment while I was hospitalized. ECT has left me with tremors, constant confusion, flashbacks of abuse and severe anxiety. I will always regret letting myself be convinced to endure this inhumane treatment. I pray my mental clarity will return. It has been over a week since my last ETC and I’m in a mental fog. This is my first night home and I am so depressed. It is a challenge to feed myself and care for my pets. I feel as if I have been damaged.
Will this comment get published? I have had 3 rounds of ECT over the past 7 years and have begun my 4th yesterday. I did suffer some memory loss after the last round, but other than some mild headaches for a few hours, I have not had any other problems. In each case the treatments were successful and basically saved my life. I am sorry for those who have suffered consequences but I have never met anyone who has. I think that there are indeed risks but my doc is careful and assesses me daily. I am mindful of myself as well, and once again I feel the benefits outweigh the risks. It is this or suicide. The choice for me is clear.
It is a hard decision to make. I was there I had a series many years before without negative effects. On the second one I had three years ago the temporary coma lasted about two weeks. My prognosis leaving the hospital and going to a long term care center was i was not going to to come out of the coma. Since then I have gone three years sometimes rough but until lately i have had no suicidal ideology. Good luck i hope things improve.
Thanks to all the people who have commented about ETC.
It is making me consider.if I should go for this treatment.
My Psychiatrist has been trying to convince me that ECT. will bring me out of bipolar disorder, depression and panic and anxiety attacks. I have tried to commit subside many times.
I am afraid to go for the ECT treatment.; and after reading the comments here; I am even more scared.
On the other side I feel like I am likely to kill myself any time.
Thank you all for your comments.
Hello my wife had ECT treatment back a couple years ago having severe depression and Suicidal Thoughts along with extreme anxiety. The psychiatrist told us that since the medicine was not helping her enough he suggested best option was ECT he told us they were very minimal side effects. With her extreme anxiety and suicidal thoughts I was wanting to do whatever was necessary to get her better since the medicine was not working enough. When she went to undergo the the first treatment of ECT and then the second they gave her lithium which caused a bad reaction. When I saw her in the psychiatric hospital she was like a zombie almost in a sort of vegetative state and almost didn’t even recognize me. I was afraid she didn’t even remember who I was or even our baby girl and she had a lot of memory loss. I prayed and prayed that this would not be permanent and fortunately she did get her memory back and her personality. Never again will she have this barbaric treatment that they tried to say was so safe with minimal side effects. Jeff
I am very sorry to hear your story and am glad that your wife recovered.
I had shock therapy in 1979 and was hospitalized for 3 months. Then had shock therapy on an out patient basis. One time I woke up in a padded cell and wondered why I was there. I was in a hospital gown. Nothing else on. They came for me later and told me to get dressed. Then they released me to my friends who took me. They wondered why I was there for an office visit and was there for hours. As I said I woke up wondering why I was there. My friends were worried about me. From all the shock therapy it caused me to never have a normal life. I still have flashbacks now just thinking about it. I have gone to therapy for years and still can’t have peace from it.
Yup. I had 17 ECT treatments to me back in 1998 and I agree with who ever said, “I’m just leftovers.” That’s what you feel like. Leftovers from someone you use to be, but keep getting worse. The tongue gets thick, nothing ever is “better” not ever. I am 60 years old now. I was 39 when this was done to me. I wish I were 30 again. I loved 30 and my free will.
ECT needs to never be. Doesn’t matter HOW down a person is – or depressed. ECT was forced on me. I cry and scream and am all alone in this.
I am sorry to hear what happened to you. CCHR has created a forum to give victims of ECT a voice. You can find it here: https://truthaboutect.org/factsaboutelectroshock/ You may also want to sign the petition to ban ECT in the United States. The link to the petition is at the same website.
I had ECT when I was sixteen at Methodist Hospital Indianapolis. I had been raped and I didn’t tell my parents. I tried to commit suicide because of it. When I came to I was in the psychiatric ward and my doctor looked at me in my first interview and asked,”What seems to be your problem?” I told him if I couldn’t tell my parents what made him think I’d tell him. He diagnosed me as manic depressive. I endured ECT three time a week for two months. I tried to escape the hospital during one of my voc. rehab sessions and was chased down the streets of Indy by a nurse until caught. They took me back stripped me down and put me in isolation in restraints. A orderly came in and said, “ your to pretty to be like this.” I ended up telling him what had happened and begged not to tell staff. He went out and told them I didn’t need to be there. The next thing I knew I was moved to the second floor for more well patients and was sent home two days later, the orderly was fired. When I was 25 after having a child I wanted to find out what exactly happened to me. I went back to the hospital same first floor and now it was only children on the ward, when I was their it was children and adults on same floor. A nurse there said the doctor I had, had given all his patients ECT and I couldn’t get my records because they destroy all records after seven years. I’m 60 years old now and have been told by mental health professionals that I was never manic depressive. I would like to help anyone that is going though ECT and have this barbaric treatment discontinued through out the world. Especially anyone under the age of 25 because it has destroyed me physically and kids don’t stop growing until 25!!
I am sorry to hear what happened to you. Please take a moment to visit https://truthaboutect.org/. This site was created to give a voice to victims of ECT.
Hi, I had 8 ECT treatments in October. I had some neurological problems before that but they greatly increased during my treatment. Having trouble controlling my urination, numbness and pins and needles from my toes to my head. I’m so all of my body is extremely sensitive to touch it is painful. My memory is shot I have tremors all down my body. I have trouble forming words, the mouth and lips feel swollen and hurt. I have a hard time Reading Writing. My legs are very unsteady and I Stumble a lot. They keep doing tests on me, it supposed to have an EMG on my nerves and muscles next weak hopefully I just can’t function. Do they sound like symptoms caused by ECT?
Yes, what you are experiencing may be the result of the ECT. Please fill out this form: https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I read all the comments here. I had 90+ bilateral treatments from 1/2017 to July 2018. My cognition problems were so poor that I felt, at times, like a 4-year-old — I was that naive of the world. I had forgotten the simplest things. My degree is in journalism, but I no longer could spell or even come up with words, my vocabulary shot. I did wish to let your readers know I pushed to get what is called Compensatory Cognitive Therapy, designed for stroke victims and traumatic brain injuries. My therapist says the ECT is equal to that. Start asking your doctors for this type therapy. Kaiser’s is done through its Speech Pathology Department, for some reason. It took four doctors, but I finally got my referral. Hope that helps some folks. By the way, I won my California Department of Managed Health Care case against Kaiser over access to mental health providers while I was undergoing the ECT. As I have told many a doctor, “I came down with PTSD, I didn’t come down with stupid.”
I had a series when I was younger with out any lasting side effects. I had two at age 58 after the second one I woke up over a month later in a long term care center where they were about to send me to a higher service care center where They could keep me diapered and help me eat etc. The prognosis from the Hospital was i was never going to recover. But I have to a point. Every once in a while I run into a wall of something I can no longer do and it can be devastating causing dangerous levels of depression.
I had 8 treatments back in 2011. I had no memory of my life for the previous 6 months during my treatment. I have no memories during the treatment. I used to have a very sharp memory and could learn new things easily. I feel like I’ve lost must of my intelligence. My doctor says it’s because of the Klonopin I have been on for 10 years. I honestly feel worthless. I can’t remember hardly anything unless I write things down. Do I have brain damage from ect or klonopin? Or both? Or do I have it at all? I’m sorry if this doesn’t make sense but I don’t know how else to word it. I have trouble with finding the right words to convey my thoughts sometimes.
A CCHR advocate will contact you directly.
I’m sorry for your experience. I was sexually and physically traumatized as a child over many years. I have tried everything including EMDR Didactic and CBT and every drug imaginable. I was a psychiatric RN for over 2 decades and witnessed the old fashioned ECT way but now the amount of electrical current is a fraction of what was used and temporal seizures are barely noticeable. Many pregnant women choose ECT because FACT it is safer for the fetus than medication. Think of it as a jump start for a car battery or a rebooting of a computer or a defibrillator to stop the heart’s algorithm. Medicare covers this and I am sick of feeling so depressed and suicidal. I have weighed the risks vs benefits and look foreword to begin this treatment. As far as memory is concerned it is very effective for LTM cPTSD that occurs in childhood. Those memories are frozen in my mind and I want to erase those traumatic events so that I can feel the simple joy of everyday life.
I worked as a Mental Health Worker for 25 years and was witness to everything all the people talk about here – this is some kind of mistake to damage the brain – the emergency treatment theory also damages the brain – ECT has been proven to not do what those selling the product make claim to – scary when you here such life time consequences for those trusting the medical practice – all real and all criminal knowing that brain damage is the truth.
I had 12 sessions of ect in uk because of severe depression I now have minor symptoms of Parkinson’s I can’t write properly my balance is poor and I have difficulty None of my doctors put this down to ect Chris
christopherjbarker1951@gmail.com
Please fill out an abuse report form at this link: https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I had a lot of ECT treatments in 2016. I almost backed out but I was in such a bad way with severe depression, I got talked into it. However, I kept asking for more treatments (I have no recollection of it, but have been told by my friends that I did), and the doctor finally refused to do any more. But they did the double hemisphere on me. I was a total vegetable going through it. I have about 10% recollection of my life before the treatments. Seriously. I have about 5% recollection of my life during the treatments. I had neurofeedback, which helped tremendously with lifting me out of depression. My mood is up and down, largely up due to exercising. But my memory is shot. I tried taking certification and I can’t retain any information. I research on holistic health regularly, but unless I write everything down, it’s forgotten within minutes. I had to see another psychiatrist for a note for work for reasonable accommodation due to mental illness. When I told her I’d had ECT her face lit up. I told her it ruined my life, and she said ‘oh no, I’ve read the studies, it works.” Ugh.
For ect survivors who think it helped try reading up on ANOSOGNOSIA it sets in after treatment and takes 2 decades lifting meaning you think your fine unaware of the damage .. ECT is an experiment nobody knows how it works .. But it always causes brain damage .. Your never the person you once where.. It’s all about the MONEY .. Be careful do your research .. Ect machines are made in Florida and the company is being sued .. It’s all getting brushed under the carpet …
My sister went for ECT at the age of 12. I cannot remember how many ECT’s she had. The doctors decided on this procedure after she took an overdose of pills. My mother rushed her to the nearest hospital which was 45 kilometers away. I can remember the bruises or my sister’s body (I don’t know from what) after the ECT. She was just lying in her bed and there was no emotional responses from her. My sister struggled to complete her schooling and went to a special school afterwards. She is now 58 years old and struggling to talk in straight sentences. It is as if she is looking for the words to fit into the sentences. She would say hurtful things to people although she is a soft spoken person. According to my sister, her medication get increased every time she visits the psychiatrist. I am so worried about her and wished I could something for her. She still tries her best to cope with her household and trying to raise an adolescent. I just wished this never happened to her.
ECT absolutely ruined my life. It really did. I was suffering grief after 3 significant life changing traumas and I was so depressed I probably would have tried anything to “get better” I don’t remember HOW it even started, no recollection of consent. I moved into a small apartment 3 weeks ago. Yesterday someone asked if it has a dishwasher or garage disposal…It broke my heart to look at then and say “I don’t know, I can’t remember”. I WAS an educated, functioning, CONTRIBUTING member of society. I am nothing now. One of the worst parts, I wouldn’t DARE tell anyone. So I hold all the pain and fear in, making me feel so much worse.
You might be one of the lucky ones with out any side effects. My brother still gets them even though he knows the risks because they help him.
I received ECT back in 2012 and then again in 2015 at a psychiatric hospital for MDD (major depressive disorder) and I’ll say that I wish I had the knowledge I have now about how it destroyed my life to go back and stop myself from having it.
It left me an empty shell, poor short term memory, destroyed my personality and a desire to pursue my interests. I was 22 years old at the time. Although I accept I consented to this treatment, I felt betrayed I was not properly informed by the doctor about the loss of long term memories as a child and teenager…just all of it gone, as if I didn’t live through it.
I was misdiagnosed as I actually had autism and my behaviour and mental state of mind was perceived as BPD and SI. The drugs I was pumped with poisoned my mind and body, and ECT destroyed whatever humanity was left in me.
I now don’t experience depressed, but I also don’t experience happy moods either, because ECT destroys that too.
I am so sorry to hear you story. If you ever wish to have you case documented please let us know.
Im only 16 and Ive had ~20 treatments. I haven’t noticed anything yet. Are these horrible negative effects going to kick in any day now? My doctors say the same sh*t about “its safe” and “theres no real side effects”
Thanks for sharing this!! Been looking all over the internet for something to validate the hell my life has become. All I found was bias data written by “experts” who clearly had an agenda in hiding the dangers of this horrific “treatment.” Dismissing all the patient complaints as minor inconveniences or inacurate. Saying that the only side effects are minor short term memory loss, that will pass, and that the treatment have very high successrate. I have had 6 treatments. And it has ruined my life. The old me has died. I no longer recognize the man I was. I cant function around people(social), I cant focus or concentrate on anything, have huge problems forming sentences, (talking) have zero energy or motivation. Basically I feel dead inside. Like a shell of a man. Horrible. I could go on. Im going to show this to my arrogant psychiatrist tomorrow, because she is one of those people who dont believe ECT have any long term negative effects. The worst part is. It seems to get worse every day
I went thru one series years ago with only temporary effects that past with time and they helped years later I had reached a point i was headed to a long term care facility to allow me to deep pressurizer and stop trying to hurt myself. I had one treatment in the hospital no problem Had one last treatment in the hospital became aware of myself two to two and a half weeks later. The Doctors told my Nephew they had little hope I would ever recover. the Care facility was trying to find a more intense facility because I couldn’t feed my self and needed diapers. When I became aware I could remember needing to go to the bathroom but not knowing where it was and worse not knowing how to get out of bed. I have holes here and there but have recovered enough to live on my own but every once in awhile i will run into something and find I can’t cope with it. I always wondered if the hospital knew the shape I was in. Found out years later yes they did but there was nothing they could do about it. A get well card would have been nice. I had to drive my brother to the same hospital for an ECT treatment from the same Doctor it was not a good experience.
I am sorry to hear of your suffering. Have you reported this? If not please do so. You can filed a report on our website.
I had 6 ECT treatments on the last one I came to and knew immediately it was bad. I was disoriented, confused and couldn’t pass a cognitive test. I couldn’t remember how to use it phone or unlock the door. I couldn’t walk on my own or carry anything, iwas trembling and seeing bright lights. I had to have one on one care for two weeks. The whole experience was scary and traumatic.
Never again and I’m still depressed..
I had more than the norm of ECT treatments at Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem I asked them to do that for some STUPID reason and I think they were just into it for the money. My dad consented to the ECT treatments bc he did not know any better. I also was in 2 comas from suicide attempts for 3 or 4 days and 9 days. I have been called stupid forever but may have been damaged previously by my own wrong wiring from family and drugs or biochemical make up.I have A BA degree and Med in counseling but was too anxious to do the job.Stayed in bed for damn 30 years and could not or wuold not get up many many hospitalizations and mental torment that I do to myself I cannot think right and I can sure tell it have not worked since 1989
Close to a complete nervous breakdown, I agreed to ECT treatments – however, they had me so drugged – I have no recall of giving permission. My partner and I both knew I needed help since I was in a deep depression and worst was the anxiety. I was living – I was existing. To make a long story short – in May after 9 treatments later we were on our own. Had a very welcome respite for July, August and part of Sept. I really was ecstatic – but I did some ridiculous things – like shopping and not remembering it. Took me 2 months to straighten out my finances. Now – my memory is so bad – I’ve done “brain games” for years through Lumosity – and the change in my scores – for all categories have now reached an all time low. This has become so frustrating since if there was one good thing – I had an excellent memory and knowledge. Now I look in the mirror and don’t know who I am anymore. I used to laugh a lot and cry a lot (mostly in empathy for others) and now I am FLAT. I can tell people that I love them – but I don’t have the “feeling” anymore. Am I doomed to live out my life like this? Have any of you come back – months after? I don’t want to accept this! Thank you! And Best wishes to all.
Have you filed an abuse case form? If not please do so. The form can be found at this link: https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I had 79 ect’s and my brain is fried. They just kept going every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! I didn’t even know my name when it was over….. didn’t even remember that I had quit smoking 4 months prior and started back while in the hospital for extended stay. Had no one overseeing my treatment. I feel so angry that I actually did get the ECT! The hospital had me watch a video that said that it was safe and that memory loss would only be temporary and around the time of treatment! I lost my college education as a result! During one treatment, the anesthesiologist put the medicine in wrong! He put the paralytic drug in first! I felt like I was drowning and couldn’t breathe! I still have nightmares about this quite often….. I tried to tell the doctor that after the treatment and before this he said that I was very active during this treatment or something to that effect! I told him what happened and he didn’t want to accept responsibility for this. If I had an overseer, I would have sued them for my trauma! I had bilateral ECT treatment s. Feel really angry and like I am damaged emotionally and physically damaged as well. The college that I attempted to go to after treatment told me that I had a traumatic brain injury after taking the entrance tests to continue my education. I apologize for the rambling but I hope that this will discourage someone who is considering ECT. It is definitely brain damage!!!!!
I am very sorry to hear your story but thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. Have you ever filled out an abuse form? If not please consider doing so.
I had it done and my life has been HELL ever since THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THERE ARE WHY MANY MORE OF US THAT THEY HAVE DONE THIS TO BUT ARE NOT TELLING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT’S THEIR NEW TOY TO PLAY WITH ON PEOPLE !!!!
PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAS NO ONE TO STAND UP FOR THEM JUST GET PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY
AND TREATED EVEN WORSE BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THE TREATMENT HAS DONE TO US
I am very sorry to learn your story. Please go to this link and fill out an abuse case form – https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I’m about to turn 22, and I had 14 ECT “treatments” about two years ago. I have conscious memory of one of my treatments, despite being both under the effects of anesthetic and a muscle relaxer. I remember seeing a lot of bright light, like every moment I’d ever lived was repeating all at once, and every single literal possible connection in my head was exploding. My body wanted to show that the person living inside was dying, that it needed help, but there was a revolting limpness inside my cells. Instead I was trapped in that disgusting rhythmic jerk, unable to communicate that I could neither dissociate, pass out, not save myself. I couldn’t see, but I was aware of all the people standing around, holding rubber on my mouth, watching the person I was born to be die on that bed with detatched indifference.
I couldn’t explain what had happened afterwards. I didn’t have the vocabulary to describe the experience. I woke up asking the nurses about the “lightening,” and they told me I had a dream. There was too much fog in my head for me to argue.
I never felt the same after that.
Whoever I am now… It’s not the same person I was before the procedure. That person feels dead. I’m just the leftovers.
There’s this permanent feeling of static in my head. Like someone packed my skull with cotton. It gets better or worse at times, but never fully leaves. It’s hard to think a lot of the time… hard to talk. I have weird shakes and twitches and random muscle movements happening across my body and face most times. I freeze and don’t know it’s happened after. I have continual flashbacks and just feel so confused all the time. I feel like I’m trapped alone inside a ship with bad controls. I’m scared it’s going to be like this for the rest of my natural life.
I just had 10 treatments and have stoped I was admitted to Silver Hills desperate My gut said no more Well when I got out I started to look up ECT and wow had no idea just how dangerous it is and just plain stupid to due I feel I stopped in the Nick of time I have no real memory lost My last and final treatment was 4 days ago and the brain fog is lifting a little each day But my head still just does not feel 100 per This crap is scary I am going all natural treating my mental issues (Truehope ) here on forward Feel free to contact me at Gary.a.simone@ gmail.com and if anyone is considering this NO !!!!!
Hi Juli,
My name is Judy and I am now 62. I had ECT done against my will in Jan.-Feb. of 1998. Yes, life is a living HELL. I am so sorry. What ‘helps’ me is to pray a rosary every day. No cure, but these head doctors should have this done to them also.
Call the Archdiocese in your area and contact a priest with the gift of healing. They are for real. They love praying with and over people. This helped me a bit, but was not a ‘cure-all’. These are compassionate and kind men, if you find the right one.
Just ask the Archdiocese in your area to direct you to a parish priest with this gift, (if you’re open). You never know – could help, and maybe heal. I know, I’ve been existing this HELL since 1998, (beginning in 1989) and lost my only daughter, home, and all relationships I cherished ever so much. This not only effects the brain, but the whole upper torso of your body. Take care –
Judy