I'm not sure if posting this will help you or make you more anxious, but I have had ECT without my consent. In the UK (I don't know which country you are in), they can give you 2 ECT treatments without consent under section 62 of the MH Act. Two Drs have to consent that the ECT is urgently needed: in my case it was my pdoc and the pdoc who performs the ECT, who I imagine is pretty pro-ECT! :/ Then, after 2 treatments, you would undergo a capacity assessment by a SOAD (Second Opinion Appointed Dr who is independent of the treating team). If they deem you have capacity, then you can refuse any more ECT treatments. If they deem you lack capacity, they will continue ECT for as long as you lack capacity and the doctors deem it necessary.

I found forced ECT incredibly traumatising. Despite that, I think it might have helped. When I had the treatments, I was convinced that the Drs were trying to kill me; that ECT would kill me, despite having seen it performed many times as a medstudent. I wasn't against them killing me though as I was very suicidal (why I was sectioned in the first place), just them killing me before I had a chance to say goodbye to my brother who was away at Uni but due to visit that weekend. Two treatments dissuaded me of that delusion and also made me slightly less depressed, so I passed the capacity assessment. I likely would've voluntarily had more treatments, everyone said how much better I was, but my treatment team had decided by that point that my symptoms were made up and so I went through that trauma for nothing. Not being believed is actually as equally traumatising for me as forcing me to lie on that bed and have the ECT.

I hope my tale hasn't made you more anxious about involuntary ECT. Most people who have ECT do so voluntarily. They are very desperate granted, but technically do consent voluntarily.

*Willow*