Court ordered ECT

Hello all!

I don't know how many of you have been following my troubles, But my girlfriend just came out of the psych hospital after being there 2 1/2 months. She went through court ordered ECT multiple times. She went in with psychosis, not depression. Can this permanently affect her state of mind? Right now she is a little confused still and she doesn't have memory of some things.

When I had ECT I forgot some stuff and some stuff came back to me like directions to places, but some stuff is lost forever. Any confusion/fogginess was temporary.

My short term memory loss during when I received ECT did not return. My long term memory was not affected. That was decades ago when ECT was more invasive than it is now. But I never regretted that it was done.

Tuscon, I'm glad you finally got to talk with and see your girlfriend. I'm sorry to learn she became so sick.

I once had a series of ECT. Towards the end, my memory was affected. It was a bit concerning for both me and my husband, but after about a month or so all seemed cleared up, but I still had some mild symptoms of my bipolar. I think the whole experience of my severe bipolar episodes and the ECT were a little traumatizing, but I even healed from that over time. I had a very rare negative experience during my first treatment, relating to the anesthesia, which I assume she didn't have. Perhaps that was also an exacerbating issue.

It's possible your girlfriend won't remember (possibly ever) some of the days or weeks during her psychosis and ECT. I didn't. That was just as well, in my view. It's the brain's way of protection. Why remember such horrible times?! That didn't continue after the ECT ended, and wasn't complete.

Best wishes to you both.

Thank you! I find it difficult to understand why 18’ECT therapies was necessary. This is in a less than 2 1/2 month time period. The time would include trying out two dosages of meds and getting the court order. Has anyone been through such an intensive treatment schedule?

I had fifteen ect treatments within a few months time. I remember next to nothing about that whole period of time and that was over 4 years ago

She got court ordered ECT? So she was FORCED into doing it? That's terrible! I don't want to get ECT once, let alone eighteen times. I'm sorry that happened to her. I hope she starts to feel better soon.