ECT

I've been reading about ECT and I'm wondering about it...I've been suffering from major depression for about 22 years and I've tried all kinds of meds, therapy and it doesn't seem to help.

it should only be used if it is to safe your life, due to what the treatment does.

It has massive side effects and is a controversial treatment, with many saying it should not be used at all.

It used to be used as a form of punishment rather than treatment and without anaesthetics and almost everyone that was admitted under the mental health act had to undergo this barbaric treatment against their will.

Now it is only used, or should only be used, minimally, and used only when other treatments have failed and/or to save someone's life.

Best option is to read up about it, widely, and if your doctor is unwilling to give you ECT and offering other options, I would take these other options up. The side effects can be similar to dementia as it effects your memory.

About ECT | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems

Patients often get the impression that the options are "meds" or "therapy" or "meds and therapy", but have you tried:

Aerobic Exercise
Meditation
Brain Training
Improving your Sleep
EMDR
Yoga
Breathing exercises
Dietary Changes
Vitamin Supplements
Light box

? These are all safe and many are even healthy for you and they often work. Doesn't it make sense to try these before ECT?

Here's my favorite one - the thing that helped me. See the thread containing this post:

http://forums.psychcentral.com/4715237-post156.html

- vital

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation aka TMS is also very effective in treating 60% of people with Major Depressive Disorders.

Here is a link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transc...ic_stimulation

I have tried it myself and it just feels like a woodpecker is tapping on your head. It didn't work for me but I have seen people that it has worked miracles for. There is hope.

I am a proponent of ECT

I look back at my life before ECT and realize how I really wasn't living at all. ECT I credit with giving my life back.

But, obviously it's not for everyone.

I was completey functional from the moment I came out from the anesthetic. I felt a little stiff but experienced no discomfort or ill effects. I encountered some short term memory issues and found myself 'word dumb' but those side effects didn't last very long. However, I still don't recall much from the period I underwent treatment itself.

All in all it is something I wouldn't fear if that is what you are concerned about. There has been no change to my personality.

I still battle depression but the difference is that now I have the capacity to experience happiness which was beyond my reach before.

My pdoc has also suggested ECT treatments, I've tried every med, therapy, TMS and nothing seems to work.
I'm terrified of ECT, I've heard so many horror stories about it.

The only way to know if it will be helpful to you is to try it yourself. There are so many people in this world and every one of them has a different opinion on this subject. If I was you I would stick with the opinions of people who have actually experienced this treatment.

I have experienced 2 separate rounds of ECT. The first time it did not go so well, but the next time it saved my life. It did not cure me. It fixed me enough to be able to participate in getting better.

ECT literally saved my life. I was so suicidal before ECT that I really didn't think I would make it. Actually neither did my Pdoc, but somehow his suggestion of ECT paid off and here I am:-). I do ECT every 2 weeks and have for 2 years.