Electric Shock Treatment

[fluffyfred]

I've been reading some bits on a couple of sites about this treatment and would like to know if anyone here has had it or knows anyone with it?

My mum has schizophrenia and had the treatment when I was a toddler. I know that she's a changed person since before she was ill and she's illiterate, she hasn't got a very good memory and she's easily led.

I tried to talk to her about it one day and she said it was the worst thing to have done as she wasn't given a choice. She told me that it's now banned but I've read that people have it under strict guidelines.

She didn't have anything positive to say about it and from what I've read, treatment was different then to how it is now, it sounds like it was barbaric in them days.

I'm just wanting to know if others can give feedback on it, and how it's affected people who care for them.

Thanks

Fluffyfred

[Meg]

ECT is used as a last resort treatment these days for specific issues.

When I was training I did see it used a few times but I didn't see the outcomes.




Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[mom22]

Hi Fluffyfred,
My dad had electric shock therapy in the mid-50's in the hopes it would "cure" severe depression (I wasn't born yet then, by the way!) He continued to struggle and in the early 80's he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic depression). Today, at 82, he is still on meds.

Sue

[sal]

Hi

I read in a magazine the pro and cons of the treatment and it had a positive and negative feedback from two women that had undergone the treatment.

I will see if i still have the magazine and maybe i could send you the article if that would be of any help.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[sal]

Hi

I found the magazine so if you want the article sending to you just forward me your address via email or through the pm. Will keep it to one side if you want it.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[fluffyfred]

Thanks for al the replies guys, sorry I didn't reply back sooner, I've been fighting my own demons at the moment and not been up to talking and stuff.

Sal, thanks for the offer, I'll mail you my address if you've still got the article.

[Alice]

hi
i recently spent some time in hospital and a woman there was having ECT treatment, and she said it wasnt as bad as she expected. She was having a course of 6 treatments and had a general anaesthetic each time so she didnt feel a thing. Apparantly the treatment was going well although i dont keep in contact with her so i dont know how effective it was. she was staying on the ward and going to have treatment in the week, and then going home for a few days at the weekend, i dont know whether it can be done as an outpatient treatment or not but she stayed on the ward for monitoring i think. Hope this helps a bit, good luck
x

[bluebottle]

When I was younger I used to see a woman walking about near where I lived and she had had EST and she was like a zombie. Granted that was a few years ago but any mental health treatment that sends electric current through the brain is (in my opinion) barbaric.

--
Blue -
"Your truth is better for you than someone else's. Just get to know what it is, so you can finally own it, and speak it."

[april tones]

hi, my nan had it for severe pnd, think it didt help as my nan turned to drink abnd died. i have learnt about this when i was at college doing phsyc. it has helped some people but it can take away some part of the persons uniquness, i.e personality. might make them quieter etc. these is drugs given before to relax the muscles and prevent the pain. love april it has worked well with scizophrenia, it is still used now.it is unethical that people can choose to do it to you, doctors can if the person is severely ill and they need to make a desicion. love april x

apriltones

[FRANKIEISBACK]

I had ect when i split up with my partner a few years back, it helped me out of a depression, but you need to also take medication and it will not solve all problems