Electroconvulsive Therapy as a Last Resort Treatment

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a controversial but highly effective treatment for severe depression and psychosis. Patients who have been unresponsive to medication and therapy often turn to ECT as a last resort. ECT involves the administration of electrical pulses to the brain to induce seizures, with the goal of resetting dysfunctional brain circuits. While ECT is surrounded by misconceptions and negative stereotypes, it has been scientifically shown to be more effective than medication in treating severe depression. The procedure itself is not as barbaric as portrayed in movies like 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', and modern ECT has undergone significant advancements in terms of placement of electrodes and electrical stimulus parameters. The treatment is conducted over a course of several weeks, with sessions typically lasting less than one second. Although ECT can lead to short-term side effects such as headache and muscle aches, the most significant potential side effect is memory loss, which varies in severity depending on the individual.