HOW MANY TIMES WILL I NEED TO BE TREATED? People undergoing ECT need multiple treatments. The number needed to successfully treat severe depression can range from 4 to 20, but most people need a total of
6 to 12 treatments
.
How long does it take for ECT to start working?
Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after
about six treatments
with electroconvulsive therapy. Full improvement may take longer, though ECT may not work for everyone. Response to antidepressant medications, in comparison, can take several weeks or more.
Does ECT work immediately?
In reality, it is a painless medical procedure performed under general anesthesia that is considered one of the most effective treatments for severe depression. It can be lifesaving.
ECT works quickly
, which is why it’s often the treatment of choice for people with highly severe, psychotic, or suicidal depression.
What is the success rate of electroconvulsive therapy?
What is the Success Rate of Electroconvulsive Therapy? ECT is an effective medical treatment option, helping as many as
80-85 percent of patients
who receive it. Most patients remain well for many months afterwards.
How often do ECT treatments make you feel better?
Typically, ECT (whether inpatient or outpatient) is given
two to three times a week for a total of six to twelve sessions
. Some patients may need more or fewer treatments. These sessions improve depression in 70 to 90 percent of patients, a response rate much higher than that of antidepressant drugs.
Can ECT make you worse?
Some people have very bad experiences of ECT, for example because they
feel worse after treatment
or are given it without consent. You might not want to risk the possibility of getting side effects.
What are the negative side effects of ECT?
The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include
nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion
, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours. These risks must be balanced with the consequences of ineffectively treated severe psychiatric disorders.
Who is a good candidate for ECT?
People who have had ECT before and responded well
are good candidates for ECT. Other first-line indications for the procedure include people who are catatonic or suffering from a form of depression known as psychotic depression (depression associated with delusions and hallucinations).
Can ECT damage your brain?
These conditions are not approached during ECT. Other findings indicate that the passage of electricity, thermal effects, and the transient disruption of the blood-brain barrier during ECS do not result in structural brain damage. Conclusions:
There is no credible evidence that ECT causes structural brain damage
.
Does ECT wear off?
The duration of improvement (how long recovery lasts). The benefits of
ECT may last for years
or they may disappear in a matter of weeks. After a series of ECT treatments, your doctor may prescribe medication to help prevent symptomsfrom returning.
When should ECT not be used?
a
past history of moderate or severe depression or
.
initial presentation of subthreshold depressive symptoms
that have been present for a long period (typically at least 2 years) or. subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression that persist(s) after other interventions.
Can ECT change your personality?
ECT does not change a person’s personality
, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.
Has anyone ever died from ECT?
Death associated with ECT is extremely rare
. A recent analysis estimated that the rate of ECT-related mortality is 2.1 deaths per 100,000 treatments. In comparison, the mortality rate of general anesthesia used during surgery has been reported as 3.4 deaths per 100,000 procedures.
Why is ECT a last resort?
“
The seizure is induced in a very controlled fashion
, using a fairly precise delivery of an electric current.” Dr Davey says ECT is seen as a treatment option of last resort, to be used when nothing else has worked, or when there isn’t time to find the right medication for a patient, a process that can take months.
What happens if ECT doesn’t work?
If nothing else has helped, including ECT, and you are still severely depressed, you may be offered
neurosurgery for mental disorder (NMD)
, deep brain stimulation (DBS) or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).
