Controversial Therapy Offers Lifeline for Severe Depression, But Carries Risk of Memory Loss
London – A decades-old treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), continues to be a vital option for individuals battling severe depression and bipolar disorder, even as patients grapple with potential memory disruption. Recent stories highlight the stark realities of the therapy: for some, like Tania, it’s been a life-saver “on multiple occasions,” while for others, like Sue, the effects have been profoundly altering, leaving her feeling as though her brain functions like a “drained mobile phone battery.”
ECT, frequently enough depicted in popular culture with stigma, involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia. It’s typically reserved for cases where other treatments – antidepressants, talking therapies – have failed, or when a rapid response is critical, such as in cases of severe suicidality.
Tania,who experienced debilitating depression in her twenties that forced her to leave university,credits ECT with a remarkable turnaround after over a year of unsuccessful hospital treatments. “I went from being suicidal and psychotic to going home and finishing my degree,” she stated. She received ECT again in her thirties following complications from miscarriages and pregnancy hormones,later giving birth to a healthy nine-year-old daughter,attributing both to the therapy’s success. “I think I owe ECT everything,really. My career, my life, my child… everything.”
The treatment isn’t without its drawbacks. Sue, an ECT patient, has spent two decades relearning basic skills like reading and writing. “It’s like having an old mobile phone battery in my head,” she explained. ”You charge it up, it takes a long time, and it drains very quickly… It means my hopes, my desires, everything I had planned for my life has gone.”
Despite the risks, experts emphasize the importance of ECT as a choice for those who need it. Simon Kitchen, CEO of bipolar UK, welcomes the therapy, stating, “I have personally met many people with bipolar who’ve told me they wouldn’t still be here if it wasn’t for ECT.” He stresses that “it is essential – a matter of life and death even – that everyone with bipolar should have the choice.”
Prov Kirov, a clinician who has treated approximately 400 patients with ECT, reports only one complaint in his experience. “I’m not in the business of harming people,” he said, adding that the reward comes from “seeing a person get well and their parent says, ‘Thank you for giving me back my daughter.'”
The NHS offers a range of depression treatments, starting with “watchful waiting” and self-help for mild cases, progressing to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and, for more severe cases, antidepressants alongside therapy.Patients are generally advised to continue treatment for at least four to six months after symptom improvement to prevent relapse.
