Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an alternative for those who did not receive relief from medications and counseling for mood disorders.

ECT is used to treat:

• Severe depression with psychosis and suicidal thoughts
• Severe mania
• Schizophrenia

Description of the Procedure

General anesthesia will be given to prevent pain during the procedure. A doctor places electrodes on your scalp and administers electricity. This electric current triggers a seizure. Your muscles will contract for a few seconds, and your body may twitch those not affected by medicine. The procedure plus recovery together takes about 30 minutes. Following ECT, you may have a headache, soreness, and muscle aches. You can expect to undergo multiple sessions with two or three sessions per week for the best therapeutic results. After that, your care is maintained with a regimen of medication and psychotherapy that ECT sessions may supplement.

c results, you can expect to undergo several sessions with two or three treatments per week. After that, your care is maintained with a regimen of medication and psychotherapy that may be supplemented by ECT sessions.