But it is quite different from way back in the day when it was used and was essentially torture disguised as treatment.
From the Mayo Clinic.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. It often works when other treatments are unsuccessful.
Much of the stigma attached to ECT is based on early treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to memory loss, fractured bones and other serious side effects.
ECT is much safer today and is given to people while they're under general anesthesia. Although ECT still causes some side effects, it now uses electrical currents given in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks.
From WebMD
Electroconvulsive Therapy and Other Depression Treatments
When medication fails to ease the symptoms of clinical depression, there are other options to try. For example, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can be used to treat severe depression and major depression that has proven resistant to treatment. With ECT, an electric current is briefly applied through the scalp to the brain, inducing a seizure. VNS uses a device known as a vagus nerve stimulator to alleviate depression. In addition, alternative therapies such as yoga and hypnosis sometimes work for mild depression.
What Is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)?
ECT is among the safest and most effective treatments available for depression. With ECT, electrodes are put on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied while the patient is under general anesthesia. The current causes a brief seizure in the brain. ECT is one of the fastest ways to relieve symptoms in severely depressed or suicidal patients. It's also very effective for patients who suffer from mania or other mental illnesses.
ECT is generally used when severe depression is unresponsive to other forms of therapy. Or it might be used when patients pose a severe threat to themselves or others and it is too dangerous to wait until medications take effect.
Although ECT has been used since the 1940s and 1950s, it remains misunderstood by the general public. Many of the procedure's risks and side effects are related to the misuse of equipment, incorrect administration, or improperly trained staff. It is also a misconception that ECT is used as a "quick fix" in place of long-term therapy or hospitalization. Nor is it correct to believe that the patient is painfully "shocked" out of the depression. Unfavorable news reports and media coverage have contributed to the controversy surrounding this treatment.
How Is ECT Done?
Prior to ECT treatment, a patient is given a muscle relaxant and is put to sleep with a general anesthesia. Electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied. This current causes a brief seizure in the brain.
Because the muscles are relaxed, the visible effects of the seizure will usually be limited to slight movement of the hands and feet. Patients are carefully monitored during the treatment. The patient awakens minutes later, does not remember the treatment or events surrounding it, and is often confused. The confusion typically lasts for only a short period of time.
ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks.
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