Stories from patients severely damaged by electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) are now challenging ECT’s “safe & effective” narrative. Testimony from survivors is alarming, and runs contrary to the reassuring sales pitch of psychiatrists and psychiatric facilities who profit from the lucrative procedure

ECT consists of passing an electrical current through the brain with the intention of producing an epileptic convulsion. This is claimed to relieve mental illness and Parkinson’s disease.

Exactly how does an electric shock inducing a convulsion strong enough to break bones help a patient? How does shocking the brain target a specific mental problem without collateral damage? These obvious questions cannot be answered, and are artfully ignored by shock doctors.

A growing number of survivors state ECT has only added to their initial problems. Commonly reported problems include

• Permanent memory loss including a loss of personal events and self-memory
• Short term memory loss
• Cognitive loss
• Loss of talents
• Brain damage
• Cardiac problems

Deborah Schwartzkopff, an ECT survivor and leader in seeking justice for ECT victims, wrote of her experience: [1]

My autobiographical history has been erased. Electroshock victims often will call this “ECT rape”. That is not an overstatement. I feel it is more a rape of the soul. The memory loss associated with this is global.

Like a rape victim, I deal with a great deal of anger at the arrogance of the medical establishment which allows this to take place and then covers for one another. This misjustice of patient care is criminal.

It is important for my peers to be willing to speak out about this and bring attention to this issue. We should be angry, not ashamed, at what was done to us.

Speak Out!

Have you been victimized by ECT and a medical establishment which failed to warn you of the risks of ECT, or fails to acknowledge lasting damage caused by the procedure?

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[1] Deborah Schwartzkopff, “The impact of electroshock on my life” https://ectjustice.com/impact-electroshock-life/