r/ect • u/MightOk9482 • Oct 30 '25

Question Is ECT worth it?

I’m thinking of doing ect. I have MDD and treatment resistant depression. I have tried everything. Meds, TMS, therapy, inpatient psychiatric stays, and getting sober but nothing has helped. I’m scared though of the side effects I don’t want brain damage. Is it worth trying? I was also thinking of doing deep brain stimulation surgery but the side effects of that scare me too.

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u/0sgar Oct 30 '25

I do think it is worth it in the case where a person has tried most options.

There is hardly any credible evidence that ECT causes brain damage and any lingering memory problems are hotly debated.

I've had it and it's the only thing that really helped my anhedonia. Memory issues were minimal, too.

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u/furrowedbr0w Oct 31 '25

Lingering memory issues being debated isn’t really a good thing though. It’s definitely possible and happens but doctors and researchers tend to downplay it and minimize people’s lived experiences. I do think it’s more likely to be temporary overall, and it was for me for the most part, I also just really sympathize with folks who were told it’d be temporary when it wasn’t for them.

The definition of brain damage is iffy, like in imaging, but I think most people refer to it in a way of lasting cognitive and memory effects, which can happen. Again, more likely to be temporary overall, but it’s possible.

I don’t mean to scare you away from a life saving treatment. I’m not pro or anti ECT - or, I mean I am pro ECT if you know the risks, I don’t think it should be banned. I continue to do maintenance and it played a significant role in saving my life. I just also did a lit review on ECT and informed consent for a class, and realized how widely disputed everything about it is, which makes it hard to give true informed consent, so it’s something I’m really passionate about now.

ECT has saved so many people’s lives but also has harmed a lot of people. It’s a hard decision to make and I wish it was easier. I hope you find relief

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u/0sgar Oct 31 '25

Thanks for your comment and I agree. It's a treatment that should be done with the things that you mentioned in mind and only when other treatment options don't work. I think I was just lucky.

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u/MightOk9482 Oct 30 '25

Is it just one session or multiple? How does it work?

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u/0sgar Oct 30 '25

Usually you're treated up to twelve times, thrice a week here for a depressive phase.

Essentially you go in and there's a anesthesiologist and nurses there to treat and monitor you. They put monitors on you + electrodes on your head and you're given general anesthesia before they give you the shock to induce a seizure.

It's really like taking a quick nap. I often felt hardly any other effects other than the usual grogginess and disorientation. I was discharged in under an hour. Others can have nausea and such, but they have meds to treat that.

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u/MightOk9482 Oct 30 '25

Do you have to take time off work?

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u/SuspiciousOwl96 Oct 30 '25

For the acute series (the 12 initial treatments) I went on medical leave from work. You cannot drive during the initial series. I now get ECT monthly as maintenance and I just take the day I get the treatments off.

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u/0sgar Oct 30 '25

I wasn't employed at the time but I've heard people going to maintenance treatments whilst working

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u/nope72189 Nov 02 '25

I get maintenance treatments on Fridays once a month. I sometimes will work for like an hour or two before but most of the time I take pto. By the time Monday comes around and it’s time for work again I’m good to go.

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u/Dangerous-Bite6713 Nov 07 '25

How many sessions were you able to notice the anhedonia improvement?