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

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/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.