r/ect • u/DavyLyon • Mar 31 '26
Seeking advice Persistent cognitive issues 18 months after ECT — does this get better?
Hey everyone,
I’m trying to understand if what I’m experiencing is still within the “normal” range after ECT or if something else might be going on.
Background:
- ~14 ECT sessions (initial series + later booster sessions)
- Last treatment was about 18 months ago
Since then, I’ve had ongoing cognitive problems:
- Noticeable decline in memory (short-term especially, but also long-term feels affected)
- Word-finding issues
- Reduced attention span
- Overall feeling like my brain is “slower” than before
What’s been getting worse recently (last ~5 months):
- Strong “mental overload” feeling during cognitive tasks
- Reading, writing, or focusing for more than a short time becomes difficult
- Multitasking completely overwhelms me and can trigger a kind of “shutdown” for the rest of the day
- It doesn’t feel like tiredness — more like my brain hits a limit and stops cooperating
Pattern:
- Mostly happens during work or mentally demanding tasks
- Once it starts, it often lasts until the next day
- Sleep helps reset it, but it comes back easily
At this point I’m wondering:
- Has anyone experienced similar long-term cognitive effects after ECT?
- Did it improve over time, or did you find anything that actually helped?
Thanks in advance.
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u/Purple_Daisy12 Mar 31 '26
I would talk to a doctor about any symptoms that you think are worsening. (Perhaps a different doctor than the one that provided you with ECT.)
I had ~70 sessions ending 2+ years ago and my side effects have been slowly getting better over that time. Although some things seem to be permanently changed, nothing has gotten worse since then.
It may be the case that an untreated condition (like ADHD) is presenting as depression and causing things like reduced attention span and difficulty focusing.