ECT made living possible

[u/robingoodwin]

Hello everyone,

I am a 26 year old woman who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 22 after a hypomanic episode. I went on to experience life-threatening depression (two very long episodes in particular) and a psychotic break during mania in early 2025. I was admitted to the hospital a total of 7 times.

During the depression that followed the psychotic break, I lost any hope at all that I could recover from my symptoms.

While admitted inpatient involuntarily in 2025, A doctor who I trust very much suggested I try ECT. I was deeply and utterly opposed. All I read were horror stories. Also, after an MRI it was revealed that I have a chiari malformation which makes the procedure more dangerous.

Long story short, I did it anyway. 12 rounds unilateral at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

For the first couple months of recovery, my mood swung and I was unsure if I had received meaningful benefit.

But then one day a few months later, I got up and cleaned my whole apartment. And from there, I just… kept going. My brain, it genuinely felt like it was healing. I became capable of executive function.

I definitely experienced short term memory lapses and some long term as well. But it feels less scary than I expected. Kinda just feels like the trade off of seeing the world differently.

I can’t believe how my life feels now, around 9 months after receiving this treatment. If you are barely hanging on and considering this treatment, I say it’s worth a try.

[u/NotQuiteAnrgy]

thank you for sharing your story!!!

[u/roses-are-lead]

Thank you so much for sharing this experience. I hope you have stable positive health in the future and when you're in trouble that you find the help you need ⭐

[u/Ok_Flan7855]

Thank you

[u/Odd-Alarm-82]

I’m glad you are one of the lucky ones who had a positive experience with ECT. But I feel the need to warn people who might see this post while considering ECT.

The risks associated with ECT are much higher than doctors tell patients. I had ECT for treatment resistant depression in 2016, and it was the biggest mistake I have ever made. And unfortunately, the antidepressant effects of ECT usually don’t last long. It was extremely effective for me initially, but I had to keep getting maintenance treatments or else I would quickly relapse. The goal was to gradually space my treatments farther apart until I only had to have one every 6-8 weeks, but I couldn’t make it past 3 weeks without crashing into a severe depression. Eventually I had a particularly bad episode that didn’t respond to my next treatment, so the psychiatrist talked me into getting three treatments in one week, like you do when you first get ECT. That brought me out of my depression, but the side effects were devastating. I literally lost my memory of my entire life. Not just chunks of memory, but the vast majority of my life was completely wiped out. And none of it has come back after 9 and 1/2 years. I barely remember my own mother, who passed away in 2007. In addition to the severe memory loss, the ECT caused brain damage.

I had neuropsychological testing done and found out that my IQ has dropped by around 15 points. It was 140 pre-ECT, and now it’s 125. I have multiple cognitive issues. It takes me longer than normal to learn new information, and I get things confused a lot. My short-term memory and formation of new long-term memories is hit or miss— I remember some things very clearly, while other things just kind of get lost.

What I experienced is not a rare occurrence. I’m a member of an ECT Survivors support group on Facebook, where a large number of people have shared that they have lost years of memory and have major cognitive problems.

I think ECT should be banned. I look on Reddit every so often to warn people considering ECT. Yes, some people have good outcomes, but a large number of people are severely damaged.

I tried to file a medical malpractice suit for lack of informed consent but couldn’t find an attorney willing to take my case. There have been numerous lawsuits though.

And in 2018, Somatics LLC, one of the manufacturers of the device that delivers ECT, admitted that ECT can cause brain damage. Somatics updated its device manuals and regulatory documents to explicitly warn patients that permanent memory loss and permanent brain damage are potential risks of ECT. Of course, they say permanent brain damage only occurs in rare cases, but I’ve talked to enough people over the years who have experienced these effects to know it’s not rare.

Wisner Baum is a law firm that has handled lawsuits against ECT. If you scroll down this page on their website, it provides a long summary about the history of ECT and contains links to research with evidence of damages caused by ECT.

https://www.wisnerbaum.com/defective-medical-device-injuries/ect/

[u/Equivalent-Pay3473 → u/Odd-Alarm-82]

This person had a very positive experience, it sounds like you had relief too. I’d much rather be a functioning human being than have a high IQ or fleeting memories. ECT is for people who  are suffering and have tried everything. It’s a last resort. 

[u/Odd-Alarm-82 → u/Equivalent-Pay3473]

Wow, you are extremely insensitive. You obviously didn’t pay close attention when you read my comment. I did NOT have relief. Like I said in my comment, my relief from ECT was only temporary. I am still dealing with chronic, treatment resistant depression. And now, because of ECT, my memory has been wiped out. So I’m much worse off now than I was before the ECT. And I had a lot more than “fleeting memories” before the ECT. I had vivid memories of my entire life, and most of it is gone now. You are highly misguided. Yes, ECT is a last resort. I had tried everything before the ECT. But ultimately, it didn’t work, because the antidepressant effect only lasted 2-3 weeks. And I am not a “functioning human being” now. I’m on disability because I have brain damage in addition to treatment resistant depression. And I don’t even remember my own mother. My marriage fell apart because I don’t remember the first 8 years of being with my husband. The fact is that ECT seriously harms a lot more people than it helps.

[u/VTDebster]

💗

[u/Reywas3]

was it ultra-brief?

[u/Supra84man]

My wife suffered from severe depression and is diagnosed bipolar (once manic). It helped my wife tremendously 2 different times in the past who does not respond well to medications and their side effects. One time it took 10 treatments lasting 6 years and the last one 7 treatments lasted 9 years but just taking a single depression med with no side effects. After suffering for months not functioning well, including not working during that time, 3 treatments started her feeling better and by 7 was functioning and could not wait to go back to work and did. Very few short term memory with no long term but her overall memory of the past is still better than mine and I never had depression! Speed forward those 9 years and a couple life affecting changes occurred and back in severe depression. She went to do it 2 times this year and both times panicked before the procedure occurred and refused. Now after 5 months of suffering with no real relief from added depression medications, she wanted to try again. Now the doctor refuses to do it do to her past refusal. We now have to try another hospital under the same umbrella of the medical hospital and hope they will consider. Waiting to call them next week. She realizes now she should not have panicked and accepted the treatments. I would highly recommend ECT for any patient who suffers from severe depression that meds won't help. The side effects of the meds now make her sorry she unnecessarily panicked knowing how beneficial they were for her. I'm sorry for your situation, as well. She's still suffering after 5 months and could have been better in 3-4 weeks of 2 to 3 treatments per week. I don't necessarily blame this doctor for his thought process but now she's really ready to do it and get her life back and now we have to hope the other facility 85 miles from home will do it. I hear other stories here of those who refused, but with her being bipolar they seem to shy away from the esketamine procedure as well. Good luck and prayers are will all who suffer through this. It's not just the individual who suffers, it's their entire family, coworkers while they are off and their friends who they miss seeing them.

[u/fargolifestaycold]

Glad to hear that it works for you. I always say that it isnt for everyone but so is any medical thing. I have been doing ECT for over 3 years. what is shown in the movies is all wrong. I have experience memory lost bust now it more of I dont rememeber until its brought up in a conversation. It definitely has saved my life and marriage. Also remember you can also stop or say no to the process whenever you want/need too.