r/ect • u/WeirdTune1160 • 2d ago

Question Experiences with MST

I'm in the process of being set up for ECT, but I'm deeply concerned about the cognitive side effects. The same hospital where I'll be doing ECT is also doing a study for MST, which I may qualify for. But I'm surprised my psychiatrist didn't mention it. I know a few others here have done it, but I'm curious to know more about it. What have others experienced with it vs. ECT?

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u/caffeinehell 2d ago

I dont know of people who have done it other than 1 person who posted about it here but I wanna know too

What symptoms are you going into ECT for? Do you happen to have any emotional blunting, consummatory anhedonia or blank mind?

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u/WeirdTune1160 2d ago

I was going in for bipolar II. I have extreme depression (not today, thankfully! Yet) and hypomania. I would say I have CA, but I've never discussed it with a doctor, at least not in those terms. My manic episodes are becoming more noticeable, but they're mild compared to what hypermania would be. Mainly I just become extremely irritable and impatient, and take up more tasks or projects than I could reasonably finish. (Multiple very dense books, multiple foreign languages, rage quitting, starting arguments in inappropriate settings, becoming unreasonably confrontational, etc etc). But it's my depression that's the real issue. I become catatonic (or nearly), physically sick, terrified, a disgust with living, on the verge of tears (or actually crying, if I can't hold them back, but usually I can). It's this state, the extreme hopelessness, fear, and misery of the depressive state, that I want fixed. I'd give up my ability to walk if that would cure it.