Let Awareness reframe Assumptions – ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY (ECT): Myths & Facts

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Volume-1 Issue-1 July, 2011

❌ECT is an old and outdated mode of treatment

✅ECT is a cost effective, Evidence based treatment option even today and is also one of the life saving option in patients with high suicidal ideations

❌ECT works by instilling fear in patients

✅ECT works by its action on number of neurotransmitters and has no placebo effect.

❌ECT is Painful procedure which can damage Brain

✅Modified ECT is carried out under General Anesthesia (Short Acting) without any pain/evidence of brain damage

❌ECT has many contraindications and is a not a safe procedure

✅ECT has only one contraindication, which is raised intracranial tension

❌ECT is used only in patients with psychiatric disorders

✅ECT has been used in other neurological disorders as well like Parkinson’s disease and Status Epilepticus.

❌ECT is costly inpatient procedure and carried out only in specialty hospital

✅ECT can be carried out as outpatient procedure and costs as less as Rs.600-900/- in Medical college Hospitals.

❌ECT is not carried out in developed nations and not recommended in any of International Guidelines.

✅ECT is recommended in almost all International Guidelines and carried out even in UK, US.

❌ECT causes irreversible memory loss.

✅ECT causes minimal memory loss, especiallyimmediate memory but that recovers within few weeks.

— Compiled by Kiran Kantanavar (Intern), AIMS

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