‘Electric shock therapy for depression made me forget my wedding day’

A woman said she could not remember much of her life after receiving mental health treatment that involved sending an electric current to the brain.

Lisa Morrison, 52, from Northern Ireland, received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) six times on the NHS between 2009 and 2016 as part of her treatment for depression, but claims this only caused further harm to her and her family.

ECT, which is applied to approximately 2,500 people a year in the UK, causes short-term increases in electrical activity in the brain, also known as seizures. The aim is to relieve serious symptoms of some mental health problems, including severe depression, according to mental health charity Mind.

But Ms Morrison faced long-term memory loss; she couldn’t remember her wedding day or important moments in her children’s lives.

“I find it very sad sometimes, especially when I think about my children and their early years,” Ms Morrison said. Independent. “This is just another thing that was taken from me, from the people who were supposed to help me.”

The mother of two, who was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress and dissociative disorder in 2020, was taking antipsychotics, antidepressants, three tranquilizers and sleeping pills before she was offered ECT.

“I went back to the ER, I was self-harming and suicidal, so clearly it wasn’t working, but they kept giving it to me,” she added.

However, after a few years of treatments, he realized that he had memory loss.

She recalled: “I was very ill at the time, my life was a blur. I was separated from my husband for five years; he had to look after the children because I was very ill.

“I moved back in with him and my children in 2018 and started to realize there were large parts of my life that I didn’t remember.

“He would talk about things I didn’t remember: our wedding day, important events in my children’s lives.”

Her husband Gary Morrison said: “After treatment she appeared to have regressed into a childlike state; her extreme fragility and defenselessness meant she had to be carefully nurtured. I was desperate for something to help her.”

Other patients receiving ECT say it reduces their quality of life and even causes brain damage.

A. to work The study, co-authored by Ms Morrison with clinical psychologists at the University of East London, surveyed 286 relatives and friends of ECT recipients and found more than a third reported brain damage.

Findings published in the journal Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and PracticeThe survey found that while 45 percent of respondents reported an improvement, 42 percent thought it had made the problem worse. Two-thirds reported that the treatment reduced patients’ quality of life, and 34 percent believed it caused brain damage.

Ms Morrison claimed ignoring the “severely disabling effects” of ECT led to a “human rights failure” and wants to see more research into the treatment.

John Read, professor of clinical psychology at the University of East London and a co-author of the study, believes treatment should be “immediately suspended”.

he said Independent He said more research was needed because there have been no placebo-controlled studies of this treatment since 1985, and he did not believe there was evidence to prove the treatment worked.

Prof Read suggested that a range of alternative treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, could help people if seen early enough.

“These findings highlight the need to be fully transparent about the effectiveness and risks of ECT for both patients and their loved ones. Without this level of detail, consent given by patients and their loved ones may not meet the requirements for informed consent,” he said.

Numerous MPs have called for ECT to be banned or suspended in 2023, demanding an “urgent and comprehensive review” due to fears it will cause irreversible brain damage and its disproportionate use in women, who made up nearly two-thirds of all ECT patients in 2019. However, the treatment is still offered on the NHS to patients with severe depression and catatonia.

Mental health charity Mind also believes ECT research is “not fit for purpose” and admits the treatment can have a “major impact on family life”.

“The evidence base for ECT has never been fit for purpose and this latest study further proves the need to rethink whether and when this treatment should be offered to patients,” said Rosie Weatherley, information content manager.

Mind claimed some people were offered ECT before other treatments such as talking therapies, which was against guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

A NICE spokesman said: “ECT is only recommended in limited circumstances where other treatments have not worked, or when a condition is potentially life-threatening. It is not routine or first-line treatment.

“Before ECT is considered and offered, clinicians need to weigh the individual risks and benefits, including the potential for cognitive impairment. Where patients have capacity, their consent must be given freely and without coercion, and they must be informed of their right to withdraw consent at any time. In cases where the patient has insufficient capacity, the decision to continue treatment must be made within a strict legal framework and comply with relevant legislation.

“We continue to review our guidance as new evidence emerges.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with anyone who has suffered harm or distressing side effects following ECT. Patient safety is paramount to us and we take all such statements incredibly seriously.”

“NICE is responsible for issuing national guidance and advice and ensuring that it reflects the best available evidence. NICE’s clinical guidance is clear that patients should be fully informed of the risks and side effects before any decisions are made and appropriate precautions should be taken along the way.”

If you are experiencing distressed emotions or having difficulty coping, you can talk or email the Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI). jo@samaritans.orgor visit Samaritans Visit our website to find out the details of your nearest branch. If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you