Electroconvulsive Therapy: The Myths and the Realities

Electroconvulsive therapy treatment as a therapeutic approach remains highly controversial. While it is effective for treating some kinds of mental illness, there is widespread misinformation and confusion regarding its long-term side effects. This volume traces the development of ECT from its first application through to its current state, and explores the issues surrounding it from a number of perspectives. Its major aim is to separate the myths from the realities, explaining what ECT can do for those suffering from depression and other disturbances, and which dangers are more perceived than real. It is aimed at mental health professionals, researchers, patients and their families, as well as members of the public interested in this still-controversial technique. The book finishes with an extended bibliography that directs the interested reader to many sources beyond those cited in the text.