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Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a form of treatment for some severe forms of mental illness. It involves the administration of an electrical current to one or both sides of a patient’s brain under general anaesthetic in order to produce a seizure. It may be recommended when other forms of treatment including medication and psychotherapy are ineffective or of limited use. ECT often this produces an improvement in depressive and psychotic symptoms. Sometimes, ECT is prescribed for people who for other medical reasons cannot tolerate certain medications that would otherwise be used to alleviate symptoms.