Blog

Texas ECT Reports to End – Urgent Action Needed

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Protect brains of thousands of Texans living with mental health concerns from excessive repetitive brain injury.

Texas is one of the few states to annually collect data the use of electroconvulsive therapy (also known as shock therapy, electroshock, ECT).

The Texas annual ECT reports like this one provide transparency for this currently unregulated, experimental medical treatment for this state.

Transparency is one of the best protections against abuse.

ECT is not standardized.

There are 7+ admin technique variables which manufacturer says increase the risk of “permanent brain damage & permanent memory loss.”

Screenshot of regulatory update reads: REGULATORY UPDATE TO THYMATRON® SYSTEM IV INSTRUCTION MANUAL Cognitive side effects are experienced in varying types and severity by ECT patients. Studies have shown that the methods used in ECT administration have a significant impact on the nature and magnitude of cognitive deficits. In general, the American Psychiatric Association recognizes that the following treatment parameters are each independently associated with more intense cognitive side effects: • Bilateral electrode placement; • Sine wave stimulation; • High electrical dosage relative to seizure threshold; • Closely spaced treatments; • Larger numbers of treatments; • Concomitant psychotropic medications; • High dosage of barbiturate anesthetic agents. ECT may result in anterograde or retrograde amnesia. Such post-treatment amnesia typically dissipates over time; however, incomplete recovery is possible. In rare cases, patients may experience permanent memory loss or permanent brain damage.
Read full regulatory update

Two ECT outcomes with & without monitoring.

My Texas cousin can work full-time after her ECT.

Me? I had ECT in California. I suffered repetitive brain injury, but my doctor was not required to report results to anyone.

I’m now disabled and dependent on Medicare and Medi-Cal, needing in home support.

My Texan cousin escaped brain damage because of checks and balances.

Routine auditing & reporting results protect Texan ECT patients from excessive use of an unregulated medical device with no safety testing on record with the FDA.

Please consider contacting Governor Abbot’s opinion line (512-463-1782) to respectfully request he veto senate bill 800.

For more information please see my patient safety petition: https://www.change.org/p/standardize-…

Follow me on Twitter @PsychRecovery https://twitter.com/PsychRecovery/sta…

Sarah P. Hancock

Sarah Price Hancock, MS, CRC, lived for nearly two decades misdiagnosed with severe "treatment resistant" mental illness. She was given 116 bilateral ECT treatments and now lives with Delayed Electrical Injury's Myoneuroal Disorder. Sarah holds a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling and taught for four years in San Diego State University’s Rehabilitation Counseling program. She is the Co-Founder and Trustee of the Ionic Injury Foundation. She also hosts The Emotional Self-Reliance Podcast and guest lectures on psychiatric recovery.