This 2005 Irish Times article by consultant psychiatrist Michael Corry criticizes the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treating depression.
The piece centers on Mary, a 66-year-old retired teacher who received ECT after becoming severely depressed following her husband’s death in a car accident. After eight ECT sessions, Mary experiences significant memory problems, describing her condition as feeling “like dementia” and needing to look at old photographs to remember her past life.
Corry explains that ECT involves passing 70-400 volts of electricity through the brain to induce a seizure, requiring sedation and muscle paralysis to prevent broken bones. He argues that ECT essentially creates an “electrical brain injury” causing confusion and memory loss similar to a concussion.
The psychiatrist contends that ECT should be abandoned because:
- Most controlled studies show it’s no more effective than placebo for depression
- It causes significant brain damage and memory deficits
- It treats depression as a brain disease rather than an emotional response to life events
- Many patients receive it involuntarily
Corry suggests that psychiatrists either don’t recognize the risks outweigh dubious benefits, or are covering up the brain damage to avoid lawsuits. He concludes that ECT is “dehumanising” and “no longer medically sustainable,” arguing it sacrifices patients’ personhood for questionable therapeutic gains.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/when-treatment-sacrifices-the-patient-as-a-person-1.480707
