Destigmatizing ECT

60 Minutes: Is Shock Therapy Making a Comeback?

Kitty Dukakis shares her personal experiences with ECT (Electro Convulsive Therapy) and gives viewers exclusive access into her own procedure. While ECT isn’t for everyone, it helps many who have not responded to medication and need more aggressive treatment. It is mostly used for MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) and is known to alleviate suicidal ideation tendencies, though it is not a panacea (cure-all) and it often takes many rounds. ECT also requires in-patient hospitalization for the first week to ensure safety and monitor response. There are many medical factors that need to be taken into account and not everyone is a candidate, but for many, including this blogger, ECT has saved lives.