Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established and effective treatment in psychiatry. It is used primarily to treat severe or treatment-resistant depression and, less frequently, treatment-resistant psychotic disorders, catatonia and mania. It is carried out under general anaesthesia, so you are asleep during the treatment. Short electrical impulses are delivered for a few seconds to induce a brief, controlled seizure. The treatment is always carried out with the patient's consent and under close medical supervision. ECT causes changes in brain activity and the release of neurotransmitters and may help restore and reorganise neural networks involved in mood regulation. It can lead to significant improvement in symptoms for some people, particularly when other treatments have not been effective.

Further information on electroconvulsive therapy