Video and audio clips about electroconvulsive therapy
Category: ECT Information and ECT Effects and Personal Accounts and Patient Info and Informed Consent and FDA and Efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy
Audio
Tune in every Tuesday at 1 ET (12 Central, 10 am Pacific) for the Mind Freedom Weekly News Hour, hosted by David Oaks.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.org/
Electroshock as violence against women:
Dr. Bonnie Burstow explores electroshock as a form of violence against women. She is a feminist therapist, an anti-psychiatry and anti-fascist activist. She is also the former co-chiar of the Ontario Coalition Against Electroshock and is the author of Radical Feminist Therapy: Working in the Context of Violence. Listen
Weekly Paul Henri Thomas updates:
WGBB radio has vowed that it will carry weekly updates until Paul Henri is no longer at risk of forced electroshock treatments. You may listen to the show live on the net on Monday nights at 7 pm Eastern time. I will try and record the shows for those who miss them:
- Feb. 26, 2001: WGBB on Long Island, New York carried a GREAT program that featured Sherry Taub, a New York activist, and PAUL HENRI THOMAS! (He’s the man at Pilgrim being forcibly electroshocked currently) He’s difficult to understand at times due to his French accent and the effects of the THIRTEEN psychiatric drugs he’s on, but it’s a great interview. A MUST LISTEN! (30 minutes)
- March 5, 2001: The second show featuring advocate Anne Kraus talking about the hearing and the latest news on Paul Henri. (29 minutes)
- March 12, 2001: The third show featuring Sherry Taub and Laura Ziegler talking about the latest legal news concerning Paul Henri. (38 minutes)
- April 2, 2001: Another show, featuring Linda Andre of CTIP and Anne Kraus. (11 minutes)
My interview on CKLN Radio in Toronto, where I discussed ECT, the Kathleen Garrett case, forced ECT and other issues in September, 2000. (25 minutes)
Feb. 26, 2001: KUCI in Irvine, California has a weekly show on Mondays called Mind…Your Own Business, where they discuss mental health issues. I was the guest for this show and talked about ECT, Paul Henri, forced ECT and more. (50 minutes)
Three excerpts from the recent series by Gary Null (www.garynull.com) on ECT and the use of force.
- Gary interviews a number of ECT survivors, who speak about their experiences and talk about the issues surrounding ECT. Listen (45 minutes)
- Gary speaks to psychiatrist Dan Fisher of the National Empowerment Center, who discusses issues, plus talks about why ECT isn’t an effective treatment. Dr. Fisher says 50 percent of psychiatrists are opposed to ECT. (The audio on this is a little fuzzy). Gary also discusses the current state of research and does an exhaustive lit review. Listen (22 minutes)
- Gary interviews more ECT survivors and continues his series. Listen (57 minutes)
Dr. Max Fink on informed consent issues and protecting yourself against lawsuits (if you’re an ECT doc). (3 minutes)
Dr. Max Fink sums up how psychiatrists are given the power to play god: “The judgment is yours. Society says….YOU’RE the psychiatrist…” (1 minute)
Video
The issues
Channel 11 in St. Louis reports on HB134 which would require ECT reporting. (48 seconds)
An interesting clip from 60 Minutes II. (24 seconds) Oh boo hoo, CBS had the video removed.
Extra
The Extra news show explores the issues surrounding ECT. This segment interviews Liz McGillicuddy, who lost much of her memory from electroshock in 1994. (3:47 minutes)
It also includes interviews with Dr. John Friedberg, neurologist in California, who talks about the fact that the FDA has NEVER required safety testing of the machines, and they interview Harold Sackeim, PhD, shock proponent extraordinaire. In his interview, he *admits* that the famous 1 in 200 statistic is not based in science!
Here, Harold Sackeim admits the truth - the statistic is not based in science! (30 seconds)
Gordon Elliot Show
Diann’a Loper discusses how a bill she helped create has helped other ECT patients. This kind of reporting MUST be made mandatory across the USA. Lobby your legislators! (30 seconds)
Diann’a Loper fell into a post-partum depression. Her psychiatrist pushed her into ECT, and she lost everything - her marriage, her new baby, and most of her life. Says Diann’a, “I wish they would have killed me.” (2:30 minutes)
Hope Morgan received ECT when she began suffering from insomnia. Her doctor diagnosed depression. “My life was in a shambles,” says Hope, referring to the devastation following the ECT. (3:10 minutes)
Marcia Fink says ECT turned her life around. “I do things anyone else can do.” She says the only memory loss she suffered was three months’ worth. (1:47 minutes)
Hal Haralson says ECT in the state hospital 40 years ago turned his depression around. (43 seconds)
A doctor from the audience speaks against ECT, and the role of insurance companies. (1:02 minutes)
Dr. Charles Kellner blatantly lies about the current stimulus dosing used in today’s ECT! BUSTED! (1 minute)
More from Charles Kellner
When questioned about his financial ties to Mecta, one of the shock machine manufacturers, Dr. Charles Kellner attempts to change the subject. (32 seconds)
Here, Dr. Kellner says the tragic experiences of patients like Hope and Diann’a are “unfortunate” and goes on to say that most people will be cured by ECT. He fails to mention the now-admitted high relapse rate, or the need for continuation/maintenance ECT. (30 seconds)
Dr. Charles Kellner misleads the public about the effectiveness of ECT. (1 minute)
Dr. Charles Kellner makes up a story about how ect works. The truth is, nobody knows, and he’s CAUGHT ON TAPE fabricating a nice tale. (50 seconds)
Dr. Peter Breggin discusses the role of the FDA in the ECT controversy, and how they dropped the ball. (1 minute)
Dr. Breggin talks about the literature, and why some people become *more* depressed after ECT. (35 seconds)
Dr. Breggin explains how the perception of ECT has changed, and how the longstanding theory that “brain damage was helpful” has been given a new spin. (50 seconds)
Dr. Peter Breggin sums it all up: View the clip (10 seconds)
Scottish Documentary on Ewen Cameron, who worked with the CIA to brainwash and erase memory using electroshock. In three parts.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
News stories on Christian Hageseth and his legal woes
Video clips from the Mecta lawsuit, Harold Sackeim testimony
Added: Jul 19, 2006 10:04 pm | Trackback URI | Email This Post | Print
I have had over 100 ects and still have regular treatments every two weeks…It is the only method that I have found to date which helps overcome my depressions…medications with their side effects have not really helped at all..
I have undergone approximately 10-12 ECTs right now, and am still being scheduled to have them 3 days a week. As long as it works to keep the depression under control, I am OK with having some memory deficits (although I admit that right now my memory sucks). What frightens me is that my depression, while somewhat under control, is not lessening. I don’t forsee being able to stop ECT any time in the near future, and I fear that I will be one of those who require maintainence ECT for my lifetime. To make matters worse, today I feel like crap…I see no benefit of having had ECT. Hopefully this feeling is only temporary, otherwise, what a waste it will have been for me. And to think that I am missing out on my kids live’s, too. Guess I’ll just try to stay positive. Besides, I won’t remember anything tomorrow anyway.
I had 18 rounds 3 years ago and it saved my life. It worked immediately and I had/have no side effects and have not needed any more since. But I do know that I was terribly lucky. I have a terrific Doc who was very clear about all of the possible bad effects ect can have, but I had tried everything else and was really very desperate at this point. I do continue to use anti-depressants and probably always will. It is terrible how ect has ruined people’s lives, but I know I would have been dead by now if I had not gone ahead and tried ect. I really don’t see it as a waste to atleast try when you get to a point that you have “tried everything else”. Does ect take sometime to kick in for some people (10-12 and still not effective)? And where do you go from there if it does not work? Anyone?
Help! Someone please advise!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom is very depressed over the death of my father 11/27/06. Not functional! Her Dr. wants her to try ect at Emory in Atlanta.
Do we dare risk it?
I don’t believe ECT helps when depression is caused by a traumatic event. I am pretty sure it is only for long term chemical imbalance. I have had depression all of my life (43 yrs) and it was getting worse. Then 4 years ago my husband of 22yrs was killed in a car accident and I became a non-human. For me the ECT got rid of ( or calmed down)the under lying depression that I had had for years, but I still struggled with my husbands death. That struggle did not go away with ECT. That has quietly improved over time. And it has not gone away.
I also had spent years trying everything else before ECT (every pill - therapy just about every day - acupuncture - you name it, I’ve probably tried it) Everything new. For years. I was even on disability it got so bad. And this was before I tried ECT. Your father just died! Your mother probably hasn’t even come out of the shocked stage yet. I can not think of anything that is more devastating than losing a spouse. It is incredibly and indescribably painful and she can not be expected to begin to recover yet. Especially over these holidays! Her Dr really needs to let her go through those stages ( Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance)without major interference like ECT. She needs time and constant support (trust me on this one!) until SHE feel better.
PLEASE! talk to other Dr.s. ECT is too risky to chance it if something else (meds) can help instead. Oh my gosh! Really! Keep checking this out.
After watching several of the videos I have cancelled my ECT Therapy. I was suppossed to be admitted tomorrow morning. I was told to stop or not even start looking at the Internet about ECT because everyone had an opinion. I had heard their opinions, of which were all good, I had no idea of the drawbacks of ECT. They did not want me to know about that part of the deal. I have suffered with TRD for over 20 years and I agreed with the doctors that this was the only thing left for me. I guess I will be depressed the rest of my life as I will not be having ECTs done and there is no medication or combinations that have helped me. I will keep trudging through life as I always have but thanks to the videos and commentary and factual information I found here, I wont become another statistic in the ECT era. Thanks a bunch…..Toni from Texas
Electricity is used to murder people on death row.
ECT is certanly not science and someone who submits to ECT is only harming themselves and those they love.
G -
I submitted to ECT - it saved my life. I would have died had I not done it, I am certain of that. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones, but at the point of my life when I decided to have ECT I was pretty much at the end of it, so it was my last chance to keep hanging on for a while longer. That was 4 years ago and I continue to live my life to what I perceive to be “normal”, a place I don’t believe I have ever been before, and I am grateful.
I RECENTLY SUBMITTED A STATEMENT TO ECT.ORG ABOUT ECT’S. RECENTLY I HAVE FOUND A MEDICATION THAT HELPS WITH DEPRESSION. IT IS NOT AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT OR ANIT-PSYCHOITIC. IT IS ONE THAT MOST OF US AT ONE TIME IN OUR LIVES HAVE TAKEN. TO GET A DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE THIS MED. WOULD BE LIKE ASKING HIM/HER TO PULL THIER OWN TEETH. THE DRUG IS ADICTIVE AS LIKE SOME OF THE REGIMENTS WE HAVE ALL TAKEN AT SOMETIME. AS WE ALL KNOW MEDICATIONS ARE USED FOR A VARIEY OF THINGS, MEANING ONE MED, CAN BE USED TO TREAT SEVERAL ALIMENTS. THIS MED. I AM TALKING ABOUT IS THE SAME WAY. IF ONE HAS TO TAKE A MED. FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE IN ORDER TO LIVE AND FUNCTION AS A “NORMAL” PERSON, THEN WHO CARES IF IT IS ADDICTIVE?, IF IT WORKS, IT WORKS. I MYSELF AM TAKING THIS MED AND I FEEL LIKE A NEW PERSON. I WAS HOWEVER NOT RX THIS MED. FOR MY DEPRESSION BUT HAVE NOTICED IT MAKES MY DEPRESSION GO AWAY-COMPLETELY. I AM NOW WORKING ON THE ASPECT OF GETTING MY DOCOTR TO PRESCRIBED THIS MED. TO ME ON A DAILY BASIS. AS A NUSRSE I KNOW THIS WILL BE A CHORE AS MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT THEIR LISIENCE. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THEM TO WORRY IF THE CAN AND ARE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THIER ORDER OF TREATMENT. IF THEY CAN JUSTIFY ECT’s THEN THIS SHOULD BE A BREEZE FOR HIM/HER. NOT SUCH AND EASY TASK FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE CLICNICALLY DEPRESSED. WHEN AND IF I GET MY DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE THIS MED. ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR ME I WILL ONCE AGAIN POST A STATEMENT. UNITL THEN, HANG IN THERE, AS YOU HAVE MORE THAN DOCTORS TRYING TO HELP YOU.
I am in the beggining stages of ECT. I had my fourth one today and have three scheduled for next week. I feel much better than I did before my treatment, for I was having a very tough time dealing with the end of my marriage. My wife and I are still very close friends and care for each other very much, but with group therapy combined with the ECT I am much better abled to cope with my loss. I’d be lying if I said the treatment didn’t hurt, but I think the bigger and stronger you are does have an effect on how you come out of the anesthesia.
Greetings,
You have done a great job on your website. Thank you for making such valuabel information widely available.
Where can I obtain a copy of the clips you have posted online?
Thank you,
Zachary
TONI -
For about 8 years before my hubby died, he was on several strong pain killers. When I was prescribed them for some reason, about a year before his death, I noticed I felt wonderful. Just as you describe - I finally felt normal. But obviously I couldn’t get them prescribed to me but only for pain. So, as I said, my hubby was on massive amounts of painkillers (morphine ER and IR, vicodin, darvocet and ultram) which he obviously didn’t need to take all of them in one day but was prescribed them as though he could. Every month he would get a months supply of each - only using the morphine, and gave me the rest. I totally agree with you - if it works, why not let me use it - legally! So obviously when he died, so went the meds. Those painkillers were the one and only drug that ever got me close to ‘normal’, yet I wasn’t allowed to take them, legally, for depression (esp. depression!).
As a side note, when I re-read this, it sounds as though I was bummed when my hubby died because I lost the painkillers. Just want to add that I didn’t give them a thought until like a month later - it just sorta hit me that I hadn’t had any for a while and I tried to come up with a reason to get my Dr to prescribe them, thinking they would ease my emotional pain, but I never followed through. And after 4 years, I no longer desire painkillers. I feel better now then when I was using them - I was constantly taking them and thinking about taking them and worrying about running out. They kinda ran my life. I’m glad that is past me. But I totally understand the frustration with finding something that finally works, but they tell you that you can’t take it!! Come on! I think it’s ridiculous!
I am a 38 year old woman who recently began ECT. I’ve had 7 treatments (my 9th is thursday). Truly, ect is saving my life. Due to several traumatic life-events, some funky brain chemistry, and the fact that I’m a moody girl, I needed more than the 15 meds I was on (!!) and was being hospitalized every few years for continued lengths of time.
I cannot recommend ECT enough. It’s true that we don’t know much how about psychiatry works, and we probably pretend we know more than we actually do, but I am improving dramatically since the treatments, and am so thankful that my psychiatrist decided to give me ECT.