ABSTRACT
ECT stands for Electroconvulsive Therapy, and it includes giving a small electric charge to the body to make the person convulse for a few minutes. ECT is done in a hospital for people who are at the extremes of mania and depression when medications are not effective in treatment. For a person who is clearly suicidal, waiting for several weeks for the positive effects of medications is not reasonable. For a person who is severely manic, a rapid end to mania is desirable as the person may suffer from exhaustion. ECT provides quick relief and usually results in the end of a depressive or manic episode, but it may leave the person with little memory of the events around the time of the ECT.
