May Try Ect

[Animalliberator]

I start a 26-week DBT program next month. Will give Somatic Experiencing one more go, though I've not benefited from it after three sessions. Many of my previous therapists have recommended ECT because my condition seems so resistant to treatment. Has anyone had ECT? If so, was it helpful? My mental health is deteriorating rapidly.

 

[Lost Pup]

Hi AL. Wow, I am blown away and impressed that you are starting DBT. Nice.

My best friend's mom is seriously bipolar and in her 60s. She has tried ECT with varying results, some excellent.

Hang in there.

 

[Forgetful]

I had ECT done 3 or 4 years ago, 3x a week for 4 weeks. I had it while I was hospitalized but some places may do it as an out patient.

I was very nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect. It is painless. Its done while under anesthesia and only takes a few minutes.

It worked well for my major depression. It didn't help other PTSD symptoms. After each session I was very tired and needed to relax and nap.

However it effected my short term memory. I've got terrible short term memory since then.

Hope this is helpful with your desicion.

Mary

 

[catjudo]

I have shared about this topic before. You can find that thread here: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect.1470/#post-27930

 

[Animalliberator]

Thanks, all, for your input. I have reached a point where all seems lost.

 

[Hashi]

I'm going to respond knowing that you have previously posted in other threads about having been to see numerous therapists and tried numerous therapies. And then in a different thread talking about your fears about therapy and what it means.

In my view, ECT is simply another thing in the long, long line of approaches that you've skirted around, tried and trashed.

I've had ECT, and it wasn't helpful, but I'm not going to go into details because - I'm sorry to say - you haven't said anything to make me think that this isn't just another thing in a very long line of things that people try, so you have to, and they don't work (let's not get into why) and then....

Animalliberator, isn't this your thing? Trying yet another approach then saying it didn't work?

I'm too tired (from my own stuff, not yours) to get into this any more deeply, but I want to register that approach-hopping seems to be your thing, and then you use it as your justification for not moving forward, and then you had a moment of awareness about that here on the forum, and now you seem to be backtracking and approach-hopping again.

Like I said, far too tired to try to unpick this, but I think you need to. Very seriously.

I would also say that you need to think about depleting the goodwill of people here. You might like/feel inspired to hop from one thing to another and basically end up trashing everything, as your personal avoidance tactic, but other people are putting themselves/ their healing/ their souls into various ways of healing. Maybe it would be good to think about that as you skip around, avoid your fundamental issues and ask other people on the forum to enable you while you do that, in the guise of asking about yet another approach?

 

[Abstract]

Wow. I am impressed you are starting DBT. I do think this could help you. I will say that you need to put in a lot of work and really try to open your mind to it. Most treatment resistant people I have met have needed to do it for at least a year and usually two. I am quite certain you are not going to like certain things about it. Hate may be a more appropriate word. Some of the concepts use eastern aspects to address emotion regulation deficits. I also have no doubt that it is exactly what would could help you if you can find it in you to do what you need to do.

I hope you commit to this and truly challenge yourself to open your mind. I am very into science and things that are fact based but I am able to see that concepts can be very useful to get to hard-to-reach parts of my mind and functioning.

It seems you have a lot of split off trauma and when trying to address it you are not able to maintain safety.

Progress is going to mean developing safety skills that you can use wherever and wherever you need them (you can't do that with rock climbing) and developing cognitive skills that allow you to engage in therapy in a way that will allow you to follow through.

Personally I would advise leaving off trying to work on trauma until you have managed both of these things. I can't comment on ECT. Personally I would only do it if your or others safety is at risk at present. If it is then maybe it is worth considering. If it isn't then I do think you can change things if you able to work on safety techniques and changing cognitive patterns and I would therefore wait it out and learn DBT and give therapy another chance first thereafter. You need to be thinking in terms of years here, keeping the long term plan in mind and doing the uncomfortable work you need to do.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

@Hashi,
"Like" x 5,472. I think you've said it all.

But, I will add this. I met a woman who had ECT. She lost the first 10 years of her sons life. It didn't help her. I met her in a self-injury hospital.

 

[Animalliberator]

I'm not willing to commit years. If I don't see results from Somatic Experiencing or DBT with a month or two I will no longer choose to be of this world.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Well all I can say is that is your choice. I hope you are lax on your long list of therapy requirements or this one will be a fail like the rest of them.

 

[Animalliberator]

For the record, I have never had ECT. Nor am I asking about it as part of some "approach hopping" scheme. My therapist suggested ECT since talk therapy, EMDR, and Somatic Experiencing have not worked for me. A number of other therapists have recommended I receive ECT. Since I know little about it I was asking folks on this forum.

I find it troubling that on a site that claims to be for helping others that some here show little to no compassion and instead choose to insult those who are really struggling.

I would request that individuals who wish to post comments to me do so with kindness, patience, and compassion. Otherwise, please do not post comments to me. Thank you.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

The OP thinks he can control who replies to his posts and doesn't like it when people point out things which may help him in the end. Per a message. Uhm, don't like someone? There is a block function. Don't tell people what to do.

I also think it's interesting that he insults us, the therapy we do, etc, yet expects compassion. What's wrong with this picture?

And then you report me. For what? Pointing out the truth? You message me, get nasty with me, and then when I won't obey you, I am reported. Sorry, but you can't control me.