Listen to this 'Talk of the Nation' topic
Electroconvulsive therapy, popularly known as electroshock therapy is just that: shocking. Doctors use electricity to stimulate parts of the brain, producing seizures that hopefully spark the brain out of depression. Nowadays, patients are sedated so that only the brain convulses, but the procedure continues to be somewhat controversial... partly due to a history of torturous images and tales, and partly due to the real side effects — particularly memory loss — and the potential misuse due to hasty referrals or poor execution. Have you undergone the treatment? Did it work for you?