Lived Experience Forum

[BatGuano]

hi kenny,

I've wondered about ect myself

and thanks for being on the forum

[Cazzie]

I just popped over for a look to see how everyone was going. Major achievements in my life this year? Finally asking for and getting help to deal with my problems. My husbands MI is his but the problems are ours. So I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone on the forums for helping me to own my share of the problems and for teaching me that I don't own ALL the problems. (I hope that makes sense).

[kenny66]

Its hard to make the committment to the ECT treatment. For me it was 10 sessions over a fair period of time. I am on anticonvulsant medication normaly so its a bit tricky triggering the seizures for the ECT to make it work under those circumstances.

You have to be quite committed to the treatment as the side effects like confusion and past memory triggering can be daunting. It can take a while to get back to normal after sessions. But on balance it has helped me a lot for mood and kept me out of admissions definitely.

I enjoy writing on the forum. I am very shy and quiet normaly so it really has brought me out of myself to participate. It has also let me expose my personality a little bit which in normal life I just dont do.

[BatGuano]

makes sense to me, cazzie

setting priorities and letting stuff go through to the keeper

not swinging at every delivery

[Loopy]

NikNik, you greatest thing that I achieved this year was making the decision to open the Sane Home page and have a peek. Once there I just stayed best therapy and at no cost. Thank you to every one that makes this forum the best by far, and for all your wonderful words of wisdom,encouragement with atouch of love and caring.

loopy

[BatGuano]

i remember the term 'the new black' as in fashion color. and normal is the expected or preferred face to show. at least here i don't have to wear 'normal'

[BatGuano]

welcome loopy! thanks for your piece during MH week

[kenny66]

Hi BatGuano

I found it a great addition to my treatment overall. Initially I used to get very confused but after time that lessons. Some people complain about it waking up bad memories and, yes, that did happen but it also helped deal with them.

I take a couple of antipsychotics plus some mood stabilisers and with the addition of the ECT sessions this seems to end up as a very good outcome. You don't have the sessions all the time. Maybe start out 6 sessions over 2 weeks and then go from there.

Mine have been quite lengthy but then again my schizoaffective disorder mood problems were sort of out of control for a while. It really helped that. It really is just small seizures induced by the ECT and you don't feel anything at all.

My flatmate says I am very serene after I have it done.

[BatGuano]

thx kenny,

sounds a bit like meditation, a kind of palpable serenity

not possible to self-apply tho?

say like a home appliance?

[Cazzie]

Good to hear from you @Loopy.