ECT: I. Patients' Experiences and Attitudes

Abstract

Summary: One hundred and sixty-six patients who had ECT in either 1971 or 1976 were interviewed. The 1976 sample represented 89 per cent of those available for interview. Their experiences of ECT and their attitudes to it are described. They found ECT a helpful treatment and not particularly frightening, but side-effects, especially memory impairment, were frequent.