Mental Health
6. Electroconvulsive Treatment
Authors: Staff Legal Eagle
Firm / Chambers:
Last updated: 14 Aug 2015
- Electroconvulsive Treatment (ECT) is used to treat bipolar disorder, severe depression and psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia where other forms of treatment have proven ineffective or symptoms are very severe.
- The treatment involves passing a carefully controlled electrical current through your brain while you are under general anaesthetic. This affects the brain’s electrical activity and can often improve your symptoms.
- The treatment may need to be repeated a number of times before you notice an improvement.
- ECT will normally be administered in combination with medication and rehabilitative therapy.
- ECT cannot usually be administered to you without your consent. However in some circumstances your treating team may apply to your state or territory mental health tribunal or board for approval to administer ECT.
- If the state mental health tribunal or board are considering whether to administer ECT to you they will need to consider the following factors including:
- your personal views on ECT treatment and whether or not you think it will be beneficial for your mental health;
- the content of your advance directive or advance statement if you have written one;
- evidence and opinions given by your carer, guardian or other family member;
- what the consequences might be if ECT is not performed;
- the evidence contained in reports given to you as second opinions.
- If you are unhappy with the decision that is made in relation to ECT you can usually apply to have your treatment order changed or revoked, ask for the reasons why it was decided to administer ECT or apply for review to a civil tribunal such as the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
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