Why Electroconvulsive Therapy Remains Contested: Families Report Memory Loss, Worse Quality of Life and Limited Benefits

An international survey of relatives and friends of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) recipients has found that most reported the treatment either made no difference or made their loved ones worse. The findings, published in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, highlight ongoing concerns about ECT’s effectiveness and the adequacy of information provided before treatment.

The survey, conducted by researchers including Dr Lucy Johnstone, Dr Chris Harrop, and Dr John Read, gathered responses from 858 ECT recipients and 286 family members and friends across 44 countries. According to the first paper from the survey, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, most patients (59 percent) reported they had not received adequate information before undergoing ECT, with an additional 17 percent unsure.

The second paper, based on the same survey data, found that most people reported ECT either made no difference or made them worse. Researchers involved in the study have called for a suspension of ECT pending placebo-controlled trials that meet current standards of evidence-based medicine.

Experts reacting to the survey results emphasize the need for greater transparency and informed consent in ECT procedures. Prof George Kirov, Clinical Professor at Cardiff University’s Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, noted the importance of listening to the experiences of patients and their families when evaluating treatments.

The last placebo-controlled ECT trial for depression occurred in 1985. Whereas awaiting trials that meet today’s standards of evidence-based medicine, this survey presents the responses of recipients and their loved ones on five effectiveness measures, providing real-world insights into ECT’s impact.

ECT remains a contested treatment in psychiatry, with supporters citing its rapid effects in severe depression and critics highlighting risks such as memory loss and cognitive side effects. The survey findings contribute to the ongoing debate by centering the voices of those who have undergone the treatment and those close to them.

As discussions continue about ECT’s role in modern mental health care, the survey underscores the importance of patient-centered research and the need for treatments to be both effective and transparent in their risks, and benefits.