Paris Jackson had 'painful' ECT therapy. Study shows many women relate
USA Today • • entertainment
Key Points:
- A new international study involving 858 participants from 44 countries found that women undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) report worse outcomes than men, including less mood improvement and greater memory loss.
- Lisa Morrison, a co-author of the study, shared her personal experience of repeated ECT treatments for severe depression linked to childhood trauma, highlighting issues of overmedication, fear, and lack of informed consent.
- Celebrities like Paris Jackson have publicly described painful side effects of ECT, including severe headaches and significant memory loss, underscoring the treatment's controversial nature despite its use for treatment-resistant mental health conditions.
- The study revealed that women are twice as likely as men to receive ECT and face more coercion to consent, with fewer women viewing the treatment as voluntary or wanting to undergo it again.
- Researchers emphasize the need for updated ECT research, better patient information, and addressing underlying trauma before treatment; some advocate for banning ECT or imposing stronger regulations to protect patients.
