33 episodes
Life After ECT Life After ECT
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- Health & Fitness
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2.7 • 3 Ratings
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Hi, and welcome to the Life After ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) Podcast. I'm your host Anna, a childhood psychiatric drug and teen ECT survivor.
The goal of this podcast is to shed light on the facts about ECT, as well as dispel myths and misconceptions.
Join us as we discuss the science, side effects, controversies, and stories of those harmed by the procedure.
Disclaimer: All of the material provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified care provider.
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New ECT Research and Litigation Opportunities
Thank you for tuning into the Life After ECT Podcast.
Life After ECT Inc. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organazation focused on improving the quality of life for those injured by ECT.
Learn more about what we do and how you can support our work: Looking to a Brighter Future for Those Harmed by ECT
Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LrUHhroyOX66T7FUQ0iytyfNoCzmqKN91PQ0LfiKeBI/edit?usp=sharing
Correction: The law firm is now Wisner & Baum, not Baum Headlund
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Disenfranchised Grief and ECT
Disenfranchised grief: the unseen pain of those disabled by
electroconvulsive therapy
In this podcast, I talk about the grief that people disabled by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may experience, which often goes unrecognized. I want to clarify that I am not a mental health professional but someone who has gone through this experience, sharing what has helped my ongoing recovery. (see full disclaimer)
Resources mentioned in the episode:
https://lifeafterect.com/disenfranchised-grief-the-unseen-pain-of-those-disabled-by-electroconvulsive-therapy-ect/
Support our mission:
https://lifeafterect.com/donate/
Sign our patient safety petition:
https://www.change.org/p/standardize-regulate-audit-shock-treatments-electroconvulsive-therapy-or-ect
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Linda Andre Testimony (Video) - Bill H12
Linda Andre Testimony - Vermont House Bill H12, Informed consent to electroconvulsive therapy, 1999
Testimony date: 2000
Links to Linda's Work
If you can, please consider supporting Linda's son's GoFund me to cover funeral expenses and preserve her library of research. Fundraiser by Alandra Markman : Linda Andre's Legacy (gofundme.com) ( https://www.gofundme.com/f/linda-andre )
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Linda Andre Testimony - Vermont House Bill H12
Linda Andre Testimony - Vermont House Bill H12, Informed consent to electroconvulsive therapy, 1999
Testimony date: 2000
Links to Linda's Work
If you can, please consider supporting Linda's son's GoFund me to cover funeral expenses and preserve her library of research. Fundraiser by Alandra Markman : Linda Andre's Legacy (gofundme.com) ( https://www.gofundme.com/f/linda-andre )
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Linda Andre Book Interview with Philip Bennet
An Interview with Linda Andre by Philip Bennet, recorded several years ago (the recording date was not included in the file). In it they discuss her book, Doctors of Deception, What they Don't Want You to Know About Shock Treatment.
Our community has recently suffered a great loss. Linda Andre, author of one of the most important books on ECT ever written, passed away this month. Linda was my hero. I first came across her work while desperately searching the Internet for answers when ECT damaged my brain and my doctors refused to believe me. Reading her presentation "Electroconvulsive Therapy as a Head Injury" changed my life.
Her work showed me that ECT can cause permanent brain damage and those affected by ECT are routinely denied testing and rehabilitation, as was the case with me. Linda showed me the hope of recovery through the stories of people who found a way to recover when doctors couldn't help them.
There is so much I want to say about Linda, but after ECT, the right words are always so hard to find. Until I can write a full tribute post I wanted to do something so I recorded a small tribute to ger along with her second inteview with Philip Bennet. In it they sumarize key points from her book.
Find links and resources and tributes to Linda Andre in the show notes.
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The American Psychiatric Association (APA) opposed mandatory neuropsychological testing for patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Have you experienced any unexpected problems after undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? Have you faced difficulties in convincing your doctor to refer you for testing and rehabilitation?
You're not alone. For over 80 years that ECT has been in use, people have reported disabling side effects. Despite decades of ECT's use, no mandatory standards have been established to ensure that individuals can receive comprehensive testing and rehabilitation if necessary. View the #AuditECT petition.
In 2016, there was an opportunity to address this issue when the FDA attempted to reclassify the ECT device. The FDA's proposed guidance included mandatory neuropsychological testing for those undergoing treatment. However, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), a professional organization representing 36,000 psychiatric physicians, opposed the idea of mandated testing.
Eventually, when the reclassification was finalized, the original proposed testing mandates were abandoned.
There are people who underwent ECT many years ago and have never undergone a neuropsychological evaluation, not to mention the countless people who have recently undergone electroshock therapy. With an estimated 2 million people worldwide undergoing ECT each year, a staggering number of individuals will continue to struggle to access appropriate testing and treatment for disabilities caused by ECT and other health issues related to electrical injury.
See show notes for links and resources.
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Customer Reviews
Wanted to hear opposing views
Most of this podcast’s arguments were weak and misleading. Some that stood out to me were:
(1) Podcast said ECT devices are not tested by the FDA. I looked it up and this is so misleading I consider it a lie.
(2) Podcast says ECT is not regulated. I looked this up, and in the United States this is an outright lie.
(3) Podcast says people injured by ECT are not given testing and rehabilitation. I looked it up and the problem is these people can’t prove ECT was the cause of their brain damage. In fact, they all appeared to be suffering from pre-existing brain disorders that cause brain damage.
Sarah Price Hancock is a good example. She’s on multiple episodes. She’s also suffered from schizoaffective disorder since the 90’s, but blames ECT for her brain damage. I looked online and found plenty of evidence on schizoaffective disorder causing brain damage, but not what she claims about ECT. Is it possible ECT caused her brain damage? Yes. Is it far more likely decades of schizoaffective disorder caused her brain damage? Yes.
And I’m no genius expert. I just Googled what they claimed, and found out a lot of their claims are misleading, and they don’t mention contradicting evidence. I don’t appreciate when politicians and CEO’s do it. And I don’t appreciate when they do it.
Please don’t take my word for it. A few minutes on Google and you’ll see what I saw.
(4) Podcast says consent forms don’t warn of all the risks of ECT. I found this argument compelling. I looked online and found a lot of people talking about their memory and vocabulary being worse than they expected.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience with ECT. Thank you for doing what most of us want to do but can’t, either because we’re scared, or we just don’t have the mental capacity to do so.
Keep up your amazing work.