Electric shock therapy ‘enthusiasts’ under fire

PSYCHIATRISTS in certain areas of the country are “ECT enthusiasts” who are using the treatment in cases where alternatives could be considered, it has been claimed.

Dr Pat Bracken, consultant psychiatrist and clinical director of mental health services in West Cork, said there was cause for concern for the “massive variations” in the use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) around the country.

Electric shock therapy is a medical procedure in which an electric current is passed briefly through the brain via electrodes applied to the scalp to induce seizure activity.