Comments on: Puff piece in the NYT about ECT http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Juli Lawrence http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/comment-page-1/#comment-885 Juli Lawrence Thu, 05 Oct 2006 01:21:00 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/#comment-885 Hey Liz, thanks for the kind comments! I didn't know you had this blog...now I'm off to add it to my site. You rock! Juli Hey Liz, thanks for the kind comments! I didn’t know you had this blog…now I’m off to add it to my site.

You rock!

Juli

]]> By: Joe http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/comment-page-1/#comment-884 Joe Wed, 20 Sep 2006 01:13:24 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/#comment-884 NAMI's take on "Shock: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy" at: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=20065&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=38526 NAMI’s take on “Shock: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy” at:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=20065&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=38526

]]> By: july http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/comment-page-1/#comment-883 july Tue, 19 Sep 2006 17:38:58 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/#comment-883 When I was at the Mayo Clinic, I was greatly ‘encouraged’ to have ECT. Mayo doesn’t provide long time care, but they said if started ECT, I could stay on the ward for several more weeks. About half the patients there were receiving treatments. I went there hoping for state of the art, but that was all that they could offer me. At twenty-seven and a lawyer, though, even with my ‘intractable’ depression, it didn’t seem like a risk I could afford to take. Or that I was willing to, as long as I still days I was able to go on living. I watched my mom go through ECT more than a decade ago. I didn’t think it was a good idea before she did it and thought it was an even worse idea once she finished. She lost part of herself. Nonetheless, in different circumstances, I wouldn’t have had the strength (which was at an all time low for me as it was) to have refused. It did excellent things for one my friends there. She left the hospital no longer suicidal, able to imagine a future again. Yet once home, I had to be one to call her. When she picked up the phone, she no longer remembered how to dial it. Thanks for NYT link. I’m with Hemingway here: “what is the sense of ruining my head and erasing my memory, which is my capital, and putting me out of business? It was a brilliant cure, but we lost the patient.” When I was at the Mayo Clinic, I was greatly ‘encouraged’ to have ECT. Mayo doesn’t provide long time care, but they said if started ECT, I could stay on the ward for several more weeks. About half the patients there were receiving treatments. I went there hoping for state of the art, but that was all that they could offer me. At twenty-seven and a lawyer, though, even with my ‘intractable’ depression, it didn’t seem like a risk I could afford to take. Or that I was willing to, as long as I still days I was able to go on living. I watched my mom go through ECT more than a decade ago. I didn’t think it was a good idea before she did it and thought it was an even worse idea once she finished. She lost part of herself.

Nonetheless, in different circumstances, I wouldn’t have had the strength (which was at an all time low for me as it was) to have refused. It did excellent things for one my friends there. She left the hospital no longer suicidal, able to imagine a future again. Yet once home, I had to be one to call her. When she picked up the phone, she no longer remembered how to dial it.

Thanks for NYT link. I’m with Hemingway here: “what is the sense of ruining my head and erasing my memory, which is my capital, and putting me out of business? It was a brilliant cure, but we lost the patient.”

]]> By: John McManamy http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/comment-page-1/#comment-882 John McManamy Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:36:29 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2006/09/19/puff-piece-in-the-nyt-about-ect/#comment-882 Hi, Liz. Spot on. The New York Times article is a total puff piece all the way. It looks like it was written by Kitty Dukakis' publicist, and no doubt the piece had its origins in a conversation with the publicist. I have encountered plenty of people who owe their lives to ECT, but I have also encountered those with bad experiences. To wax eloquent about the benefits without mentioning the risks of memory loss is irresponsible journalism. Hi, Liz. Spot on. The New York Times article is a total puff piece all the way. It looks like it was written by Kitty Dukakis’ publicist, and no doubt the piece had its origins in a conversation with the publicist.

I have encountered plenty of people who owe their lives to ECT, but I have also encountered those with bad experiences. To wax eloquent about the benefits without mentioning the risks of memory loss is irresponsible journalism.

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