Electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy&mdash;also known as ECT, shock therapy, or simply shocks&mdash;was a procedure used to treat various psychiatric ailments. This procedure was described by Gawynn Karastee as being controversial, due to the general public view of it. It was not used as a first-line treatment for schizophrenia, but considered when drug therapy proved to be ineffective.

Electroconvulsive therapy involved the placement of electrodes on a patient's head, usually one on each side. An brief electric current would then be passed between the electrodes, which would trigger convulsions. The convulsions were believed to have a therapeutic effect. Patients were usually anesthetized and administered a muscle relaxant prior to the treatment, as the convulsions were known to be powerful enough to fracture vertebrae. After the treatment, patients usually suffered headaches, memory loss, and confusion. The treatment was usually given in an initial course of six to twelve treatments, with three treatments a standard week, followed by "maintenance" treatments on a monthly basis to prevent relapse.

Shock therapy was used in the past as a method of, usually administered without anesthesia. In many locales, the treatment was still in use without the preventive and safety measures that were in place. In the Bedacus-Lambrecht Correctional Facility, patients were required to sign an informed consent prior to receiving the treatment.