The Life After ECT podcast explores the often-overlooked realities of Electroconvulsive Therapy. Hosted by Anna, who experienced psychiatric treatment in childhood and ECT as a teen, the show examines life after treatment through first-hand perspectives, recovery experiences, and patient advocacy. Topics include long-term effects, informed consent, and the challenges of recovery. For those considering ECT, recovering from it, or supporting someone you love, this podcast offers real conversations…
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In this episode, we discuss a historic legal case involving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Just before trial, a lawsuit in Sacramento, California was settled after two women who said they suffered brain damage, permanent memory loss, and were not properly informed of the risks before receiving ECT. We explore why this case is significant, how it compares to earlier ECT lawsuits, and what it…
ECT, Memory, and Identity In this episode, we explore a question I get asked often: can ECT change your personality? Drawing on philosopher Patrick Seniuk’s 2018 paper, “I’m Shocked: Informed Consent in ECT and the Phenomenological Self,” we explore how ECT-related memory loss may do more than erase facts — it can disrupt the felt sense of being the same person over time. We walk through patient…
Lesser-Known ECT Side Effects: Ion Channel Dysfunction, Neurodegenerative Conditions & Cardiac Complications In this episode, I’ll be discussing some serious, lesser-known electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) side effects including ion channel dysfunction (aquired channelopathies), potential links to neurodegenerative conditions like ALS, and cardiac complications many of us face as we age. We’ll also…
In this episode, Sarah Price Hancock presents "Electrical Injury: Rehabilitation Needs Through the Lens of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Recipients," originally recorded on November 15, 2024. The presentation examines rehabilitation considerations for individuals who have undergone ECT, drawing on both research and lived experience. About the Presenters Sarah Price Hancock is an alumna of the…
In this episode, we close out this series by exploring how harm from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been discussed—and often dismissed—over time. We trace patient experiences from the 1950s through the patient-rights movement, and talk about how informedconsent came to shape what happens after patients report problems. We explore what it looks like when ECT recipients do get testing, how…
Why are people harmed by ECT so often ignored — even when they reach out directly to researchers? Content Warnings: Brief mention if abuse and suicide. In this episode, we continue reading emails from injured ECT patients who reached out to government-funded researcher Harold Sackeim, only to have their pleas for help ignored. Sackeim had publicly invited people experiencing memory problems after…
In this episode, we continue reading emails from injured ECT patients who reached out to government-funded researcher Harold Sackeim, only to have their pleas for help ignored. Sackeim had publicly invited people experiencing memory problems after ECT to contact him—but, according to author Linda Andre, he later testified that he discarded 175 of those messages. Through these stories, we dig…
In this episode, we revisit a 2010 FDA letter by Linda Andre, and emails from ECT survivors who reached out to goverment funded researcher, Harold Sackeim, for help. Sackeim had publicly invited people experiencing memory problems after ECT to contact him—but according to Linda Andre, he later testified that he discarded messages from 175 patients who wrote to him asking for help. Show Notes…
This video is for anyone who feels like they lost a part of themselves after ECT. I want to give voice to the unseen challenges so many face after electroconvulsive therapy. Many who’ve had ECT are living with undiagnosed, untreated disabilities—struggling to find acknowledgment and support. The aftermath of ECT can be life-changing, impacting everything—identity, career, and relationships. I…
This video is for anyone who feels like they lost a part of themselves after ECT. I want to give voice to the unseen challenges so many face after electroconvulsive therapy. Many who’ve had ECT are living with undiagnosed, untreated disabilities—struggling to find acknowledgment and support. The aftermath of ECT can be life-changing, impacting everything—identity, career, and relationships. I…
