Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Related topics: Depression, mood and anxiety Mental health Mental health and substance use Mental health and substance use services in Vancouver Psychosis and thought disorders
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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) treats severe depression and other psychiatric conditions by producing a controlled therapeutic seizure while the individual is asleep.
ECT is often used to treat severe depression and other psychiatric conditions when immediate relief of symptoms is needed or when other treatments have not worked.
What to expect
Contemporary ECT is a safe and effective medical procedure involving the production of a controlled therapeutic seizure while the individual is asleep. This is achieved by sending brief electrical impulses through the skull into the brain via electrodes. The procedure lasts about twenty minutes and is generally well tolerated.
Benefits
ECT is often used to treat severe depression and other psychiatric conditions when immediate relief of symptoms is needed or when other treatments have not worked.
Resources
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ECT Booklet
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ECT Discharge Instructions (English)
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ECT Discharge Instruction (French)
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ECT Discharge Instructions (Punjabi)
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ECT Discharge Instructions (Simplified Chinese)
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ECT Discharge Instructions (Traditional Chinese)
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ECT Referral Form
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ECT Outpatient Information
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Electroconvulsive Therapy
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Videos of ECT Procedure
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ECT 101
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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital
- Phone: (604) 675-2476