Originally Posted by billie

Dear JH, I wish I could be more help, but I am avidly interested in your article because my psychiatrist is strongly recommending ECT. I live alone, and so do not have to boil water for pasta [!], but I have an elderly cat that I must take care of and wonder if I would be able to do that. My cognitive skills have regressed enough as it is. I don't blame you for being angry about not being given all the information. If it will reduce your anger, you might think about this: mental health professionals, to include psychiatrists, generally have to be in fairly good mental health to hold their demanding jobs. As a result, all they can actually know about mental or affective illness is what they have studied in books, again written largely by professionals, not patients. It may be somewhat easier for a medical Dr. to understand medical conditions and treatments that he has not experienced, as these things can be viewed, by MRI or otherwise. Psychiatric professionals do not have the ability to "see" the conditions they are treating or the results of the treatment. Instead, those who need information get its from people like you, with the experience and the writing and language skills to communicate that experience. Mental health professionals cannot essentially understand what it is that they are treating. I WILL say that they should be doing their research through reading articles like yours! I think the brain rewires itself in time, and I once worked with a 70 y/o lady who had had a lobotomy, with her memory and skills subsequently restored. ~hugs, very best of luck, and keep posting. You are very helpful to many of us, and your cognitive and other skills are very adequate to this mission! billie