How Does ECT Work?
ECT works to improve the patient’s mood. It stabilizes one’s sleep pattern, appetite, and increases energy. It usually takes 4–6 treatments to begin to experience a benefit. A full course of ECT is usually 10–12 treatments. Frequently, others will notice an improvement before you do. Even though ECT may decrease or end a depression, it will not prevent another episode from occurring weeks, months, or years later. Because of this, you and your doctor will need to discuss what you will do after treatments are completed. Many people use medications to prevent this relapse, some people use maintenance ECT. Back to the top of the page.
