by Citizen’s Commission on Human Rights
Electroshock is the “treatment” psychiatrists employ when their first line of “treatment”— drugs—fail to work. And the drugs inevitably fail to work, simply because they are no more effective than placebo, yet have side effects rivaling the most hardcore street drugs. In the U.S. alone, more than 100,000 people are electroshocked every year, and the majority of them are elderly. But psychiatrists also electroshock two of the other most vulnerable subjects; pregnant women and children. Hard to believe, but true. And what’s more, psychiatrists are pushing harder than ever for increases in electroshock treatment, recently lobbying the U.S. FDA to downgrade electroshock machines from the most high risk category of device (Class III) to Class II. They failed. And the reason they failed is because the facts were made known by CCHR and other experts who testified before the FDA. You can read about this FDA hearing here: http://www.cchrint.org/2011/01/31/fda-advisory-panel-recommends-electroshock-device-too-risky-for-reclassification/
The article (about electroschock in Ireland reported today) talks about the administration of electroshock without the consent of the patient. But even in cases where the patient does give consent, do we really believe they or their family members are getting enough information to make an informed choice? Are they told psychiatrists still have no idea how electroshock “works?” That if they imagine sticking their finger in a light socket, then multiply that current by about 3-4 times, they will have an idea of the amount of electricity that will be sent searing through the brain? Are they told they could lose their memories, often permanently? Not remember their own wedding or where they were born, or their own children? That side effects also include death? Or how about the fact that electroshock treatment was born in Italy, 1938, when psychiatrist Ugo Cerletti saw pigs being made more docile before slaughter so decided to give it a shot on humans? Are those facts in the consent form?
To get the facts about Electroshock, watch this video: