They were shocked for ulcers, psoriasis and even for homosexuality. And still today, people are forcibly shocked for depression, by court order. Shock therapy is no onetime procedure. It involves a series of shocks, from six to 16. Susan has undergone at least 14 shock treatments in the space of two months.
Electroshock is as much art as science because how it works is still a mystery.
All that's known is that a short jolt of electricity triggers a seizure that lasts less than a minute. For Susan, however, it's not a matter of how it works but that it works. Gel was applied to the electrode paddles so the electricity can flow easily. The stimulus was delivered and Susan had a seizure. Susan's seizure lasted 29 seconds.