what is ect.
ECT is a treatment for a small number of severe mental illnesses. It was developed in the 1930s and was used widely during the 1950s and 1960s for a variety of conditions. It is now only used for fewer, more serious conditions. An electrical current is passed through the brain to produce an epileptic fit â hence the name, electro-convulsive. On the face of it, this sounds odd.