Today's doctors are struggling to treat psychological problems and despite that, we are still using electroshock — even on children.

In 2003, Dr. Loren Mosher and Professor David Cohen wrote a brief paper, "The Ethics of Electroconvulsive Therapy." Cohen starts by asking readers that if the first and foremost rule of the medical profession is to do no harm, then what are we doing promoting an ineffective procedure without the informed consent of patients?

Despite the FDA holding hearings on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as electroshock therapy, and receiving thousands of adverse-reaction reports, the mental health industry continues to use ECT. The World Health Organization and the United Nations also recently concluded that ECT "is not recommended for children, and this should be prohibited through legislation."

While our organization, Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), is currently supporting bills aimed to protect children in Florida, we are always calling for an outright ban on ECT and psychosurgery for anyone of any age. In order to achieve the prohibition of this barbaric procedure, we must realize that what we may have heard about ECT is not based on scientific fact; it is an incredibly dangerous practice that cannot be allowed to continue.

The Terrible History of ECT

ECT is currently used across the United States to treat psychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder, mania, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, catatonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

While research conducted in the 1930s suggested that electrically induced seizures may cause some relief from symptoms of mental disorders, proponents of ECT have no basis for support. In a public hearing held by the FDA in 2011, the panel found that when used "correctly," ECT devices temporarily relieved symptoms of depression and other mental health disorders, but the long-term safety and effectiveness of ECT was unknown.

However, the American Psychiatric Association has conceded that "ECT can result in persistent or permanent memory loss," while the ECT machine manufacturer, Somatics, puts "permanent brain damage" among the risks. There have also never been any placebo-controlled studies on the effects of ECT on children or adolescents.

Most treatment plans call for patients to undergo the procedure once or twice a week. There are a few states that have imposed an age minimum, including Texas banning ECT for children under 16 and California banning it for children under 12, but ECT is regularly administered to adults and to children on a case-by-case basis in the United States. It is recommended that patients receiving ECT be given some sort of sedative for the procedure, but it is not required.

During a lawsuit deposition before a hearing of personal injury allegations against an ECT device manufacturer, lawyers asked Dr. Richard Abrams, a maker and practitioner of ECT devices, how he determined the length of time to put electricity through a person's brain. Dr. Abrams responded, under oath, "It was just a clinical rule of thumb." When probed further where the rule of thumb originated, he responded, "Plucked it out of the air, as far as I know."

While many doctors have their patient's best interest at heart and practice the "do no harm" dictum, critics of ECT suggest that some doctors are motivated by financial gain. Doctors can receive thousands of dollars per ECT treatment, on a machine that, according to the nonprofit publication "Mad in America," only costs $8,000 to make. For some doctors, the financial benefits might outweigh the cost of the treatment to the patient.

Unraveling the Mystery

Very little is known about what is going on with ECT in the United States because there is no mandatory reporting. Medicaid is the only resource for Florida, but few states have any reporting at all. Even the FDA's section for Adverse Reaction Reports on ECT has limited data. Documenting personal stories of patients who underwent ECT is not easy either, as many are either damaged or did not survive following treatment.

According to figures obtained by CCHR through the Freedom of Information Act, Medicaid reported that for each year from 2015 through 2020, at least one child but no more than 30 children received ECT in the age groups 6-12, 13-17, and 18-25. In 2015, at least one child but no more than 30 children in the age group 0-5 received ECT. The body did not extrapolate on that data. The scary truth is that we just do not know how many children are being electroshocked each year. When the number of recipients rose above 30 in the age bracket 18-25, Medicaid reported that 36, 41, and 46 people received ECT in Florida in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.

An equally scary notion is that even after 80 years of ECT being used in the United States, the extent of brain damage caused by the procedure, including memory loss and impaired cognitive functions, is unknown. Patients whose brain function is assessed after ECT consider themselves lucky, as this kind of follow-up is rare for those who survive the procedure.

Protecting the Vulnerable

In 2023, in Florida alone, CCHR, in partnership with other nonprofit organizations, helped to pass 14 pieces of legislation protecting mental health human rights. In the 2024 Florida legislative session, bills have finally been filed to ban ECT and psychosurgery on anyone under the age of 18 in the state. Such a ban currently exists nowhere else in the country. Passing this bill will be a huge milestone for not only Florida but for the rest of the country as well.

When people are experiencing a mental health crisis, they need real help. This is even more true for the children who cannot speak for themselves. There is no lack of safe and effective treatments out there — we don't need ECT. We must stop subjecting people to this cruel and inhumane procedure.