Time after time I hear people advocating the use of electroconvulsive therapy without having studied the research on it's cumulative effects or the long-term consequences of treatment. 

"Modern ECT" or "modified ECT" are phrases used when they began using anesthesia. Nothing has universally changed in the way ECT is given today (2021). This 1972 study is frank and honest about the long-term consequences of ECT: 

"The significantly greater error scores obtained by the ECT Ss on both the Bender-Gestalt and the Benton after a relatively long time period since the last course of treatment suggest that ECT causes irreversible brain damage. Furthermore, it seems plausible that the cognitive impairment results from the cumulative damaging effect of each treatment, particularly in view of the significant correlations between number of ECT and both Benton number correct and error scores. Such ECT-produced structural changes would be consistent with the common clinical observation of progressive mental deterioration of epileptics, especially if untreated."

Goldman, H., Gomer, F. E., & Templer, D. I. (1972). Long-term effects of Electroconvulsive therapy upon memory and perceptual-motor performance. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28(1), 32–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(197201)28:1<32::aid-jclp2270280111>3.0.co;2-e

Perhaps we should listen to our elders.