The student newspaper for Northeastern University covered a vigil by MindFreedom Maine outside a speech by Kitty Dukakis in Boston. Ms Dukakis co-authored a book that, while warning of memory problems from electroshock, mainly praises the procedure. MindFreedom members are quoted in the article as saying that the book unfairly omits information critical of the procedure.

Addressing a 'Shocking' Issue

Date Published: 2007-10-15 00:00

Author: Kate Augusto and Matt Collette

Source: The Northeastern News

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Controversial shock therapy helps Kitty Dukakis cope with depression

About 100 people gathered at Raytheon Amphitheatre Monday to hear Kitty Dukakis share her experiences with the controversial depression treatment electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Dukakis, who recently co-wrote a book, "Shock: the Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy," said she has suffered from mental illness and depression since 1982, which led her to develop drug and alcohol problems. According to the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, ECT is a treatment in which the brain is stimulated by a small amount of electrical current, which produces a seizure that affects the centers of the brain that control mood, appetite and sleep.

"I was a very different human being [before the treatment] than the one you see today," Dukakis said, while accompanied by husband Michael Dukakis, a distinguished political science professor and former three-time Massachusetts governor, and co-author Larry Tye.

While the Dukakises are confident in the benefits of ECT, other ECT patients think it's terrible.

"I wouldn't argue with anyone else who already was subjected to it, but I would go to the ends of the earth to prevent someone else from getting it," said Dorothy Dundas, a woman in her mid-60s who underwent many ECT treatments at the age of 19.

Dundas is part of MindFreedom International, a non-profit organization that works to show alternatives for people labeled with psychiatric disabilities, according to its website. Members of MindFreedom are upset that Kitty's book does little to show the negative aspects of ECT, despite efforts to get some of the aspects included.

"What we got was one or two sentences [in the book]," said David Oaks, director of MindFreedom International. "There are a string of celebrities that feel they were helped by shock therapy and they come out and sing its praises, but the public is not hearing the other book. The book that should be written ought to tell the nightmare scenario [of ECT]."

While Dundas described her ECT experience as a nightmare that led to memory lapses, Kitty said her depression before the treatment was the real nightmare.

"It's hard to describe what happens when someone who you love dearly ... for reasons that nobody can explain … would experience such severe depression," Michael said. "These depressions were brutal ... every nine or 10 months she would start feeling crummy.

Kitty argued with her husband, saying "crummy" is the word that would describe the hotel he took her to in Paris just before she started ECT, not an accurate description of her depressions.

Kitty's doctor recommended ECT after 19 years of debilitating depression, she said.

"My depression comes back every nine or 10 months," Kitty said. "I call my doctor when those signs come, and I am in the hospital."

Kitty said her ECT treatment is an outpatient procedure, and she receives six treatments during the period of a few weeks each time her depression returns.

Larry Tye, co-author of the book, described going to Mass General Hospital with Kitty to observe her treatments. He said she was anesthetized and took a muscle relaxant, and that the treatment was brief. Unlike the violent convulsions depicted in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," a movie where the main character undergoes ECT treatment, the only motion Tye saw in Kitty was some wiggling in her little toe.

Still, Oaks said MindFreedom is concerned with the intrusive nature of the controversial procedure.

"If someone says you are a danger to yourself or others, you don't have a say in the treatment," said Judene Shelly, a member of MindFreedom who attended the event.

Kitty, however, disputed this.

"I have not met anybody in the past 13 months … who had involuntary ECT," Kitty said.

Oaks said MindFreedom is also concerned about the side effects of the procedure.

"People are not warned about the hazards … it's heartbreaking to talk to people who have lost memories of marriage or the birth of their children," he said.

Tye and the Dukakises admit this risk.

"[Sometimes] those memories come back, often they don't come back. The question is if it is worth the trade off," Tye said.

Kitty said she had some memory loss after treatment.

Oaks said some people with depression may risk the trade off, thinking they have few options.

"There's a fear factor that there is no alternative when, actually, with depression, there's quite a range of alternatives," he said. "Maybe a particular counselor is not good but there are superb counselors that never use shock therapy."

Gloria Gervais from the Maine alliance of MindFreedom came to the event to publicize the concerns of MindFreedom constituents.

During the Q&A part of the event, Gervais asked Kitty about her attempts to treat depression before trying ECT.

"I did try medication, I did try yoga, I did try other therapies. Yes, I did," Kitty said.

Kitty also touched on a different controversial element of ECT: the fact that there is little information on how it actually works. Kitty said this is partly because ECT equipment is produced by two small companies who cannot afford to study it.

Regardless, the Dukakises said the treatment is the right decision for them. Holding back tears, Michael said, "I have my wife back."

After the event, Kitty Dukakis told The News that college students suffering from depression would have to consider whether ECT treatment would be right for them.

"Depression stops many [college students] from dealing with their work," Kitty said. "They need to weigh the memory issues very carefully when considering treatment options."

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