Electroshock (Electroconvulsive Therapy) Info
(Published: 2009-06-05 15:13)
The Australian newspaper "The Sydney Morning Herald" investigated the doubling of forced electroshock cases in New South Wales (NSW), Australia in the past decade, and found there was a troubling lack of adequate legal representation and due process.
(Published: 2009-04-22 21:44)
MindFreedom Ireland is holding a peaceful protest against ECT this May.
Event time: 2009-05-30 (10:00-12:00)
(Published: 2009-04-22 12:50)
John Grohol of the psychology-watch web site PsychCentral.com may be a bit optimistic, but his analysis of the below MedPageToday article speculates that new FDA requirements that electroshock devices finally be tested for safety and efficacy might be more than a speed bump for manufacturers.
(Published: 2009-04-08 16:30)
The widely-respected medical center, Johns Hopkins, reports that a child diagnosed "autistic" was given electroshock (also known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT). More young children may also be given shock for this diagnosis because psychiatrist Lee Wachtel of Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute describes the results of his experiment as "the first documented case of a young autistic child who successfully improved self-injury behaviors after receiving ECT." The experimental subject was an eight-year-old boy "known as D." MindFreedom International condemns such experimentation on youth with such an intrusive and brain-damaging procedure.
(Published: 2009-04-02 18:29)
Comité Pare-chocs is holding a gathering on Mother's Day to protest ECT, highlighting the fact that it is used much more frequently on women than on men.
Event time: 2009-05-09 (07:00-09:00)
(Published: 2009-02-26 21:53)
A newspaper from the disputed territory of Kashmir reports that "Médecins Sans Frontières" (MSF) also called Doctors without Borders is donating an electroshock machine to this very poor region. MindFreedom International expresses its opposition.
(Published: 2009-02-26 21:46)
An image of the location of Kashmir, where Doctors without Borders donated ECT equipment in 2009.
(Published: 2009-02-02 20:00)
In this article for the Huffington Post, Bruce Levine explores the ethics of subjecting children to ECT.
(Published: 2009-01-31 00:20)
(Published: 2009-01-27 18:26)
In this article Eleni Hale describes the rise of ECT on very young children.
(Published: 2008-08-21 15:41)
MindFreedom spoke out to the World Health Organization against the use of electroshock over the expressed wishes of the subject. As a result, in a WHO manual about the law and mental health, WHO came out in writing against involuntary electroshock. Here is the quote and citation.
(Published: 2008-08-05 16:41)
This paper, by Lucy Johnstone, studies the negative emotional experiences suffered by some individuals who undergo ECT. [Journal of Mental Health (1999) 8, 1, 69-85]
(Published: 2008-06-02 11:57)
A 2007 study found that electroshock during pregnancy can cause brain damage to the fetus.
(Published: 2008-05-15 14:57)
(Published: 2008-05-13 09:10)
Sue Clark provided this photo of some of the protesters of electroshock on 11 May 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
(Published: 2008-05-03 07:20)
Electroshock -- also known as electroconvulsive therapy -- was protested by MindFreedom members in Cork, Ireland; Ottawa, Canada; Montreal, Canada. Here are brief reports from each.
(Published: 2008-04-29 12:27)
The Quebec Committee to ban ECT is honoring Mother's Day with a gathering to say NO to ECT.
Event time: 2008-05-10 (12:00-14:00)
(Published: 2008-03-20 22:19)
When New Zealand psychiatrist du Fresne tried to stop a TV station from interviewing a survivor of her own forced electroshock, the public was outraged. A court ruled that Dr. du Fresne had no legal leg to stand on.
(Published: 2008-03-15 11:18)
New Zealand psychiatrist Stephanie du Fresne tried to stop one of her patients from speaking out on national television about involuntary electroshock administered by the doctor. A High Court in New Zealand "quashed" Dr. Fresne's request, and here's the court ruling.
(Published: 2008-03-15 11:10)
In New Zealand, a psychiatrist, Stephanie du Fresne, was administering involuntary electroshock (also known as electroconvulsive therapy). During an outing the recipient of the electroshock went to a TV station and got on national television about her human rights abuse. Dr. du Fresne filed a complaint against the television station, claiming the TV station was violating the right of her allegedly-insane patient to "informed consent" about appearing on national television. On 7 February 2008, a New Zealand High Court "quashed" the psychiatrist's attempt to stifle free speech.
(Published: 2007-10-06 09:53)
Apparently in response to the state-wide outrage following MindFreedom human rights alerts about two individuals slated for forced electroshock, NY State has issued new "guidelines" about use of involuntary electroshock over the wishes of the subject. MindFreedom's response: No Means No.
(Published: 2007-09-10 20:50)
This is a link to a YouTube video by MindFreedom member Sue Clark-Wittenberg who says ECT should be banned.
(Published: 2007-09-10 20:46)
This is a YouTube link to a video with Steven Wittenberg speaking on how ECT harmed his wife Sue.
(Published: 2007-08-30 11:12)
Activist Laura Ziegler gives an overview of events this past month as the New York Office of Mental Health gave nine (9) last-minute electroshocks to Simone D., before her attorneys finally won a court battle on 28 August 2007 for her right to say "no" to forced electroshock.
(Published: 2007-08-28 12:00)
28 August 2007 update: The attorneys for "Simone D." announced today that her planned forced electroshock in a New York State psychiatric institution has been halted because of a new court ruling they won this morning! MindFreedom had issued a human rights alert to say "no" to Simone D.'s forced electroshock. Next step: End all involuntary electroshock in New York State!
(Published: 2007-07-21 10:13)
A writer reflects on how electroshock has impacted memory. This anonymous piece was posted on the excellent blog by Philip Dawdy, called Furious Seasons.
(Published: 2007-07-07 11:27)
This is a link to the official web site for Creedmoor Psychiatric Center which is a public facility based in Queens City, New York and run by the New York Office of Mental Health.
(Published: 2007-07-07 09:28)
2 July 2007 update: Simone D. has had more then 200 forced electroshocks. The State of New York went to court to give even more. Simone D.'s attorney, Dennis Feld, fought valiantly. But the courts agreed to order even more forced electroshock. Electroshock is also known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.
(Published: 2007-07-07 09:16)
You may download a PDF of the Appellate Division court order for more forced electroshock of Simone D. Says her attorney Dennis Feld, "The opinion reflects the split in the Court: Three Justices affirmed the trial court's order authorizing the 30 additional shocks. Two Justices dissented and voted to reverse and remand for a new hearing, one in which an independent expert might be appointed to report and testify. The Court of Appeals affirmed the majority's decision. "
(Published: 2007-07-07 09:16)
Info and alerts to resist the State of New York order for even more forced electroshock of Simone D., who has experienced more than 200 involuntary electroshocks (also known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT).
(Published: 2007-05-14 18:40)
New Zealand newspaper covers electroshock hazards.
(Published: 2007-05-14 14:57)
Participant at Toronto protest on Mothers Day 2007 of electroshock of mothers and grandmothers.
(Published: 2007-05-14 12:55)
(Published: 2007-05-14 11:53)
Here's a report from Don Weitz, one of the organizers of the Toronto protest of electroshock on Mother's Day, 13 May 2007.
(Published: 2007-05-07 12:35)
A newspaper article in the Toronto Star in Canada quotes several electroshock activists about the idea of ending electroshock.
(Published: 2007-05-05 11:00)
Toronto, Montreal and MindFreedom Ireland all protested electroshock on Mother's Day 2007. Here is background, announcements, press release and posters, along with links to reports. MindFreedom International endorsed these peaceful protests of electroshock.
(Published: 2007-04-20 18:51)
Info about Toronto protest of electroshock on Mother's Day 13 May 2007.
(Published: 2007-04-20 18:44)
On Mother's Day 13 May 2007 activists in Toronto are protesting electroshock.
(Published: 2007-04-20 18:32)
MindFreedom endorses this important protest in Toronto, Canada of forced electroshock.
Event time: 2007-05-13 (07:00-09:00)
(Published: 2007-04-12 17:44)
31 May 2007: Receiving hundreds of forced electroshocks for years against the expressed wishes of the subject is becoming the "norm" for some mental health clients in New York State psychiatric institutions, says attorney Dennis Feld. In this news release Mr. Feld announces he will be arguing for the right of his client -- Simone D. -- to resist more forced electroshock in a New York State High Court.
(Published: 2007-04-01 07:35)
On 1 April 2007 -- April Fools Day -- in the city of Pune in India, a mental health center held a major event promoting electroshock. The organizers of the promotion covered up hazards about electroshock and gave false information. MindFreedom has a sponsor group in Pune, Center for Advocacy in Mental Health, a project of Bapu Trust. Advocates from Bapu Trust attended the shock promotion event, and here is their news analysis.
(Published: 2007-03-26 06:44)
When a woman who had experienced forced electroshock told her story on a New Zealand television news show, the doctor who had given the involuntary electroshock filed a formal complaint with the TV show, claiming it was the journalist who had violated the woman's informed consent.
(Published: 2007-03-26 05:37)
Here is the actual ruling on 26 March 2007 by TV3 of New Zealand squashing a complaint by the doctor who had given Julie Simmonds forced electroshock. The doctor, Dr. Stephanie du Fresne, claimed that it was TV3 that was violating Julie's rights by airing her story! TV3 found that the doctor's claim was "inconsistent with the operation of a free and democratic society."
(Published: 2007-02-07 13:13)
An Electroshock Quotationary edited by psychiatric survivor Leonard Roy Frank is available as a free PDF download.
(Published: 2006-07-04 00:00)
Leonard Roy Frank is a survivor of forced electroshock, a long-time human rights activist, an expert editor of quotations, and a passionate MindFreedom supporter. Here is Leonard's news release about his new book of quotations available online for free.
Call for papers: "PsychOUT: A Conference for Organizing Resistance Against Psychiatry"
Shock therapy forced on patients
"Stop Shocking Our Mothers and Grandmothers"
Kashmir Location
"Adverse psychological effects of ECT"
May 2008 Protests of Electroshock
Psychiatrist tries to silence forced electroshock survivor
Call for ECT to be Banned
Toronto: "Stop Shocking Our Mothers and Grandmothers"
