ECT does not hurt because you are asleep. ECT therapy is not used to punish any individual and like any procedure requires consent and approval. The patient has absolute right to refuse the procedure. Not the government, doctor or any other person can force this procedure on anyone. Under the APA's recommended "informed consent" protocol, permission to administer ECT is usually thoroughly reviewed and each case is individually analyzed. The consent is not just an oral mumbling of vague dry confusing concepts. It is the psychiatrist’s responsibility to detail and explain the basic principles of ECT and the possible benefits and risk that may occur. The individual and the family members need to be informed of when, where, and by whom the treatment will be administered and the number of treatments expected.
Unlike the days gone by, just simple signing a consent does not give the doctor permission to perform an ill understood procedure and thus, all questions must be asked. The patient has the complete right to withdraw a consent and seek alternative care. No consent is binding to the extent that the patient has no choice. Gone are the days when doctors were the sole decision makers. Today, patients have more rights than they care to know. And if the doctor screws up, you can always go to a lawyer.
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