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Forced Electro-Convulsive Shock Therephy

Thor2008
Thor2008

Saw this article and was intrigued by the subject.  I am undergoing ECT myself and I have been hospitalized before.  The dehumanization of myself at the hands of the State or medicine is a great fear of mine and I guess this article fed into that fear but I think this is something we should be thinking about as sometimes actions are taken in our name when we can not speak for ourselves.



https://reason.com/2020/02/11/psychiatric-hospitals-can-still-force-patients-to-accept-shock-treatment-one-connecuticut-patient-has-been-shocked-500-times-in-five-years/ 

bethelbee
bethelbee
You cannot legally be forced into a treatment, especially if you are alert, aware, and able to refuse.
sonnycamehome
sonnycamehome
Bethelbee, I'm not so sure about that. I'm pretty sure if you are inpatient, doctors can still prescribe this treatment without patient consent, and I also think if a doctor gets a court order it can be prescribed without consent.
peterthegreat
peterthegreat
Yes, it only happened in the moives.
Community LeaderWanderingVet
WanderingVet
Cannot say because laws are different in different venues. I have not heard of a court ordered case for ECT, lobotomy, sterilization, or any other such thing anywhere in the US in 7 decades. But I am not an expert on the subject either.
Thor2008
Thor2008
Peterthegreat, Wanderingvet - This article is how it is being used today. If you are inpatient, this treatment can be ordered against your wishes with a court order.
bethelbee
bethelbee
What are the reasons/ circumstances behind the court ordered ECT??
bethelbee
bethelbee
There should be court ordered lobotomies and castration for certain criminals!!
Thor2008
Thor2008
If your doc thinks you would benefit from ECT and you are a ward of the state (patient who is hospitalized for their safety) then forced ECT or any other treatment is a possibility. I have been Baker Act'ed into a hospital (several times). If the attending doc wanted to do some treatment, I would have little choice in the matter.

The power of the State is something more than we acknowledge or understand. If the State wishes you to have ECT there is little that we can do.
Community LeaderWanderingVet
WanderingVet
Yes, .. I thought there was a remote possibility of it being forced ,,, certain circumstances.
Rascimo
Rascimo
They can if you are a danger to yourself or others
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